La biblioteca digital del Instituto Cervantes: modelo de selección para el libro electrónico y gestión de la colección
In 2012 the Library Network of the Instituto Cervantes launched a new e-book loan and download service for all its members. The main innovation is the system for selecting the collection: a title-by-title scheme, drawing on different sources and involving purchase for perpetuity or the donation of the content. This management model operates equally for books that are free of copyright as for new materials and works under copyright. The aim is to provide the services of a specialized digital library whose management is conducted directly through publishers and distributors in Spain and other countries. One difficulty arising from this selection system is that the supply of new books available in electronic format for libraries remains small. To encourage this supply and to reduce costs, the Instituto Cervantes offers advantages to publishers (including, converting the libraries in the network in media for the dissemination and promotion of the e-book and as generators of business). A further initiative aimed at increasing availability of e-books in the catalogue and offering a more sustainable service is that of implementing joint projects for institutional publications, combining cooperation and innovation, and providing benefits for all participants.