World Digital Library

The World Digital Library (WDL) is an international digital library originally administered by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress. It is now maintained by the Library of Congress. The WDL has stated that its mission is to promote international and intercultural understanding, expand the volume and variety of cultural content on the Internet, provide resources for educators, scholars, and general audiences, and to build capacity in partner institutions to narrow the digital divide within and among countries. It aims to expand non-English and non-western content on the Internet, and contribute to scholarly research. The library intends to make available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from cultures around the world, including manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, photographs, architectural drawings, and other significant cultural materials. The WDL opened with 1,236 items. Over time it grew to include more than 19,000 items from nearly 200 countries, dating back to 8,000 BCE.