Scotland's Culture: Launch 2003

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[Press and publicity > Scotland's Culture pilot service launched]

	The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) has launched a major new internet portal to provide access to quality information about the riches of Scotland’s culture. The pilot portal has been developed on behalf of the Scottish Executive and will bring together national, regional and local cultural organisations to begin to create a virtual cultural campus for Scotland. Scotlandsculture.org provides a way for all sorts of people – from children and ‘silver surfers’ to researchers – to find out about the culture of Scotland. The pilot has initially focused on Scottish music and literature and will be expanded to embrace Scottish culture in its widest sense. The portal draws on the information held in a wide range of places including national institutions, libraries, museums archives and Internet sites with significant Scottish cultural content. In a wider context the Scotland's Culture project also supports the development of the Scottish Executive’s National Cultural Strategy and promotes Scottish culture globally.
Features of Scotlandsculture.org include: • Electronic resources relating to Scottish culture • Easy searching by keyword or by directories of places, subjects and special topics, familiar to users of ‘Google’ and ‘Yahoo’. You can also find out about events happening in a specific area. • Searching resources by region using a dynamic map of Scotland. • ‘Spotlight’ sections which offer quick topical guides to specific subjects. ‘Spotlight’ will also highlight important current cultural events; for example ‘Trailblazer: Scots in Canada’ the major exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland which tells the story of Scots who helped create Canada. • A printed sources search which allows you to search for books, pamphlets, journals, maps, and many other printed items held by libraries throughout Scotland. Rhona Brankin MSP, Chair of SLIC said: “There is a vast amount of resources out there on and about Scotland and its culture. The new Scottish Cultural Portal will give added value to this as it allows easy access, for the public, to all types of information - from football to opera; from tartan to T in the park. The database will grow all the time, as new partners come on board and electronic resources expand.” “We have catered for all levels of ability with appropriate access levels for children up to researchers. And from an information professional’s point of view, the Portal is developed using information and library standards as outlined in SLIC’s Organising Information report in 2001”
Speaking at the launch of the third annual report of the Cultural Strategy, at the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh, Culture Minister Frank McAveety called the Portal: “One of the most – if not the most – innovative projects of its kind in the world. With its ability to showcase, interpret and present items of the best quality, it allows people to know even more about what Scotland’s culture has to offer. It is a very powerful resource.” Scotlandsculture.org builds on existing information networks developed in Scotland. Over the coming weeks SLIC and the Scottish Executive are keen to receive feedback on the kind of information people would like to see available. >> SLIC's Director, Elaine Fulton with Frank McAveety, MSP.

Scotland's Culture is supported by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Library and Information Council. Send comments, suggestions and queries about this service to slic4@slainte.org.uk

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Date created: 16 Dec 2003

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Last updated:16 Dec 2003