Digitizing University Libraries – Evolving from Full-Text Providers to CLARIN Contact Points on Campuses

Abstract

Based on the example of the State and University Library Bremen (SuUB) we will outline in this paper, how academic libraries with digitization activities (hereinafter referred to as digitizing libraries) could establish even closer ties to CLARIN in the future. After describing SuUB's past and current CLARIN-related activities (especially full-text transfers to a CLARIN-D centre) we suggest that this collaboration could be expanded by providing advice and training for researchers of the Digital Humanities as potential CLARIN users. Equally important from our point of view is the discussion about future structural options on the level of research infrastructures. We suggest a collaboration between digitizing libraries to jointly agree upon standards of data quality, file formats, interfaces and web services. We discuss the foundation of local CLARIN contact points to pass scholars and researchers on to the respective contact or service of CLARIN. The relevance to CLARIN activities, resources, tools or services is described at the end of each respective section. From the conclusions, the reader will notice: It is the right time for change.