When did the World Digital Library open to the public?
The World Digital Library opened its doors to the public on the 21st of April 2009. This launch took place at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
Questions about World Digital Library
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who founded the World Digital Library and when was it launched?
James H. Billington gave a plenary speech at the UNESCO inaugural conference in June 2005 that described the vision for the project. The library officially launched on the 21st of April 2009 after Google Inc. donated $3 million to support development in 2005.
What types of materials does the World Digital Library contain?
The collection includes manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, photographs, architectural drawings, and other cultural materials from cultures around the world. These items date back to 8,000 BCE according to archive records.
Which countries contributed to the World Digital Library collection?
Materials originate from nearly 200 countries including Egypt, Brazil, Denmark, Korea, Qatar, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Partners such as the Egyptian National Library and Archives and the National Library of Brazil selected and digitized these resources.
Where is the World Digital Library hosted now as of December 2025?
As of December 2025, the wdl.org domain redirects to a static collection at the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress migrated the collection to its main website in 2021 and archived the original site during this transition.