Global Memory Net and World Heritage Memory Net: documenting and preserving threatened cultures

Global Memory Net is a multi-year digital library project supported by the International Digital Library Programme of the US National Science Foundation. It has already digitally preserved and documented a number of art collections relating to indigenous groups, particularly in the Far East. So far it includes those of 56 ethnic groups in China and 54 minority ethnic groups in Vietnam; the Naxi Collection of the Library of Congress Asian Division; Taiwan Memory; and many others are included in its World Digital Collection which relate to relevant populations across the world. A more recent development is a partnership with UNESCO’s World Heritage Center: the establishment of the first virtual US World Heritage Digital Center, using Global Memory Net ’s technology to provide multimedia and multilingual information on the 851 world heritage sites of 141 countries.