February 11, 2014 World Digital Library Will Expand Science Holdings with Gift From Jones International University

The Library of Congress today announced a gift from Jones International University (JIU) to the Library’s World Digital Library (WDL), an initiative which brings the rarest and most important cultural documents of the world to people everywhere. This gift of $250,000 will support WDL expansion of content on American achievements in science and technology, including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and other documents relating to the scientific mapping of the North American continent, the building of the transcontinental railroad, the industrial revolution, the Wright Brothers and the birth of aviation, and such important innovators as Samuel F.B. Morse, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell.

JIU was founded by Glenn Jones, a leading figure in the cable television industry and advocate in the field of online education.

“Glenn is a longtime champion of the Library and this gift exemplifies his commitment to providing the access to information which is the foundation of our knowledge-based democracy,” said Dr. James H. Billington, the Librarian of Congress.

JIU Chancellor Milton Goldberg joined the Librarian and John Van Oudenaren, director of the World Digital Library, to announce the gift.

JIU faculty will also embark on a research project to explore WDL’s methods for offering its trove of international cultural treasures in multiple languages, with an eye toward broadening the global reach of online education.

“We are committed to the concept of democratizing education on a global basis, and we are excited about the potential of language-translation technologies to help enable this effort. Having the opportunity to study the WDL translation environment will be most helpful,” said Goldberg.

The World Digital Library is a website led by the Library of Congress that makes accessible on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from around the globe. The WDL includes 178 partners in 80 countries and is carried out with the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The objectives of the WDL are to promote international understanding; expand the volume and variety of cultural content on the Internet; and to build capacity in partner institutions to narrow the digital divide within and among countries. The WDL is available in seven languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish – and includes books, manuscripts, and other documents in more than 100 languages.

About the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled integrated resources to Congress and the American people. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs, publications and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov. To learn more about World Digital Library, visit wdl.org/en/.

About Jones International University, Ltd. (JIU)

As a pioneer in online education, Jones International University offers an unparalleled online educational experience that provides essential tools and strategies for those starting, changing or advancing their careers around the globe. JIU offers an array of online undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees and professional certificate programs in the fields of business administration, education, and business communication and employs some of the greatest minds from many of the world’s leading universities. JIU was the first entirely virtual university in the U.S. to be granted accreditation and continues to make its mark as the Gold Standard Online University. Visit www.jiu.edu External for more information.