Library Collections

Libraries join Hathi Trust

by lener, posted on July 12, 2012

As of July 1, 2012, the Libraries are sustaining partners of the Hathi Trust Digital Library.   The Hathi Trust is a shared repository of digital content scanned from over 50 research library partners across the United States and Europe.  It also includes content from Google Books and the Internet Archive.  As of January 2012, the repository had over 10m volumes, nearly 3m of which are in the public domain.

When set up is completed (by fall semester), VT patrons will be able to search across the full text of all volumes in the repository.  Using Shibboleth authentication, they can also download public domain volumes in their entirety.  Besides public domain volumes, partners have full viewing and downloading abilities for materials for which Hathi has received permissions.

Users with print disabilities can get specialized access to public domain and in-copyright materials. Hathi Trust facilitates other lawful uses of in copyright such as those afforded by US copyright law: Section 108 (print replacement copies, digital access to applicable works) and fair uses of in-copyright materials. Access to in-copyright materials, including for users who have print disabilities, is subject to laws of the country where the partner institution is located.

Currently, VT patrons can discover Hathi Trust items in Summon or in the native interface.  An API will allow us to link from Addison print records to a digital copy in the repository, if one exists.

More information on Hathi Trust will be forthcoming as we complete the set up steps of our partnership agreement.