Madam Minister,
Ladies and gentlemen,
In his opuscule on Richard Wagner in Bayreuth, Nietzsche writes
that a great historical event does not happen only because of
the genius of those who perform it, but also of those who receive it. The
conditions of reception, quality and success of transmission
are, we know, fundamental. That’s why,
from the origins of this department, the issue of access to heritage
and creation – let it be the way it has been considered and the
the name given to it, the “cultural democratization”, or
the rest, “cultural democracy” – has always been the key issue.
How to make the most extraordinary work, the heritage
more sublime, even started by the patina, receives the welcome that will mark
the full fulfilment of his message? How to open up to everyone
access to great works and thus allow everyone,
to enrich his relationship with the world, to radically change his gaze
to feed and thus, having become other, to learn to dialogue?
Today, this central question of the sharing of works in the
intimate domain that is that of culture arrived at a time
hinge, at one of these two-lane intersections, at one of these moments
“bifurcating paths” that demand our commitment and
our decision.
Either we simply look at the emergence of digital
and we are content at best to accompany it. Either we
understand that digital must be the main vector of a new
policy of authentic access to culture, and we take the
first to better understand and then,
to act more effectively. Digital technology is indeed an instrument
which should revolutionise the transmission, not only of the
creation, but also and above all, for what concerns us today, the
heritage.
The recent decennial survey on the Cultural Practices of the French
in the digital age: talking about the “digital revolution”
is not hyperbole, an exaggeration. And it is urgent that the
cultural authorities take the measure of these upheavals,
whether in terms of foresight, regulation and model
economic. I have done, for my part, the digitization of content
one of the priorities of my work as Minister of Culture and
communication. I also note that the methodological framework of
this survey must be rethought in the light of these new
reading.
One of the debates of digital sharing has rightly crystallized, by
jerks and jerks since 2005, around the issue of
relationship between the digitization work of the American firm Google and
a number of European public libraries, in particular
the National Library of France.
Again this summer, the debate was heated about the discussions conducted
BnF with Google to consider a possible partnership
for the digitization of a part of the BnF heritage funds.
I immediately wanted to grasp the problem, if only to say and
to write, first, the need to overcome the debate. Too many
reflexes, too many fantasies, too many almost seemed to me to burden the
exchanges in August. And I have since been struck by the diversity of
informed people I have heard and consulted on
this question.
That is why I wanted to launch a mission of reflection
on this theme of the digitization of libraries and decided to entrust
the charge to undisputed personalities of these fields, which me
seem to possess all the skills necessary for my will
to enlighten the debate.
You will have recognized those who blush! First Marc TESSIER, former
Director General of the CNC, former President of France Télévision,
institutions at whose head he has done exemplary work, and
currently president of Video Futur Entertainment Group. Marc
TESSIER is familiar with the digital world and its challenges and is
why I decided to give him the presidency of the mission on the
digitization of library heritage holdings that I have the pleasure
officially launch today in front of you and with you. It will be
accompanied in his task and in this mission by Emmanuel HOOG,
the President of the INA, whose digitization of heritage
exceptional success, and which has just published a very interesting book,
Memory year zero, where he notably discusses the impact of digital on
the notion of memory. Olivier BOSC, curator of libraries at
Château de Chantilly, Alban CERISIER, Director of Heritage Funds
and digital development at Gallimard, and François-
Xavier LABARRAQUE, Director of Development and
Radio France, will bring their respective expertise. I also want to
thank Sophie-Justine LIEBER, masters of requests to the Council
who will be the rapporteur of this mission, and who, having been
PATINO mission reporter on e-books, is an expert
in these matters.
I would like to express my confidence and express my
sincere and warm thanks for accepting the charge of
the work of this necessary mission.
I hope that the research, reflections and consultations
you will lead to help governments better assess risks
and the benefits of a partnership between this economic giant and our
public institutions. Of course, you must bear in mind that
only the technical aspect of the problem, but also its political scope,
in the noble sense of the word, that is, the aim of the general interest and
fundamental national independence in matters of culture and, in
heritage. You will of course have to
keep any ideological position, and I trust you on this point
also, including any easy and thoughtless hostility towards
«America»: no American dream or nightmare will be summoned, I
in your debates. And you will have to be firm on some
intangible principles, particularly on the fundamental issue of rights
authors and Google’s actions in this area, for example the
agreement with American rights holders. France, you the
know, intervened in the ongoing proceedings to protest against
the general scheme of this agreement.
You will keep in mind the risks of partnering with a company such as
that Google:
strengthening its dominant position; monopoly
is not freedom!
sustainability of file retention and archiving
digitized has many questions;
the issue of ownership of scanned files remains in
suspense;
the recent crisis has shown the fragility of institutions
centuries and prestigious: the future of this company, but also its
long-term strategy, on the “long term”, that is to say by the
public action and the general interest in heritage,
remain marked by many uncertainties.
I would like to point out that there are questions in the background of this issue.
technical, but with significant political consequences,
such as the management of orphan and depleted works. I
will not develop them here, but they cannot be separated from the
general problem. I will also make only a brief reference to
Europeana, but I hope that France will be one of the
of this beautiful digital library project. France is
the main contributor to Europeana. Because the public effort for the
digitization of cultural content, already very significant, shows that
we have a clear awareness of the importance of the issue.
It is in order to accelerate the pace and further increase our commitment that I wish that the JUPPE-ROCARD Commission for the Grand National Loan retain projects of digitization of the cultural heritage of the State.
This shows you the importance of your conclusions and the need for
have a thorough analysis of the technical elements,
legal conditions, economic interest, opportunity
policy and strategic agreements, in order to make the decision that I
will judge the best and most able to fit into the
An analysis of the agreements concluded in other countries with the
company Google and other companies for the digitization of funds
The Commission will of course have to take the necessary measures.
The mission will consult qualified personalities from the world of
libraries, digital and other areas useful to your
reflection: economists, engineers, lawyers.
Based on this consultation, you will introduce me on 24 November
next, in a month, a problematic step note, which me
will provide input into the discussion in
the agenda of the meeting of the Council of
the European Union on November 27. You will return your
final report on December 15.
In short, this report should answer the following questions:
the appropriateness and relevance of an agreement between the BnF and
Google from the triple point of view of sharing and outreach
French content on the Internet, economic and financial interest
for the State and the taxpayer, the political message to be addressed to the
international community,
alternative proposals that you deem relevant
in terms of private partnership, in terms of all the elements
that you have been able to analyze.
I emphasize that the position that will be chosen by the government is
will be particularly observed by our European partners and,
the whole world. That’s why I will be
also, very attentive to your conclusions.
Because, dear Marc TESSIER, ladies and gentlemen of the
Commission, your work will be a cornerstone of our work in favour of
a “culture, not only for everyone, but for everyone”, that is
a policy of digital sharing of our country’s cultural heritage,
for “each” of our fellow citizens.
So before we meet in mid-December, I want to
thank you for your attention, and I turn the floor over to my colleague Nathalie
KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET.