By its very nature a library is a collection of sources, resources, and services, together with the structure in which it is housed. The materials in this collection may exist in various traditional or modern form like paper supports, electronic records etc.
The electronic library offered here is created and will work entirely for the benefit of all interested in the subject of luthierie. As a substance and classification, it is a private, specialized library with common and unlimited access. The use of the library in its present form, as well as all materials published in it, is free of charge, except in cases of requested custom-made research or materials created by customer demand.
The development of information technologies in the latest decades, the existing of new and modern means of contacts and sharing information not only enormously increases today’s possibilities in that sense, but also imposes new requirements as to the quality, authenticity, access and use rights, protection and safeguarding of information etc. The refusal, unwillingness or – in some cases – the impossibility to use these new means of access to information (by language or technological difficulties) is at least disturbing and incomprehensible, and the result of it – always negative.
The relatively small luthier community world -wide, its special and highly specialized language and terminology, relatively weak links between its members as well as the tradition in the craft of luthierie to show a strongly expressed tendency towards conservatism and secrecy in the professional, but also in the social sense, put this community into the category of one of the poorly communicating communities nowadays (there are, of course, remarkable exceptions).
The future development, sustenance, propagation and success of the luthiers art demands an appropriate and compelling change towards better communications (most probably this is best understood by the young people).
That is the point, the aim and the mission of this library - to help to spread the accumulated knowledge of centuries throughout the luthiers profession, to collect and survey the modern techniques, tendencies and studies on that matters, to encourage the exchange of experience, knowledge and connections throughout the world, to help overcome technological or language difficulties, to provide the largest possible specialized information services, to create, enrich and store available luthiers information and last but not least - to help in the approximation of the knowledge accumulated in all parts of today’s Europe.
Welcome to the Library!
Why do the published BG or EN language materials in the Library sometimes differ?
Often various users do have their own requirements and needs related to the information received. In that sense we are trying to apply maximum flexibility, giving rise to the differences mentioned.
What will be the content of the Library, on what subjects?
In general the Library will contain thematic information in electronic form with unrestricted access. In our attempt to answer the widest possible range of issues, related to the luthierie – the subjects are not predefined and to a large extend will depend on the users themselves, i.e. - will be consistent with their search interests and proposals (through the Forum or otherwise).
How it will the information in the Library be structured?
Currently there is a dual division - amateur and professional section. In each of these sections the individual topics of items will be clearly indicated as regards content by the title, and all the topics will be shown in a common list in order to be easily searched and found.
Can the users propose topics or suggest such?
Of course, this is exactly what we expected - this is the best way to respond to consumer desires or to provide really needed information! Requests and proposals in this sense can be published in the Forum.
Can users contact or seek help from a certain luthier (on a specific question) and how?
This is one of the main tasks of the Luthiers Centre - to contribute to the establishment of contacts between luthiers and to maintain active links between them in order of exchange experiences, knowledge, etc. Put your requests again in our Forum.