Across the (infinite) space of the web: the spatial dimension of collections on the Internet

The spatial dimension of collections includes the physical arrangement of the media, their classification, and catalogues. But what form do collections take on the Internet when they no longer have a material presence? The article looks at examples from several websites, from France and elsewhere, to identify a number of possible approaches and solutions: presenting heritage collections, virtual exhibitions and visits, links with bookshops, and added-value catalogues. If libraries do not have a clear online identity, their future on the web is under threat. Giving collections a symbolic spatial dimension could be one way of making them more visible as organised compilations of knowledge.
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