EXPLOIT Project

EXPLOIT was a Telematics Accompanying Measure project designed to promote the results of European Union library projects (both Framework 3 and 4) and was funded under the 4th Framework by DG XIII of the European Commission. It aim was to facilitate the take-up of the outcomes of these projects by institutions, organisations and individuals involved in library and information systems, particularly in the Accession countries of Central Europe.

While the emphasis of EXPLOIT was on 3rd and 4th Framework programmes, preparation for calls under the 5th Framework was equally important.
Funds were available within the project to provide opportunities for key personnel from CEE countries to acquaint themselves with the results of Libraries sector projects and related activities. This included facilitating their participation in major events such as EC organised workshops, end-of-project dissemination meetings and other key events in the EU. Offered grants covered travel, living costs and conference fees.

The EXPLOIT consortium was led by the Deutschesbiblioteks Institut in Berlin. The main partners were the United Kingdom Office for Library and Information Networking (UKOLN) at the University of Bath and the British Council Poland. The British Council, assisted by the International Centre for Information Management Systems and Services (ICIMSS) at the University of Torun was responsible for the selection and administration of the grants scheme with the accompanying measure.

The EXPLOIT project offered 30 grants to the applicants from the following countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Information about grant opportunities was distributed widely on the existing discussion lists, and was available on ICIMSS website. The grant recipients were obliged to disseminate information across the whole region. It was expected from the applicant to give a short report, present the results of his/her attendance at the event in at least one professional journal and also give at least one presentation at a professional conference or other event in own country. Among supported events there were: Consolidating the European Library Space (Luxembourg); IST (Helsinki); Keystone for Information Age (London); Internet Librarian (London); 4th European Conference on Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries (Lisbon); IST (Nice)

In the framework of EXPLOIT project Web magazine - EXPLOIT Interactive has been established by UKOLN.