Libraries are palaces for the people

Drawing on the long tradition of libraries as the center of citizenship and engagement, The Palace Project name was chosen to highlight the central role of libraries in public life and the idea of public libraries as “Palaces of the People”. The goal of The Palace Project, a new division of Lyrasis, is to support public libraries in their mission to provide equitable access to digital content, while restoring the direct relationship between library and patron.

“Libraries are essential because they provide individuals with knowledge and the tools to build more informed, engaged and inclusive communities.” George Martinez, Chief Technology Officer, Knight Foundation

At the heart of the Palace Project is the belief that the public library is the digital center of knowledge and creativity for their community. By creating a seamless, easy-to-use system including platform, content and mobile app, The Palace Project lets you engage directly with your patrons and improve, enhance and expand the resources available to them.

The Palace Project is a robust suite of content, services, and tools for the delivery of ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media to benefit public libraries and their patrons. Funded by a $5 million investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Palace Project is a division of Lyrasis, working in strategic partnership with Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). The Palace platform was initially sourced from the Library Simplified platform, an open-source code base originally designed and developed by the New York Public Library.

“DPLA is excited to take our work providing libraries greater control over digital assets to the next level." - John Bracken, Executive Director, DPLA 

 

Image of Select Palace Books

The Palace Project is rooted in our commitment to a library-led digital future. The Palace Project will:

  • Bolster the direct relationship between libraries and their patrons

  • Give libraries greater control over acquisition and delivery of econtent

  • Advocate with publishers on behalf of  libraries

  • Respect patron privacy

The Palace Project is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is a division of Lyrasis.