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As recently as a few years ago, audiovisual documents were not integrated into traditional library activities. However, the growing interest among researchers, teachers and the general public in gaining access to this part of the cultural heritage, combined with the recent “multimedia boom” as a result of Internet and other technological developments has suddenly made sound and images extremely attractive, both inside and outside libraries. This paper deals with the exciting prospects, but also the problems, when historical archives want to go digital and implement new technologies in order to improve access to their holdings. Experience from recent projects carried out by the State and University Library are described, e.g. Project JUKEBOX, funded by the Libraries Programme of the European Commission and Danish Audio History, an Internet project under CultureNet Denmark, funded by the Danish Ministry of Culture.

The aim of Jukebox is to set up and test a pilot system for a new library service whereby library users at remote distances can have online access to sound recordings held in their own national media archives as well as archives in other European countries. This paper outlines the background of the project, gives details of the management of the project and its workplan (including the breakdown into ‘work packages’), describes the pilot system (with examples of some search screens), outlines the technical solutions adopted and discusses the copyright implications.