Integrating digital content: the CERN solution

Facing the digital world with all it's challenges is not a new situation for librarians, it is just that creative solutions have to be implemented far quicker than what was required in the era of printed publications. Complex libraries comprising collections of preprints, reports, journals, books etc., with all their holdings neatly listed in card catalogues, bibliographies, abstract journals etc., are about to be merged into one unique "simple" information source: the digital library. CERN Scientific information Service is playing an active role in these developments. Digital content is being integrated to the highest possible level in order to meet the requirements of the particle physics community. The paper gives an overview of the steps CERN has made towards the digital library from the day the laboratory conceived the World Wide Web to present.