These Guidelines have been produced by a working group representing IFLA and the ICA that was commissioned by UNESCO to establish guidelines for digitization programmes for collections and holdings in the public domain. The contract specified that the guidelines should so far as possible be particularly applicable to institutions in the countries of the developing world. Members of the group were nominated by IFLA and ICA and their activities were coordinated by Sjoerd Koopman, Coordinator of Professional Activities for IFLA.