Europeana - the European online library crashes

Forced closure just hours after opening


24 November 2008 16:02 GMT / By Katie Scott

More than twice the number of hits than anticipated has crashed Europeana - the new online library - just hours after its launch.

The project offers free online access to content from 1000 of Europe's most prestigious institutions including The British Library.

It was receiving 10 million hits per hour straight after launching.

But it was thousands of people all searching for information - whether pictures, photos, films, books, maps and manuscripts - relating to the Mona Lisa, which brought the site to a standstill.

Users clicking on Europeana.eu are now getting a message saying the site is "temporarily not accessible due to overwhelming interest after its launch".

It adds: "We're doing our utmost to reopen Europeana in a more robust version as soon as possible. We'll be back by mid-December".

A spokesman for the European Commission adds: "It confirms it's [the project's] worth doing, European culture is more popular than we had anticipated in our wildest dreams".
Related
Full tags
Software, Online, Websites, British Library

share print story pdf email story

Recommended articles

Search

Loading

Best iPad 2 apps

We detail the best iPad 2 and iPad apps in the app store Which iPad app should you download?

Windows 8

All the features and details of the new Microsoft operating system explained What's new in Windows 8?

iPad 3 rumours

What comes next? We look at the possible features, leaks, images, specs and more

Pocket-lint poll

Q. Will you be buying a PS Vita?

Vote YES Vote NO

» LAST TIME
When asked Will Samsung be making a mistake if the Galaxy S III isn't shown at Mobile World Congress in February? 51% said yes and 49% said no