DBNL and SPi Partner to Digitize Books on Dutch Literature


AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS--(Marketwire - December 2, 2008) - The Digital Library of Dutch Literature (DBNL) and SPi today announced a long term partnership to digitize a large collection of books on Dutch Literature.

Under the terms of this multi-year project, DBNL will utilize SPi's services to scan and convert into searchable PDF an estimated total of 40,000 hardcopy books approximating over 10 million pages. These books span three centuries of Dutch literary creations in prose, poetry, and drama.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. René van Stipriaan, Editor-in-Chief of DBNL, said, "These literary creations are reflections of Dutch culture through the ages. The searchable digital archive will not only be of immense value to researchers but will also make more accessible to the younger generations the works of Dutch literary masters which would foster a deeper and richer understanding of our heritage. The collection of PDF files will be helpful for our back office to accelerate our main activity which is the production of reliable and structured XML. SPi, with its world-class digitization and conversion capabilities, has been a trusted partner of DBNL and we are pleased to work with SPi in this critical digital dissemination project."

Mr. Bill Schieffelin, Senior Vice President, Sales and Global Account Management, commented, "SPi is proud to be associated with DBNL in this landmark project. SPi and DBNL have been working together since 2003 and we have digitized more than 800,000 pages during this time. Our objective is to provide superior value by customizing our services to meet the needs and requirements of DBNL."

About DBNL

The Digital Library of Dutch Literature (Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren) is the biggest collection of primary and secondary information on Dutch literature and its historical, linguistic, societal and cultural context. The DBNL website is very popular (more than 17,000 daily visitors) among researchers and others, who are interested in Dutch cultural history from the Dutch-speaking areas and beyond. DBNL was founded by the Society of Dutch Literature (Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde), with financial support from the Dutch Language Union (Nederlandse Taalunie) and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek).

For more information on DBNL, please visit www.dbnl.org.

About SPi

SPi's Publishing Unit is a global provider of editorial, content production, and business process outsourcing solutions (BPO) for publishers and other information providers.

SPi is a leading full-service BPO provider with offices and facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia. SPi has over 14,000 employees delivering a wide range of Knowledge Process and Customer Interaction solutions to diversified markets, including financial services, healthcare, legal, and publishing. SPi consistently improves operating efficiency, lowers costs, and helps to strengthen the competitive position of more than 500 clients.

SPi is 100% owned by ePLDT, Inc. ePLDT, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines. PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PHP: TEL), and its American Depository Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PHI).

For more information on SPi, visit www.spi-bpo.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Elizabeth Nolan Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Strategy (202) 449 7692