The Berg fashion library

Abstract

Berg is a small academic publisher based in Oxford, UK, The Berg Fashion Library (BFL), launching in 2010, will be a new interdisciplinary online portal focusing on dress, and offering fully cross-searchable access to an expanding range of content collections - including books, journals, images and reference works, all underpinned by a specially created taxonomy. The BFL will be offered to library customers by annual subscription on a 'pick and mix' basis. This is a massive project for a small publisher to undertake. This case study describes our experience of its development to date and what we learned, as well as the impact on our business. (Subsequent to the writing of this article, Berg Publishers was purchased by Bhomsbury Publishing plc.).