MIES (Switzerland) - FIBA has become the first International Sports Federation and fourth overall partner of the Olympic World Library (OWL) network.
Managed by the Olympic Studies Centre (OSC), the OWL serves as a library catalog, an information portal and a search engine entirely devoted to Olympic knowledge. The OWL Network was launched by the OSC to offer a turnkey solution for library management and bring together Olympic library collections from around the world into a single, collaborative platform and meta-catalog for Olympic knowledge and literature.
The FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Library, managed by the FIBA Foundation and recognized as one of the world's largest and most comprehensive basketball libraries, will be gradually made accessible online through this dedicated portal. Its collection includes more than 9,000 books, 800 magazine titles, and over 2,000 game and tournament programs from more than 80 countries and in over 40 languages.
"We are delighted to welcome FIBA as the first International Federation to join the Olympic World Library Network," said Yasmin Meichtry, interim Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage. "This important step highlights the services we provide to the Olympic family and reflects our shared commitment to preserving and disseminating Olympic heritage and knowledge. By making library collections and documentation accessible to audiences worldwide, we are reinforcing the collective effort to promote Olympic education and research. It also marks a new chapter in our collaboration with FIBA, extending it beyond our current cultural and heritage joint initiatives."
"The FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Library is the largest and most complete collection in the world devoted to basketball," said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. "Making it accessible online, thanks to the OWL Network integration, marks an important milestone, fully aligned with FIBA’s mission to promote basketball globally. Becoming the first International Federation to join the network also supports FIBA's strategic objective to be a global leader in the world of sports technology and develop pioneering solutions to make our content available to both the FIBA family and the wider Olympic family around the world."
These resources from FIBA will add to the OSC’s existing collection of over 42,000 publications and 17,500 digital documents, which include reports and publications of the IOC and the Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games, as well as academic books, articles and journals on all Olympic themes.
"The FIBA Pedro Ferrándiz Library and its unique collection are an outstanding addition to the OWL," added Maria Bogner, Head of the OSC. "Through this collaboration, we are enabling FIBA to benefit from the OWL’s professional library infrastructure, while enhancing the resources we can make available to our global research and professional audiences. It also paves the way for other International Sports Federations to partner with us to safeguard and share their collections through the Olympic World Library."
FIBA joins the Spanish National Olympic Committee, the Moroccan National Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Academy as a member of the OWL Network.
"The Pedro Ferrándiz Library has already become a key destination for researchers, historians and the wider basketball community," said Head of FIBA Foundation Theren Bullock Jr. "As part of the FIBA Foundation’s commitment to preserving and promoting basketball’s cultural heritage, this partnership, which marks 90 years since the first Olympic jump ball, will give the global basketball family greater access to valuable basketball resources and historical archives. The seamless collaboration with the OSC teams has been instrumental in launching the portal and marks the beginning of the expanding integration of our catalog."
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About FIBA
FIBA (fiba.basketball) - the world governing body for basketball - is an independent association formed by 212 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For further information about FIBA, visit fiba.basketball or follow FIBA on facebook.com/fiba, x.com/fiba, instagram.com/fiba and youtube.com/fiba.
About the FIBA Foundation
The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports, particularly basketball, in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
FIBA’s Cultural Heritage is the heart of the FIBA Foundation’s cultural and historical activities. It is one of the driving forces behind the promotion and dissemination of FIBA’s values.
About the Olympic Studies Centre (OSC)
The IOC’s Olympic Studies Centre is the primary reference for Olympic knowledge. Its mission is to make this knowledge accessible to all, foster and support Olympic education, studies and research, and provide a platform for dialogue between the academic world and the Olympic Movement.
Through its programmes and services, the OSC supports the work of all Olympic Movement stakeholders, as well as professors, researchers, students and 85 university-based Olympic Studies and Research Centres (OSRCs) worldwide.
Located next to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, the OSC is open to the public. Its facilities provide researchers, professionals and students with access to the IOC’s historical archives and extensive library collection.