The Orphan Works Database contains works still protected by copyright but whose authors or other right holders are not known or cannot be located, preventing digitalisation or other use of such materials.
Orphan works are written in many languages and are an important part of our heritage.
Directive 2012/28/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on certain permitted uses of orphan works sets out common rules to make digitisation and online display of orphan works legally possible.