Readme.cc is a virtual meeting place, like the agora or places of assembly in Ancient Greek city states, for communication about books. It is special because readers introduce themselves and communicate about books of their choice through photographs as well as through comments that are stored and accessible in online bookshelves. Readme.cc is far from being an anonymous internet forum; it is a space for inspiring and often surprising literary encounters.

The inspiration to create Readme.cc developed out of the desire to mediate between traditional literary culture and the community on the web. We wanted to unite the literary world and online communities in a shared forum to show that individualism and community building are not mutually exclusive. The individual, intimate experience of reading a book can often form the basis for lively exchange and friendship between people and we hope that Readme will provide a platform for this.

Readme.cc is an acknowledged independent cultural project with no commercial interests.

Readme.cc went online in 2005 and has since expanded throughout Europe. Step by step, it is becoming a significant and multi-faceted European literary space.

With the multilingual website www.readme.cc, an advanced Web 2.0 application, the project has the potential to build a European network for readers and authors. Readme.cc also initiates virtual meetings in Second Life and real meetings in various locations across Europe.

Readme.cc organizes the European Literature Days in the Wachau,

Goals of Readme.cc

· The construction of a multilingual readers’ community.

· The creation of a multilingual pool of authors. Readme.cc wants to help 'Readme.cc authors' to demonstrate their literary talent across language barriers and national boundaries. Their key works will be represented on the site through book tips (or reviews) and excerpts will be available in many languages. Together with its event and media partners Readme.cc will give its authors the opportunity to appear and read at international literary events.

· The creation of a European Archive of Literature (paying attention to copyright restrictions on the internet, and the documentation of literature within a European context)

· The promotion of an intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean region by building websites (in Arabic and Hebrew) and integrating their editors into the European network of Readme.cc.