LiteraturSchweiz

A literary portal – what could that be?
The portal (→ www.swissliterature.ch) is a meta search engine that links quality approved websites and directly embeds their content into the search results. This is how the portal offers quick access to all the important resources on Swiss literature.

What can/cannot be found via the literary portal?
Everything concerning Swiss literature: reading dates, news, publishers and associations, reading tips, information on authors. Books cannot be bought online yet. The literary portal is no substitute for Google either: while our source material is limited, it is overseen by an editor. The most important sources can be found here ➝ Network.

What sources does the literary portal use and how does it work?
The literary portal uses existing websites and enters them into a data base. The search in the literary portal only refers to these sources that we edit and categorise. In parallel, more searches are initiated in connected data bases and their results are shown separately. We try to index machine-readable content, e.g. RSS feeds or specific lists in HTML, and semantically correct them which benefits the Events and the News sections among others.
This is how the literary portal optimises the search for high quality content. In this sense it is more precise than conventional search engines. We continually work on the development of this feature.

How can I contribute?
Literaturschweiz invites everybody to register new or forgotten sources as well as recently published books. This is done via the link «Forms» in the footer. Literary events can be entered into the web calendar «Who is reading where?» (at ➝ www.werliestwo.ch), they will also be shown on the literary portal (➝ Events).
You can also support the literary portal by adding a link or a widget (➝ Widgets) on your website.

How can I get a logo or a widget for my links?
In the footer click on ➝ http://www.swissliterature.ch/en/Main/Download or on ➝ Widgets to download logos and widgets. Widgets are small software programmes that link your website to ours and simultaneously start a search. Thereby, you integrate a practical literature search or an interesting reading suggestion.

How do I receive news?
We summarise literary news in our news section which is included in the search function. Sporadically we send out a newsletter (➝ Newsletter). You can follow us on Twitter (➝ twitter.com/swissliterature). These tweets flow into our news section, as well as onto our facebook page (➝ facebook.com/LiteraturSchweiz).

How can I switch from one language to an other?
The literary portal is presented in four languages (German, French, Italian, English) and partially also in Romansh. You can select a language in the left column: LittératureSuisse etc. If you hover over it with the cursor the language shows, if you click on it the language switches.

Do I need to chose the language every time?
LiteraturSchweiz holds a different domain for every language. If you henceforth want to access the French site directly, simply bookmark www.litteraturesuisse.ch The same works for www.letteraturasvizzera.ch, www.litteraturasvizra.ch and www.swissliterature.ch.

Is there an app for LiteraturSchweiz?
LiteraturSchweiz is coded for all formats and devices. An App for free is available on Google Play and iTunes.

What about data protection – cookies and JavaScript?
LiteraturSchweiz evaluates anonymous user data for statistical use on our own servers without the help of third parties (e.g. Google). LiteraturSchweiz only saves cookies within so called session variables. Deactivated cookies might limit the functionality of the site. JavaScript needs to be activated for LiteraturSchweiz to work.

Who is part of it?
The independent network LiteraturSchweiz, details are available here: ➝ About us.

How can I support the literary portal?
The funding of the literary portal is guaranteed through the association LiteraturSchweiz. With a donation of 50 CHF and up as a friend or donor you can support the association's commitment to continuously steward and enhance the literary portal (further information: ➝ Responsible Body).
We highly appreciate ideas, critique and praise sent to ➝ info@literaturschweiz.ch. Or place a link, a logo, a widget on your website and tell a friend.

Who are the members of LiteraturSchweiz?
Members of the Responsible Body are institutions and organisations from various sections of the Swiss literary scene, for details see ➝ Responsible Body.

What are the goals of LiteraturSchweiz – today and in the future?
The literary portal LiteraturSchweiz wants to be an umbrella for all aspects of the four Swiss literatures. For details see ➝ About us.

How does LiteraturSchweiz finance itself?
The development of LiteraturSchweiz is generously funded by the Federal Office for Culture in the context of Kulturbotschaft 2012-2015. Pro Helvetia also supports the development of the site. Operations reside with the association LiteraturSchweiz.

When and how was LiteraturSchweiz initiated?
The project LiteraturSchweiz is an initiative of the association of Swiss authors AdS together with Beat Mazenauer. It was conceptualised in 2011 and started in 2012. Currently it is run by Beat Mazenauer, Urs Hofer and Gina Bucher.

Friends and Donors
Only institutions of the Swiss literary scene can become members of the literary portal association. Any person interested in literature is invited to support the literary portal as a friend or donor with an annual contribution starting at 50CHF.