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Strategic Directions and Initiatives at the Library of

CongressLaura E. CampbellAssociate Librarian for Strategic Initiatives and

Chief Information OfficerLibrary of CongressJanuary 21, 2009

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Library Digital Initiatives: Timeline

1990 Library began digitizing its collections for a pilot called American Memory.

1992 Library began making all of its onsite exhibitions available on the Internet.

1994 In 1994, the Library began its National Digital Library Program with a promise to digitize and make available 5 million items.

1995 THOMAS Web site of information about the daily bills and legislative workings of the U.S. Congress is launched.

1996 The Learning Page Web site for teachers and students puts the library’s primary resources in the classroom.

2000 America’s Library, a Web site for children and families, is launched to put primary sources in the home.

2000 Congress authorizes the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, to capture and preserve material that exists only in digital form.

2001 A Web site featuring international materials from the Library and its overseas partners, called Global Gateway, features America’s earlier relationships with other countries.

2004 National Digital Library Program celebrates 10th anniversary and its 10 millionth digitized item in American Memory online.

2005 Library announces formation of an effort to build a World Digital Library.

2008 NDIIPP network grows to over 130 partners; Library launches Flickr account.

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1990s Strategy: Increasing Accessibility

Open the Library’s Treasures to the general public American Memory Thomas Learning Page

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American Memory

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o Provides resources for learning about the legislative process and resources for legislative researchers

o Launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress

o Contains a list of legislative and other government resources

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Strategies for the 21st Century: Engaging the Interactive Audience

Expand Library online offerings and increase usage through new channels

Embrace networks of diverse partners

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o Includes bilingual, multimedia digital libraries, built together with international partners

o Individual digital collections focus on history and cultures around the world

o Resources provide authoritative and in-depth information

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National Digital Newspaper Program

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Flickr Project

Pilot of 3,000 images from the Library

Brings our content to new audiences

10.4 million views of the photos in the first 10 months

Also brings users to the LibraryUsers supplying metadata

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The Library of Congress on YouTube

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Network Strategies: Leveraging Experience

National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP)

World Digital Library (WDL)

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National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP)

To ensure access over time to a rich body of digital content through the establishment of a national network of committed partners.

Created by federal legislation (PL 106-554) in December 2000

Guided by National Digital Strategy Advisory Board (NDSAB)

Preserving Our Digital Heritage national NDIIPP plan approved December 2002

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Overall NDIIPP Goals

Identify and preserve at-risk digital content Develop a national digital collection and

preservation strategy Support development of improved tools,

models, and methods for digital preservation

Work with industry, concerned federal agencies, libraries, research institutions and not-for-profit entities

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NDIIPP is a Portfolio of Activities

Library can no longer collect “everything”

Formed a network of more than 130 partners to: Collect and preserve important digital

content at risk of loss Conduct digital preservation research Construct an interoperable technical

infrastructure to support long-term preservation

Explore Intellectual Property issues

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NDIIPP Initial Digital Preservation Investments

In 2004, 36 institutions received awards as members of 8 consortia to collect and preserve important digital content:

Geospatial data Political Web sites Business/Economic History Cultural Material Public television Social Services Data Sets

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Diverse Partners

Universities Public broadcasting Commercial content distributors and

owners State governments Other federal agencies New business services Technology companies Other national libraries

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Public Television…Film footage of the early Beatles, from the archives of PBS

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Southern Culture…Vocational students in 1926, from the collections of Auburn University

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Foreign News Broadcasts…Al-Jazeera, from SCOLA partnership. Used by Congress and other policymakers

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Geospatial Information…Useful for studying demographics, populations

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International Internet Preservation Consortium (IIPC)

Enable the collection of a rich body of Internet content from around the world to be preserved in a way that it can be archived, secured and accessed over time

Foster the development and use of common tools, techniques and standards that enable the creation of international archives

Encourage and support national libraries everywhere to address Internet archiving and preservation.

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NDIIPP Partner NDIIPP Partner CommunitiesCommunities

Digital Preservation Consortia

States

Research

Technical Architectu

re

Federal & Internatio

nal Alliances

Business Models

Commercial Content Producers

Content

Section 108

Working Group

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National Alliancefor Content Stewardship

So far, the Library and its partners have collected 248 terabytes of at-risk digital content

Will increase to 650 terabytes by 2013

Projects now reach 37 states Will reach 50 states by 2013

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NDIIPP Strategy

Take early action Learn by doing Be catalytic Act collaboratively Engage Multiple platforms Leverage Natural, Distributed

Networks Share Resources

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National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Programhttp://www.digitalpreservation.gov

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World Digital Library Network

Offers significant primary materials of different cultures from institutions around the world to increase global understanding among all cultures.Project being developed in cooperation with UNESCO.Prototype launched during UNESCO meeting in Paris in October 2007.Over 25 partners

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Rare and Unique Primary Sources

Books Manuscripts Maps Prints and Photographs Motion Pictures Sound Recordings

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Enhanced Descriptions and Intelligent Search

Annotations Curator videos Consistent, high-quality

metadata

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Primary Access Points

Place Time Topic Type of Item Institution

Or by any combination of these options

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Multilingualism

Arabic Chinese English French Portuguese Russian Spanish

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WDL Strategy

Three pillars: Content acquisition: Historically

significant primary materials from cultures around the world

Construction of a sustainable network for production and distribution of content

Development of state-of-the-art website Next Steps:

Public Launch date: April 21, 2009. Content about all 193 UNESCO member

countries will be included. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina will host a

mirror site.

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World Digital Library Concept Video

http://www.worlddigitallibrary.org/project/english/video/wdl_preview.mov

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