This week I am attending meetings at the Los Angeles Public Library, headed by Martin Gomez, under the rubric of National Digital Public Library (hastag #ndpl). Already, we're seeing clear statements on community, the synergy of national digital library efforts, and the the urgent need for libraries to reclaim the debate on "e-lending" (digital book lending) and access to networked information.
The NDPL is an IMLS, Sloan, and LA Library Foundation funded effort to concentrate attention on how public libraries can contribute to the creation of a national digital library system. There is a strong overlap in mission, goals, and personages with DPLA, but the intent here is to focus on public libraries. There's no dedicated web site yet for the NDPL, but there is a wiki, and I can recommend the eloquent opening statement of Martin Gomez: "There is a library movement underway. The movement is not just local or national. The movement involves the development of a technology platform and a series of agreements and prototypes, all leading toward a vision that is very close to becoming a reality: a global digital library. "
For the first time, I really do feel that there is a growing synergy among library efforts to reclaim space in the digital age. This is a hard battle because the defining focus of libraries – books – is pushed into an entirely different sphere by the digital transformation: a reliance on lending platforms versus distributed physical replication is the most obvious technical difference, but the policy and economic issues are at least as important. The unique strength of public libraries is their physical centered-ness within their communities; I spoke with staff from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationtonight about new visions of libraries that are increasingly focused on providing community data and meeting neighborhood information needs, not just books on shelves........".......
E-lending and public policy « PWxyzhttp://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/PWxyz/?p=8109
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