1	The Digital Library Federation: A Briefing www.diglib.org CNI Taskforce Meeting San Antonio December 6^th 2002
2	DLF: Shape and Characteristics Thirty members ; four allies Housed by Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) in DC Created in 1995 by ULs of major research libraries Fills a need not simply met by large library organizations : focus exclusively on DL matters, be nimble, agile, collaborative
3	Characteristics, continued Lightweight administrative structure: full-time staff of 2.5 Heavyweight investment from members : a real buy-in at UL level (Steering Committee); staff participate actively in working groups, exploratory sessions, Forums. An incubator more than a maintainer
4	What DLF is not Not open to all comers Not representative by design of the larger digital library world Not (in intent) US-only Not permanent – 5 year life (renewable) Not cumbersome or formal
5	Ongoing Work: Metadata Open Archives Initiative – OAI metadata format and harvester – has been a real success for the CNI/DLF partnership that has funded it. METS – common metadata standard for managing multiple metadata streams in a digital library (and across them)
6	Ongoing Work: Good Practices Guide to Good Practice: Cataloging Standards for Describing Cultural Objects and Images. The DLF and the Getty Grant Program sponsors the Visual Resources Association (VRA) to review and evaluate existing data content standards and current practice in order to compile a manual that may be used to describe, document, and catalog cultural objects and their visual surrogates.
7	Ongoing Work: Production EAD Archival Toolkit – a coordination of production and delivery software and workflow practices for Encoded Archival Descriptions guides. Registry of Digital Masters – with OCLC – MARC-based registry of monographs and serials.
8	Ongoing Work: Patterns of Use Dimensions and use of the scholarly information environment. A Data Set Assembled by the Digital Library Federation and Outsell, Inc. Tells us a lot about what users do, and how – challenge is to use this to gain a better understanding of why. www.diglib.org/pubs/scholinfo/
9	Upcoming Areas of Interest Courseware/library interface Reclaiming our users Building services in front of journal/publisher silos XML tools (EAD) Coordinating digital production Digital video
10	Ongoing Work: meetings DLF Forum: twice-a-year meeting – similar to CNI Task Force in design – highly valued by membership the attendance limit of 4 people per institution for the DLF Forum is now no more
11	New Initiatives Collections: DLF Electronic Resource Management Initiative: This project will develop XML-based structure to manage the license agreements and related administrative information that governs the use of digital library content. [Tim Jewell and others]
12	New Initiatives: Preservation DLF Registry of Digital File Formats -- essential for long-term preservation, and currently is either missing or scattered – this team proposes to describe the problem clearly and search for a home for an integrated register [Harvard, LC, RLG, NARA, MIT, PRO (UK), Bibliotheque Nationale]
13	New Initiatives: Publications and Communications DLF publications policy: DLF publications now follow the good practices for digital library content that we promote – re-usable and validated XML from which to generate html, PDF, and ebook derivatives; Dublin Core records that can be shaped into OAI metadata; Americans With Disabilities Act compliance. DLF website re-design: a professional design company has been commissioned to refresh the website.
14	New Initiatives: Tools Vendor Forum: this needs careful thought and planning, but there is general support for a meeting that puts us together with invited members of the digital library software and hardware vendor community. Areas of concentration could be the need for local customized delivery of online journal articles; courseware systems.
15	New initiatives: staff and executive support Forum Fellowships for junior faculty/staff – cost share of cost of sending a junior staff member to the Forum. Key Concept Executive Summaries: “quick guides” on key DLF topics (OAI, METS, MODS, XML, EAD, Shibboleth, and so on) for senior university executives.
16	Challenges, moving forward… Improve communications Support practical work and also strategic planning Preserve nimbleness and agility Strengthen partnerships – vendors, scholars, publishers, teachers Challenge our US-centricity Support the smart, active, and ambitious membership – and find means to engage and excite new members of our profession