random quote Link: Publications Forum Link: About DLF Link: News
Link: Digital Collections Link: Digital Production Link: Digital Preservation Link: Use, users, and user support Link: Build: Digital Library Architectures, Systems, and Tools
photo of books

DLF PARTNERS

""

DLF ALLIES

""

Comments

Please send the DLF Executive Director your comments or suggestions.

Original Principles of Organization (1995)

The founding members of the Digital Library Federation made a five-year commitment to the organization. At this stage, several principles guide the participants in thinking about organization.

First, over the five-year period of the DLF's expected life, circumstances affecting digital libraries will change, probably dramatically in various aspects. Assumptions guiding the DLF organization will also need correspondingly to change, as will the organization itself. DLF members thus need to establish sensitivity to changing circumstances and flexibility as core attributes of the organization.

Second, constituted as a "federation," rather than as some other kind of organization, the DLF is meant to have a lean, streamlined, and agile central organization focused on leadership.

Third, as a leadership organization, the DLF's mission is to promote the development and federation of distributed digital libraries. Because DLF will NOT directly operate a digital library, it seeks as its core strategic participants those institutions that are - or aspire to be - directly engaged in digital library operations.

Fourth, some digital library operations are well developed within the DLF; others are less so. The recruitment of new participants should seek demonstrably to strengthen the ability of the DLF to provide leadership in the development of digital libraries.

Fifth, participants bring value to the DLF, but they also receive value. The DLF provides the direction and coordination of strategic initiatives. It provides the opportunity to participate with other leaders in the field in the early definition and execution of development efforts. Participation in the DLF also provides access to expertise, to meetings and workshops on key digital library issues, to detailed studies of digital library topics, and to project reports. The structure of participation should allow value to flow to and from the DLF openly and through a variety of paths.

Sixth, the DLF needs to interact vigorously and effectively with the many and varied organizations that have stakes in digital libraries but that do not necessarily have a role as direct participants in the Federation. Some organizations operate digital libraries but have chosen not to join the DLF. Other organizations, including technology vendors, standards organizations, publishers, funders, and various consortia, generally do not operate digital libraries - and so would not qualify as DLF participants. However, they do provide essential services to digital libraries or otherwise have key roles to play in their development. It is essential for the DLF to develop, as it has already done with RLG, OCLC, CNI, and several other academic libraries, productive modes of interacting other than direct participation.

return to top >>