2005

DLTIG Table Talks

Knowing people’s busy schedules and delays caused afternoon shuttle bus travel, Holley Long, coordinator of the Digital Library and Technology Interest Group (DLTIG) Table Talks, asked the initially small number of attendees to gather around two large tables. As discussions began in King Arthur’s Court- a conference room of the Intercontinental Chicago sporting swanky medieval décor, the number of participants grew till each table had representation from libraries, museums and similar institutions across the country.

DLTIG Table Talks Talk at my table began with a resounding agreement on the importance of project planning. Organizational issues were zeroed in on, and thoughts/ideas/potential solutions shared in response to questions like:

  • Has your collection development plan been translated to incorporate digital collections? If not, how can one harmonize a current plan to address and include digital formats?
  • Is too much attention given to the development of “sexy” collections while the content and management of more core collections get short shrift?
  • With purchase of electronic databases packages our libraries look more alike. Will digital libraries allow academic libraries and similar institutions to create a new, unique identity? And is this actually important to our users? Our administration?
  • Participants also found value in connecting with colleagues and sharing practical knowledge on the technical issues surrounding metadata standards, software alternatives, and institutional repositories for digital thesis and dissertations. In the near future, notes from these table talks will be posted on the DLTIG website: http://www.ala.org/ala/lita/litamembership/litaigs/diglibtech/digitallibrary.htm