Dear friends,
I'd like to draw your attention to OSSNLibraries Portal at
http://dewey.library.nd.edu/ossnlibraries/portal/
The portal is "a prototype of an open source software (OSS) in libraries
portal -- a combination directory/webliography of OSS projects and
information resources designed for and useful in library settings.
The Software section is a directory of OSS software browsable by a number of
characteristics. The Webliography lists themes pertaining to OSS in
libraries and zero or more links to Internet resources elaborating on the
theme."
The prototype envisages a portal that may develop as a community effort with
regard to projects and information that may be notified and reviewed by its
users.
The idea for the portal arises from a meeting that the DLF hosted in October
2001 to consider how to assess claims made for open-source software (OSS)
and, if appropriate, to identify steps to move OSS activity into the
mainstream of digital library development. A report on the meeting is
available from http://www.diglib.org/architectures/ossrep.htm Implementation
owes great deal to Eric Lease Morgan and the Digital Access and Information
Architecture Department of the University Libraries of Notre Dame.
The prototype portal provides a framework within which a community activity
may take place and be developed. Next steps are currently being considered
about which comments are very much welcomed.
In addition, the prototype demonstrates one way that the DLF may serve its
members (and the broader community) through "technology watch" initiatives,
that is, initiatives that monitor activity in discrete areas of interest to
those developing digital libraries.
I would also invite you to consider how we might extend this technology
watch function to other areas of interest (in this respect, we are looking
both for the areas of interest we may cover as well as the mechanisms we may
use to cover them) and to contact me with any ideas they may have.
Kind regards,
Dan
Daniel Greenstein
Director, Digital Library Federation
1755 Massachusetts Ave, NW #500
Washington DC 20036
(202) 939-4762
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