OCLC Western is pleased to present the fourth annual OCLC Western Digital Forum on August 14-15, 2008, in Tacoma, Washington at the Hotel Murano. This year’s forum will focus on Making Digitization Count: Assessment and Evaluation Practices.

The forum will feature national experts from the archival, museum and library communities who will discuss current projects to create and automate evaluation and assessment tasks for digital collections. Three of these distinguished presenters include:
• Kate Haley Goldman (Keynote speaker), Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Learning Innovation, Annapolis MD
• Elizabeth Yakel, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan School of Information
• Dr. Helen R. Tibbo, Professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The program will also explore how evaluation and assessment methods inform decision making for digital collections. Presentations will highlight national projects of significance relating to evaluation and assessment of digital collection users, 21st century learners and model practices for digital program assessment. The forum is designed to offer a smaller and more intimate meeting setting where participants can share knowledge and create networks with other organizations that are working to develop assessment and evaluation practices. It is an ideal educational opportunity for librarians, archivists and museum staff who are charged with creating digital access to collections. So please make your plans now to join your colleagues at this dynamic national event.