Digital Library Consortia and Digital Collections

[Heidi Abbey]

Colleagues: Recent postings about state digital library consortia have been
very informative. But, does anyone know if a comprehensive *list* of
consortia exists anywhere online? I have looked through the IFLA pages on
digital libraries and the ARL digital initiatives database, but have not
found anything to date. I think a list of this nature would be useful
(especially for best practice and networking), and could also spread
awareness about digital initiatives going on at the state level. I would be
interested and willing to collaborate with anyone else who thinks such a
project would be useful. Please contact me off the list.

As an aside, I'm working with colleagues at my institution to create an
international database of Digital Collections Online (DCO):
http://norman.lib.uconn.edu:6550/DigitalCollections. It is still very early
in its development, and, admittedly, a mammoth task, one which I believe
NINCH and many other organizations have been working on for the past few
years. However, our focus has been to provide a gateway to digital
collections which directly relate to the academic disciplines taught at
UConn. Feedback about our project is welcomed. 

Regards,
Heidi

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Heidi N. Abbey, M.A., M.L.S.
Digital Collections Librarian
Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
University of Connecticut Libraries
405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
Storrs, CT  06269-1205   U.S.A.
Tel.:  860.486.2993
Fax:  860.486.4521
Web: www.lib.uconn.edu/~habbey
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy Wheeler [mailto:kwheeler at jaguar1.usouthal.edu]
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 3:12 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Fwd: digital library consortia


Alabama has one called the Alabama Virtual Library. It's at 
http://www.avl.lib.al.us/
There's an article on it in Computers in Libraries at 
http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/jan01/morgan.htm
In 2000, the AVL was the winner of Solinet's Outstanding Library Program 
The Multi-Type Library Cooperation Award.


>Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 11:16:47 -0800 (PST)
>Reply-To: TomaiuoloN at mail.ccsu.edu
>Originator: web4lib at webjunction.org
>Sender: web4lib at webjunction.org
>From: "Tomaiuolo, Nicholas (Library)" <TomaiuoloN at mail.ccsu.edu>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
>Subject: [WEB4LIB] digital library consortia
>X-Comment: Web4Lib Information - http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>Please forgive A) my crossposting this question and B)if it is somewhat out
>of the list's scope.
>
>Connecticut (USA) has launched a service that allows residents holding a
>valid library card in its state access to an attractive list of database
>resources.  In essence, students and residents in the state can perform
>bibliographic database searches and retrieve citations and full-text when
>available from periodicals.  Authenication, of course, is required. I
>believe it is a great asset to any end-user.
>
>My question is: what other states, cuntries, or geographic consortia, have
>similar projects in place?  I am aware of a couple others, but if you have
>any information concerning "digital libraries" of this sort, could you pass
>your comments, and URLs if known, on to me? [I hope this doesn't fall into
>the 'DUH' category.]
>
>On a side note, I think developments of this sort really beg the question
>"is there a need for end-user subscription databases" such as Questia.
>
>Thank you very much,
>Nick Tomaiuolo
>Reference Librarian
>Central Connecticut State University
>
>

__________________________________________________________________
Kathy 
Wheeler 
kwheeler at jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Electronic Services/Reference                             That's jaguar ONE!
University of South Alabama, University Library  334-460-7938
Mobile, AL  36688
http://library.southalabama.edu