From Project to… Services?

Session Type: Presentation/Panel

Session Description:
The Carolina Digital Library and Archives (CDLA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, like many digital library units in academic libraries, is in the midst of a shift away from project-based work towards more sustainable approaches. We have found ourselves in a familiar position, with high-profile digital collections and significant past successes that grew up organically and experimentally, without an underlying strategic technological or programmatic theme. Our take on the “from project to program” transition involves introducing a new focus on core services that can scale and be widely offered to library staff and to scholars. This presentation will describe the CDLA’s early service efforts, such as weekly office hours, facilitating project planning for technology initiatives proposed to our Library Technology Council, regularly scheduled technology-focused presentations and discussions, and the introduction of the Omeka software in a pilot phase; offer initial thoughts on how we plan to assess these services and the need for others; and describe our next steps in this ongoing transition. The session will also offer insights into how the CDLA’s core services fit into the UNC Library’s wider digital library and repository technology plans, describing our vision how both will work together to allow us to continue to scale up our efforts and adapt to a world of constant technological migration.

Session Leader:
Jenn Riley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Session Notes:
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Session Slides: