I'll bet those of you who are librarians are far ahead of me on this, but I felt the need to comment on the principles pasted below which mention "access" many times but don't specify screen reader access.  Remember Google's digitization with all the hype about access, but was not done in a way that those of us who use screen readers can read.  Write on!  Kathie

March 14, 2007

Dear ALA Council Member:

We are writing to alert you to an important project that requires the interest and engagement of the ALA Council.  In April 2006, the Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) sponsored a meeting of representatives from various ALA Divisions, other library associations, organizations interested in cultural and scientific heritage such as the American Association of Museums, and national funding organizations to explore the policy issues implicated in the digitization of information and cultural and scientific resources.
At the conclusion of that meeting, the OITP Advisory Committee, after consultation with the ALA Executive board, created a Task Force on Digitization Policy charged with two tasks: one to review the draft Principles for Digitized Content developed at the April, 2006 meeting and carry them forward to Council for  endorsement at the Annual 2007 conference in Washington, DC; and two, over the next two years, to work with other ALA units (including divisions, roundtables, committees, etc.) to update the bylaws in ALA Handbook to reflect our roles, responsibilities, and commitment to digitization.
Below please find the current draft Principles for Digitized Content. This document will provide a framework for addressing digitization policies that will best serve libraries and their users. We are seeking broad participation in the review of these principles. We have established a blog http://blogs.ala.org/digitizationprinciples.php
where individuals can submit feedback and offer suggestions. After the Principles are fully vetted by the Association, the Committee on Legislation will bring a resolution in support of the Principles for Council’s endorsement to the 2007 Annual conference.

Why is this so important?  Digitization is transforming how information is created, stored, preserved, and accessed, and librarians must take the lead in guiding that transformation. Librarians and others in the cultural heritage community have the responsibility for preserving society’s cultural and scientific resources in all formats, and for providing access to them.

As members of ALA's Council and leaders in the organization, your feedback is especially important.  You represent many different communities and professional constituencies; therefore your input is essential for this document to accurately reflect the perspectives of the library community, and to be useful to librarians, policy makers and government officials.


Additional information on the Task Force’s Work:  You can find more information on the Task Force’s work including the Task Force’s charge, membership, ALA Policy gap analysis, and background readings at the OITP website http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/contactwo/oitp/digtask.htm#prin.

The Task Force began meeting with various ALA Divisions, Round tables, and Committees to discuss the Principles.  Within the next week, we will be announcing the availability of the Blog site for comments.  Notification will be through a variety of electronic and print media.

The deadline for feedback submission is April 30, 2007.  Please visit our blog or send an email to either Liz Bishoff ([log in to unmask]) or Karen Coyle ([log in to unmask])

Sincerely,

Task Force on Digitization Policy


OITP Digitization Policy Task Force
January, 2007

Principles for Digitized Content

The accelerating mass digitization of collections in libraries and cultural heritage institutions demands a framework of principles and a body of policy to guide decision making and to enable values-driven choices. The principles for the digitization of content will provoke a review of American Library Association policies that address the creation, access, use and preservation of digital materials and that require revision, enhancement and creation. This is critical to the advancement of ALA's leadership role in the information society and to the support provided to members. This will also sustain the relevance and impact of libraries and librarians in their communities.


1. Digital libraries ARE libraries. The policies of the Association apply fully to digital libraries including the core values such as commitment to access,
confidentiality/privacy, the public good, and professionalism.

2. Digital content, like other library materials, must be given the same consideration for collection development, ease of access, freedom of information, and preservation.

3. Digital activities and the resulting collections must be sustainable by libraries.
Sustainability requires secure and ongoing funding, technology solutions that are appropriate to the longevity of the cultural record, and long-term management capabilities.

4. Digitization on a large scale requires collaboration. Collaboration enables the building of collections that support research, scholarship and information needs of diverse communities. Collaboration will require strong organizational support and promotion by cultural heritage professionals, their institutions, and their associations.

5. Digital activity requires ongoing communication for its success. The library and cultural heritage community must reach out to the public, to government, and to funding institutions with a clear and compelling message regarding the role of digital libraries and collections.

6. Digital collections increasingly address an international audience. These collections are part of a global information infrastructure that is not limited by geography.

7. Digital collections are developed and sustained by an educated workforce. Members of the cultural heritage professions must engage in continuous learning and be able to explore new technology, to work with new partners, and to reach new audiences.

8. Digital materials must be the object of appropriate preservation. Preservation activities    require the development of standards and best practices as well as models for sustainable funding to guarantee long term commitment to these materials.

9. Digital collections and their materials must adhere to standards to maximize their usefulness. Standards must serve the broadest community of users, support sustainable access and use over time, and provide user functionality that promotes the core library values (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/
corevaluesstatement/corevalues.htm).






Katherine Schneider, Ph.D.
Senior Psychologist, Emerita
Counseling Service
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
[log in to unmask]

The wise man learns more from his enemies than a fool does from his friends. - Chinese Proverb

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.17/730 - Release Date: 3/22/2007 7:44 AM

---------------------------
Check out EASI New Synchronous Clinics:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI Home Page http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Online courses  and Clinics http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Check the EASI Library Web http://www.rit.edu/~easi/lib.htm

>>> Error in line 8 of AXSLIB-L.MAILTPL: unknown formatting command <<<
 -> . . . . . . . . . <-