Description: This article offers a comparison of strategies and policies for building distributed digital preservation infrastructure. Abstract: This paper discusses the importance of a particular approach to building and sustaining digital content preservation infrastructures for cultural memory organizations (CMOs), namely 'distributed' approaches that are 'cooperatively' maintained by CMOs (rather than centralized approaches managed by agencies external to CMOs), and why this approach may fill a gap in capabilities for those CMOs actively digitizing historical and cultural content (rather than scientific data). Initial findings are presented from an early organizational effort (the MetaArchive Cooperative) that seeks to fill this gap for CMOs. The article situates these claims in the larger context of selected exemplars of Digital Preservation (DP) efforts in both the United States and the United Kingdom that are seeking to develop effective DP models in an attempt to recognize those organizational aspects (such as the governmental frameworks, cultural backgrounds, and other differences in emphasis) that are UK- and US-specific.

Description: This article discusses the American Library Association (ALA) midwinter meeting in 2006, which was held in San Antonio. The discussions include an increase in dues and several resolutions.

Description: This article discusses collection development. Abstract: Librarians and archivists face challenges when adapting traditional collection development practices to meet the unique characteristics of Web-published materials. Likewise, preservation activities for Web-published materials must be undertaken at the outset of collection development lest they be lost forever. Standards and best practices for Web-collection development are still emerging, and librarians are struggling with the often daunting financial, staffing, and infrastructure challenges posed by collecting and preserving these materials. The results of a needs assessment with librarians, information providers, and academic researchers informed the identification of key collection development activities for Web-published materials. This research was conducted as part of the Web-at-Risk project, a collaborative effort of the California Digital Library, the University of North Texas, and New York University.

Description: This article discusses the development of The Portal to Texas History. Abstract: Purpose: To help information professionals learn about issues and considerations in portal building. Design/methodology/approach: The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' Portal to Texas History provides long-term storage and access to digital copies of important original materials illuminating Texas' past. This article describes the development of the Portal technology and content - presenting objectives, processes, and future plans - and defines the larger goal of facilitating collaboration among resource-holding institutions. Findings: Practical aspects of creating and populating the Portal include development of specifications and standards, construction of an application framework, selection of content, production of metadata, and refinement of user interfaces. Planned future enhancements to the Portal will augment sustainability and provide added value for users. The Portal project may also serve as a catalyst for wider collaborative efforts in digitization. Originality/Value: The Portal to Texas History project's experiences described in this article will inform other stakeholders seeking to develop innovative uses of Portal technologies.

Description: In this article, the author explores the gender distribution of authors who contributed to volumes 1-25 of The Indexer, in other words the first 50 years of publication. In the first decade of the journal's history, women authors constituted only 10.53 percent of all authors. Their participation grew to 67.91 percent in 1998-2007. The contributions of women authors increased in all areas studied, including editorials, reviews, articles, and letters to the editor.