Casual thoughts on the history of digital libraries as experienced by a digital archivist and librarian.

1. 1992-2017
A History Of Digital
Libraries in One Person
Greg Colati
April 2017
Tracing the evolution of digital libraries through one person's experiences

2. Lessons to Live By
❖ Preservation is the preservation of access
❖ There is no scholarship without persistence
❖ Digital libraries are built on standards-based foundations:
❖ Sustainability
❖ Reliability
❖ Interoperability
❖ Reusability

3. 1994-2000
Proto-Digital Libraries
• Access is the primary purpose
• “Boutique” projects demonstrate potential
• Soft money funding
Screen shots from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine

4. 2000-2005
First Generation Digital
Libraries
• From project to program
• Integrated into institutional structures
• Permanent budget lines and staff
• Delivery remains a focus
• Digital preservation is born
Screen shots from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine

5. 2005-2013
Second Generation
Digital Libraries
• Digital curation supersedes digital preservation
• Agnostic digital repositories replace silos of content
• Interoperability is a byword
• Modular “apps” dis-integrate monolithic systems
• Culture of participation is born
• Visualizations tell stories

6. 2013- ?
Convergence: The Now
Generation
• “Digital” is no longer needed as an adjective to modify
library
• Policies govern the management and use of library
resources regardless of format
• Tools, applications and services seamlessly harvest,
link, and exchange; analyze, mine, and manipulate
interoperable digital resources from many sources
• Standards based, linkable resources are ready to
participate
• Linked open data comes of age