Digitizing Library and Cultural Resources

Charles B. Lowry, executive director of the Association of Research Libraries, has an interesting article, “Let's Spur Recovery by Investing in Information,” in the Chronicle Review, calling for federal aid in digitizing library and other cultural resources as part of the economic incentive plan intended to create jobs. I am sure we will see many more such calls.

“Investing in an open, universal digital commons will help ease the current economic crisis by creating jobs, equipping workers with 21st-century skills, and laying a foundation for innovation and national competitiveness in business and research.

There is a growing bipartisan consensus that extensive federal spending on public-works projects is needed to roll back unemployment and modernize the nation's aging infrastructure of highways and facilities.

Talk abounds about the need for projects that will be "shovel ready" in a matter of months, but that phrase belies the reality of our infrastructure.

Roads and bridges are essential, of course, but we should also build our digital infrastructure and equip workers with skills they can use in the years ahead — skills for the information age.”

The full article can be read at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i22/22b00401.htm.