Update on the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)

Since we've discussed this exciting initiative in the past, I thought I'd update readers of this blog on the status of the Digital Public Library of America. Based at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society, the DPLA aims, as its name suggests, to be a public, digital library.  Originally conceived as an alternative to Google's private digital library, the DPLA took on greater significance when Google's exclusive deal with publishers and authors of out-of-print works was rejected by a federal court earlier this year.

Back in May, the DPLA announced a "Beta Sprint," a open call for groups and individuals to design elements of the eventual DPLA.  Statements of intents were due on June 15; final proposals will be completed in September. And in late October, the winning ideas will be presented to the public in Washington, D.C.

Here's John Palfrey, Chair of the DPLA Process, giving a June 30 update on the current state of the DPLA project, in which he discusses both the Beta Sprint--they received sixty notices of intent--and the emerging overall vision for the DPLA:

If you're interested in keeping up with things DPLA, I strongly suggest that you subscribe to their listserv.  Information about it can be found here (although this page will warn you that this is a high-volume list, you can set your preferences to receive a weekly digest, so that your inbox will not be taken over by DPLA-related discussions).

I find both the goal of the initiative and its intensely collaborative process fascinating. But, then again, I'm a total geek.