Digital Public Library of America workshop. 1 March 2011.

1. Digitized public domain books Chris Freeland Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library Director, Center for Biodiversity Informatics, Missouri Botanical Garden

2. Vieillot. La galerie des oiseaux. 1834. http://biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/48613

3. “I arrived back at work from holidays today to be greeted by Michael, an [sic] colleague researching wasps. He was excited that he had discovered in the Biodiversity Heritage Library a copy of an obscure 1860s book: Saussure, H. de & Sichel, J. (1864). Catalogue des espèces de l'ancien genre Scolia, contenant les diagnoses, les descriptions et la synonymie des espèces, avec des remarquesexplicativeser critiques. Genève & Paris : Henri Georg & V. Masson et Fils pp. 1–350 This book was not in our library, probably not in Australia, and almost impossible to get hold of without travelling to the northern hemisphere. Thanks to the BHL for their work in providing access to works of importance. Michael is now able to use detailed content of this book in his work.” -John Tann, Australian Museum http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/9323

4. Digitizing public domain books is NONCONTROVERSIAL

5. But, it is expen$ive. Prioritizing Locating Updating Selecting Pulling Checking Tracking Reshelving Scanning is the easy part.

6. Libraries, librarians & staff NEED OUR SUPPORT in this important endeavor

7. Because once books are digitized, we liberate the written word from the printed page & the library stacks

8. We can then begin CONNECTING words and concepts in books tomuseum collections, to archival materials, to everything

10. Using algorithms like TaxonFinder from uBio.org

12. Wha?! But, I know those words are in there. Just give me the data, let me explore.

13. http://ryanschenk.com/2011/02/visualizing-taxonomic-synoymns/ http://biostor.org

14. http://twitter.com/LillyLyle/status/41242610517553152

15. I worry about the confusion between CONTAINER & CONTENT

16. A printed book is a CONTAINER. ItsCONTENT is what’s important.

17. Of all the worlds created by man, the world of books is the most powerful. -Heinrich Heine

18. Because, yes, history suggests the [insert proprietary e-reader device / format here] will #fail.

19. And so, a Digital Public Library of America MUST be: Open Access & Open Source with Open Data & Open APIs

20. AND OPEN ^

21. THANK YOU Chris Freeland chrisfreeland.com Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library Director, Center for Biodiversity Informatics, Missouri Botanical Garden