• Director's Column: A New Vision for the Libraries
  by Bonnie Clemens
• CCDL Update
  by Pat Vince
• GIS at the Libraries
  by Warren Roberts
• IM, Therefore I Chat
  by Marsha Schnirring
• Zones of Activity: Artists' Books Exhibit
  by Kelley Bachli
• Something for Everyone: Lexis Nexis Congressional Now Online!
  by Sheri Irvin
• Meet Your Librarians
• Libraries Staff News
• Library Exibits Calendar
• Claremont Discourse Calendar

CCDL Update

Each day brings us closer to launching the CCDL on the Web. The CCDL will allow us to disseminate collections of materials designed to support teaching, learning and research at The Claremont Colleges.

After reviewing several digital asset management systems, the CCDL Hardware and Software Task Force recommended CONTENTdm Digital Media Management Software Suite by DiMeMa, Inc. Among CONTENTdm's many features, of particular interest is the ability to custom configure each digital collection to reflect its uniqueness. Additionally, since OCLC is the distributor for CONTENTdm, we felt that DiMeMa would promptly incorporate digital library standards into their software as those standards are developed. The CCDL staff is now busy training faculty, staff and student workers on how to use the software and how to apply metadata to their collections. To date eight collections have been created and have new material added each day.

The CCDL offices are located on the second floor of Honnold. There you will find Pat Vince, Digital Initiatives Librarian; Candace Lebel, Innopac Coordinator; Mike Emery, Digital Production Manager; and Warren Roberts, GIS Specialist. Both Mike's and Warren's positions are intended to provide training and support for faculty, students, and staff, and they are eager to assist you with your digital library or GIS needs. Contact Mike at (909) 607-0730 or mike.emery@libraries.claremont.edu; contact Warren at (909) 607-0405 or warren.roberts@libraries.claremont.edu.

The Digital Collection Policy Task Force and its sub-task forces, Scanning Best Practices and Metadata Best Practices, have created the following documents to guide the development of the CCDL:

• CCDL Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives
• CCDL Librarians' Guidelines for Selecting Collections
• CCDL Collection Development Policy
• CCDL Metadata Best Practices
• CCDL Scanning Best Practices

The CCDL Advisory Committee, having representation from each of The Claremont Colleges, has reviewed and vetted these documents, and they will be made available on the CCDL Web site for your review and use.

If you would like more information on these documents, on services described above, or on the CCDL in general, please contact Pat Vince at (909) 607-0496 or by email. We welcome your inquiry and participation.

Pat Vince
Digital Initiatives Librarian
pat.vince@libraries.claremont.edu

Connections is published by The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges bi-annually in print and on the web. © Claremont University Consortium .