Digital Library Federation

The Digital Library Federation (DLF) is a program of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) that brings together a consortium of college and university libraries, public libraries, museums, and related institutions with the stated mission of "advanc[ing] research, learning, social justice, and the public good through digital library technologies." It was formed in 1995. Mission DLF's mission is to enable new research and scholarship of its members, students, scholars, lifelong learners, and the general public by developing an international network of digital libraries. DLF relies on collaboration, the expertise of its members, and a nimble, flexible, organizational structure to fulfill its mission. To achieve this mission, DLF: Supports professional development and networking of members Promotes open digital library standards, software, interfaces, and best practices Leverages shared actions, resources, and infrastructures Encourages the creation of digital collections that can be brought together and made accessible across the globe Works with the public sector, educational, and private partners Secures and preserves the scholarly and cultural record History The Digital Library Federation was formed on May 1, 1995 by twelve academic libraries, the New York Public Library, U.S. Library of Congress, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, and the Commission on Preservation and Access (CPA). The purpose of the organization was to create a distributed, open, digital library. In September 1995, CPA received a nine-month planning grant from IBM for $100,000 on behalf of DLF to support the preparation of a technological and policy proposal with specific guidelines for creating and maintaining a national digital library.