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The purpose of this paper is to describe a model of digital library (DL) work that surfaced through the ARL Profiles 2010 and resonates current work underway by the large-scale DL projects like DPLA, SHARE, Hathitrust, Academic Preservation Trust, and Digital Preservation Network.

In total, 86 ARL members submitted institutional profiles that were analyzed using Atlas.ti and surfaced major themes that comprise the mission of research libraries including serving the public good, expanding their presence globally, setting standards for access and quality, needing to explore best practices, and being visible at the national and international levels.

The analysis of the narratives identified three key areas for DL developments: first, digitized special collections, second, acquiring digital content, and third, developing digital services (Figure 1). Specific examples and context are provided in the paper.

The qualitative data collected from these profiles demonstrate that libraries are transforming their services to leverage digital technologies and meet the changing needs of their users. The approach was open ended and allowed libraries to celebrate their strengths and unique context. Some of the disadvantages of this approach include the amount of work both on behalf of the participating libraries as well as on behalf of the analysts and the difficulty of comparing libraries with one another.

This was the first time ARL attempted to describe research libraries using narrative descriptions. The approach complements the traditional ARL Statistics and offers a viable alternative in a future environment that is dominated by radical change. This qualitative approach deployed here is critical for describing DL developments as current large-scale digitization projects have extended the directions that were surfacing in these profiles and have major implications for the future of digital content and research. Future research in this area is strongly encouraged.

SEPTEMBER this year will be unique in the history of the librarian in England in that for the first time in nearly sixty years the annual conference of the Library Association has already become a memory only. There are those who profess to believe that the conference should be restored to the autumn months. It may be suggested on the other hand that the attendance at Margate lent no assistance to that point of view; indeed, the Margate conference was one of the most pleasant, one of the most successful, of which we have record. Nevertheless, if it can be proved that any large body of librarians was unable to be present owing to the change of month, it appears to us that the matter should be considered sympathetically. Although no one holds any longer the view that one week's attendance at a conference will teach more than many months' study in hermit‐like seclusion—the words and sentiments are those of James Duff Brown—because to‐day there is much more intimate communication between librarians than there was when that sentiment was expressed, there is enormous value, and the adjective is not an exaggeration, in one large meeting of librarians in body in the year. It is an event to which every young librarian looks forward as the privilege to be his when he reaches a high enough position in the service; attendance is a privilege that no librarian anywhere would forego. And this, in spite of the fact that there is usually a grumble because the day is so full of meetings that there is very little chance of such recreation as a seaside, or indeed any other, place visited, usually provides for the delegates.

OF all the delightful recreations classed, for divers professional reasons, under the general designation of work, which cause the librarian's existence to be regarded with envious eyes as one of the most joyous and irresponsible on earth, the most delectable is surely that of cataloguing ; and the moments when the cataloguer feels himself fullest of enthusiasm, when he knows it would be impossible to exchange his lot with any human being, are those spent in the absorbing occupation of correcting proofs, for then to the more sensuous delights of the game are added the zest and ardour of combat. Some day I may, with the editor's sanction, make a few observations on the pleasures of cataloguing in general: for the present I am going to consider only this final phase. A curious feature of the pastime or “work,” to adopt the conventional phraseology, is that some people are unable to see the fun of it and innocently suppose the term “work” to be meant seriously. Still, when one reflects that every sport is looked upon by outsiders either as a deadly form of depravity, or as idiotically tedious and laborious, it is clear that this feature is neither wonderful nor exceptional. Golf, angling, football, punting, mountaineering, even book‐collecting, are each looked upon as “work” by those who love other kinds of recreation, which may yet be in reality not a whit less arduous.

ALL the auguries for the Bournemouth Conference appear to be good. Our local secretary, Mr. Charles Riddle, seems to have spared neither energy nor ability to render our second visit to the town, whose libraries he initiated and has controlled for thirty‐seven years, useful and enjoyable. There will not be quite so many social events as usual, but that is appropriate in the national circumstances. There will be enough of all sorts of meetings to supply what the President of the A.L.A. describes as “the calling which collects and organizes books and other printed matter for the use and benefit of mankind and which brings together the reader and the printed word in a vital relationship.” We hope the discussions will be thorough, but without those long auto‐biographical speeches which are meant for home newspapers, that readers will make time for seeing the exhibitions, and that Bournemouth will be a source of health and pleasure to all our readers who can be there.

Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the Afro‐American experience and to show the joys, sorrows, needs, and ideals of the Afro‐American woman as she struggles from day to day.

The purpose of this article is to review the trend in academic libraries toward including scholarly communication, and by extension, electronic publishing, as part of their core mission, using the Cornell University Library as an example.

The paper describes several manifestations of publishing activity organized under the Library's Center for Innovative Publishing, including the arXiv (http://arxiv.org/), Project Euclid (http://projecteuclid.org), and DPubS (http://DPubS.org).

Libraries bring many competencies to the scholarly communications process, including expertise in digital initiatives, close connections with authors and readers, and a commitment to preservation. To add publishing to their responsibilities, they need to develop expertise in content acquisition, editorial management, contract negotiation, marketing, and subscription management.

Academic libraries are making formal and informal publishing a part of their core activity. A variety of models exist. The Cornell University Library has created a framework for supporting publishing called the Center for Innovative Publishing, and through it supports a successful open access repository (arXiv), a sustainable webhosting service for journals in math and statistics (Project Euclid) and a content management tool (DPubS) to enable other institutions (libraries, scholarly societies, presses) to engage in similar ventures to increase the dissemination of scholarship and to lower the barriers to its access.

OUR readers need no apology from us for the attention given to Library Training in these pages. The amount of dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs, if it may be judged from the gossip and letters that reach us, is of some proportions. It is not to be supposed that complaints are necessarily justified. They may be made in the natural chagrin of disappointment by candidates who have failed. Alternatively, there may be reasons which have a disinterested origin. The record of passes and failures shows that in December there was a dêbacle in candidates in the subject of cataloguing, which at least merits thought. In earlier issues it has been suggested by our writers that examinations twice yearly encourage experiments in sitting. There has also been the suggestion that librarians place too much stress on qualifications for their juniors and urge them to struggle with subjects for which they cannot be ready. To pass in cataloguing a student must be able to catalogue anything from a novel to an academic thesis in Anglo‐Norman French on Phlogiston, supposing that to be possible!

The purpose of this paper is to articulate the Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) implementation process at Syracuse University. It will describe the development of a collaborative partnership between the Graduate School and the Syracuse University Libraries (SUL) that advances open access and the scholarly communication issues among graduate students, the proposed plan for a dissertations and theses retrospective digitization project which will continue to strengthen the partnership between University Archives, university relations, and the SUL. It could also serve as an inspirational point for other institutions.

This case study documents the successful strategies that were used to advance scholarly communications education efforts on campus and ETD implementation using an institutional repository.

Partnerships, flexibility, and creativity are essential to a successful initiative.

Sharing successful stories is crucial in our rapidly developing field. Although each institution is different, we all have things we can learn from each other and adapt to our own environment. The important lessons here are taking opportunities, building partnerships, being flexible, and creative to ensure the initiative's success.

RETROSPECT is natural at the beginning of a new library year. All over the world of libraries of all kinds the shadow of the general depression has fallen; more heavily perhaps in the United States than here. It is a testing time which has made the enemies of libraries vocal and has also fortunately roused their advocates. On balance, optimism may prevail; and in that faith we wish our readers a happy new year.