NLM® Selects Digital Repository Software
In December 2008, NLM selected the Fedora open source software for an NLM digital repository, which will provide the infrastructure to manage, preserve and make available existing and future digital collections from Library Operations. The collections include images, digitized microfilm, digital video, electronic books and manuscripts, and Web sites.
This decision was the culmination of work begun in May 2007, when the Associate Director for Library Operations approved the creation of the Digital Repository Evaluation and Selection Working Group (WG) to evaluate commercial systems and open source software and select one (or a combination of systems and software) for use as an NLM digital repository. The group's work followed an earlier Digital Repository Working Group, which created functional requirements and identified key policy issues for an NLM digital repository to aid in building the NLM collection in the digital environment.
The WG was highly impressed with a number of Fedora capabilities, including the strong technology roadmap, the excellent underlying data model that can handle NLM diverse materials, the active development community, Fedora's adherence to standards, and Fedora's use by leading institutions and libraries with similar digital project goals.
For more information about the NLM efforts, including the report, "Recommendations on NLM Digital Repository Software" see the Development of a Digital Repository for NLM Digitized Collections and Born-Digital Resources Web page.
Marill JL. NLM® Selects Digital Repository Software. NLM Tech Bull. 2009 May-Jun;(368):e3.
