Our early experiments in document management and conversion resulted in a digital library system of historical materials from the 1960's and 1970's. The Regional Medical Programs collection consists of approximately 40,000 pages comprising some 1,500 documents. Though the work on this system predated recent research in digital libraries, we addressed many of the same issues that currently face digital library projects.

Working together with NLM's History of Medicine Division, we launched Profiles in Science in September 1998. The site uses innovative digital technology to make available the manuscript collections of prominent biomedical scientists of the 20th century. The collections have been donated to the NLM and contain published and unpublished materials, including books, journal volumes, pamphlets, diaries, letters, manuscripts, photographs, audio tapes and other audiovisual materials.

Through its Extramural Programs Division, NLM co-sponsors the multi-agency Digital Library Initiative - Phase 2.

Publications

• Gallagher, Marie E. Keeping the Promises Associated with Your Digital Assets: Is it Possible? In: Archiving 2007 Final Program and Proceedings, pp. 146-149, 2007.
• Gallagher, Marie E., Christie Moffatt. "Surviving Change: The First Step toward Sustaining Your Digital Library." In: J. Trant and D. Bearman (eds.). Museums and the Web 2006: Proceedings, Toronto: Archives & Museum Informatics, published March 1, 2006 at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/papers/gallagher/gallagher.html
• McCray, Alexa T., Marie E. Gallagher. "Principles for Digital Library Development." Communications of the ACM 44, no. 5 (May 2001): 48-54. [Updated list of Useful URLs]
• McCray, Alexa T., Marie E. Gallagher, Michael A. Flannick. Extending the Role of Metadata in a Digital Library System. In: Proceedings of the IEEE Forum on Research and Technology Advances in Digital Libraries, pp. 190-199, 1999.

Digital Library Resources