This article is more than 5 years old.

On Friday I attended the NC Publications Depository System Meeting meeting in Raleigh. I went since Mary H. has left and Mary Lib was on previously scheduled vacation, but it turns out that I was our representative at the last meeting (in 2006), too, so I’m starting to feel like a part of the group! And, as last time, I left the meeting feeling that the NC Library understands the bigger picture and what they need to do to be most relevant and useful for people today.

checking in for nc depository library meeting

We covered a lot of information through the course of the day, so if you have specific questions, I’d be happy to talk one-on-one. We learned about digitization, the future of the depository program, and met the new library staff members.

The library is charged with making government publications available to the people of North Carolina. Traditionally this has meant the depository program, where materials are sent out to libraries throughout the state. With the internet, the library is exploring providing access to digital collections. Of course the depository libraries, particularly the academic ones, would like MARC records for the NC publications to integrate this search into the catalog. However, for the general public it is probably more important to get the library’s holdings to rise to the top of a Google search.

The library has made tremendous progress in making digital materials available, starting with the formation of the Digital Information Management Program. In case you are interested in seeing their work, here are the links to their projects:

I always enjoy finding out what the State Library is up to, and the people are great. This meeting lived up to my expectations and I can’t wait to hear what progress they make over the next two years!