October 22, 2009 Library of Congress NDIIPP One of “Great Government IT Projects”

Government Computer News (GCN) has named the Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) as one of the top federal information technology projects of 2009. The award was presented during the annual GCN Annual Awards Gala on October 22.

GCN gave the award to NDIIPP because of its success in working with universities and libraries to model distributed preservation practices, working with state consortiums to help in the preservation of state government digital information, and working with commercial content providers to develop standards for digital preservation.

“We are honored to receive this award,” said Laura Campbell, associate librarian for strategic initiatives. “The credit really goes to our excellent network of partners around the country who have worked with us to save valuable digital content and keep it accessible over time. Digital preservation is a challenge that demands new kinds of outreach, engagement and collaboration.”

The GCN Awards, now in their 22nd year, embody one of the most sought-after and respected accolades in the government IT community, recognizing federal, state and local government project teams for extraordinary IT accomplishments and significant contributions to the performance of their agencies.

"The annual GCN Awards honor agencies for their outstanding achievements in the application of information technology to advance their work and the services they provide” said GCN Editor-in-Chief Wyatt Kash. “The 2009 agency winners are now part of a tradition of innovation, excellence, and service. We congratulate them for their extraordinary work and their continued dedication to better serving the public sector.”

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

The mission of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is to develop a national strategy to collect, preserve and make available digital content, especially materials that are created only in digital formats, for current and future generations. NDIIPP currently has more than 90 partners in its growing digital preservation network, which includes institutions both in the United States and abroad. For more details, see www.digitalpreservation.gov.