Laura Elizabeth Campbell (left), director of the Library's National Digital Library (NDL) Program, has been reassigned by the Librarian to the position of associate librarian for strategic initiatives, effective Oct. 2.
She will report to Dr. Billington and Deputy Librarian of Congress Donald L. Scott and will be a member of the Library's Executive Committee. He noted that "Laura has already made many significant contributions to the realization of the Library's digital future. Her demonstrated leadership, technical knowledge and network of expert colleagues in the public and private sectors will bring added strength to our decision-making process."
Creation of the position of associate librarian for strategic initiatives responds to a recommendation contained within the July 26 National Academy of Sciences report LC21: A Digital Strategy for the Library of Congress. Responsibilities of the position will include overall strategic planning for the Library, oversight of the Information Technology Services directorate, leadership of a new internal Information Technology Vision, Strategy, Research and Planning group and liaison with a new external Technical Advisory Board.
"The LC21 Report captures the formidable tasks ahead for this institution. While I am awed by the magnitude of these tasks, I am also optimistic that the Library will rise to this opportunity. I look forward to working with all of you to build a strategic vision for our collaborative digital future," Ms. Campbell said.
Ms. Campbell will retain her title as NDL director, in which capacity she has led a five-year cooperative national effort to digitize and make available electronically important and interesting documents of America's history and culture from libraries and archival institutions throughout the country. NDL has put in place the award-winning American Memory Web site that is the cornerstone of the Library's online information service for the nation. Freely available, the Web site offers 5 million digital items from 84 collections of historical primary source materials.
Ms. Campbell assumed responsibility for the American Memory Program in 1993 and began co-chairing the Digital Futures Group in late 1998. She joined the Library in April 1992 as director of Library Distribution Services, a directorate that consisted of programs involving the Library's cost-recovery services: Cataloging Distribution Service, the Federal Research Division, the Photoduplication Service and Retail Marketing.
Ms. Campbell was a private consultant and vice president of QueTel Corp., a business and systems integration consulting firm, from 1989 to 1992. At QueTel, she directed consulting engagements in strategic planning and financial systems, including work for the Library of Congress.
From 1984 to 1989, she was a staff consultant, manager and principal with Arthur Young & Co. (now Ernst and Young), directing projects for industry and government. She served as a project manager for the strategic planning review of the Library of Congress in 1988-89.
