The DPLA Launch

April 18, 2013

Today is happening very differently than I had anticipated. On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA), Alan Inouye and I had planned to trek to the Boston Public Library to celebrate the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) launch. The nearly daily announcements of new DPLA partners underscored our excitement and anticipation for the launch.

Then tragedy struck, and right in front of the Boston Public Library. Our kindest thoughts go to the victims. Understandably, the DPLA launch events have to be deferred.

But the new DPLA website is going live at noon today. The virtual launch will take place instead. ALA congratulates the extended network of DPLA participants. In particular, we wish to thank John Palfrey, Maura Marx, and Robert Darnton for their strong and effective leadership; the DPLA board members; founding Executive Director Dan Cohen; and the staff who have provided the guidance and performed the hard work to get us to this point.

There will not be the celebration we had anticipated. Monday’s tragic events take sobering precedence over the festive plans that had been made. Nevertheless, we congratulate everyone who has contributed to today’s launch of the DPLA.

Maureen Sullivan
ALA President

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The DPLA Launch

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