NDIIP Update: Requests for Funding and Other Activities

Activity still continues on the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIP). There were two stories in Washington DC newspapers in recent weeks. The more interesting of the two came from the May 16th Washington Post in a column by Jim Barksdale and Francine Berman called Saving our Digital Heritage. Barksdale — of Netscape Corp. fame and now a member of the NDIIP advisory council — and Berman make a brief but impassioned plea for restoring the NDIIP funding that was rescinded earlier this year. (The other article, in the Washington Times, ("Saving the digital record", 25-Apr-2007, article no longer available online) oddly praises the program but makes no mention of the funding rescission.) And I heard today from an "Unnamed Washington Source" that the leadership at the Library of Congress will seek to have some, if not all, of the funding restored as part of a future continuing resolution. (Hopefully one that won't get vetoed.)

At the same time, the Library of Congress is planning several NDIIP-related programs at the American Library Association annual meeting next month. One hopes that all of this buzz will encourage Congress to restore funding support for the program.

Update (20070525T2015): It would appear that the bill passed by both houses of Congress (version #6) did not include language to put back funding for NDIIIP. Or, at least I don't see mention of it -- it is a big bill.

Update (200804042140): Removed the link to the Washington Times article -- it is no longer available online.

The text was modified to remove a link to http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/news/news0407.html on January 20th, 2011.