The Digital Library Revolving Door - Tennant: Digital Libraries

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Roy Tennant

The Digital Library Revolving Door
May 30, 2008

It occurred to me today that there are a large number of people involved with digital libraries who have changed jobs in the past year or so. I don't know what this means, if anything, but I thought it was worth noting. For example, I personally know of all of these instances of recent job changes, even without mentioning my own, and also no doubt missing many more:

Stephen Abrams, from Harvard to CDL
Adam Brin, from Tri-Colleges to CDL
Karen Calhoun, from Cornell to OCLC
Robin Chandler, from CDL to UC San Diego
Dan Chudnov, from Yale to Library of Congress
Cindy Cunningham, from Amazon to OCLC
Andrew Pace, from NCSU to OCLC
Karen Schneider, from Florida College Center for Library Automation to Equinox Software, Inc.
Steve Toub, from CDL to Bibliocommons

Is this a trend? Does it presage anything of more serious note? I haven't a clue, but I thought it worth remarking.

Posted by Roy Tennant on May 30, 2008 | Comments (8)

Industries: News & Features

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Mark Andrews commented:

Stephen Abrams? What, did Stephen quit SirsiDynix?

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Dorothea Salo commented:

Well, what it suggests to me is that a few behemoths are shifting strategy, and hiring accordingly. All in all -- hopeful.

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Leslie Johnston commented:

I think some of us were looking for new and different challenges. Ask me how I feel about that when I've been at the Library of Congress for a few months.

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Roy Tennant commented:

Mark, I know it's confusing. There is Stephen Abrams (now at CDL) and Stephen Abram (still at SirsiDynix). Leslie, so sorry I missed your move -- that's even more evidence that we're in a period of musical chairs. But I'm with Dorothea (another one, now that I think about it, who changed jobs not all that far back) -- I also see it as hopeful.

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Ed Summers commented:

Seems more like the more things change, the more they stay the same to me.

June 1, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
Josh Greenberg commented:

Just to toss in another idea that I was discussing with Dan Chudnov and Bess Sadler this weekend at THATCamp: the recent flurry of moves means that people will likely not be moving again in the next year or two, and that institutions might need to shift their focus to "growing their farm system" rather than trying to make more big recruiting hires.

June 2, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
K.G. Schneider commented:

Thanks for the mention! I was surprised to see myself listed as affiliated with "digital libraries." Maybe that's because so much library work is already digital (electronic? networked? compu-automatomasized?) that I just see myself as doing library work, period. But it is an interesting time (everyone move over one space!) and it will be interesting to watch what we all do.

June 2, 2008
In response to: The Digital Library Revolving Door
dchud commented:

People are retiring en masse (that demographics thing we've been hearing about? it started a few years ago, and is still just ramping up). Money is being redirected to areas we work in. I'd be happier about it all if so many capable people with incredible experience weren't leaving all around me.