UC Appoints New University Librarian and Executive Director of the California Digital Library


The University of California has appointed Daniel Greenstein as university librarian and executive director of the California Digital Library, effective May 1.

As university librarian and CDL executive director, Greenstein will assume leadership of one of the largest programs of digital library content and services in the country. The CDL -- a collaborative partner library of the 10 campuses of the University of California -- focuses on developing and providing access to digital content and services and supporting scholar-led innovations in scholarly communication. In his new role, Greenstein will also be responsible for library planning across the UC system.

Greenstein is director of the Digital Library Federation in Washington, D.C. Through its 28 members, including UC libraries, the federation provides leadership to libraries throughout the nation by identifying standards and "best practices" for digital collections and services, coordinating leading-edge research and development, and collaborating to create digital collections and services that libraries cannot develop individually.

"Daniel Greenstein has been a world leader in pioneering the scholarly use of electronic communications and database access for researchers," UC President Richard C. Atkinson said in announcing the appointment. "We are fortunate that we were able to bring him to the university and the California Digital Library."

Greenstein earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctor in philosophy degree from Oxford University. His academic career began with an appointment as senior lecturer in modern history at Glasgow University. Simultaneously, he served as founding director of the Glasgow University Arts Faculty Computing Facility, an advanced computing service supporting technology-based innovations in teaching and research for the university's arts faculty.

In 1996, Greenstein was appointed founding director of the Arts and Humanities Data Service of the United Kingdom. In this position, he led the strategic and operational development of a digital information service to support arts and humanities research and teaching at higher education institutions in the U.K.

Building on this success, Greenstein was named founding co-director of the U.K. Resource Discovery Network in 1998. The network expanded on the successful model of the Arts and Humanities Data Service through the establishment of a series of networked portal services, each providing access to selected high-quality information in a specific subject area.

The California Digital Library, established in 1997, provides digital content and services for University of California faculty and students as well as to the public and is an important vehicle to focus strategic planning for the UC library system. Included among its programs are UC licensing of shared digital content, the Melvyl union catalog, the Online Archive of California, the Counting California interactive social science data service, and the eScholarship program supporting innovations in scholarly communication.

The CDL and systemwide library planning also have active applied research programs. With more than $2 million in grants, and several proposals pending, these activities currently include examination of management alternatives for mixed print and digital collections, defining digital preservation strategies, and developing digital standards for a range of technology-enhanced library services.

As university librarian and executive director of the California Digital Library, Greenstein is exceptionally qualified to continue the CDL's tradition of collaborative leadership in developing and operating innovative digital library services, in planning and implementing strategies to help ensure the continuing quality of University of California libraries, and in contributing to the broader academic community's ongoing pursuit of effective digital library resources and services.

Editors: For additional information on the CDL, please contact John Ober, CDL director for education & strategic innovation, at (510) 987-0425 or john.ober@ucop.edu

Additional information about the California Digital Library may be found at the CDL Web site, http://www.cdlib.org