The networked digital library of theses and dissertations: Changes in the university community

DIGITAL LIBRARIES are one of the most effective vehicles for change in higher education. They facilitate collaboration involving universities in an international cooperative venture, unlocking scholarly resources, and carrying out functions previously limited to publishers. They allow faculty and students to improve learning by drawing on rapidly growing collections of valuable content—heretofore largely hidden behind the doors of the library—that include an increasing proportion of multimedia elements or interactive software.The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), launched in 1996 and building upon work started in 1987, is a federated effort involving well over 120 universities scattered around the globe. Rapidly growing as a result of local, state, regional, national, and international efforts, it aims to enhance the skills of all graduate students preparing theses or dissertations, so they are empowered to create an electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) and to effectively use digital libraries. As universities move to require submission of ETDs, they build the local infrastructure to support their own students in this regard and to dramatically enhance access to this important genre of scholarly publication. NDLTD supports these changes and helps ensure that the move to ETDs remains a sustainable initiative that will continue to enhance university libraries and publishing.