Date

Call for Collaboration in IPY and
Expression of Interest in Planning Workshop
"Accessing Grey Literature of the Polar Regions"
National Snow and Ice Data Center
World Data Center for Glaciology

Deadline for Expression of Interest in Workshop: Monday, 9 May 2005

For further information and to express interest in the planning
workshop, please contact:
Allaina M. Howard
Librarian and Analog Data Archivist
National Snow and Ice Data Center
Phone: 303-492-5774
E-mail: alhoward [at] nsidc.org


In January, the National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center for
Glaciology (NSIDC/WDC) submitted an expression of intent to the IPY
joint committee entitled Accessing Grey Literature of the Polar Regions.
The expression of intent described a proposal to locate, digitize, and
make readily accessible grey literature from previous IPY and related
projects. The goal of this proposed project is to compile and
disseminate digital media containing these materials as well as maintain
at least one copy of the repository online. The expression of intent
submission to the IPY joint committee was accepted with the
recommendation to expand collaboration with other similar proposals also
submitted to the same call.

To follow up on the recommendation to expand collaboration, the
NSIDC/WDC intends to convene an International Planning workshop in late
summer or early fall 2005 in Boulder, Colorado at the University of
Colorado. The proposed workshop would bring together international
collaborators who hold in their collections these grey literature
materials.

Discussions planned for the workshop include:
- Forming an international steering committee and determining
institutional roles and responsibilities.
- Discussing methods of archiving and dissemination; including
webliographies, mirrored on-line resources, searchable metadata, other
suggestions.
- Determining what grey literature material each institution holds and
what parts of those collections are already online.
- Determine which institutions have or do not have or can obtain the
capabilities and/or the funds to digitize materials in house.
- Determine which materials might be safely sent off site to be
digitized and to whom they might be sent.

The NSIDC/WDC hopes that you will be interested in joining this effort.
Please contact Allaina M. Howard by Monday, 9 May 2005 if your
institution would be interested in sending a representative to this
proposed workshop.

Allaina M. Howard
Librarian and Analog Data Archivist
National Snow and Ice Data Center
Phone: 303-492-5774
E-mail: alhoward [at] nsidc.org