About
In November 2009 Stanford University and the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) co-hosted an international gathering to discuss opportunities for collaboration in digital library research and development. The sixty-one participants, who represented thirteen countries and twenty-four institutions and included both senior administrators and senior technologists, came away energized and engaged to an extent that many found unexpected. "I experienced...surprise at the articulation of our shared issues," said one. Others commented, “I leave with a lot more work to do!” “I am overwhelmed -- thrilled with the outcomes”, “Interesting and exciting -- This dream might come true." These comments articulate a collective vision in response to the difficult decisions these leaders have been forced to make during the global financial crisis: in an era of retrenchment, they are seeking to extend the reach of their institutions through unprecedented integration of their digital collections with others' in the international library community. This report strives to encapsulate the process that inspired such hope for the future, and begins to look at the next steps required to advance a broadly conceived effort toward greater cooperation.