What is Digital Librarianship?: A Texas Digital Library Interview Series

"​​Many academic libraries across Texas now maintain significant digital collections of resources. These collections may consist of digitized and/or born digital materials and are considered a part of the academic library’s holdings. However, despite the ever-increasing prevalence of digital collections, the tasks of librarians working with these collections remain elusive. Digital librarianship, particularly in the context of an academic institution, encompasses a vast array of roles and responsibilities. Ultimately, the question of what digital librarians do remains unclear for both the general public and for MLIS/MSIS students. This uncertainty creates a disconnect between the libraries themselves and the communities that these libraries serve.

The goal of this project is to provide an understanding of digital library work to both the general public and LIS/MSIS students through an interview series format. We focus on exploring what tasks make up the day-to-day job of a digital librarian, as well as the larger challenges of working with digital collections. Furthermore, this project aims to highlight members of the BIPOC community and other marginalized communities who are currently working in the field of digital librarianship. As of February 2022, we have conducted a series of seven interviews with Texas Digital Library-affiliated professionals working in the field of digital librarianship, with the possibility to conduct additional interviews in the future."