Microsoft Word - 14291 20211219 author.docx


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 

December 2021 
Kenneth J. Varnum 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND LIBRARIES | DECEMBER 2021  
https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v40i4.14291 

Another	year	is	nearly	in	the	books.	It	has	not	been	an	easy	year	for	many	of	us;	perhaps	not	as	
truly	chaotic	and	frightening	as	2020	was,	but	still	a	year	filled	with	uncertainty	and	rising	
concerns	about	the	path	of	the	pandemic.	As	we	turn	to	a	new	year	in	our	calendars,	I	wish	all	our	
readers	health,	peace,	and	a	continued	spirit	of	adaptation	as	we	begin	2022. 

Our	Public	Libraries	Leading	the	Way	column,	“How	COVID	Affected	our	Python	Class	at	the	
Worcester	Public	Library”	by	Melody	Friendenthal,	is	a	follow	up	to	her	2020	column	on	moving	a	
library	course	on	the	Python	programming	language	from	in-person	to	online	for	the	Worcester	
(MA)	Public	Library. 

Our	peer-reviewed	content	this	month	showcases	topics	including:	digital	library	innovations;	
virtual	reality;	diversity,	equity,	and	inclusion	(DEI);	and	library	hackathons. 

1. Stateful	Library	Analysis	and	Migration	System	(SLAM):	ETL	System	for	Performing	Digital	
Library	Migrations	/	Adrian-Tudor	Panescu,	Teodora-Elena	Grosu,	and	Vasile	Manta	

2. Black,	White,	and	Grey:	The	Wicked	Problem	of	Virtual	Reality	in	Libraries	/	Gillian	D.	
Ellern	and	Laura	Cruz	/		

3. Bridging	the	Gap:	Using	Linked	Data	to	Improve	Discoverability	and	Diversity	in	Digital	
Collections	/	Jason	Boczar,	Bonita	Pollock,	Xiying	Mi,	and	Amanda	Yeslibas	

4. Developing	a	Minimalist	Multilingual	Full-text	Digital	Library	Solution	for	Disconnected	
Remote	Library	Partners	/	Todd	Digby	

5. Diversity,	Equity	&	Inclusion	Statements	on	Academic	Library	Websites:	An	Analysis	of	
Content,	Communication,	and	Messaging	/	Eric	Ely	

6. A	21st	Century	Technical	Infrastructure	for	Digital	Preservation	/	Nathan	Tallman	
7. Hackathons	and	Libraries:	The	Evolving	Landscape	2014-2020	/	Meris	Mandernach	

Longmeier	

Kenneth	J.	Varnum,	Editor	
varnum@umich.edu	
December	2021