The SILS Digital Library Repository began its existence as the “Pathfinder Digital Library”. This “Pathfinder DL” was created by Matthew Bachtell and Ying Zhang, as a final project for Dr. Gary Marchionini’s Digital Libraries course (INLS 235). The Pathfinder Digital Library provided organized linked lists of pathfinders and had two archived pathfinders.

Now, this project has become the SILS Digital Project Repository (DPR) and the new co-administrators (Becca Cahill, Adam Webb, and Kristen Wilson) have expanded its scope to include portals and other projects in addition to pathfinders. The DPR currently houses around 60 archived/mirrored projects and includes approximately 60 links to non-archived works. Why archive? Student web space is relatively ephemeral after students leave SILS and archiving these digital projects is the only way to preserve students’ work for years to come. The DPR will gladly accept project submissions at any time and the current administrators plan to maintain the DPR until they graduate.