Welcome to our school-wide effort to define and understand our digital lives through a project that we call the Lifetime Library. We are at an inflection point in history. Just as the transportation revolution of the past 150 years (driven by technical advances in power generation and control) has transformed our physical reach, we are in the midst of an information revolution that is transforming our intellectual and interpersonal reach. We have digital lives that are global and persistent — that transcend space and time. We touch other people now and in the future with ease and fidelity that was unimaginable in the past. BUT, we do not yet know the implications of these new capabilities, we do not know how to manage our digital lives. One of the grand challenges of the information field is to study these effects, to assist others in managing their digital lives, and to build tools and services that are human-centered rather than system centered. SILS aims to lead these efforts and I believe it our responsibility to do so.
As a base, the LL provides you with a large amount of digital storage that will persist well beyond your years at SILS. This cloud-based storage will be private and over time you will be able to create semi-private and public components. The DICE group and several SILS students have been leading development since 2011. There are many issues that we will work out over time: how to organize one's digital assets, policies for the blurs between private and public activities, technical issues and new apps, economic models for sustainability, legal issues of ownership and legacy to name a few. Each year, a SILS student serves as support lead for those new to LL. For 2013-14, Emad Doettcher serves as the LL Carolina Technology Associate. She will help you in getting started with LL. In addition, there are several self-paced introductions available on this website. There are two important points to make: First, you do not have to use the LL (some classes might incorporate it as part of the instructional program, but your level of involvement outside of these classes is up to you). Second, this is a process rather than a product. You are participating in a collective effort to understand an important issue. Not everything will be smooth or fun. We are learning together. I am reminded of my grandchildren who use all sorts of information without much thought about effects ... they go into electronic trances. We are all children in the LL and over the coming years I expect that SILS and you all will mature and learn and in turn share that learning with others.
Gary Marchionini, PhD, Former Dean
Cary C. Boshamer, Professor
