The Texas Digital Library, a cooperative organization of institutions of higher learning in Texas, has been awarded a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for $824,686. Texas A&M University, as the lead institution for the project, wrote and submitted the grant proposal on behalf of the Texas Digital Library. Partner institutions include Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, and The University of Texas at Austin.

The grant will help fund the development and implementation of the Texas ETD Repository, a state-wide system for managing the entire life-cycle of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) from initial submission to final publication. By enhancing existing technologies and developing new technologies to fill unmet needs, the Texas ETD Repository will address all aspects of ETD management, including submission and workflow processes, digital rights management, discoverability, and long-term preservation.

John Leggett, Associate Dean for Digital Research at the Texas A&M Libraries, serves as principal investigator along with Jay Koenig, Metadata Librarian, and Adam Mikeal, Applications Developer, as co-principal investigators. Bob Sweet, Associate Dean of Libraries for Library Technology for the Texas Tech University Libraries, John Lehner, Assistant Dean for Personnel and Planning at the University of Houston Libraries, and Mark McFarland, Associate Director, Digital Library Services at the University of Texas Libraries will serve as co-principal investigators for their respective institutions. The project begins October 1, 2007 and will extend through September 30, 2010.

For more information regarding the grant, please visit the TDL IMLS grant page.