CIL 2009 Day 3 - Keynote

Michael Edson from the Smithsonian Institution spoke of the challenges facing the Smithsonian in the constantly changing online world. In particular, Edson described problems facing SI as a result of it's decentralized structure and its inability so far to establish itself as an online brand. In contrast he described the power of the commons and its importance, both historical and in a modern online context, particularly the success of IBM with its patent commons, the National Institutes of Health, the Library of Congress, Flickr Commons, and MIT Open Courseware. The Smithsonian, like libraries in many cases, has a grand history of being a source for the kinds of open information that these sources are now, but has lost it's place because of its inability to capitalize on its natural strengths in an increasingly global and interconnected Internet. This is a big problem in a world where "both the web and physical presence must be excellent for either to be excellent." He ended his talk expressing his hope that the Smithsonian will find its voice and take it's rightful place as a knowledge commons on the Internet.