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The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of the “competing commitments model”.

The paper explores the “competing commitments model”.

The paper discovers that the competing commitment is a three‐stage process that is guided by: a set of questions that are designed to uncover the competing commitments; a process for determining the underlying assumptions at their core; and beginning the process of behavioural change. The “competing commitments model” is particularly useful in understanding conflicts in the diverse environment of digital library projects by providing the team members with a way to share (and work through) big assumptions that may fundamentally differ in any number of ways.

Exploring competing commitments is a positive approach for project team conflict resolution because it is not designed to identify “bad behavior” nor does it take a prescriptive approach in trying to fix behavior.

The purpose of this article is to develop an understanding of the system development lifecycle and its role in managing the development of digital library systems.

The article provides a conceptual analysis of the system development lifecycle within the context of digital library system development.

The system development lifecycle concept has been broadly applied to system development projects for many years. Project teams developing digital library systems can be more effective if they understand the expectations and outcomes of each phase of the system development lifecycle.

For librarians that do not have a formal system development background, this article provides a concise and to‐the‐point overview of the various stages of the system development lifecycle and the relationship of each phase to the development of a digital library system.

Seeks to provide an overview of a formal method for diagnosing and resolving problems that arise during the system development process.

Using a communicative problem‐solving model proposed by Lumsden and Lumsden, the author applies the model to the problem diagnosis process in systems development by way of a case study.

Applying a formal model to problem diagnosis and resolution provides a way for the development team to truly understand the problem it is trying to solve and the implications of the solution. When the model is used, the problem can be analyzed within its larger organizational context, thereby creating more effective solutions that will be welcomed and embraced.

This paper will be of interest to systems developers and managers, especially those who need to diagnose and resolve issues within their larger organizational context. By situating the general model proposed by Lumsden and Lumsden within the systems development context, the paper describes a new approach to organizing this type of activity within the systems development function.

The purpose of this paper is to define and describe virtualization of servers and cloud computing. Understanding the differences and similarities between the two technology models will help digital library managers make better decisions related to hosting of application services.

The paper is a general overview of the principles and techniques of virtualization and cloud computing.

Both virtualization and cloud computing can be effective methods of optimizing hardware resources used to run digital library applications; however, system managers should not overlook the potential for security problems and management problems given the outsourced nature of the computing resources.

The paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of the server virtualization and cloud computing models which could be applied to digital library projects.

In this paper, the author aims to define common causes of resistance to organizational change and describe several tactics project managers can use to overcome some of these causes.

Using theory and example from other management studies, the author relates the relevance of these studies to methods project managers can use to overcome resistance to organizational change.

Resistance to change has several factors, some of them based on level of institutional investment in the change effort as well as the characteristics of interpersonal relations within the organization. Rather than focusing on one aspect, as some earlier research studies have suggested, overcoming resistance to change requires using tactics that can address all of the issues.

This paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of a useful methodology for addressing issues related to organizational change and resistance to that change.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to the emerging concept of local contextualization in digital repositories.

The paper describes the concepts and issues related to local contextualization of digital repositories.

The paper finds that initial efforts in developing digital repositories focused mainly on digitizing library collections. Emerging trends indicate that expectations of patrons have changed and are increasingly tied to the collection and maintenance of materials that are not directly owned by the library. As repositories continue to evolve, libraries will need to be more proactive in contextualizing their digital repositories to the local environment. Unlike the current “one size fits all” model of digital repositories, contextualization emphasized thoughtful planning and implementation of services that are relevant to the local environment.

This paper describes an emerging trend in digital repository services.

The purpose of this paper is to describe how cost benefit analysis can be used as a tool for financial‐based decision making in digital library project management.

Using theory and example, the author discusses the use of cost benefit analysis in cases where the financial value of costs versus benefits must be considered.

Cost benefit analysis is useful as a tool for making project decisions based on financial considerations. However, given the inherent subjectivity of valuation of intangibles, the outcome of a cost benefit analysis is not absolute.

This paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by applying a tool that has been traditionally used in large‐scale, governmental project plans to the world of library project management. In doing so, project managers in libraries will be better prepared to make decisions based on financial considerations.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the some of the more common behavioral missteps technology leaders make when managing projects.

Using a comparative method based on Gualtieri's observations of the mistakes chief information officers make in managing application development projects, the paper contextualizes and expands these observations to apply to the digital library project environment.

The behavioral tactics of digital library project leaders can be either positive or negative influences on a project team with negative behaviors often leading to project managers being labeled as “clueless.” By being aware of the implications and impact of behaviors that can be viewed negatively, the project leader can avoid engaging in those behaviors and be more effective in their role.

This paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by exploring issues related to the behavioral characteristics of digital project leaders. As such, it provides some practical guidelines for the practitioner to use when engaged in project management.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the aspects of system software selection for digital library system projects.

This article outlines the aspects of system software selection giving particular emphasis to those points where a digital library project differs from a traditional enterprise‐level software selection process.

Digital library system software selection differs in some significant ways from traditional software implementations. In particular, security and authentication issues, long‐term cost and maintenance considerations, vendor viability, as well as training and documentation are areas where the software selection team needs to devote greater attention if the project is to be successful.

This paper fills a gap in the digital project management literature by helping project managers understand how the software selection process for digital library systems projects differs from the traditional process used in software selection.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of disaster recovery and contingency planning for digital library systems.

Using best practices, the paper develops a context for developing business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

Business continuity planning and disaster recovery are important components of digital library system planning. Two out of five organizations that incur a major disaster event are unable to permanently recover, but by developing a continuity and recovery plan in advance, libraries can greatly increase the likelihood of long‐term recovery of institutional resources.

This paper will be of interest to systems developers and managers, as well as senior library management, who need to plan for unexpected organizational disruption. The paper provides a context and outline for developing a business continuity and disaster recovery plan.