The challenges of statistical digital libraries

What are statistical digital libraries? Who uses them? For what purpose? How do they differ from or resemble text-focused digital libraries? What are the research issues associated with their use and the implications for interface design?These are just some of the issues the panelists have been grappling with over the last few years as government agencies and academic libraries rush to make their holdings web-accessible to both the users they have always served and all kinds of new users with varying statistical and computing skills.The panelists represent a variety of user-oriented perspectives-some are developers, some are intermediaries, some are users themselves. Their primary user focus varies from university students and faculty to government policy analysts, but the casual or first-time user must also be served.The panelist will focus their remarks on the challenges of statistical libraries on a multitude of dimensions, including technical, social, behavioral, economic, organizational, etc. The discussion should both inform and entice the audience to pursue some difficult and interesting problems in digital library research.