Transforming the Internet Public Library into the ipl2 Virtual Learning Laboratory

Abstract

The ipl2: Information You Can Trust Website was launched in January 2010. This article describes the merger of the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarians' Internet Index that resulted in the ipl2, the transformation of the IPL into a virtual learning laboratory through an Institute for Museum and Library Services grant, and the ipl2 Institute on the Future of Reference and the Future of LIS Education, which was funded through the grant. The ipl2 staff, faculty, students, and volunteers continue to offer an important public service, including a digital collection and a question answering service within an educational and research environment.

Keywords:

• Internet public library
• ipl2
• librarians Internet index
• digital library
• library and information science education
• reference