“Although at first the project seemed utopian, everyone agreed at the outset that we could do it and that we could find the money.”

But the DPLA’s identity is evolving as it develops beyond a Harvard-based project.

“We are in an embryonic phase, and the embryo has a big H birthmark on it,” Darnton said.

“That identity will fade with time. The DPLA should appeal to a broad constituency, and there is a danger that the Harvard label could be taken as ‘elitist.’”

Darnton said that he wants the library to be open to “readers from every stripe,” and not just a tool for research-oriented professors—one of the reasons that he said shedding the Harvard label is critical.

The DPLA will decide how to pursue further digitization efforts after the database is established.

—Staff writer Gautam S. Kumar can be reached at gkumar@college.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Julia L. Ryan can be reached at jryan@college.harvard.edu.nissi.