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DLESE, the Digital Library for Earth System Education, is a geoscience community resource that supports teaching and learning about the Earth system. The components of DLESE, the discovery system, the collection and user services, were built for use of a community of educators, students, and scientists to support Earth system education at all levels and in both formal and informal settings. A Steering Committee elected in 1999 and several standing committees developed the policies needed to construct the library. The collection includes documents from committees, annual meetings, photographs, and ephemera.