About the Project
The Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF) Project was initiated to perform a complete revision of Abramowitz and Stegun’s Handbook of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs, and Mathematical Tables, published in 1964 by the National Bureau of Standards. See R. F. Boisvert and D. W. Lozier (2001) for historical background about this important publication. The DLMF Project has updated and expanded the coverage for current needs. The results have been published in book form as the NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions, by Cambridge University Press, and disseminated in the free electronic Digital Library of Mathematical Functions. These products resulted from the leadership of the Editors and Associate Editors pictured in Figure 1; the contributions of 29 authors, 10 validators, and 5 principal developers; and assistance from a large group of contributing developers, consultants, assistants and interns. Details of the early history of the DLMF Project are given in the Preface and on pp. ix–xi in the NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions. See also the list of Publications for further background information.
After the death in April 2013 of Frank W. J. Olver, Editor-in-Chief and Mathematics Editor of the DLMF, the other Editors initiated an effort aimed at updating the organizational structure of the DLMF project. Since that time there have been a number of developments. Whereas before the project had Editors and Associate Editors, it now has Editors, Senior Associate Editors, and Associate Editors.
The current Editors are listed on the Staff page. It was fortunate that the project had already recruited Adri Olde Daalhuis from the University of Edinburgh in 2012 to serve as an additional Mathematics Editor. Subsequently, the list of Editors has been expanded to include Bruce R. Miller as Information Technology Editor, Bonita V. Saunders as Visualization Editor, Barry I. Schneider as General Editor, Howard S. Cohl as Technical Editor, and Marje A. McClain as Associate Technical Editor. As before, the Editors have primary responsibility for the executive management of the project.
The former title of Associate Editor has been changed to Senior Associate Editor. Ten Senior Assocate Editors have been named. They were selected as recognized leaders in the research communities interested in the mathematics and applications of special functions and orthogonal polynomials; in the presentation of mathematics reference information online and in handbooks; and in the presentation of mathematics on the web. Their responsibility is to advise the Editors on future directions for the DLMF.
The new category of Associate Editor has been created to provide expert advice and assistance for the individual chapters of the DLMF. Twenty-six Associate Editors have been named. They will be called upon to help deal with reports of suspected errors and suggestions for additions or other modifications to the chapters. Often the Associate Editors are the original chapter authors, when they are available and willing to serve.
