Unlike so much of the current vocabulary in education and technology that seems to stir more confusion than clarity, most public service librarians may already have a general idea about digital badges. As visual representations of individual accomplishments, competencies or skills that are awarded by groups, institutions, or organizations, they are also part of larger educational reform initiatives. Questions about these virtual artifacts of learning are not concerned as much with what they are but rather how and why they are being used and developed across multiple sectors, including schools, universities, businesses, associations, and government agencies. It is a topic that many in the library world are watching with interest. There is a great deal of discussion and debate about open badges or micro-credentialing. While sharing evidence of skills and knowledge acquired through a wide range of traditional and nontraditional activities and interests across a lifespan sounds like a great idea, it does require a focused rethinking about teaching, learning, assessment, motivation, and even gaming. Similarly, even as digital badges receive a growing amount of attention in the blogosphere and professional press, with an increasing appearance of white papers and case study reports, there is a paucity of research literature on the topic. Taken as a group, the articles in this issue's column represent a range of possibilities and ideas about a new form of achievement and recognition that will spark even more discussion and debate. This column provides a list of articles about Digital Badges, along with abstracts, to serve as a resource for further research.