Stories from the Digital Humanities & Libraries THATCamp

Abstract

On November 2, 2012, colleagues from Indiana University, New York University, Temple University, Ohio State University, University of Houston, the Digital Library Federation, and THATCamp hosted a Digital Humanities & Libraries THATCamp as a pre-conference to the Digital Library Federation Forum held in Denver, Colorado with just over seventy participants. The organizers were largely inspired by the fact that academic libraries- their staff, content, and services- have a long history of supporting digital humanities (DH) initiatives. Often these initiatives are concerned with digital representation of content, discovery, preservation, and analysis activities that are essential to a library's mission. We felt that the DH and Libraries THATCamp would provide a venue to further explore on-going conversations about strategic partnerships and services libraries are uniquely situated to offer to the digital humanities arena, moving away from a support model to a truly collaborative framework in which librarians foster and contribute to DH as experts and scholars in their own right.

The outcome of these vibrant discussions resulted in what we, as organizers, hope would equip us with ways through anecdotes, new collaborations and partnerships, and shining examples to better define and promote our unique roles as information professionals. We are particularly interested in: re-visiting or establishing relevant services to foster digital research; securing administrative and organizational support; and shaping outreach endeavors in ways that will grow the community of scholars, students and library professionals in sustainable ways. As an organizer and attendee, I will share several themes and issues that emerged from the THATCamp sessions themes and issues that we face here at the IUB Libraries as we undergo strategic planning and promoting new services like the Scholars' Commons. I am looking forward to spending a chunk of time exploring and discussing the issues before us so please stop by or tune in ready to chat or tweet.