Digital Collections in Teaching and Research Project Group

This group completed its work in June 2018.

Links

Established

2017 December

Overview

This group will create a one-day in-person event focused on digital collections in teaching and research, particularly 21st century learning and digital humanities, the week of May 21, 2018.

Members

  • Janet Hauck, Whitworth University (Chair)
  • Maurice Blackson, Central Washington University
  • Justin Wadland, University of Washington- Tacoma
  • Angie Beiriger, Reed College
  • Sarah Seymore, University of Oregon
  • Jodi Allison-Bunnell, Orbis Cascade Alliance

Type of Group and General Comments

Project group. For more information, see the Team Structure page.

Sponsor

Unique & Local Content Team

Outcomes to Produce

The group will create a one-day in-person conference that provides a forum for librarians, curators, and cultural heritage professionals in the Northwest to explore the present and future of teaching and in-depth research with digitized primary sources.

Given the promise of large-scale aggregations like the Digital Public Library of America, what are the best examples of what cultural heritage institutions can support, now and in the future? How do we establish digital programs that are dynamic and sustainable? Come to share ideas, projects, and to get inspired!

The Alliance’s Events Coordinator will support logistics around venue, registration, and catering. Alliance funding will cover all of the cost for attendance by Alliance members; non-members will pay a modest registration fee.

Level of Decision-Making Authority

Operational/Functional

Background and Context

The following is a partial list of some events and areas of inquiry that led up to this initiative:

  • In 2016-17, the Digital Collections Working Group developed processes to enable aggregation of digital objects, ie: best practices for metadata remediation, user testing for digital collections in Primo, and assigning of rights statements. During that same time, the Alliance developed its harvester of for digital collections aggregation.
  • During discussion on becoming a DPLA hub, many Council members wished to better understand on how aggregation supports teaching and research.
  • In 2016, the Teaching with Primary Sources Symposium at Seattle Pacific University offered a chance to explore how Alliance members are using primary sources to support teaching.

Number of Members Needed

4-5

Skills Needed

Members should have one or more of the following skills or knowledge:

  • Knowledge of teaching and research with digital objects, particularly 21st century uses of actionable data
  • Technical expertise using tools for aggregating and building api with an eye toward facilitating teaching and research with digital objects
  • Expertise in the activities of teaching and research with digital objects
  • Experience performing outreach to teachers and researchers in their user communities
  • Members of the Discovery and User Experience community are particularly welcome

See the chart on the Team and Group Structure page for overall expectations.