Library collaboration with large digital humanities projects

Abstract

The sustainability of digital humanities research projects is a pressing issue for humanities computing. Currently, even well-established large digital projects like the Linguistic Atlas Project (LAP) are at future risk because funding and other resources are contingent on grant funding or faculty status of the director, neither of which will necessarily be available to maintain the project over time. The mission of the university library, however, includes archiving and dissemination, now increasingly of digital materials as well as traditional paper. Collaboration with the university library is the only realistic option for long-term sustainability of digital humanities projects in the current environment. Unlike paper collections, which only require secure storage, digital projects also require the means of adaptation to new electronic media and operating environments. Even data storage requires that materials from digital projects be included in library media refresh cycles, which will include transfer of old data to new media as technology develops. Projects like LAP should provide resources to assist the library in starting the project archive, including staff time, and funding for equipment. Project metadata must be provided and, to the extent possible, integrated with library systems and finding aids. Project staff will also need to maintain a Web presence and tools developed for the project. Such cooperation leads toward the development of a digital institutional repository, in which research results and tools may be maintained in the library, not just for the humanities but across many disciplines.