Digital Humanities – DigitalKoans

Paywall: “Blowin’ in the Wind: The Challenges of Archiving Social Media for Digital Humanities Research”

While at-scale digital libraries and archives of social media material have been studied, day to day collection practices of digital humanists are less well understood. We present a qualitative examination of the collection practices of 14 digital humanists, with a view to understanding how to support them in creating these important personal digital archives

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https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-05409-8_20

“Recommender Systems for Digital Humanities and Archives: Multistakeholder Evaluation, Scholarly Information Needs, and Multimodal Similarity”

Current digital archive interfaces often rely on search and browsing functionalities insufficient for complex research tasks. They fail to reveal latent connections between historical sources or support the serendipitous discovery that is vital to humanistic inquiry. The cultural heritage sector is characterized by numerous repositories and siloed digital archives, where aggregated exploration across collections is beneficial yet challenging to implement and maintain. . . .

This research addresses the central question: How can RecSys effectively support scholarly research and facilitate discoverable, understandable, and value-aware access to cultural heritage materials in digital archives? This question is thoroughly explored through three interconnected research areas that address major challenges that have been identified in prior work [9].

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3705328.3748761

Paywall: “From Data Lifecycle to Research Activity Model: Research Data Management in Data-Intensive Social Sciences and Humanities Research”

Unmet needs in terms of existing infrastructure (e.g. repositories) and services are affecting the research data management practices in data-intensive social sciences and humanities research, where less common tasks include data sharing and reuse. Based on these perceived requirements, an improved version of the Data Documentation Initiative Lifecycle that includes the support needs required for effectively managing data throughout the research process is developed.

https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-12-2024-0959

“Not Just Monetary: Arts and Humanities Scholars’ Perspectives on the Costs of Open Access Publishing”

Where previous studies have confirmed that OA is not a factor in where arts and humanities scholars disseminate their work, this study documented perspectives on how OA competes with publishing to advance one’s career. Although OA venues are slowly gaining acceptance, prestige remains the most important consideration for academics. OA publication remains sidelined and of interest to those working in specific topical areas, conducting SoTL or DH work, or in fields with respected diamond OA venues. Participants confirmed that they do not have the money to fund OA publishing charges; additionally, they described a variety of other costs that OA publishing incurs, taking a toll on reputation, time, equity, and opportunity.

https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/fpml/268/

“Humanities Data Reuse: Humanity First”

After a detailed introduction to a case study in data reuse within the humanities, this article uses that initial discussion to provide a detailed discussion of Borgman and Groth (2005). We point out that data reuse in the humanities enables us to transform the relationship between specialist research and the intellectual life of society. Research data, originally designed for a relatively narrow audience of specialists, can make primary sources, composed in languages other than English and in unfamiliar cultural contexts, newly accessible both to specialists from other areas and to the public as a whole (Crane et al, 2023). Data sharing and reuse can, in this way, transform the relationship between specialist research in the humanities and the intellectual life of society as a whole. The more efficiently and effectively specialists can reuse data, the more effectively we will be able to contribute tangible value to nonspecialists. The goal is not to simplify complexity but to provide pathways from an initial, cursory engagement into the richer material and ultimately to as much expertise as individuals from around the world wish to develop. In this model, specialist data reaches new audiences and realizes value that was not feasible in print culture. The outcome of efficient data sharing is to revitalize the social contract between the humanities and society and thus to invigorate and expand the humanities at every level.

https://tinyurl.com/5n7m9h6w

“Developing Practices for FAIR and Linked Data in Heritage Science”

Heritage Science has a lot to gain from the Open Science movement but faces major challenges due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field, as a vast array of technological and scientific methods can be applied to any imaginable material. Historical and cultural contexts are as significant as the methods and material properties, which is something the scientific templates for research data management rarely take into account. While the FAIR data principles are a good foundation, they do not offer enough practical help to researchers facing increasing demands from funders and collaborators. In order to identify the issues and needs that arise “on the ground floor”, the staff at the Heritage Laboratory at the Swedish National Heritage Board took part in a series of workshops with case studies. The results were used to develop guides for good data practices and a list of recommended online vocabularies for standardised descriptions, necessary for findable and interoperable data. However, the project also identified areas where there is a lack of useful vocabularies and the consequences this could have for discoverability of heritage studies on materials from areas of the world that have historically been marginalised by Western culture. If Heritage Science as a global field of study is to reach its full potential this must be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01598-x

Paywall: “Digital Humanities in Us Academic Libraries: Case Studies”

This case study highlighted key areas of academic library DH practices including Space, Technology, Staff, Instruction and Collaboration. Practices in these areas were compared against each other and literature to comment on the current state of DH library practices and offer some recommendations for select areas.

https://doi.org/10.1108/DTS-03-2024-0040

“Datafication and Cultural Heritage Collections Data Infrastructures: Critical Perspectives on Documentation, Cataloguing and Data-sharing in Cultural Heritage Institutions”

The role of cultural heritage collections within the research ecosystem is rapidly changing. From often-passive primary source or reference point for humanities research, cultural heritage collections are now becoming integral part of large-scale interdisciplinary inquiries using computational-driven methods and tools. This new status for cultural heritage collections, in the ‘collections-as-data’ era, would not be possible without foundational work that was and is still going on ‘behind the scenes’ in cultural heritage institutions through cataloguing, documentation and curation of cultural heritage records. This article assesses the landscape for cultural heritage collections data infrastructure in the UK through an empirical and critical perspective, presenting insights on the infrastructure that cultural heritage organisations use to record and manage their collections, exploring the range of systems being used, the levels of complexity or ease at which collections data can be accessed, and the shape of interactions between software suppliers, cultural heritage organisations, and third-party partners. The paper goes on to include a critical analysis of the findings based on the sector’s approach to ‘3s’, that is standards, skill sets and scale, and how that applies to different cultural heritage organisations throughout the data lifecycle, from data creation, stewardship to sharing and re-using.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.277

“Research Data Management and Crowdsourcing Personal Histories”

Drawing on experiences of the University of Oxford’s Sustainable Digital Scholarship (SDS) service and the World War Two crowdsourcing project ‘Their Finest Hour’, this paper explores how institutional digital repositories (such as the SDS platform) can be successfully leveraged to publish and sustainably host crowdsourced (‘warm-data’) collections beyond their funding period.

The paper examines the challenges in applying FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles to a collection containing first-hand testimonies and digitised objects of significant sentimental value, addressing both practical and ethical considerations, including the management of copyright, handling of sensitive material, use of AI tools and adherence to good research data management practices, with limited resources.

Reflecting on the importance of a caring approach to data stewardship, the paper examines how the ethos of the Their Finest Hour project, and its commitment to honouring contributors and their families, led organically to an alignment with CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles, originally developed for Indigenous data governance. It also explores the potential for the wider application of CARE principles for crowdsourced collections such as the Their Finest Hour Online Archive, while acknowledging and respecting the origins of this framework.

Lastly, it offers some practical ‘lessons learned’ to help GLAM and Higher Education professionals working with crowdsourced collections and personal histories to navigate some of the research data management challenges that they may encounter, while also highlighting the importance of understanding FAIR and CARE principles and how they can be applied to these types of data collections.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.265

“Copyright and Licencing for Cultural Heritage Collections as Data”

Cultural Heritage (CH) institutions have been exploring innovative ways to publish digital collections to facilitate reuse, through initiatives like Collections as data and the International GLAM Labs Community. When making a digital collection available for computational use, it is crucial to have reusable and machine-readable open licences and copyright terms. While existing studies address copyright for digital collections, this study focuses specifically on the unique requirements of collections as data. This research highlights both the legal and technical aspects of copyright concerning collections as data. It discusses permissible uses of copyrighted collections, emphasising the need for interoperable, machine-readable licences and open licences. By reviewing current literature and examples, this study presents best practices and examples to help CH institutions better navigate copyright and licencing issues, ultimately enhancing their ability to convert their content into collections as data for computational research.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.263

“Research Data Management and Crowdsourcing Personal Histories”

Drawing on experiences of the University of Oxford’s Sustainable Digital Scholarship (SDS) service and the World War Two crowdsourcing project ‘Their Finest Hour’, this paper explores how institutional digital repositories (such as the SDS platform) can be successfully leveraged to publish and sustainably host crowdsourced (‘warm-data’) collections beyond their funding period.

The paper examines the challenges in applying FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles to a collection containing first-hand testimonies and digitised objects of significant sentimental value, addressing both practical and ethical considerations, including the management of copyright, handling of sensitive material, use of AI tools and adherence to good research data management practices, with limited resources.

Reflecting on the importance of a caring approach to data stewardship, the paper examines how the ethos of the Their Finest Hour project, and its commitment to honouring contributors and their families, led organically to an alignment with CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles, originally developed for Indigenous data governance. It also explores the potential for the wider application of CARE principles for crowdsourced collections such as the Their Finest Hour Online Archive, while acknowledging and respecting the origins of this framework.

Lastly, it offers some practical ‘lessons learned’ to help GLAM and Higher Education professionals working with crowdsourced collections and personal histories to navigate some of the research data management challenges that they may encounter, while also highlighting the importance of understanding FAIR and CARE principles and how they can be applied to these types of data collections.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.265

Paywall: "Preserving Digital Humanities Projects Using Principles of Digital Longevity"

This chapter reports on a large, global survey undertaken by the Endings Project and introduces the “Endings compliance” toolbox, guiding librarians and archivists in assisting DH scholars to frame their work for cost-effective preservation. The chapter argues that collaboration among technologists, scholars, librarians, and archivists throughout the project lifecycle is essential to address longevity challenges in DH work, particularly for preserving complex web applications. Clear indicators of project completion are necessary, along with contingency plans for potential disruptions. Libraries and archives can avoid the pitfalls of complex software stacks through such collaboration, and by adhering to known preservation principles.

https://tinyurl.com/rta7scyd

"Capturing Captions: Using AI to Identify and Analyse Image Captions in a Large Dataset of Historical Book Illustrations"

This article outlines how AI methods can be used to identify image captions in a large dataset of digitised historical book illustrations. This dataset includes over a million images from 68,000 books published between the eighteenth and early twentieth centuries, covering works of literature, history, geography, and philosophy. The article has two primary objectives. First, it suggests the added value of captions in making digitized illustrations more searchable by picture content in online archives. To further this objective, we describe the methods we have used to identify captions, which can effectively be re-purposed and applied in different contexts. Second, we suggest how this research leads to new understandings of the semantics and significance of the captions of historical book illustrations. The findings discussed here mark a critical intervention in the fields of digital humanities, book history, and illustration studies.

https://tinyurl.com/bdvjespp

"Research Data Management in the Humanities: Challenges and Opportunities in the Canadian Context"

In recent years, research funders across the world have implemented mandates for research data management (RDM) that introduce new obligations for researchers seeking funding. Although data work is not new in the humanities, digital research infrastructures, best practices, and the development of highly qualified personnel to support humanist researchers are all still nascent. Responding to these changes, this article offers four contributions to how humanists can consider the role of "data" in their research and succeed in its management. First, we define RDM and data management plans (DMP) and raise some exigent questions regarding their development and maintenance. Second, acknowledging the unsettled status of "data" in the humanities, we offer some conceptual explanations of what data are, and gesture to some ways in which humanists are already (and have always been) engaged in data work. Third, we argue that data work requires conscious design—attention to how data are produced—and that thinking of data work as involving design (e.g., experimental and interpretive work) can help humanists engage more fruitfully in RDM. Fourth, we argue that RDM (and data work, generally) is labour that requires compensation in the form of funding, support, and tools, as well as accreditation and recognition that incentivizes researchers to make RDM an integral part of their research. Finally, we offer a set of concrete recommendations to support humanist RDM in the Canadian context.

https://doi.org/10.16995/dscn.9956

"The Collective Use and Evaluation of Generative AI Tools in Digital Humanities Research: Survey-Based Results"

By investigating DH scholars’ use of GenAI tools in their research, this survey study makes several contributions. First, our findings demonstrate GenAI’s important role in enriching DH research, detailing specific, effective instances of its application that may inform DH scholars planning to apply GenAI tools in their future research. Secondly, the incorporation of GenAI in DH research raises important ethical and social concerns. Our study illuminates the potential risks, such as disputes over authorship, the emergence of biases, and the need for greater transparency and accountability in AI-involved DH research.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.12458

Research Data Management for Arts and Humanities: Intergrating Voices of the Community

Chapter one gives an overview of the European and national policy environment which has given rise to research data management and sharing mandates, as well as the institutional support structures around them. In chapter two, which is dedicated to implementation and everyday practice, the authors of this publication share how their institutions have developed capacities to accommodate data support professions, and also share their own career paths leading to such roles. After the first two chapters have set the stage and recounted the authors’ reflections on these new roles, the rest of the publication highlights and discusses some of the key domain-specificities of research data management in the Arts and Humanities. Chapter 3.1 reflects on the implications of the lack of consensus around the notion of data within the Arts and Humanities domain through a case study of digital critical editions. Chapter 3.2 addresses the challenges around the, essentially, multilingual character of arts and humanities data, with special focus on multilingual vocabularies and thesauri. Chapter 3.3 provides support for research scenarios where open data sharing is either impossible or is difficult due to legal and ethical limitations, and navigates the complexities of intellectual property and the application of regulatory frameworks, including restrictions on text and data mining, and authentication and authorisation in an open world. Clearly, the discourse on data sharing cannot be complete without discussing the current limitations within research assessment and rewards criteria, nor highlighting initiatives which aim to incentivise and reward data sharing in the working/professional contexts of the Working Group’s members. A discussion on rewards can be found in Chapter 3.4. Chapter 3.5 addresses one of the most widely shared data management challenges within the domain and brings together use cases concerning successful collaborations between cultural heritage institutions and arts and humanities research teams. Finally, Chapter 3.6 showcases good practices in long-term archiving

https://tinyurl.com/ycxbrh33

"Digital Humanities: Mission Accomplished? An Analysis of Scholarly Literature"

The field of digital humanities (DH) has evolved throughout the parallel evolution of computers, software and networking techniques, as well as the different attitudes of interested scholars. Since the earliest historical phases of this research field, scholars have been debating whether it can be considered as a new academic discipline and whether it is revolutionary in nature. About 20 years ago, the early denotation of ‘humanities computing’ evolved to the present label of DH, and deep changes occurred in digital information technologies, as well as in their humanities applications. Meanwhile, dedicated academic curricula were launched, thus adding an argument in favor of the debated disciplinarity of DH. This paper gives an account of the relevant scholarly debate, distinguishing between the early period and the most recent years; it then tries to frame this process in a model of scientific revolution.

https://doi.org/10.1177/20966083241234379

Paywall: "Managing Scholarly Outputs in a Proprietary Platform: Exploring the Implications of Esri Story Maps for Spatial Digital Humanities Preservation"

For the past decade, Esri’s Story Maps platform has offered a way to combine maps, text, images, and other multimedia with relatively little technical overhead for the end user. This has had substantial influence on spatial digital humanities. . . The challenge of preserving this work looms large, however, as the retirement date for the "classic" version of the platform approaches. . . [T]his paper reflects on the difficulty of managing scholarly outputs in a system not primarily designed for that purpose and of representing web-based work within the library record. More broadly it asks, what does it mean for spatial digital humanities that so much scholarship is hosted and organized within one proprietary platform?

ArcGIS StoryMaps

https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2024.2335381

"FAIRness of Research Data in the European Humanities Landscape "

This paper explores the landscape of research data in the humanities in the European context, delving into their diversity and the challenges of defining and sharing them. It investigates three aspects: the types of data in the humanities, their representation in repositories, and their alignment with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). By reviewing datasets in repositories, this research determines the dominant data types, their openness, licensing, and compliance with the FAIR principles. This research provides important insight into the heterogeneous nature of humanities data, their representation in the repository, and their alignment with FAIR principles, highlighting the need for improved accessibility and reusability to improve the overall quality and utility of humanities research data.

https://doi.org/10.3390/publications12010006

"Thinking Outside the Black Box: Insights from a Digital Exhibition in the Humanities"

One of the main goals of Open Science is to make research more reproducible. There is no consensus, however, on what exactly "reproducibility" is, as opposed for example to "replicability", and how it applies to different research fields. After a short review of the literature on reproducibility/replicability with a focus on the humanities, we describe how the creation of the digital twin of the temporary exhibition "The Other Renaissance" has been documented throughout, with different methods, but with constant attention to research transparency, openness and accountability. A careful documentation of the study design, data collection and analysis techniques helps reflect and make all possible influencing factors explicit, and is a fundamental tool for reliability and rigour and for opening the "black box" of research.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.12000

Open Scholarship in the Humanities

The book begins with the history of digital developments and their influence on the founding of international policies toward open scholarship. The concept of making research more freely available to the broader community, in practice, will require changes across every part of the system: government agencies, funders, university administrators, publishers, libraries, researchers and IT developers. To this end, the book sheds light on the urgent need for partnership and collaboration between diverse stakeholders to address multi-level barriers to both the policy and practical implementation of open scholarship. It also highlights the specific challenges confronted by the humanities which often makes their presentation in accessible open formats more costly and complex. Finally, the authors illustrate some promising international examples and ways forward for their implementation. The book ends by asking the reader to view their role as a researcher, university administrator, or member of government or philanthropic funding body, through new lenses. It highlights how, in our digital era, the frontiers through which knowledge is being advanced and shared can reshape the landscape for academic research to have the greatest impact for society.

http://tinyurl.com/2453s6du

"HERITRACE: Tracing Evolution and Bridging Data for Streamlined Curatorial Work in the GLAM Domain"

HERITRACE is a semantic data management system tailored for the GLAM sector. It is engineered to streamline data curation for non-technical users while also offering an efficient administrative interface for technical staff. The paper compares HERITRACE with other established platforms such as OmekaS, Semantic MediaWiki, Research Space, and CLEF, emphasizing its advantages in user friendliness, provenance management, change tracking, customization capabilities, and data integration. The system leverages SHACL for data modeling and employs the OpenCitations Data Model (OCDM) for provenance and change tracking, ensuring a harmonious blend of advanced technical features and user accessibility. Future developments include the integration of a robust authentication system and the expansion of data compatibility via the RDF Mapping Language (RML), enhancing HERITRACE’s utility in digital heritage management.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.00477

Paywall: Forthcoming — Digital Humanities and Laboratories Perspectives on Knowledge, Infrastructure and Culture

Digital Humanities and Laboratories explores laboratories dedicated to the study of digital humanities (DH) in a global context and contributes to the expanding body of knowledge about situated DH knowledge production.

Including contributions from a diverse, international range of scholars and practitioners, this volume examines the ways laboratories of all kinds contribute to digital research and pedagogy.. . . As a whole, the book consolidates the discussion on the role of the laboratory in DH and brings digital humanists into the interdisciplinary debate concerning the notion of a laboratory as a critical site in the generation of experimental knowledge. Positioning the discussion in relation to ongoing debates in DH, the volume argues that laboratory studies are in an excellent position to capitalize on the theories and knowledge developed in the DH field and open up new research inquiries.

https://tinyurl.com/yedy4x78

"NEH Announces New Research Initiative: Humanities Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence"

NEH’s Humanities Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence initiative will support numerous AI-related humanities projects through the following funding opportunities:

Universities or independent research organizations considering establishing a research center that focuses on humanistic AI research should consider NEH’s newest grant program, Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence. This funding opportunity offers up to $750,000 to support the creation of humanities research centers focusing on the ethical, legal, or societal implications of artificial intelligence.

Individual scholars or scholarly teams based at an institution (e.g., colleges and universities) may consider Dangers and Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities. Independent scholars or those affiliated with an institution may apply to Fellowships, Awards for Faculty at HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs, Summer Stipends, or Public Scholars.

Collaborative teams interested in planning for an international AI research project or hosting a scholarly convening about AI should consider Collaborative Research.

Institutions interested in hosting professional development programs on the latest research related to humanistic AI should consider Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities.

https://tinyurl.com/c5sb7x26

| Artificial Intelligence and Libraries Bibliography |
Research Data Curation and Management Works | | Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works |
| Open Access Works |
| Digital Scholarship |

Paywall: "What We Did Then and What We Do Now: A Crisis of Digital Scholarship Champions at Binghamton University"

The digital scholarship department in Binghamton University’s libraries was created in 2018 as part of a larger effort to bring digital humanities (DH) efforts to Binghamton. The initiative was largely spearheaded by one person who became one of the biggest digital scholarship (DS) champions on campus. They, along with the new DS librarian, founded a Digital Humanities Research Institute igniting the creation of smaller working groups and initiatives across campus. Our article discusses the role of DS champions on Binghamton’s campus, including the types of advantages they were able to leverage, their interests and goals for a DS community, and what happens when they leave.

https://doi.org/10.3366/ijhac.2023.0307