The Visibility of the Digital Archivist

Posted on June 19, 2013 by annakijas1

Extending the conversation on the new invisibility/visibility of the library in the digital age begun by Tom Scheinfeldt in Nobody Cares about the Library, we (Mary Isbell and I) would like to discuss if/how creating a digital archive requires the scholar to step back as  “the author” and instead become a curator of data and content. In his post, Scheinfeldt argues that the library should embrace invisibility by encouraging access to content through better search interfaces, APIs, and social media. How does this notion of visibility/invisibility help us think about the challenges facing DH scholars for whom visible authorship is the means to tenure and promotion? Is it fair to say that tools like Omeka have prompted a trend in curatorship amongst scholars who would otherwise rely on the library for that work? Has it also provided a way for the library to become more visible?

Categories: Archives, Collaboration, Libraries, Open Access, Publishing, Research Methods, Session Proposals, Session: Talk |

About annakijas1

Anna E. Kijas is Music & Dramatic Arts Librarian at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. She is also the Project Coordinator for the Scholars’ Collaborative, a digital scholarship initiative at the UConn Libraries. Her academic training includes master’s degrees in library and information science from Simmons College, music with a concentration in musicology from Tufts University, as well as a bachelor of arts in music literature and performance from Northeastern University. Her main areas of research include music criticism and reception studies of women musicians during the 19th through early 20th centuries. Her interests also include applying digital humanities tools or methods to research and new modes of scholarly communication. Currently, Anna is working on several forthcoming publications about Carreño, as well as a digital project, which will document Carreño’s performance career through primary source materials.