>> International Database of Digital Humanities Projects >> Working Group

HEADLINE: Summary Report of Committee Meeting

Thursday July 9, 1998
Hotel Aranybika, Debrecen, Hungary
ACH/ALLC Meeting

Present: Charles Faulhaber, David Green, Susan Hockey, Lorna Hughes, Mike Neuman, Daniel Pitti, Harold Short, John Unsworth.

Definition

The meeting reviewed the Georgetown report and reaffirmed that this database was primarily one of new (as opposed to established) digital projects. Although there is still very much a need in the US, Canada and Europe for registries of established projects, akin to that provided and coordinated by the AHDS in the UK, this database was clearly not trying to emulate that.

Audience

The group reaffirmed that the primary audience would be researcher/practitioners, interested in the whys and wherefores, the methodology and the approaches of new projects, as well as the fact of their existence. On the other hand there would be fields and alternate interfaces that would enable the database to be useful to the general user.

Mechanism and Format

It was agreed that we should take up John Price Wilkin's generous offer of a quarter fte and to use the Michigan Digital Library Registry as a base for the database. As the Michigan registry used Dublin Core (in SGML form) this would be compatible to the four prototype DC structures proposed at the Georgetown meeting. Chuck Henry has committed to at least match Michigan's offer of staff time to establish the database.

Suggested Procedure

An agreed way of kickstarting this project would be to assemble a Stage One database of projects recently funded by major US, UK and Canadian funders. Sources suggested would be the NEH and other members of the Federal Funders Group, SSRC, JISC, Mellon, Canadian heritage etc. Rice and Michigan staff (and UK staff, perhaps through King's College) would enter the available basic data and research further information that may not be immediately apparent.

Funding

It was suggested that we look into an NEH "Focus" grant and the new Arts & Humanities Research Board grants to assist this early stage of the project. Deadlines for both grants are September: David will investigate the NEH possibility; Harold would find the AHRB details.

On-the-Ground implementation

We need to talk in detail to John Price Wilkin and Chuck Henry about implementation: personnel; integration of data structures; obtaining funders' lists, etc.

Next Meeting: Mid-September meeting at the DRH conference in Glasgow