Dsg 2015-01-022

Proposed Topics / Schedule for DSG Weekly Meetings

We began the meeting by planning out topics and a schedule for upcoming DSG weekly meetings.

• 1/29 (next week): Checking on on progress made on the annual DSG project review process
• 2/5: Jim talking about how the DSG might use Podio more actively (it was suggested that we invite Ernesto, given his interest in how Podio is being used)
• 2/12: Data management planning
• 2/19: a "check-in" meeting (like today's meeting) where staff members provide informal updates on recent work
• 2/26: The DSG's involvement in grant writing (timeline, etc.)

We also discussed scheduling a discussion of assessment after this stretch of meetings.

Staff Updates on Recent Work

Julia asked everyone at the meeting to briefly discuss recent work:

Sarah Sweeney: Sarah is starting the usability testing for the DRS; subjects in place and testing starts next week. These tests are focused on the search and repository part of the repository. Additionally, David Castillo, the DSG's intern starts on Friday: she will be getting him started on the Brown project of Catskills-based material; analyzing materials, figuring out best ways to organize them, etc.

Jim: Jim met with Hillary to discuss use of metrics on project / what the DSG might want to recommend / have access to in terms on info on project use and data; he'll be gathering and summarizing Our Marathon's data to ground this conversation within it DSG. He also led the first DH Open Office Hours of the semester, and the graduate students in attendance had useful feedback on the kinds of events and resources that the DSG might provide this semester and beyond. DH Open Office Hours will be in part a site where students can discuss and informally workshop future conference presentations and ideas for academic writing (dissertation chapters, articles, etc.). Jim is also brainstorming potential events that introduce DSG projects and related themes to undergraduates.

Hillary: Hillary is working with the Provost's Office to submit budget / approval for funding tied to the library's publishing program. She is also examining the transition from IRIS to the DRS and looking for examples in the DRS of high-use faculty content in the repository. She recommended that the DSG have a conversation this semester about how DSG projects might fall under the rubric of the publishing platform (how imprimatur and and project circulation factor within project cycles).

Amanda: Amanda has begun working with some classes as part of her DH Liaison duties (classes focused on literature / archives / Wikipedia). She is also getting more familiar with the DSG. In addition to thinking about how assessment factors into the DSG, she has begun getting together a calendar for a workshop series. She is also chairing the search committee involved in hiring the DSG's GIS person.

Sarah Connell: The WWP is in the process of selecting texts for publication this semester: this will be the first time the WWP will be publishing texts with a coherent theme (instruction and education). She is determining ways of improving communication between WWP team members, updating the WWP's wiki with more info on "Cultures of Reception," and getting online licenses to Wikipedia editors to improve documentation of WWP authors and subjects there. She is also thinking of ways to improve graduate involvement in the DSG and has been talking with Jim about DissCo's programming this semester. Sarah is also tracking down a whiteboard calendar for the office!

Eli: Eli is working on improvements to the DSG's web site, including setting up automation so that events appear on other library calendars. He is also working on the admin interface in the DRS to improve navigation.

Ashley: Ashley is getting an environment set up for the WWP (so she can smash bugs). She is also exploring Exist to see what it is capable of for TAPAS.

Syd: Syd has begun workshop planning for the WWP's spring series. He will be co-teaching the TEI Customization workshop in the library next week so he's been getting ready for that. He will also be attending the TEI Council meeting at the end of next week.

Julia: Julia has been examining grant money tied to DSG projects, writing up the DSG's Visiting Scholar Program, and drafting what the DSG charges projects for server and storage space. She has also been attending meetings with potential DSG projects, serving on the search committee for the English Department's new Rhet/Comp and DH hire, and prepping for the second semester of a NULab practicum (co-taught by David Lazar).

Linda: Linda has been asking questions and getting acclimated to the DSG and her role on TAPAS.

Brainstorming Future DSG Programming

Julia asked us to consider future DSG programming (for this semester and beyond). We discussed different kinds of events (distinguished by duration, subject matter, audience, and other factors). Information sessions were imagined as short (1 hour - 1:30) discussions / overviews of particular apps. "Practicums" were imagined as slightly longer (3 hours or possibly 1-2 days) presentations with interactive dimensions. Workshops were imagined as similar to the shape and length of those the WWP currently organizes.

Amanda and Jim will discuss the tasks of scheduling and planning these events, and of setting up a calendar that highlights kinds of events/workshops that the DSG should host every semester or year.

Julia provided this list of the discussed topics and the potential program genre they might inhabit:

Information sessions:

       • programming languages overview
       • data management
       • WordPress drop in prior to DRS Project Toolkit deadline
       • OJS: “so you want to publish an open access journal…”
       • What is Network Science? (For a library staff audience)

“Practicums” (?)

       • regular expressions
       • XPath
       • Schematron
       • digital archives and video games
       • Wikipedia and advanced Wikipedia
       • archiving personal data, data management
       • Twitter archiving
       • text analysis with Voyant
       • DH teaching tools
       • OJS
       • Blogging with WordPress, widgets
       • Omeka
       • Data analysis for administrative units
       • project contributory/hands-on events where people pitch in to help out with a project and learn a skill

Workshops:

       • [all the usual TEI topics; work with WWP on this]