Context and debate

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

1. What do we mean by a book? 2. How would new forms better serve the purpose of scholarship? 3. How do we exploit the points of contact with wider developments in communications and media? 

“…if we are to get the best out of the possibilities of digital technology for the arts and humanities, then we must learn to shape it, and not merely consume it” 

(Transferred Illusions: Digital Technology and the Forms of Print, Marilyn Deegan and Kathryn Sutherland, 2009)

Core aims and objectives

To examine the roles and purposes of academic books to serve scholarship and wider learning

To examine and analyse the dynamics of academic book production, curation, and use

To investigate and assess the opportunities and challenges associated with technological developments

(via 2 phases of activity)

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

Phases of Activity

Phase 1: Macro exploration and evidence gathering through literature review, quantitative and qualitative evidence gathering leading to testing finding with the community.

Phase 2: Bridging macro to micro approach investing time and resources in a Community Coalition and also mini-projects, carried out by coalition members, focusing on different aspects of the research questions.

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

Consulting the Community

The Project has an extensive process of consultation and engagement built into its structure and methodology. The broadest possible community consultation and engagement, and a wide range of focused discussions and workshops, will be essential to our success in working with a diverse range of communities in: academia, publishing, libraries and other intermediaries, and new initiatives and platforms.

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

Proposed Engagement Plans

Project Board Chair: Professor Kathryn Sutherland(Professor of Bibliography and Textual Criticism, Oxford University)

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

Project BoardCore Management Group

Stakeholders

Partners

Community Coalition

AHRC/BL Steering Group

Impact• Underlying aim of the project is to sustain and

enhance the impact of arts and humanities research

• Success criteria recognise importance of navigating between breadth and depth of impact - focus will vary at different stages of the project

Establishing sustainable momentum across a broad base of communities of practice

Rooted understanding from all perspectives & no set agendas: scholarly, publishing, library, economic & public

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

Communities of Practice The Academic Book of the Future

“…if we are to get the best out of the possibilities of digital technology for the arts and humanities, then we must learn to shape it, and not merely consume it” 

Transferred Illusions: Digital Technology and the Forms of Print, Marilyn Deegan and Kathryn Sutherland, 2009

"What do scholars want?" Whether we work with digital or paper-based resources, or both, our basic needs are the same. We all want our cultural record to be comprehensive, stable, and accessible. And we all want to be able to augment that record with our own contributions.”

Jerome McGann, Sustainability: the Elephant in the Room.Paper for the 2010 Conference, Digital Humanities Scholarship: The Shape of Things to Come, University of Virginia.