BROWN LIBRARY ENHANCES SCHOLARLY DIGITAL PUBLISHING ACCESS TO SUPPORT HBCU FACULTY
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Posted By: Catalina Deossa on July 30, 2024 The Born-Digital Scholarly Publishing Institute at Brown University is a specialized program designed to help humanities scholars, particularly those from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions, master the art of digital-first scholarly publishing. This initiative aims to equip scholars with the skills and knowledge needed to produce high-quality, open-access digital monographs. The institute, which began in 2022 and is now in its second iteration, recently hosted 15 scholars from across the United States. These participants gathered at Brown University’s John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library for a comprehensive three-week program. The first two weeks comprised live online learning, where participants engaged with resources and strategies related to digital publishing. Topics covered included publishing platforms, design considerations, copyright policies, and funding opportunities. The final week featured in-person instruction, during which scholars presented their ongoing digital projects and developed tailored roadmaps for their completion. The digital-first approach promoted by the institute is distinct from traditional book publishing. It often involves integrating multimedia elements such as audio, video, and interactive features, which require skills beyond conventional writing and editing. The institute addresses this learning curve by providing hands-on training and support, helping participants adapt their research for digital formats that can reach a broader audience. This year’s cohort worked on diverse projects, ranging from the historical documentation of U.S. National Parks and the impact of Negro leagues on American baseball to the effects of war on a Syrian wild seed bank. The program’s emphasis on open access means that the resulting digital publications will be freely available to all, democratizing access to scholarly research and extending its reach beyond academia. The institute is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which covers the costs for all participants, ensuring that the opportunity is accessible to scholars who might otherwise lack the resources to engage in such training. The program is part of a broader mission to rethink the scholarly monograph and increase the visibility and impact of diverse academic voices. The Digital Publications team at Brown University, led by Allison Levy, views the institute as integral to the university’s educational mission. Levy highlights the program’s role in fostering greater inclusivity and expanding the range of voices in digital scholarly publishing. The institute also aligns with broader social justice goals, particularly by partnering with underfunded institutions and supporting scholars facing significant challenges in their research endeavors. Participants from past cohorts, such as La Tanya Rogers from Fisk University and Mona Oraby from Howard University, have praised the institute for its impact on their work. Rogers, who is developing a digital monograph on "Black surrogacy" in theater, noted that the digital format allows her to present her research in a more dynamic and accessible manner. Similarly, Oraby has advanced her project on Afrocentrism with the support and resources provided by the institute. The institute’s influence extends beyond individual scholars. TaKeia Anthony, dean of the honors college at Edward Waters University, has used the knowledge gained to enhance her own digital projects and advocate for digital scholarship within her institution. She emphasized the importance of such programs in providing valuable learning opportunities for faculty and students at under-resourced institutions. The Brown University Library, which began its digital publishing program in 2015 with a grant from the Mellon Foundation, continues to expand its digital offerings. The institute contributes to this effort by developing digital, open-access works and fostering a community of scholars equipped to navigate and innovate in the digital publishing landscape. Overall, the Born-Digital Scholarly Publishing Institute represents a significant step towards modernizing scholarly communication and making high-quality research more accessible to a global audience. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Catalina Deossa
Archaeologist, CHRONOS SAS Florida Int`l Univ class of 2011 Member Since April 2024 |
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