These are key remarks presented by Neal Stimler at the panel, "The Commons and Digital Humanities in Museums." The panel took place at the City University of New York Graduate Center on November 28, 2012. Event Details: http://cunydhi.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2012/11/07/wednesday-november-28-the-commons-and-digital-humanities-in-museums/

1. “The Commons and Digital Humanities in Museums”
City University of New York Digital Humanities Initiative
City University of New York Graduate Center
November 28, 2012 | 6:30pm-8:30pm | Elebash Recital Hall
Neal Stimler Key Remarks
A commons, is both a shared set of resources used for the benefit of the general welfare and a
community of practitioners committed to the compassionate service of others.
The digital humanities empower practitioners, museum staff and the public, with the tools and
methods to re-ignite museums as civic centers of networked life.
Museums, act a civic centers by making the vast knowledge within their stewardship freely
available for use and by connecting it to the infinite possibilities for humanistic expression in a
digital culture.
Utility, ubiquity and unselfishness are keywords/concepts that are core for the building of a
museum commons.
Utility: maximize opportunities for the use of museum resources by the public in the hybridity of
their physical and digital experiences.
Ubiquity: museum content, data, publications and tools should become omnipresent in daily
life.
Unselfishness: generosity guides museums interactions with their staff, colleagues and the
public.
Utility, ubiquity and unselfishness, the three “U”s, remind museums and other GLAMs to
see beyond the “i” of the institution.
The realization of commons for museums and the digital humanities are interdependent.
The earnest concern is to ensure that museums have impact in the lives of a digital
humanity.
Disclaimer: The remarks herein are the personal views of Neal Stimler and do not necessarily reflect the
views of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.