1. DIGITAL HUMANITIES IN THE LIBRARY
CASE STUDY 2
The Library Lab @ Ghent University
Saskia Scheltjens
Head Librarian Arts & Philosophy UGent
@saschel / skype ID: saskiascheltjens
www.slideshare.net/saschel
LIBER – Annual Conference 2015
DARIAH-EU & DIGITAL HUMANITIES workshop
24/06/2015

2. or actually
…
224/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

3. Grand Library Reorganisation
@ UGhent
(2004 - …)
324/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

4. LIBRARIES UNIVERSITY WIDE
Report Bjørnshauge ‘The Network’ (2003)
Aim: greater (cost) efficiency
Integration of digital collections
Network of libraries (+350!)
 Coordinated distributed model
 Distribution of tasks & redefined
mission
 Action plan & timing
Preferend organisational library structure (2003)
424/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

5. Mission UGhent Libraries
‘Facilitating Open Knowledge Creation’
Mission Central Library (Book Tower)
• Digital Library (software, content, tools)
• Coordination UGhent Libraries Network
• Heritage collection / Digital repository
• Inspiring working environment
Mission Faculty Library
Support current research and education
in the faculty with relevant digital and
print collections and innovative services
Photo: Torsade de Pointes – Rozier & Boekentoren – CC BY
524/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

6. Grand Faculty Arts & Philosophy
Library Reorganisation
(2008 - 2018 )
624/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

7. BEFORE 2008 BY 2018
• No unified local library policy • Overall faculty library policy
• 50 departmental libraries • 1 centralised faculty library
• 222 different locations • 1 location (2 library wings)
• 670.000 volumes • 420.00 vol. open stack;
250.000 vol. closed stacks
• Collection catalogued : 52% • Collection catalogued: 100% -
enriched with extra metadata
• Different opening hours,
rules, procedures and policies
• Single & extended opening hours ;
compliant procedures & policies
• Demotivated staff • Young(er) and dedicated staff
• Almost no public services • (New) extended public services
724/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015
LIBRARIES FACULTY ARTS & PHILOSOPHY

8. But the REAL challenge
is this
824/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

9. UGhent
Ledeganck Library
Botanical Institute,
1883
http://www.beeldbank.ugent.be/fotoalbums/universiteitsarchief
19th
century
924/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

10. UGhent, one of the
Blandijn Libraries,
Medieval History,
2008
Photo: Saskia Scheltjens – CC BY 2.0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/faclibflw/3931462838
20th
century
1024/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

11. InQBate,
University Library
of Sussex, 2008
http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk
21st
century
1124/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

12. Foto: Christophe Vander Eeken - https://www.flickr.com/photos/faclibflw/16394814559
21st
century
But also
this …
Faculty Library UGhent,
Arts & Philosophy
Art History, 2015
1224/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

13. Digital Humanities
is
our library ticket
to the 21st century …
1324/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

14. Local DH initatives @ UGhent
1424/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015
http://www.ghentcdh.ugent.be
A platform to show all DH related projects within the faculty of Arts &
Philosophy @ UGent in order to stimulate co-operation
http://be.dariah.eu
Cooperation between Belgian universities, research and cultural
heritage institutions, coordinated by UGhent (2015)

15. 1524/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015
@ UGhent
http://www.flw.ugent.be/bibliotheek/librarylab [Dutch]

16. =
• New department in the new Faculty Library Arts & Philosophy
meant to actively support current researchers, teachers and
students with regard to all things digital
• 2 dedicated spaces IN the faculty library for faculty and students to
work and talk together about all things DH
• Support and/or feedback in working with digital collections, tools
and services
• Expert advice (e.g. copyright, technical, project management)
• Development of digital training module and tutorials
• Creating technical proofs of concept
Library Lab UGhent by 2018
1624/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

17. Library Lab -
Faculty Library Arts &
Philosophy, UGhent
2015Photo: Saskia Scheltjens – CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/faclibflw/15709355495
1724/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

18. THATCamp Ghent 2013 & 2015
The Humanities & Technology Camp
Foto:SaskiaScheljtens–CCBY2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boekentoren/
8868717578
1824/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

19. Started in October 2014
Past formats in the programme
• DH Showcase - researcher tells about his/her current research x DH
• DH Toolkit - researcher demonstrates the tools s/he uses
• Master classes – e.g. topic modelling, data visualisation, social network
analysis, text encoding initiative (TEI), …
• Applied Python workshops
• Lectures
• Workshops e.g. Learn to make a poster, Learn to work with Prezi;
Zotero,…
• Hackathons:
• Wikimedia edit-a-thon ‘Women@UGhent’
• Datasalon
• ….
Library Lab UGhent
1924/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

20. Library Lab UGhent
2024/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015
TYPES OF EVENT NUMBERS OF EVENTS PARTICIPANTS
DH Showcase 7 51
DH Toolkit 5 42
Doctoral School 5 129
Hackathon 4 66
Lecture 2 44
THATCamp 1 14
Workshop 12 119
Total 36 465
Some statistics …
SEMESTER PARTICIPANTS
2014-2015 semester 1 250
2014-2015 semester 2 215
Total 465

21. STAFF
Day-to-day organisation:
Library Lab Coordinator (18 hours/week; 50% FTE)
Experts:
Copyright expert (8 hours/week)
Technical expert for data analysis (3 months during summer)
Overall management:
Faculty Librarian
Academic advice:
GCDH Board
Library Lab UGent
2124/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

22. ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
1. RESEARCH DATA PROJECT, sponsored by Research Committee of
the Faculty of Arts & Philosophy
Survey and analysis about the reusability and sustainability of
existing research data. Benchmarking report.
2. DROP-IN SESSIONS about COPYRIGHT & IP, sponsored by the
Faculty Library in close cooperation with the Book Tower
3. DROP-IN SESSIONS about DIGITAL RESOURCES & RESEARCH
Library Lab UGent
2224/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

23. http://phochste.github.io/LibraryMusic/
CODA
2324/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015

24. Saskia Scheltjens
Ghent University
Faculty of Arts & Philosophy
B - 9000 Ghent - BELGIUM
T + 32 (0)9 331 33 75
saskia.scheltjens@ugent.be
@saschel (twitter id)
http://www.flw.ugent.be/bibliotheek
http://lib.ugent.be
CONTACT
2424/06/2015 #dariahliber workshop #liber2015