Digital Rough Magic: Advancing the Miranda Digital Asset Platform (workshop)

A Miranda workshop, September 21 – 22, 2018

This two-day workshop aims to bring together a variety of participants from early modern studies, digital humanities, and libraries and archives for a behind-the-scenes look at the Folger's new digital asset platform, Miranda. Participants will get a first-hand tour of Miranda and a chance to explore its future development and potential outcomes. Conversations will be framed in the context of current tools and the trajectory of digital scholarship with a keen eye towards efficacy and practical use. Participants will contribute to small, collaborative working groups and provide guidance to the Folger for current and future development.

Applicants are invited to consider the role of platforms such as Miranda in early modern studies and digital humanities from a variety of perspectives, including but not limited to its ability to facilitate:

Transcription and annotation (both of texts and images)
Textual analysis
Display and manipulation of Audiovisual materials
Project management and support.

Applicants should mention specific area(s) of interest in their essays.

This workshop is jointly held by the Folger Digital Media & Publications and Folger Institute divisions, and is generously supported through an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant for the construction of the Miranda digital asset platform. Questions regarding the workshop or application process can be directed to DigitalConf@folger.edu.

Participants

The Workshop will be opened by a plenary panel featuring:

Invited speakers also include:

Application Information

Eligibility

The workshop is open to college faculty and staff, independent scholars, and library, museum, and archive professionals who study or work with texts, images, artifacts, culture, history, or literature of the early modern period, and/or digital humanities. We encourage applications from PhD and MLS/MSIS students who are past their preliminary exams. While we do not privilege applicants from any specific location, the travel stipend is capped at $300 for domestic travel and $800 for international travel to Washington, DC.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee reads and evaluates all properly completed applications in order to select the most promising applicants and to identify alternates.

The most important selection considerations are the likelihood that an applicant will contribute productively and benefit professionally. This is determined by committee members from the conjunction of several factors, each of which should be addressed in the application essay. These factors include:

your qualifications to make a contribution to the workshop, especially your ongoing research interests and/or digital projects;
an outline of what you hope to accomplish; and
an indication of the relation of digital humanities to your teaching, your current research, your job, or your envisioned projects.

Stipend, Tenure, and Conditions of Award

Twelve individuals selected to participate in this workshop will each receive a stipend of $500. Stipends may be reported as taxable income. To lodge participants, the Folger will make hotel arrangements close to the library. In addition to the stipend, applicants will receive travel funding on the basis of receipts, capped at $300 for domestic travel and $800 for international travel. Applicants should note that this travel assistance may not cover the full cost of travel to Washington, DC.

Participants are required to attend all meetings and to fully engage as professionals in the work of the project. Following the workshop, participants will be required to submit online evaluations in which they review their work during the weekend and assess its value to their personal and professional development. These evaluations will become part of the project's grant file and may become part of a follow-up application.

Checklist of Application Materials

A complete application consists of the following items:

an application essay
a curriculum vitae

Strongly desirable:

two letters of recommendation

The Application

Applicants should email the documents requested below to DigitalConf@folger.edu by the deadline of 20 April 2018 to be considered eligible.

The Application Essay

The application essay should be no more than 750 words. This essay should include any relevant personal and academic information. It should address your reasons for applying; your interest, both academic and personal, in exploring Miranda, the Folger's digital asset platform and in current digital humanities scholarship; qualifications and experiences that equip you to contribute to the workshop; a statement of what you want to accomplish by participating; and the relation of the project to your professional responsibilities. Applicants should also elaborate on the relationship between workshop activities and their responsibilities for digital project development and/or teaching.

Curriculum Vitae

Please include a curriculum vitae (not to exceed four pages).

Recommendation Letters

Two letters of recommendation are highly desirable, but not required, supplements to the application. The two letters may be from inside or outside the applicant’s home institution. They should be written by scholars, supervisors, or colleagues familiar with the applicant’s professional accomplishments or promise, teaching and/or research interests, and ability to contribute to and benefit from participation in the workshop. Recommendation letters should be addressed to:

Eric Johnson

Director of Digital Access

Digital Media & Publications

Folger Shakespeare Library

201 E. Capitol St. SE

Washington, DC

20003-1004

but should be submitted by your referees to the application email address: DigitalConf@folger.edu

Submission of Applications and Notification Procedure

Completed applications should be submitted to DigitalConf@Folger.edu no later than midnight on April 20, 2018.

Successful applicants will be notified by May 20, 2018.

Questions?

Please send any questions to DigitalConf@folger.edu.