This presentation describes 6 essential features of successful faculty communities of practice and applies this model to building DH community of practice through the academic library.Using the Claremont Colleges Library as a case study, this presentation also offers ideas and suggestions about how to use events, programming, marketing existing expertise, and scaling up additional digital skills to establish the liberal arts college library as a Digital Humanities/Scholarship hub.

1. Building a DH Community of
Practice in the Liberal Arts
College Library
Ashley Sanders, Ph.D. (History)
Digital Scholarship Librarian
Claremont Colleges Library

2. Roadmap
1. Define “community of practice”
2. Essential features of a successful faculty community of
practice
3. Building a scholarly communications community of
practice
4. Claremont Colleges Library – one year into the
development of a digital humanities community of
practice

3. 1. “Community of Practice”:
•According to Lave & Wenger
▫A group of learners united in their shared
interest in a particular topic
▫“Newcomers” and “old-timers” who learn
together and from each other in a social
context

4. 2. Essential features of a successful
faculty community of practice
1. Trust
2. Shared commitment
3. University & department support
4. Voluntary
5. Openness to change
6. Participant-defined desired outcomes

5. MiamiUniversityLibraries
Miami University
of Ohio leading
the way!
• Met every 2-3
weeks
• University &
department
support
• Public
presentations
• Deliverable:
Website
3. Building a ScholComm Community of Practice

6. 4. Case Study:
Claremont Colleges Library
•5 Claremont undergraduate colleges:
▫Pomona College
▫Scripps College
▫Claremont McKenna College
▫Harvey Mudd College
▫Pitzer College
•Mellon DH grant: “Digital Humanities at
the Claremont Colleges: Developing
Capacity and Community”

7. DH @ the CCL:
• “Intro to DH” Short Course
• DH Workshop Series at the
Library
• DH Project Design Consulting
• GIS Workshops and
Consulting
• Audio/Video Consulting

8. Library DH Support
bit.ly/DHatCCL

9. Library DH Support
bit.ly/DHatCCL

10. DH@CC Community of Practice
Insights from the CCL
1. Build on common ground
▫ Address barriers
2. Ask for a commitment & build it into rewards structure
3. Explore institutional support structures
▫ Incorporate these into grant proposals
4. “Open” & “accessible” applies to CoPs too!
5. Create transformational environment
6. Support participants on their self-determined path

11. Building Trust: Identifying &
Addressing Barriers to Learning
Barriers Potential Solutions
1. Technology anxiety
2. Library anxiety
3. Fear of looking incompetent
and/or unknowledgeable
4. Work and childcare schedules
5. Investment in their own prior
knowledge
1. Empathy, patience, and courses
that teach digital skills
2. Personal invitations, openness,
welcoming environment
3. Scaffold learning to build
confidence
4. Flexible scheduling
5. Assess prior knowledge & ask
them to reflect on how their new
learning compares to their
previous conceptions

12. DH@CC Community of Practice
Insights from the CCL
1. Build on common ground
▫ Address barriers
2. Ask for a commitment & build it into rewards structure
3. Explore institutional support structures
▫ Incorporate these into grant proposals
4. “Open” & “accessible” applies to CoPs too!
5. Create transformational environment
6. Support participants on their self-determined path

14. Discussion Questions
How do faculty, students, and librarians engage
with digital humanities/scholarship on your
campus?
Do you have a formal DH/DS curriculum?
What is your library’s role in your DH/DS
program?
How do you approach training for faculty in
DH/DS?