From the 1–3 September 2015, DCU Library took a leap into the dark and hosted Digital Research in the Humanities and Arts 2015, a prestigious international conference for those engaged with the digitisation of cultural activity, resources and heritage. Having been awarded the conference following a tough competitive process, the committee, consisting of three librarians, set about planning an event to combine weighty academic presentations on a dizzying array of topics, cutting edge digital art installations, complex multi-media keynote addresses, and a social programme designed to keep a motley bunch of artists, academics and digital pioneers happy and engaged. Leaving their comfort zone well behind, they were required to act as convenors, curators, mediators, reviewers, technicians and stage hands. They liaised extensively with colleagues across DCU to beg, borrow and steal anything from iMacs and PC monitors to projectors and HDMI cables. They could often be found hammering nails, hanging drapes, dragging tables and eating on the run. There was never a dull moment! In the end, DRHA 2015 was a huge hit. They succeeded in putting DCU on the digital humanities map and shattered a few preconceptions about the influence librarians can have on the academic and cultural landscape.

1. Image Source: https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/stage-fright-examples-lessons-famous-sufferers/
It’ll be all right on the
night: DCU Library in
the Digital Humanities
Smashing Stereotypes
Librarians Get Loud
LAI Academic & Special Libraries
Conference |11-12 February 2016
Siobhán Dunne | @dunnesiobhan

2. Overview:
What is DRHA ?
Why librarians?
Peer review + programming
The design challenges
The tech challenges
Props, permits, & working men’s clubs
Would we do it again?

3. So what exactly
is DRHA?

4. academic conference
digital art exhibition
festival of performances
.
A Unique mix of:

5. T H I S P R I N C I P L E L AY S T H E F O U N D AT I O N F O R
T H R E E K E Y S T R AT E G I C O B J E C T I V E S :
June 2014: DCU wins competitive bid to host DRHA 2015
August 2014: DCU announced as 2015 hosts at Uni of Greenwich
September 2014: local organising committee established

6. June 2014: DCU wins competitive bidding process to host DRHA 2015
August 2014: DCU announced as host for DRHA 2015 at University of Greenwich
September 2014:
Local organising committee established
Core Conference Team
Convenors: Chris Pressler | Siobhán Dunne | Peter Dudley
Creative Advisor: Dr. Declan Tuite, Multimedia Lecturer, DCU
Logistics Support: Keynote PLC
Peer Review Panel: DRHA Standing Committee
Main Stage Technician: Damian O Connor
Installations Technician: AVCOM
Web Design: Sean Tackaberry, Multimedia Student, DCU

7. Delegates from: Australia, Canada, Estonia,
Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland,
Japan, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, the
United Kingdom and United States.
1st DRHA conference for 75% of delegates.
16% are students
78% are presenting new research and/or
creative works.
56% hail from outside of Ireland
Source: https://gencodegenes.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/numbers.jpg

8. Competitive application process to recruit a DCU multimedia student to help us
build our website.
Requirements: Many delegates very design savvy so had to be high spec.
And had to house legacy content.
http://www.drha2015.ie
How did we attract a diverse international audience?

9. Crank up the Twitter machine @drha2015 #drha2015

11. The Unknowns
Predicting delegate numbers to inform
conference fee structure was complex
and challenging
Artists can find it difficult to secure
funding (some assumed we would fund)
Substantial outlays required for tech
equipment + support
Massive variation in attendance for
previous years
Were we promoting to the right people?

12. Locations
Academic Papers: Library
Keynotes + performances: Venue
Installations: The Old Bar

13. Call for Submissions
Speakers invited to respond to
5 grand challenges:
Resolving Conflict | Cultural Freedom
Urban Living | Climate Change
Healthy Societies
Peer Review
Shared by DRHA standing Committee
and convenors
Ongoing debate between arts and
humanities content

15. To turn this….
The Tech
Challenge

16. Into this…

17. To turn this….

18. Into this…

19. Shared Set up
- switch

20. To turn this….
The Design
Challenge

21. Into this…

23. Unanticipated Challenges
• Rig construction to support an
installation
• Public Liability insurance and
permit to work applications
• Adequate lighting for installation
gallery

24. Curators
Peer reviewers
Technicians
Interpreters
Designers
Promoters
Improvisers
Librarians

25. Irish librarians in Digital Humanities

26. Ways of Working
• Worked unusual hours to avoid losing ‘flow’
• Challenging to combine everyday structured
tasks with creative process
Building Skills
• Fun to collaborate on something a bit different
• Significant opportunity for team building
Gaining Perspective
• Provided perspective for dealing with other
‘outside the box’ tasks
Reflections

27. L I B R AR I A N S G E T T I N G L O U D
N O T A C O N F E R E N C E
F O R L I B R A R I A N S ?
P E E R R E V I E W F A C I L I T A T I N G
T E C H N I C A L
R E Q U I R E M E N T S
L I A I S I N G W I T H
A R T I S T S
C U R A T I N G A N
A R T E X H I B I T I O N
EDITING
CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGS
BOOK

29. Thank You
Questions?