Starting and Sustaining Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarships Centers: Lessons from the Trenches

Along with the growth in Digital Humanities (DH) and Digital Scholarship (DS) as digital methods, resources, and tools for research, teaching and dissemination, interest in starting DH/DS centers as a means to support and sustain researchers and projects is fast increasing. For those leading these initiatives, it raises questions about the ways to engage possible stakeholders to develop support for a centre, apply existing models, secure funding sources, and many others. This article contributes to this discussion by examining the experiences of ten DH/DS centers in North America and discerning smart practices for those wishing to start a similar center. Often started by faculty or administrative champions, the interviewed centers have a long history of operations. They offer a suite of activities and services, ranging from consulting, training, access to technology, project support, and others, with staff drawn from libraries, faculties, student ranks, and other locations. These efforts support teachers, researchers, and students in their efforts to undertake DH/DS projects. The centers are often funded through a combination of base budgets and soft money and may be based in a library or faculty. The paper concludes with implications for practice for those wishing to start their own DH/DS center.