We Have Collections as Data at Home": An Introduction to Bringing CAD to Your Institution

Collections as Data (CAD) is an initiative to improve the discoverability and accessibility of collections by transforming them into computationally-ready datasets. It also serves to build connections between data service librarians and archival units and provide experiential learning opportunities to students seeking first-hand experience with primary materials or career aspirations in galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM). If done correctly, CAD collaborations can lead to not only dataset publications, but also build data literacy teaching materials and strengthen connections with teaching faculty and the regional community. While rewarding, CAD are time-consuming projects that are often daunting to get started. In this interactive presentation, the presenter will draw on their own experiences of running several of these projects with different students and modalities to share with participants what approaches worked the best, how the experiences were set up, what it took to get outputs over the finish line, and how these experiences can be enhanced with professional development opportunities. Afterwards, attendees will reflect on the feasibility of running a CAD project themselves through a worksheet, and then break out into small groups that contain at least one student and/or early career (<1 year) attendee at each table to support different perspectives. These groups will discuss their reflections and engage in conversation around topics such as: approaching collaboration with non-data colleagues; creating a supportive and rewarding experience for student interns; project priorities and scoping for sustainability; pursuing outputs beyond dataset deposit. The remaining time will be used for sharing out conversation as a large group and discussing next steps.