DiSCo

The UNT Libraries and the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) are pleased to announce the launch of the new Digital Scholarship Co-Operative (DiSCo).

A partnership between the Libraries and CAS, DiSCo is being established to foster the creative use of digital resources in research, teaching, and learning across the disciplines. Instead of duplicating services already provided in some form on campus, the Co-Op's role will be to facilitate access for faculty and students to existing centers of excellence in technology and expertise. They will also provide a sandbox for field testing new technology in partnership with research faculty, and offer hands-on workshops in digital tools and software for faculty, staff, and students.

In partnership with the Office of Research and the College of Information, the Co-Op will also be the primary service point for faculty in facilitating the development of data management plans for grant applications.

DiSCo will offer a variety of programming, and is co-sponsoring the upcoming Digital Frontiers Conference and THATCamp (September 21-22 with UNT Libraries, the Portal to Texas History, and the Texas State Historical Association), programming for Open Access Week (October 22-26 with UNT Libraries, CAS, and the Honors College), and the DFW Area Digital Humanities Colloquium (October 26 with the SMU Department of English).

Spencer Keralis has accepted the position of Director for Digital Scholarship with the DiSCo, effective August 1. Spencer has served the UNT Libraries for the past year as a Council on Library and Information Resources Postdoctoral Fellow in Academic Libraries, conducting research on data management policy and practice, and digital curation pedagogy for two continuing grant projects. In addition to his expertise in humanities research, Spencer brings a decade of experience in process and project management to his role with DiSCo.

Strategic Projects Librarian Shannon Stark will be joining DiSCo on a half-time basis, continuing her contribution to grant-funded research initiatives and major event planning. Ephraim Freese, who is currently an undergraduate assistant in the office of the Dean of Libraries, will move to DiSCo along with Spencer and Shannon. They will be joined by newly-hired Programmer II Stephen Eisenhauer on August 13. Stephen will contribute programming to two new grant projects, as well as helping develop DiSCo’s technical services.

In the coming year, DiSCo will be formalizing its service model, pursuing additional grants to support ongoing and new research projects, and conducting outreach to all areas of the UNT community to determine the needs and desires of faculty, researchers, students, and staff.

On Friday, August 24, DiSCo staff will host a coffee in Willis 140 to talk more about this initiative and respond to your questions and ideas.