Author Archives: Melanie Hubbard

We’re Hiring: General Information

I am excited to see the applications coming in for the Digital Scholarship Group positions. I have put the following information together to help applicants, and those thinking about applying. Having been there many times myself, I know the laborious and nerve-racking nature of job seeking. Please know we are working on our end to consider your application with care and that we are doing our best to move swiftly. Thank you for your patience!

The Team We’re Building

Who are We?

  • We are a group of digital scholarship and data-minded professionals who pride ourselves on being librarians and facilitating DS/data-oriented research and curriculum.
  • We aim to be both responsive and proactive in developing DS and Data services.
  • We focus on the greater good of the BC community and the community beyond.

We are looking for librarians who are…

  • Able to hit the ground running by immediately applying their technical skills and methodological knowledge.
  • Have a balance of hard technical skills and soft skills that enable them to be highly collaborative and communicative.
  • Creative, flexible, and interested in learning new skills.
  • Kind and compassionate.

Over the next few years, we seek to…

  • Refine and refresh our current DS and data services by incorporating the ideas and skills of the new team.
  • Better institutionalize DS and data services and solidify the Libraries’ reputation as being the hub of DS on BC’s campus.
  • Work more closely with academic departments to develop programmatic undergraduate DS and data learning opportunities.
  • Support the DH Program Librarian’s endeavor to further institutionalize the DH Graduate Certificate program and initiate new DH programs.
  • Develop closer working relationships with the Center for Digital Innovation and Learning Research Services (among other research units on campus).

FAQ

  • Are these positions brand new? No, but they have been reshaped a bit based on what we have learned over the past few years. 
  • What is BC’s work-at-home policy? Currently, we get one day a week to work from home.
  • When does the position start? The start date is flexible.
  • Is there financial support for professional development and conferences? Yes.

We’re Hiring: Data Visualization Librarian

Boston College Libraries seek a Data Visualization Librarian to join our Digital Scholarship Group (DSG). This position is primarily responsible for digital scholarship collaborations and services related to data visualization. Such activities include consulting on faculty and student data-visualization projects; providing data visualization skills training to faculty and staff; and providing data visualization instruction and curriculum consultations for undergraduate and graduate courses. This position, along with the other DSG librarians, also works closely with BC’s Graduate Certificate in Digital Humanities program. We see this as a good opportunity for someone newer to the profession and encourage you to apply even if you feel you lack a few of the qualifications. Apply on BC’s career site.

As a member of the DSG, the Data Visualization Librarian collaborates on providing current DS services, designing and implementing new ones, and is a valued voice in DSG strategic planning and goal setting as the group strives to expand its role in BC Libraries and the broader BC community. The collaborative nature of this position extends to working with staff across the Libraries (subject liaison librarians, in particular) and campus with units such as Research Services and the Center for Digital Innovation in Learning to meet faculty and student research and learning.

Requirements

  • A Master’s degree in Library Science or Information Science, or a closely related, data-intensive research field, plus 2-3 years of relevant experience;
  • Demonstrated experience in providing data curation, management, cleaning, and mining services; using data and related technologies to support teaching and research; working with numeric data in academic, scientific, or corporate environments; at least one data visualization tool (e.g., Tableau, D3.js, R, Python); transforming datasets into innovative and creative charts, graphs, infographics, dashboards, and interactive visualizations;
  • The ability to engage with research across a variety of disciplines and a range of audiences, from undergraduate and graduate students to faculty, instructors, and staff;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills; 

Preferred

  • Experience working in academic libraries;
  • Has accessibility for visual design knowledge; 
  • Experience providing data visualization creation and literacies workshops and classroom instruction;
  • Demonstrated experience with geospatial visualization and GIS software packages (e.g., ArcGIS and QGIS); network analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Gephi and Cytoscape)
  • Adobe Create Suite skills (e.g., the ability to use Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. to enhance visualizations)

We’re Hiring: Digital Scholarship Librarians

Boston College Libraries seek two Digital Scholarship Librarians to be part of our Digital Scholarship Group (DSG). These positions are primarily responsible for facilitating and supporting the creation of faculty and student digital research projects; digital scholarship skills training for faculty, students, and staff; supporting the incorporation of digital scholarship (and digital humanities) into undergraduate and graduate courses and curricula; and working closely with BC’s Graduate Certificate in Digital Humanities program. We see the non-senior position as being a good opportunity for someone newer to the profession and encourage you to apply even if you feel you lack a few of the qualifications. Apply on BC’s career site.

The DS Librarians provide support for faculty and student digital research projects, ranging from short and long-term consultations (e.g., helping to identify appropriate DS methods, tools, and training resources) to more intensive, hands-on assistance with technology, project design, and project management. For faculty, the DS Librarians offer a range of teaching support from providing one-shot instruction sessions to teaching multiple sessions and providing assistance with curriculum design. As of the past few years, faculty have been particularly interested in incorporating GIS in their research and, even more so, GIS and 3D modeling in their teaching. 

As a member of the DSG, the DS Librarians collaborate on providing current DS services, designing and implementing new ones, and are a valued voice in DSG strategic planning and goal setting as the group strives to expand its role in BC Libraries and beyond. (The DSG’s effort to maximize the abilities and interests of its members means that the DS Librarians’ particular areas of expertise heavily influence their role in the department and the projects, instruction, etc. they take on.) The collaborative nature of these positions extends to working with staff across the Libraries (subject liaison librarians, in particular) and campus with units such as Research Services and the Center for Digital Innovation in Learning to meet faculty research and teaching needs.

Requirements

  • A Master’s degree in Library Science or Information Science, or an equivalent combination of a relevant advanced degree and library or digital scholarship experience;
  • Minimum 2 years of relevant experience, minimum 5 years for a senior position;
  • Demonstrated experience in a range of digital scholarship methods (e.g., text analysis, GIS/mapping, network analysis, digital exhibits, 3D/immersive technologies, etc.), tools, and skills;
  • The ability to engage with research across a variety of disciplines and work with and support faculty and students within those disciplines;
  • The ability to collaborate with faculty, librarians, and staff on research projects and teaching;
  • The ability and willingness to learn new technologies and methodologies;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

Preferred

  • Experience working in academic libraries;
  • Experience providing DS skills training and classroom instruction;
  • Has knowledge of digital accessibility best practices;
  • Demonstrated knowledge of front-end web development using PHP, HTML, CSS, and/or JavaScript, and familiarity with content management systems such as Omeka and WordPressds

We’re Hiring: Data Services Librarian

Boston College Libraries are seeking a Data Services Librarian to join our Digital Scholarship Group (DSG). This position is primarily responsible for digital scholarship collaborations and services related to data gathering, manipulation, management, curation, documentation, and data skills training. Such activities include consulting on faculty and student data-driven projects; providing data skills training on data manipulation and management methods, best practices, and tools to faculty and staff; and providing data skills instruction and curriculum consultations for undergraduate and graduate courses. 

As a member of the DSG, the Data Services Librarian collaborates on providing current DS services, designing and implementing new ones, and is a valued voice in DSG strategic planning and goal setting as the group strives to expand its role in BC Libraries and the broader BC community. The collaborative nature of this position extends to working with staff across the Libraries (subject liaison librarians, in particular) and across campus with units such as Research Services to meet faculty and student research data needs.

Qualifications

Requirements

  • A Master’s degree in Library Science or Information Science, or a closely related, data-intensive research field, plus 2-3 years of relevant experience
  • Demonstrated experience in providing data curation, management, cleaning, and mining services; Using data and related technologies to support teaching or research; Working with numeric data in an academic, scientific, or corporate environments
  • The ability to engage with research across a variety of disciplines and a range of audiences, from undergraduate and graduate students to faculty, instructors, and staff. Excellent written and oral communication skills 

Preferred

  • Experience working in academic libraries;
  • Knowledge of data preservation strategies;
  • Demonstrated experience in:
    • Working with data repository platforms (e.g. Dataverse);
    • Proving data skills training and classroom instruction (oral, written and video tutorials, etc.);
    • Data/text mining and analysis using coding languages such as Python or R;
    • Using statistical tools (e.g., SPSS, SAS, Stata)

Research indicates that applicants with marginalized identities are hesitant to apply for positions if they do not meet all of the required and preferred qualifications. We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop skills that will enable them to succeed in their roles and advance our mission.

Hiring Range: $65,800 – $82,250

Learn more Info & Apply

What are Digital Scholarship and Digital Humanities?

To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.

Leonardo da Vinci

There shall be love between the poet and the man of demonstrable science. In the beauty of poems are henceforth the tuft and final applause of science.

Walt Whitman

Digital Scholarship (DS) and Digital Humanities (DH) create opportunities to blur the lines and make connections between the sciences, arts, and humanities through the use of digital methods, concepts, and tools. They are a way faculty, librarians, and students can engage with new areas of scholarship and engage with traditional scholarship in innovative ways.

DS and DH Defined

DS is the deeply considered and critical use of digital methods and tools to conduct and present research. DH falls under the umbrella of DS and incorporates humanities-specific practices and methodologies. DS and DH methods include data visualization, GIS mapping, and text analysis, among others, and projects widely range in complexity from simple digital timelines to large-scale databases. For DS and DH examples, check out these award-winning projects Freedom’s Ring, Poppy Field, Prison Pandemic, and Atlante Clavino, and view some of the work that has been done at BC.

DH has Jesuit Roots

Roberto Busa, S.J. at Yale University, 1956

Father Roberto Busa, S.J. (1913-2011) was one of the earliest digital humanities pioneers. In his 1946 doctoral dissertation, Busa announced the need for a machine-generated Thomas Aquinas concordance. Why machine-generated? Because Aquinas’ works contain over 9 million words. Cross-referencing those words, not to mention connecting them with the many works Aquinas refers to, would take many lifetimes. In 1949, Busa began working on the concordance, known as the Index Thomisticus, and by 1951 he had a proof of concept machine that used punchcards. Today, it exists online. The Index Thomisticus was a monumental undertaking not just because of what it took to create it but also because of what inspired it. Father Busa noticed Aquinas’ unique use of a particular word that he wanted to explore. The word was “in.”

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about DS and DH, visit our Digital Scholarship Handbook. (The DS Methods Overview section might be especially helpful.) To begin learning digital skills, check out DS Learn, which has several tutorials on topics ranging from 3D modeling to data visualization to digital exhibit creation. And, as always, contact us, the Digital Scholarship Group, with questions or to discuss project ideas.

New Digital Studio Equipment

This semester the Digital Studio (O’Neill Library, room 205) has been upgrading the equipment in the Podcasting Room and Sound Room, some of which is ready for use and some of which will be ready soon.

In the Podcasting Room, we now have:

Besides being higher quality than the Blue Yeti microphone (still available in the space), the Rode Procasters provide a more professional recording experience. Instructions on how to use the mics are available in our Multimedia Production Guide. 

We are also in the process of setting up a Padcaster Studio for use in the Podcasting Room. This easy to use video production system will allow the BC community to record things like interviews and presentations.  

In the Sound Room, we are currently installing new acoustic panels, which will improve recording quality. We are also going to be making a Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam available that will allow for higher quality video capture. We see this as being of particular value to faculty who want to record presentation videos for online or hybrid courses.

Please email us if you have any questions, including about equipment availability.

BCDS Faculty Summer Incubator

This summer BC Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Group is holding a week-long incubator that will guide twelve BC faculty members through an exploration of digital scholarship methods and tools from a conceptual and technical standpoint. Participants will receive a $200 stipend following fall project presentations.

  • When: June 6th-June 10th
  • Where: O’Neill Library (in-person unless COVID requires it to move online)
  • Application: Due February 25th (Go to the Application)

Description

The incubator will cover a wide cross-section of digital scholarship methods (e.g., data visualization, mapping, digital exhibits) and tools (e.g., ArcGIS and Tableau). Broader topics will also be incorporated such as project evaluation, usability, and intellectual property. The incubator will culminate in the creation of faculty projects that will be presented early in the fall semester during which faculty will receive feedback from colleagues and librarians to help them further develop their work. A project may be a well-articulated plan for a researched-based DS project and a prototype that demonstrates aspects of how the project will work, or, it may be for a pedagogy-based endeavor that includes a lesson plan and a prototype that demonstrates the digital component(s) of the lesson. More information on projects will be provided at the beginning of the incubator. Throughout the summer, the DS Group will provide workshops that dive deeper into DS tools, consultations, and other types of support that will enable participants to complete their projects.  

Learning Outcomes

Through their participation, faculty will gain:  

  • Familiarity with the current DS landscape 
  • An understanding of how to identify DS methods and tools for specific research and/or pedagogical pursuits 
  • Foundational skills in common DS tools
  • Greater comfort with and confidence in incorporating DS methods and tools into their research and/or teaching 
  • The ability to conceptualize and evaluate DS projects

Questions? Contact Melanie Hubbard, DS librarian, at melanie.hubbard@bc.edu

New: On-Demand Workshops

In the past, the Digital Scholarship Group hosted a series of preprogrammed workshops every fall and spring semester. We have changed this approach to on-demand workshops offered per the request of BC faculty, students, and staff. To make the process easier, we have created the Digital Scholarship & Scholarly Communications Workshops and Information Sessions Menu, which lists out-of-the-box learning opportunities that can be requested on shorter notice. It may also help with brainstorming ideas for more customized workshops. The menu, currently in its first phase, will be further developed over time.

We welcome comments and questions about this new workshop initiative.

The Becker Collection: Drawings of the American Civil War Era

The Becker Collection: Drawings of the American Civil War Era contains over 600 “first-hand” drawings that document in lively and specific ways nineteenth-century America’s struggle to establish its national identity.

Joseph Becker (1841–1910) and his colleagues were artist-reporters who witnessed scenes of Civil War battles, railroad construction, the Chicago Fire, and other newsworthy items of their day. Upon having made sketches, the works were sent to Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly Newspaper, where wood engraving illustrations based on them were engraved and published.

This project is a collaboration between Boston College Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Group at the and the Art, Art History, and Film Department in BC’s Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.

Keywords: Database, Digital Exhibition, Images, Metadata, Mapping

Burns Antiphoner

The fourteenth-century Burns Antiphoner, now held in the collections of Boston College’s John J. Burns Library, is an illuminated manuscript antiphoner (from the Latin antiphonale, or antiphonarium, a book of antiphons), a volume of monophonic chant—plainsong, or plainchant—originally used by male or female religious personnel for singing the divine office of the Roman Catholic church. This digital iteration of the antiphoner features a manuscript viewer, transcriptions of the text, videos of chant performances, and full-text search functionality.

This project is a partnership of the Boston College Libraries and the Music Department in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, with the support of an Academic Technology Innovation Grant.

Keywords: Music Transcription, Video