@SimonTanner

The Benefits and Value of Opening up Data from a Community and Funding Perspective

Simon TannerDigital Humanities, King’s College London

Twitter: @SimonTanner

02/05/2023 09:08 PM ENC Public Talk 19 February 2013 1

Wawel Cathedral, Poland

www.kcl.ac.uk/ddh/

@kingsdh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp4y-_VoXdA

Digital Humanities methods for historical analysis of Irish Immigrants in 19th Century London, England

Reason 1:

setting data free makes us mighty

3 Reasons to say YES to Open Data

@SimonTanner

Reason 2:

more democratic and sustainable

3 Reasons to say YES to Open Data

@SimonTanner

Reason 3:

Random Acts of Kindness

3 Reasons to say YES to Open Data

@SimonTanner

http://www.oldweather.org/

http://blog.oldweather.org/2012/09/05/

Matchbox submitted to The Great War Archive

This item is from The Great War Archive, University of Oxford (www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © MAUREEN ROGERS

George Cavan was a Company Sergeant Major in the Glasgow Highlanders

He lived with his family, his wife Jean and 3 daughters, in the Drill Hall in Carluke, Scotland.

While away at training camp the orders came through to dispatch to France. The train he was on with his troops went through his home station but did not stop there

Website: www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa

George threw out onto the platform a matchbox containing a note to his familyOn one side: the name of his wife and on the other: his message

Someone picked up the matchbox and delivered it to the family

This item is from The Great War Archive, University of Oxford (www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © MAUREEN ROGERS

George Cavan was killed just a few days after arriving at the front in France on the 13th April, 1918. He lies in an unmarked grave but is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

Website: www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa

Public contributors uploaded 3,500 digital objects to website in 4 months

The project uploaded 600 items (about 3,000 digital objects) from 5 submissions days

Public contributions to The Great War Archive

Over 6,500 items collected March-June 2008, 60% submitted by the public direct through our website

Website: www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa

2,7503,500

600

A Flickr group continues to collect items

Costs per item:First World War Poetry Digital Archive cost £40.00 / item

The Great War Archive cost £3.50 / item

@SimonTanner

Multiplying your benefits = funding

Volunteer benefits high = funding

Shetland Isles Museum and Archiveshttp://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk/

Volunteers trained to very high explicit skill levels

Extremely high community engagement

Task achieved but its success was defined by the community not just the museum

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Why Open Data?

“If you have knowledge, let others lighttheir candles with it.”

@SimonTanner