1. Prof. Dr. Stefan Gradmann (KU Leuven)
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science : How to Manage the Synergies and Antagonisms
Prof. Dr. Stefan Gradmann (KU Leuven)
Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

2. Overview Antagonisms Synergies Management (?)
Antagonisms
Synergies
Management (?)
… and a few words on strategy!
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

3. (Past) Antagonisms Libraries are focused on information containers …
(Past) Antagonisms
Libraries are focused on information containers …
… and disregard content as well as processing methods
Humanities are focused on content …
… and disregard containers as well as processing methods
Computer Scientists are focused on digital processing methods …
… and disregard containers and content
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

4. Past Antagonisms Content Interpretation Digital Processing Media
Past Antagonisms
Content
Interpretation
Digital
Processing
Media
Containers
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

5. Antagonisms/Synergies
Antagonisms/Synergies
Content
Interpretation
Digital
Processing
“Containers”
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

6.
Synergies
Libraries could reposition themselves as experts in a new auxiliary science: linked data & 'semantic' processing and contextualisation
Computer Science might be enabled to step beyond their current semiological innocence
Humanists might develop some terminological discipline in formalizing low levels of discoursive interaction and argument
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

7. Management (?) Declare the antagonisms to be complementarities.
Management (?)
Declare the antagonisms to be complementarities.
Does that work?
Are we cooperating? Are we competing??
Encourage darwinistic behaviour
Who will remain in place in the end?
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

8. Libraries … once upon a time
Librarians:
Zenodotus
Callimachus
Erathosthenes …
Scholars and /
or Poets
Producing
πίνακες
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013

9.
Libraries … today
Geoffrey Boulton (geologist) in this year’s LIBER-Conference:
"Libraries do the wrong things, employ the wrong people"
“I do not use libraries anymore”
"The library shouldn't be an entity anymore, it should be a function"
“Customer's needs: many of these are addressed by Google”
=> Libraries have made a dangerous choice in reducing their identity to service provision
Service providers can quickly be substituted
Provided their services are generic and a stronger contender enters the stage
Or simply once these services become obsolete
Position the library on a par with DH research! Otherwise the CS guys will take it all!
Humanities, Libraries and Computer Science: Synergies and Antagonisms
Stefan Gradmann, Culture & Technology, Leipzig, 26/07/2013