Working Session Proposal: Overhauling a Database of Annotations

Posted on October 5, 2012 by lucybruell

I’d like to have a working session to pick the brains of other campers on ideas for overhauling NYU’s Literature, Arts, and Medicine database. The database has thousands of annotations on various works of literature, art, theater, and film that relate to the practice of medicine, and it’s very much in need of an overhaul. Specifically, right now the database is very much in a pre-social web format, and I’d like to discuss ways to integrate and engage user participation to move the site away from a “static repository of information” model and towards an active, dynamic, collaborative platform for showcasing the combined efforts of humanists, medical professionals, artists, and developers. I’d also like to discuss sustainability and how to make the database a self-supporting entity that doesn’t rely on grant funds. I would love to hear from anyone who is involved or has been involved with similar projects, or knows of anyone doing something similar that I might be able to learn from.

Categories: Archives, Collaboration, Funding, Session Proposals, Workshops | Tags: , , , |

About lucybruell

I am an instructor in the Medical Humanities program at NYU's Langone School of Medicine. I am also the editor of the NYU Medical Humanities web site and the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database, a curated collection of annotated works of literature and art that offer insights into the human condition, suffering, personhood, and the practice of medicine. I am attending THATCamp to explore how to integrate new platforms and programs with our content and to do so in such a way to increase the site’s value to both the medical community and the public. I hope to explore new models for the site and to share my experience with fellow digital humanists.