Inspired by the event/video, Digital Humanities and the Future of Libraries, I’d like to have a big picture discussion about real possibilities for DH initiatives in public libraries. The New York Public Library has carved a path for digital projects and digital preservation of cultural heritage by public libraries, but what can smaller, non-research libraries do? In addition, with the IMLS Learning Labs grant competition under way, we are seeing more opportunities for libraries’ visions to align with grant funds that will support them.

Questions I’m interested in exploring:

• What populations can digital humanities initiatives in public libraries serve?
• What learning opportunities can be tapped to engage patrons (in person and from afar) with the library?
• What goals must a public library have wrt mission and purpose to be suited for digital humanities initiatives?
• How can public libraries create partnerships with institutions (governmental, academic, cultural, grant-funding) to support digital humanities initiatives?
• What would it take for libraries to become local digital publishers, documenting the past and present experiences of their publics?