Fluid Layering: Reimagining digital literary archives through dynamic, usergenerated content

Date

2012-05-10

Authors

Saklofske, Jon
INKE Research Group

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Scholarly and Research Communication

Abstract

This article promotes a theoretical evolution in the conceptualisation and operation of digital literary archives via NewRadial, a prototype archive application that models the following distinction: Whereas a digital edition continues to function as a primary source, the root of a secondary discourse field much like its print-based predecessor, the digital archive should be reconceived as a broader, active, dynamic public record, an information commons that substantiates a foundational collection of primary texts with a continuous aggregation of critical contexts and conversations that grow from that foundation.

Description

The INKE Research Group comprises over 35 researchers (and their research assistants and postdoctoral fellows) at more than 20 universities in Canada, England, the United States, and Ireland, and across 20 partners in the public and private sectors. INKE is a large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary project to study the future of books and reading, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as well as contributions from participating universities and partners, and bringing together activities associated with book history and textual scholarship; user experience studies; interface design; and prototyping of digital reading environments.

Keywords

Digital, Archive, Edition, User-generated content, Database, Interoperable, NewRadial, NINES, William Blake

Citation

Saklofske, Jon. (2012). Fluid Layering: Reimagining Digital Literary Archives Through Dynamic, User-generated Content. Scholarly and Research Communication, 3(4): 040155, 11 pp.