DH Faire 2025

Data Are Made, Not Found colorful representative image
Data Are Made, Not Found, April 23m 2025

Hello all!

We are delighted to provide information on the Spring 2025 Digital Humanities Faire at UC Berkeley. The continuation of more than a decade of tradition, these DH Faires are designed to celebrate the broad, interdisciplinary digital humanities projects at UC Berkeley.

Keynote

dana boyd is presenting “Data are Made, Not Found” on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 5-6:30pm, Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation, Studio 310 (for more on the talk).

Poster Display:

Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23, 2025, Poster Display, Doe Library 2nd floor Reference Hall (see attached image with star).

Star showing the location of the Doe, 2nd floor reference hall
The Gold Start shows the location of the Doe Library, 2nd floor Reference Hall

The event is sponsored by:

Bancroft Library ; Berkeley Center for New Media ; Berkeley Institute for Data Science ; (BIDS) ; Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry (CICI) ; D-Lab ; iSchool ; Master of Computational Social Science (MaCSS) ; UC Berkeley Library’s Data and Digital Scholarship Services

 

We hope to see you there!

Informational Poster for DH Faire 2025


New Year, New Reads: Celebrating Sri Lankan Literary Voices

Sri Lankan Literary Voices

Celebrate Sri Lankan voices this Sri Lankan New Year with a curated collection of powerful stories and vibrant perspectives. All titles and more are available to read now on UC Berkeley’s OverDrive!

 

Discover two acclaimed Sri Lankan novels—The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, winner of the 2022 Booker Prize, and A Passage North, a Booker-shortlisted gem:

 

Explore more Sri Lankan stories—from fiction to poetry—celebrating culture, resilience, and identity:

 


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New ebooks from Editorial Iberoamericana

Just in time for the end of the semester, a couple hundred ebooks have recently flown in from from Spain from publishers like Akal, CSIC, Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, Ediciones Universidad de Cantabria, Plaza y Valdés, Dickinson, Editorial Egales, Trotta Editorial, Ediciones Complutense and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. All are available through the Digitalia Hispánica platform. Below are some highlighted from Iberoamericana Editorial Vervuert available to you wherever you may find yourselves this summer:


Workshop Reminder for April 8: How to Publish Open Access at UC Berkeley

A promotional graphic for an online event titled "How to Publish Open Access at UC Berkeley." The event is scheduled for April 8, 2025, from 11 AM to 12 PM on Zoom. The graphic features a dark teal background with white and yellow text. On the left side, there is an open-access logo with a colorful paint splatter effect behind it. In the bottom right corner, the Berkeley Library logo is displayed.

Date/Time: Tuesday, April 8, 11:00am–12:00pm
Location: Zoom. RSVP.

Are you wondering what processes, platforms, and funding are available at UC Berkeley to publish your research open access (OA)? This workshop will provide practical guidance and walk you through all of the OA publishing options and funding sources you have on campus. We’ll explain: the difference between (and mechanisms for) self-depositing your research in the UC’s institutional repository vs. choosing publisher-provided OA; what funding is available to put toward your article or book charges if you choose a publisher-provided option; and the difference between funding coverage under the UC’s systemwide OA agreements vs. the Library’s funding program (Berkeley Research Impact Initiative). We’ll also give you practical tips and tricks to maximize your retention of rights and readership in the publishing process.

Join us next week!


Two Spring Sciences Book Talks: Noah Whiteman, W. Kamau Bell & Kate Schatz

When you take a sip of a delicious caffeinated beverage—for example, a latte from FSM or a can of Guayakí Yerba Maté—did you know that you are enjoying a product of the evolutionary arms race between plants and insects? Coffee and tea plants, along with cacao and cola trees, produce bitter caffeine to deter insects from eating them, but humans have learned to enjoy (although in excess we can also be damaged by) the stimulating effects of this toxic compound.

Front cover of Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins - From Spices to Vices, by Noah Whiteman
Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices by Noah Whiteman

Nature’s toxins and the sometimes surprising uses to which they are put by humans is the subject of Noah Whiteman’s Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices. On March 5th, the Library’s Sciences Division hosted Whiteman, Professor of Integrative Biology and Molecular & Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, at the Morrison Library for a talk on his acclaimed book, recently out in paperback. Following the talk, Professor Whiteman was joined by Michael Silver, Professor of Neuroscience and Vision Science at UC Berkeley, for a discussion of the book’s themes: how humans became attracted to, learned to harness, and—in some cases—became dependent on nature’s toxins; and how our discovery and use of these natural products intertwine with global histories of colonialism and imperialism. 

An interdisciplinary audience of students, staff, faculty, and members of the broader UC Berkeley community packed the Morrison Library reading room to hear stories of terpenoids in coastal redwoods older than the rings of Saturn, of alkaloids in coffee and nutmeg, and the evolutionary wars that produced these molecules in nature. One highlight of the audience Q&A was learning Whiteman’s preferred method for brewing coffee: pour-over through a paper filter. Most Delicious Poison is available in print at the Biosciences, Natural Resources & Public Health Library (QP631 .W45 2023) and as an ebook.

Front cover of "Do the Work! An Antiracist Activity Book" by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz
Do the Work!: An Antiracist Activity Book by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz

On March 11th, the Engineering Library, the College of Engineering’s Inclusive Excellence team, and the Black Graduate Engineering & Science Students (BGESS) hosted W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz for a discussion of their book, Do the Work!: An Anti-Racist Activity Book, at Sutardja Dai Hall. Aaron Streets, Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering and Vice Chair of Undergraduate Affairs for Berkeley Engineering, moderated a fireside chat with the authors, who discussed how our STEM community can engage with the activities in the book, the challenges of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work in the current political climate, and how educators can build safe and brave spaces for current and future generations. 

Do the Work! is part of the Kresge Engineering Library’s Inclusive Excellence Book Collection, currently located and browseable at the Earth Sciences & Map Library while the Engineering Library is closed for construction. The Inclusive Excellence Collection brings together resources on the subject of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to support students, faculty & staff in the College of Engineering in their efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive climate in the College and beyond. In fall 2024, the Engineering Library and the College of Engineering hosted Minette Norman, author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader, for the inaugural event in the Berkeley Engineering Book Talk Series.


New Rare Photography Book Acquisitions from Richard Sun

Have a look at this selection of rare and out of print photography books.  This is only a part of a recent, generous donation from Richard Sun.  These books are located in the Art History/Classics Library within the Doe Memorial Library.  Click on the titles to view their catalog records in UC Library Search.

Looking for Alice                                                Lost Coast                                                   My Dakota

The Epilogue                                                          Stranger Fruit                                            Silent Book

In Search of Frankenstein                                      Encampment Wyoming                                    Dormant Season

 


Arab-American Heritage Month

Arab-American Heritage Month Celebrate Arab-American Heritage Month by exploring these captivating books, including fiction, non-fiction, and unique perspectives on Arab-American experiences and culture. Check out more at UCB Overdrive!

 


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Announcing SCIP’s Oral History Agreement Toolkit: Protecting Narrators and Improving Institutional Rights Administration

A digitally illustrated image features a squirrel wearing a vest and tie on the left and a badger on the right, both appearing to be engaged in conversation in front of an old-fashioned microphone. The background has swirling abstract patterns in shades of blue and green. The title text at the top reads, "Oral History Agreement Toolkit: Protecting Narrators and Improving Institutional Rights Administration," with "Oral History Agreement Toolkit:" in green and the subtitle in red. A footer in the bottom right corner states, "Scholarly Communication & Information Policy, UC Berkeley Library, CC-BY-NC 4.0," in red and green text on a cream-colored background.

The Scholarly Communication & Information Policy (SCIP) office is pleased to announce the release of our Oral History Agreement Toolkit—a collection of templates, guidance documents, and resources that we created to help institutions approach oral history agreements.

The Oral History Center participated in the process to help SCIP to develop this toolkit. These agreements were developed specifically to meet the legal requirements of UC Berkeley. For guidance on letters of consent and legal agreements more broadly, especially for independent oral historians, please consult the Oral History Association’s best practices.

Why We Created This Toolkit

Over the past two years, SCIP worked to improve oral history agreements in ways that we believe:

  • Conform to current Oral History Association Best Practices, including flexibility on signing timeline preferences
  • Resolve the “version of record” as between edited and unedited audio and transcripts
  • Ensure consistency in representations to narrators, by having an integrated agreement
  • Address privacy and defamation
  • Standardize terms
  • Define use and access rights by the institution in the event that narrators pass away or disengage after completing the interviews
  • Resolve ambiguities for downstream granting of usage permission and licenses by the institution

Generally speaking, past approaches to oral history agreements have often created an imbalance between narrators and institutions. Our new toolkit addresses this by:

  1. Centering narrator agency and control over their stories and how they’re shared;
  2. Improving rights administration for libraries and oral history programs;
  3. Providing clear, accessible language to explain complex legal concepts; and
  4. Creating flexibility through multiple agreement options that accommodate diverse needs.

What’s Included in the Toolkit

There are two key documents in the toolkit:

SCIP created both of these documents as training materials we presented to the UC Berkeley Oral History Center, but we believe they may be adapted, repurposed, and improved upon by other institutions.

The “Talking Points for Conversations” document is really the leading tool here, and includes:

  • Agreement templates: Customizable templates covering a variety of narrator needs and signing scenarios (e.g. signing before the interview, signing after the interview, funded oral histories, deceased narrators, etc.);
  • Explanatory Materials: Detailed talking points to help oral historians explain each clause in plain language;
  • FAQs: Addressing common questions, including specific concerns for historically marginalized communities; and
  • Sample Scenarios: Real-world examples showing how the agreements work in practice.

Key Benefits for Narrators

The template agreements protect narrators by ensuring they:

  • Can review and correct transcripts before finalization
  • May withdraw participation at any point before final approval
  • Can restrict access to sensitive portions for specified time periods
  • Retain the right to use their own stories regardless of copyright decisions
  • Can request removal of identifying information about third parties
  • Have clarity about their rights and responsibilities

Enhancing Institutional Practice

For libraries and oral history programs, the toolkit helps:

  • Establish clear legal frameworks for rights management
  • Reduce risk related to third-party claims
  • Create flexible options for different interview scenarios and signing preferences
  • Provide consistent language for explaining agreements to narrators
  • Address complex situations like posthumous agreements and funded projects

Accommodating Narrator Requests for Modifications

A key principle underlying this toolkit is flexibility. The agreements can be modified to better reflect narrators’ comfort levels and preferences. If a narrator requests changes to the standard terms (additions, deletions, etc.), you can consider whether you are able to accommodate those requests.

In our case, we outline our own processes for:

  • Modifications: Changes requested before signing
  • Amendments: Changes requested after signing, including rights and embargo selections and substantive term modifications

Customization Is Expected and Encouraged

We recognize that institutions have diverse practices and needs. And we do not expect that these templates or materials will work for everyone!

In addition, institutions must make policy decisions even if they decide to utilize these materials. For instance, what range of embargo time periods are you willing to offer? Do you want to allow narrators to redact information once they’ve shared it? How do you wish to convey or encourage Creative Commons licensing options?

The toolkit is designed merely as a foundation—a starting point for important conversations about reforming oral history practices at your institution. We encourage programs to:

  • Review the materials with institutional stakeholders, including legal counsel
  • Adapt the templates to align with your specific circumstances and policies
  • Use the talking points as a basis for developing your own communication strategies
  • Consider the sample scenarios as illustrations rather than prescriptive examples

Getting Started

We invite you to explore these resources and consider how they might enhance administration of your oral history agreements. We believe the toolkit offers valuable perspectives on balancing ethical responsibilities to narrators with practical institutional needs.

As you begin to use these materials, we welcome your feedback at schol-comm@berkeley.edu. Your experiences and insights will help us continue to refine these resources to better serve the oral history community.


The Scholarly Communication & Information Policy (SCIP) office provides guidance on copyright, publishing, and information policy matters to support the research and teaching mission of our institution.


Photobook Pop-Up Exhibit, Friday, April 11

 

poster for pop-up exhibit

 

In association with the Reva and David Logan Photobook Symposium at the School of Journalism, the Bancroft Library is hosting a Photobook Pop-Up Exhibit, featuring selections from the Reva and David Logan Photobook Collection (The Bancroft), and photobook gifts from donor Richard Sun (Art History/Classics Library).

Artists featured:
Henri Cartier-Bresson, Claude Cahun, Robert Frank, Dorthea Lange, Miyako Ishiuchi, Graciela Iturbide, Dayanita Singh, Alfred Stieglitz, Francesca Woodman and many more.

Photobook Pop-Up Exhibit
Friday, April 11th 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Bancroft Library
UC Berkeley
Free and open to all
Hosted by Christine Hult-Lewis, Pictorial Curator, and Lynn Cunningham, Art Librarian

Library Trial of Russian Imperial Era Periodicals: a Bibliography and Reference Guide (ImPressDB)

The library has set up a trial of a bibliographic database on Russian Imperial Era periodicals, which will run through the end of this month. The trial can be accessed here:
Upon accessing the database, one will see the landing page. A login button will be in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Please click on it, as no password is required. You will be able to test the database and assess its utility.
Please reach out to your Slavic Studies Librarian with your valuable feedback.
Russian Imperial Era Periodicals: a Bibliography and Reference Guide (ImPressDB) is a comprehensive research database of periodicals and serials from the time of the Russian Empire, published between 1702 and 1917. It includes publications from within the Russian Empire itself, across its diverse linguistic and cultural regions, as well as from some territories under its influence, and from the Austrian Empire (Austria-Hungary), Germany and other countries. The database also covers periodicals published by the empire’s diaspora in various parts of the world, including those by émigrés, political exiles, and immigrant communities, offering a broad, transnational perspective on the era’s printed media.
Russian Imperial Era Periodicals: a Bibliography and Reference Guide (ImPressDB) is a comprehensive research database of periodicals and serials from the time of the Russian Empire, published between 1702 and 1917. It includes publications from within the Russian Empire, across its diverse linguistic and cultural regions, and from some territories under its influence, including the Austrian Empire (Austria-Hungary), Germany, and other countries. The database also covers periodicals published by the empire’s diaspora in various parts of the world, including those by émigrés, political exiles, and immigrant communities, offering a broad, transnational perspective on the era’s printed media.

 

"Czołem!" Publication type one-off newspaper Publication dates 1906, July 1 Locality Warsaw Region Warsaw Governorate Country Russian Empire ; Congress Poland Language Polish ID A001391 Persistent URL https://rpdb.impressdb.com/item/A001391
A bibliographic entry for Czołem