FEATURE STORY of its largest graduating class to date–192–compared to the 2,383 students that graduated in the spring of 2016. We have come a long way, and there are quite a few stories in this newspaper collection documenting how we got here. Looking at news stories by student journalists from more than 60 years ago makes one reflect upon that time. But newspapers, preserved like this, can offer even more than a walk down memory lane for its alumni. It is also a resource for current students and faculty. JEWLScholar collections like Sidelines are used to uncover local histories, complete homework assignments, and at times, give graduate students hands-on experiences in creating a digital collection themselves with the assistance of Digital Scholarship Initiatives faculty in our fully equipped Digital Scholarship Lab. Public History graduate student Taylor Stewart, who researched women at MTSC during World War II, illustrates how the library’s archived collections have academic value. Stewart used the archived issues of the Midlander yearbook and Sidelines to determine how women’s rights and their perceived roles changed on campus during and after the war. She said the digital archive of Sidelines was “incredibly useful for finding information that I think people don’t realize they’re leaving behind—tidbits about daily life on campus that students at the time didn’t think were particularly important, but provides insight into the cultural climate.” Sidelines issues are cited in over 30 theses and dissertations that we know of, and this number grows each year. Not only is the MTSU newspaper archived, but because it is preserved in this manner, it allows future generations to continue their research and further the impact of campus scholarship. JEWLScholar collections also are indexed in search engines like Google, databases, and library catalogs, making items like Sidelines discoverable online. This has created an impressive worldwide readership, expanding MTSU’s reach beyond our campus. The historical newspaper is able to be shared with the Blue Raider community and beyond because it is the library’s mission to preserve the scholarship of MTSU. By considering the way Sidelines is being used, it is easier to understand how our digital collections have enabled researchers and students to access histories of the South and connect alumni with memories of the past. The methods and technology we use make MTSU discoverable while documenting the success of our community and paving the way for our future. Visit dsi.mtsu.edu/mtsu to access the library’s Digital Scholarship Initiatives at MTSU. Editor’s note: Alissa Miller is an assistant professor and digital scholarship librarian in Walker Library
JEWLScholar
The institutional repository of Middle Tennessee State University is a digital publishing platform managed by the James E. Walker Library. It gives faculty, staff, and students an open access avenue to publish their work.
Number of current authors:
How does it work?
2,239
[
Deposit your works Conference Proceedings Published Articles Annual Reports Dissertations Newletters
]
Walker Library provides
600,000+
searches from researchers around the world
[
4,804
]
Number of current titles. This number increases with author submissions.
Benefits from JEWLScholar
Long term
Stable
Increased visibility
in popular and scholarly search engines
Linkable URL
with usage statistics
Access Maintenance
Open Access Hub
authors build + share research
Cost-effective
library service at no charge
jewlscholar.mtsu.edu
Library Lands National Grant Award Walker Library received a $28,230 grant from the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area for work on the collaborative project Digital Humanities Interpretation: Preservation of Tennessee Heritage. The Walker Library’s Digital Scholarship Lab is the home base for this project, where a team of content and technical experts design, disseminate, and preserve University scholarship. Although all three principal investigators are library faculty, other collaborators come from across the state and MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation. The project, Trials, Triumphs, and Transformations, will be completed by April 2017 and includes various themes involving the Reconstruction era in Tennessee. This includes rare images and audio from this period aided by data visualizations, scholarly essays, and lesson plans, all built on a mobile-friendly website. The first phase of the project is online at mtsu.edu/trialsandtriumphs, and much more content will be added over the coming months. FALL 2 0 1 6 13