The Digital Humanities Center is closed for the summer

The DH Center is closed May 12-August 20. Our podcast studios are available for use when staff are on site: email librarydh@sdsu.edu with your requested date and time. 

DH Center staff are still available for virtual consultations and DH support. 

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About our Spaces

The DH Center is a flexible, reconfigurable space designed to support a range of uses, including public lectures, workshops, instruction, networking, and project-based work. If you're interested in co-hosting an event, please review our usage policy before making your request. 

We also host a range of studios to support critical digital inquiry. Studios are open to all SDSU faculty, staff, and students between 10am and 4pm Monday through Friday when classes are in session. See below for descriptions of each space, as well as links to our request systems.

DH instruction requests should be sent directly via email to Dr. Pam Lach (plach@sdsu.edu).

DH Center Usage Request Policy

The Digital Humanities Center was designed to support the SDSU Digital Humanities Initiative (DH@SDSU) mission to lead national change in the humanities by developing and sharing a sustainable DH infrastructure that engages diverse students, faculty, staff, and regional community in public-facing humanistic research that advances human equity across diverse global communities. The DH Initiative takes a critical stance towards digital technology and focuses its work on equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. As the hub of that work, the DH Center supports anti-racist and anti-oppressive research, teaching, and learning that values the importance of the humanities, and the interactions of humans in real time and space, in the digital age. The DH Center advances research and creative activities about and through the digital. 

The Center hosts a range of DH-related activities, from public talks and lectures to workshops, showcases, and performances. Our partnerships engender meaningful cross-disciplinary collaboration, networking, and support for co-learning opportunities for faculty and students.  

Due to staffing constraints and high demand, we currently can only partner on a limited number of activities beyond official DH@SDSU programs. Scheduling priority is given to activities that are explicitly rooted in critical digital inquiry, including: 

• Official DH@SDSU activities. This includes activities organized by DH core faculty, advisory board, and affiliate members. The DH Center cannot support activities that are not clearly and directly digitally-inflected, even when a DH@SDSU community member requests it.
• DH learning activities. This includes DH instruction, course-based instruction, and workshops.
• Digitally-inflected activities that advance strategic partnerships of the DH Initiative.

Faculty, staff, and students wishing to partner with us on an event should be prepared to assist in all logistics, including pre-planning, advertising, set-up, and break-down. DH Center staff can support this work, but it is the partner’s responsibility to ensure completion. All public-facing events must adhere to SDSU and Library COVID measures. We encourage partners to develop contingency plans for face-to-face events in case the DH Center team are sick or have to quarantine.

Requests are evaluated based on DH@SDSU strategic priorities. Requests should meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Involves studying and/or using digital technologies and culture
• Addresses global diversity in the digital age, including the uneven impact of digital technologies on different communities
• Aligns with the DH@SDSU mission to lead national change in the humanities for the digital era
• Prepares students to be discerning and responsible users of the digital by incorporating aspects of our critical digital literacy student learning outcomes: 1) Assess, evaluate, and interpret information (including visualizations, data and text) presented in a variety of digital formats; 2) Recognize and articulate how medial formats and contexts shape information and its reception; 3) Analyze interface design and recognize the relationships of power mediated through it; 4) Critically assess how digital media inform identity; 5) Reflect on how changes in medial contexts impact users and their societies

When making a request to partner on an event, you will be asked to explicitly articulate how your activity relates to the Digital Humanities, and how your activity incorporates questions of equity, inclusion, global diversity, and social justice.

DH Center staff cannot partner on activities that do not align with DH@SDSU strategic priorities, events scheduled for times when the staff are unavailable, or events that are held outside of our regular operating hours (M-F 10am-4pm). Individuals or groups requesting to partner in the space must be affiliated with SDSU, and must comply with all campus and Library public health measures. Please note that the DH Center is understaffed on Fridays. We do not permit fee-for-service activities in any of our spaces.

Requests must be received no less than four (4) weeks in advance of the requested date and will be considered within 1-3 business days. All event partners will be asked to review and accept our general use policies prior to the scheduled activity. To begin the process, please email librarydh@sdsu.edu. 

Request to Use our Studios

The DH Center is home to numerous studios, which can usually be booked during our operating hours (Monday-Friday 10am-4pm). You must be a member of the SDSU community (faculty, staff, student) to use our studios. 

Learning Glass One Button Recording Studio (LA 61G)

Our Learning Glass One Button Recording Studio can be reserved for one-hour blocks (if you need more time, you can make multiple appointments). Learn more about the Learning Glass.

Please review this brief tutorial in advance, and make sure to do the following:

• Bring a USB flash drive formatted for FAT32. You'll need approximately 1 GB per hour of recording
• Wear a dark shirt

Book the Learning Glass Studio

Podcasting Studio (2) (LA 61H and J)

Our DIY Podcasting studios include the following equipment:

• USB microphones
• Pop filters
• Wrap around headphones
• Table-top "whisper room" sound proofing

SDSU community members interesting in using our Podcasting Studio should bring their own laptop, or check out a laptop at the Circulation Desk. Podcasting equipment cannot be checked out or removed from the DH Center.

Need help? Check out these resources or email Patrick Flanigan, DH Center Programs and Operations Specialist.

Book Podcasting Studio #1

Book Podcasting Studio #2

Electronic Literature Studio (LA 61E)

Our Electronic Literature Studio hosts a library of electronic literature, a computer for engaging with older e-lit pieces, recommended readings, and an Atari 2600 console. Specifically, the E-lit Studio includes:

• Windows 7 PC (No Internet)
• Atari 2600 and games
• Oculus Go VR System
• Library of various types of Electronic Literature
• Small library of E-Lit related academic texts
• Digital and Analog Resources for E-Lit Research

Learn more about the history of electronic literature in this interactive timeline created by DH Programs Assistant Jared Zeiders (Spring 2020) and explore our growing set of electronic literature resources. The E-lit Studio is open to all SDSU faculty, staff, and students.

Book the E-lit Studio

Multimedia Practice Presentation Studio (LA 62)

The Multimedia Practice Presentation Studio features:

• Mediascape for laptop hookup and display
• Projector for VHS, DVD, and laptop hookup (includes audio)
• Crestron presentation recording system
• Space for virtual reality demos
• If you want to use the Crestron presentation recording system, you will need to bring a USB flash drive formatted for FAT32 that is 4GB or larger. 

The Multimedia Practice Presentation Studio is currently unavailable 

Mind, Body & Spirit Room (LA 61A)

Our new Mind, Body & Spirit Room is a space for individuals of all religious faiths and non-religious beliefs to focus on their mind, body, and spirit, whether in prayer, meditation, or quiet contemplation. This space is available on a first come, first served basis throughout the day, and is not available for reservations. 

Please review our guidelines. 

A larger Mind, Body & Spirit Room is also available in Love Library 324. For more information, contact The Center for Intercultural Relations in Student Union 250: interculturalrelations@sdsu.edu, (619) 594-7057.