Why Participate in the Making Waves Campaign?
"Libraries are changing. The linked digital world is altering how scholars work and creating disciplines like linked science that require new models for information resources and the libraries that support them. Libraries must adapt their approaches to remain relevant and leverage opportunities."
Rachel L. Frick, Director, Digital Library Federation
These are difficult times for libraries as budgets shrink and every dollar becomes significant. It is challenging to decide how to allocate funds in order to best support the needs of students and scholars who access library resources every day. And there are new demands: todayʼs students and scholars seek access to online resources that are dependable, high quality, in-depth, and -- most importantly -- open access.
By supporting the ISE, you can address these goals and put your money where it will really makes a difference for Shakespeare research.
Institutions that participate in the campaign will indeed make waves around the world. It is win-win: they will be contributing to an organization that will not only be of significant benefit to their own patrons, but to many in areas of the world where access to the latest in scholarship is difficult or impossible. Contributors will be joining a successful and enthusiastic team of scholars who give unsparingly of their time and expertise to make Shakespeae available beyond their own country's borders, and beyond the realm of academia to enthusiasts the world over.
We have circulated a brochure outlining the campaign, and an accompanying letter to librarians. You can access PDF versions of these materials here:
- The brochure (PDF),
- The letter to librarians (PDF).
Here is a summary of reasons to be part of the wave:
1. The ISE is the principal scholarly resource on Shakespeare that most students will
access from their laptops.
2. Students accessing the site through their library will have access to enhanced
views of our materials:
- a printable version of all pages on the site.
- a printout of all annotations to any scene of an edited play,
- a way of taking and saving notes on any page on the site.
- a popup window that provides an accurate citation for all pages for use in essays.
3. The ISE will "brand" contributing libraries by acknowledging their contribution.
4. The ISE has developed an easy one-time cost plan, or alternatively annual payments
spread over five years.
5. Contributing libraries will be helping to create a legacy for everyone with a passion
for Shakespeare. In particular, students from smaller institutions and from non-English-speaking
countries will have access to high quality materials otherwise unavailable.
6. The funding will indirectly benefit the additional sites we are supporting through
our software and servers: the Queen's Men Editions and Digital Renaissance Editions, both of which are making out-of-print Early Modern plays freely available.
7. The money the ISE receives will be spent exclusively on the site; it will be deposited
in an endowment to assure the future sustainability of the website. As a non-profit
organization, our administrative costs are minimal.
8. All code on the site is open source. All materials published are made freely available
for use in educational institutions.
9. Contributing libraries will be helping to end the collections crisis.
10. Should the website no longer be available by open access, Friends of the ISE will
have access to the content to which the ISE has rights.
Please become a Friend of the ISE by filling out our membership form.