It is estimated that 80% of all data has a spatial component.  Placing that data within the visual framework of a map is a powerful tool for promoting visual analysis and contextual understanding.  Common methods of extracting, manipulating and displaying the spatial nature inherent in many elements of the Humanities will be the focus of this workshop.

Attendees will have hands-on exposure to ArcGIS software, the most widely used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.  The workshop will cover the basics of spatial data import, visual manipulation and simple analysis.  The primiary objective of the workshop is to enable attendees with a clearer understanding of what this technology can be used for in their field of study.

In fall 2012, I created a massive digital library of 8,000 records related to ancient and modern discussions of the city and region of Corinth, Greece. In part a collection of references, in part a collection of texts, the Corinthian Studies library forms a comprehensive body of texts related to a popular subject of ancient history, classical archaeology, and New Testament scholarship. I began making sections of the library available online last year and will continue this fall to release parts of the collection through the Zotero Groups feature. The goal of the library is to serve scholars, teachers, and the interested public by creating a starting point for texts and research.

In this session, I team up with librarian Beth Transue to discuss the use and application of Zotero for individual and collaborative research, and public ends. We propose a hands-on workshop focusing on the mechanics of using Zotero, and its potential for collaborative research, teaching, and public scholarship. David will discuss the Corinthian Studies library as an example of Zotero’s utility, and Beth will cover the basics in using Zotero, such as creating a Zotero account, collecting resources, online vs. stand-alone libraries, and using the Zotpad app to connect with Zotero on a mobile device.

David Pettegrew is Associate Professor of History at Messiah College. Beth Transue is Associate Librarian/Collection Development Coordinator at Messiah College.