Thread by @LWCvL

(1/21) Do you work with digitized manuscripts? I have 350 pages to help you out with that! "Among Digitized Manuscripts", published with @BrillPublishing. It’s out now! Download the book in open access here brill.com/downloadpdf/ti… More information: lwcvl.com/Among

(2/21) Manuscripts have been digitized in large numbers. Technology has become easy to learn. It is time to capitalize on these opportunities and accept ‘digital manuscript studies’ as a normal, yes necessary, part of our work. This book is a great start for that!

(3/21) It introduces a conceptual and practical toolbox for working with digitized manuscripts, starting with establishing a vocabulary to talk about the (quality of the) digital materiality of them and ending with explaining Python and OpenCV to do automated image analysis.

(4/21) I use a material approach to digitized manuscripts because we have exaggerated their use as a window onto the physical artifact: digitization is not a neutral (let alone enhancing!) process. @MaeveKane @ShammaBoyarin @ShahnilaShafiq @ShabanaMir1 @melissaterras @homophonous

(5/21) This book teaches you to use cutting-edge technology BY YOURSELF, FOR FREE. Also advocating to drop ‘digital’ in Digital Humanities #downWithDH @scott_bot @YaleDHLab @patrick_sahle @true_mxp @felwert @DJWrisley @lornarichardson @aurelberra @OPR_71 @XLSalvador @DH_UniWien

(6/21) My favorite model is what I call the Centaur: your head is shaped by your erudition in humanities but your feet are formed by knowledge of digital methods (pp. 121-123) @NancyUm1 @AlexWermerColan @MaeveKane @BridgetWhearty @iamabooknerd @JenGrayburn @Calthalas @ryanfb

(7/21) These digital methods vary from drawing vector shapes, to editing with standards like #IIIF and #TEI, to using the programming language #Python. We can learn so much from our partners in the software industry @eldarion @Stewart_Brookes @watty62 @mkennedy @stefandumont

(8/21) #Python and #JS can be used freely (open source) and is easy to learn. My book is in #OA Open Access and my code is available over at GitHub.com/Among @ekansa @AlexWermerColan @TalhaAhsanEsq @digi_hammurabi @shogaiee @drkmurch @maximromanov @textfiles @EurResearch

(9/21) Although I published in the Handbuch der Orientalistik series, the principles apply to any field: from Classics to Medieval Studies to the Long Eighteenth Century. From Sinology to Icelandic Studies. @zhalannn @diyclassics @jedwardwalters @JanellePeters @crewsproject

(10/21) Especially colleagues in Medieval Studies should be able to enjoy this book too: the main focus really is how to study ancient manuscripts through a digital surrogate. @MxComan @MideastMedieval @hagenilda @ayayciog @ahencyclopedia @bintbattuta @FW_Medieval @KarlSteel

(11/21) Should also be beneficial for book historians, e.g the first chapter, on the difference between a material manuscript, a print publication, and a digital document @quinnanya @erinannmcc @hhalilso @farridnejad @Yael_Rice @GilesBergel @ZohraSaed @arsnotariae @adammestyan

(12/21) For years I have been in extensive conversation with librarians. There is a comparison of digitization quality of diff libraries in the book @bintalbalad @tuhfatulhind @bernensia_ub @MENALibAHS @SultanofOman @J_mugs @PuseyHouseLib @elotroalex @MedievalMss @eckropf

(13/21) Those working in archives will also benefit from it, if they use images of text. E.g. how to streamline your workflow & make online catalog @amaliasl @likeimnothere @bl_eap @RerootedArchive @HistPhilosophy @Celeste__Gianni @DrWorsTen @DevinFitzger @sepoy @MideastMedieval

(14/21) My examples are mainly from Islamic Studies. @Mar_Musa @elainevdalen @AdamWalkerGB @FoziaBora @ostadjaan @iandavidmorris @skidwayy
@ArabiaMCB @tafsirdoctor @RachelSchine @Ballandalus @richheffron @cobbpasha @afzaque @KelseyUtne @QifaNabki @HadiQazwini @sarahsavant1

(15/21) «بين المخطوطات الرقمية»
كتاب عن التحقيق والتحرير في العالم الرقمي: آمل أنه سيعزز الحوار مع زملائنا العرب
@ayedhi @Khalid_AlAjaji @MosulEye @DrHassanAlamri @DarthNader @HajarAlMahfoodh @IdeoCairo @2010_aalouane

(16/21) Digitized manuscripts from Istanbul have given me wonderful experiences -from an all-night editing marathon to a near death experience- çok teşekkür ederim. Read about it in my book. @takiyuddinrasid @sedadalbayrak @galatacla @ihsanfazlioglu @fatmaaladag @CeydaKaramursel

(17/21) Colleagues in the Netherlands have been great to engage with in the last stages. I wrote this book as part of my Veni grant. Small party Dec 2 Leiden U Library @NWONieuws @jorisvanzundert @PeursenWTvan @DolphinTina @MartijnKleppe @MarikenTeeuwen @etcbc_vu @DANSKNAW

(18/21) My title is a nod towards Ignaz Kratchkovsky’s Among Arabic Manuscripts, Memories of Libraries and Men. He said: “The wealth of manuscripts overwhelmed and fascinated me.” Same for me, but with their digital surrogates. @BLMedieval @incunabula @SarahEBond @shakerr_ahmed

(19/21) Official soundtrack for my book . Official TV Show: #SiliconValleyHBO Official drink: cappucino Official exercise: #marathontraining @nublamohamed @BabaKristian @tlecaque @PhDniX @b_hawk @elenapercivaldi

(20/21) Shout out to some of my Twitter friends whose support is very much appreciated! @BookofBeats @MaximAbdulatif @hou2zi0 @NAMansour26 @DigiOrientalist @rschuetzler @Karstentm @NadineZubair @Doumetta @jhoover04 @IrannejadSH @SharqZadeh @jjvpeperstraten @JHMorris89

(21/21) So there it is. Digital Manuscript Studies finally has a book. A single-authored, integrated set of reflections and skills you can directly use in your research. Website: lwcvl.com/Among Book: brill.com/view/title/561… Repository: github.com/among/digitize…

@BrillPublishing P.S. If you like to stay informed about exciting developments in digital manuscript studies, leave your email addres here: forms.gle/KX4uHLdVq9ed8H…