Hi All,

Gaby is, of course, right to suggest that concerted approaches by community
organisations might be useful.

To respond to his other point, that there has never been a Classics AHDS
centre, I'd say that it is similar to the same way that there has never
been a Medieval Studies one.  Instead the 5 existing centres (Archaeology;
History; Literature, Languages and Linguistics; Performing Arts; Visual
Arts) reach across many academic disciplines.  For example, we have
classical texts here at AHDS:LLL (and are happy to receive more!),
AHDS:Arch has details of Classical archaeological sites, etc. etc.

There was an AHDS Subject Extension Feasibility Study completed in 2004 by
Reto Speck which looked at the areas of Ancient History, Classics, Law,
Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Theology as possible areas the AHDS
needed to expand into in the future.

The findings of the project can be summarised as follows:
=====
    * We identified a need for more extensive AHDS services to the subject
communities of Classics, Ancient History, Religious Studies, Theology, and
Philosophy in the future. The amount of digital resource creation currently
undertaken in the subject area of Law does not warrant an extension of
existing AHDS services.
    * We found out that the uncovered subject communities differ
significantly in terms of digital maturity and, as a consequence, in terms
of the kind of services they expect from the AHDS. Whilst Classics and
Ancient History are relatively digital mature and in need of advanced
services, Religious Studies, Theology and Philosophy are in need of AHDS
support at a more basic level.
    * We established that extending and enhancing the current 'best effort'
provisions of established AHDS subject centres will not be sufficient to
meet the needs and requirements of the uncovered subject communities.
    * We recommend to provide extended AHDS services to the uncovered
subject communities via two 'virtual' AHDS subject centres - one for
Classics and Ancient History, and one for Religious Studies, Theology and
Philosophy.
=====

So the AHDS at least had plans in that direction.  See
http://www.ahds.ac.uk/about/projects/subject-extension/index.htm for more
information and the full report.

Best,
-James

Gabriel BODARD wrote:
> This information is of vital importance to the Digital Classicist
> community--although there has never been a Classics AHDS centre. There
> has been discussion over on Antiquist re the possibility of framing a
> formal response to the AHRC from communities of expertise like
> ourselves. If you have any thoughts on that, get in touch and we'll make
> sure everyone is in the loop. In the meantime, have a look at the
> petition that Stuart mentions below.
> 
> -------- Message original --------
> De: Stuart Dunn <[log in to unmask]>
> 
> Dear all,
> 
> Most of you are probably aware by now of the AHRC's recent decision to
> end funding of the AHDS as of next year. Most of us can probably agree
> that this is not a good thing, and you therefore may like to sign the
> No. 10 petition on the subject at
> http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/AHDSfunding/. Tell your friends.
> 
> All the best,
> Stuart Dunn
> 


-- 
Dr James Cummings, Oxford Text Archive, University of Oxford
James dot Cummings at oucs dot ox dot ac dot uk