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Page 1 of 2 2020 Smathers Libraries Strategic Opportunities Grant APPLICATION COVER SHEET Application due: May 15, 2020, 5:00PM Principal Investigator (PI) Name: Neil Weijer _X_ Check here if this is your first grant application where you will serve as a principal investigator (PI). Department: SASC Email: [email protected] Phone: 352 273-5473 Additional project applicants, please give name, email, and brief role for each: Todd Digby ([email protected]), Co-PI Technology adviser Sarah Coates ([email protected]), Outreach adviser Hunter McDaniel ([email protected]), Production adviser Title of grant project: Go Ahead, Bring a Pen: Virtual Visits to Special Collections Project abstract (no more than 100 words): The project team proposes to acquire and test the efficacy of video and streaming equipment, and produce documentation for virtual visits to UF’s Special and Area Studies Collections Department (SASC), where students and faculty can engage with the materials and curators without having to leave their cups of coffee at the door. These video and multimedia segments at once fill an immediate need and will provide a platform for creative and rigorous use of our collections in the library, remotely on campus and by communities who would not have the opportunity to walk through our doors. Funds requested (Limit of $5,000): _4,885.26____________ Describe how the 10% mandatory cost share will be met (be specific): Sarah Coates: 5% effort - 3,513.28 (Salary & Fringe) Hunter McDaniel: 5% effort 1,197.69 (Salary & Fringe) Please list the library resources/departments needed for this project and the name of the person authorizing the intended use and date authorized. Each authorizing person must initial their approval and confirmation of the availability of resources for this project. If you need more room, continue on a separate page. Departmental Resources Required for Project as applicable including cost share contributions Chair or Authorizing Individual Approving Initials Date Authorized Sarah Coates’s Effort (5%) E. Haven Hawley 5/15/2020 Hunter McDaniel’s Effort (5%) E. Haven Hawley 5/15/2020

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Page 1: The project team proposes to acquire and test the efficacy

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2020 Smathers Libraries Strategic Opportunities Grant APPLICATION COVER SHEET

Application due: May 15, 2020, 5:00PM

Principal Investigator (PI) Name: Neil Weijer

_X_ Check here if this is your first grant application where you will serve as a principal investigator (PI).

Department: SASC Email: [email protected] Phone: 352 273-5473

Additional project applicants, please give name, email, and brief role for each:

Todd Digby ([email protected]), Co-PI – Technology adviser Sarah Coates ([email protected]), Outreach adviser Hunter McDaniel ([email protected]), Production adviser

Title of grant project: Go Ahead, Bring a Pen: Virtual Visits to Special Collections

Project abstract (no more than 100 words):

The project team proposes to acquire and test the efficacy of video and streaming equipment, and

produce documentation for virtual visits to UF’s Special and Area Studies Collections Department

(SASC), where students and faculty can engage with the materials and curators without having to

leave their cups of coffee at the door. These video and multimedia segments at once fill an

immediate need and will provide a platform for creative and rigorous use of our collections in the

library, remotely on campus and by communities who would not have the opportunity to walk

through our doors.

Funds requested (Limit of $5,000): _4,885.26____________ Describe how the 10% mandatory cost share will be met (be specific):

Sarah Coates: 5% effort - 3,513.28 (Salary & Fringe) Hunter McDaniel: 5% effort – 1,197.69 (Salary & Fringe)

Please list the library resources/departments needed for this project and the name of the person authorizing the intended use and date authorized. Each authorizing person must initial their approval and confirmation of the availability of resources for this project. If you need more room, continue on a separate page.

Departmental Resources Required for Project as applicable including cost share contributions

Chair or Authorizing Individual

Approving Initials

Date Authorized

Sarah Coates’s Effort (5%) E. Haven Hawley 5/15/2020

Hunter McDaniel’s Effort (5%) E. Haven Hawley 5/15/2020

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Todd Digby Laurie Taylor LT 5/15/2020

I confirm receipt of approvals from all project team members to participate in this project as described in the narrative and budget:

_ _5/14/2020_____________

PI Signature Date

I support this project and approve the assignment of the described duties to the PI.

__________________________________ ___5/15/2020___ ______________

Dept. Chair Signature Date

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2020 Smathers Libraries Strategic Opportunities Grant PROJECT PROPOSAL NARRATIVE and BUDGET NARRATIVE

Go Ahead, Bring a Pen: Virtual Visits to Special Collections

Project team: Neil Weijer (SASC), PI; Todd Digby (Library Technology Services), Co-PI

Sarah Coates (SASC), Investigator; Hunter McDaniel (SASC), Investigator

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE (maximum 4 pages, single spaced)

a) Project Description

The project team requests $4,885.26 to acquire and test the efficacy of video and livestreaming equipment through the creation of virtual visits to special collections, where students and faculty can engage with the materials and curators in UF’s Special and Area Studies Collections Department (SASC) without having to leave their cups of coffee at the door. These video and multimedia segments will simultaneously fill an immediate need and will provide a platform for creative, rigorous, and diverse use of our collections in the library by communities who would not have the opportunity to walk through our doors.

The acquisition of and experience with this technology would allow SASC to expand access to its collections in two key ways. First, it will enable live-streamed discussions around a single item or a collection of material of any size and format for classes which are unable to come to the Smathers Library. Second, it would allow us to create content for asynchronous instruction, both around solely our own material and exercises that put our physical materials in conversation with digitized collections, curators, and faculty around the world.

Outside of the current Covid-19 crisis, this technology will support curators in SASC to engage in virtual collaborations with other institutions, specialists, and collections. It would also make it possible to do in-person discussions of a single book in front of large classes (and in terms of rare book instruction classes greater than a dozen students are "large") and adapt technology to the personalized needs of an individual curator, class, or collection.

Beyond the classroom, the technology and guidance that this grant award will produce will enable SASC to record presentations for community members, increase the amount of video content that we have on our webpages and aid researchers who might want to access a particular part of a text remotely. The project team will partner with SASC curators and subject liaison librarians to create a series of videos and virtual visits for assisted living communities and aims to provide resources to schools and other community organizations. UF’s digital resources are a great gift to specialist researchers who are already familiar with their use, but the additional context our curators and faculty can provide is vital to making them more accessible and inclusive.

b) Project Importance

This service is both a vital continuation of our in-person teaching efforts and an opportunity to expand our audience to new groups. The in-person instruction sessions conducted by SASCs curators and librarians constitute a key portion of the department’s activities and the Libraries’ mission of supporting and advancing education and knowledge creation on campus. SASC offered more than 120 sessions this past academic year across the range of schools and departments, Neil and the other curators and staff in SASC are currently conducting direct outreach to faculty to begin planning for their classes in the Fall. However, most content that is requested by instructors or researchers is original, and will not correspond directly adaptable to the Libraries’ digitized content (or to the requests of subsequent classes). For a majority of curators in SASC, this technology represents the principal, if not the only, way of creating guaranteed access to large portions of their collections in the summer and during the upcoming academic year.

The project team’s recommendations are based on initial experiments that began in March with the creation of video segments for classes abruptly moving online, and the difficulties that arose when technologies designed to record meeting participants was applied to books. Even then, the impact of those efforts was greatly appreciated by instructors who would have otherwise needed to cancel important parts of their class and who now plan to

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reuse and expand the content in the future. Letters of support from two of those faculty members are attached, one of which calls the segments “an excellent investment that will shine a spotlight on the invaluable resources in the library - both material and human.”

On a national level, the special collections community is consistently engaged in discussions about how to best promote and enhance our role in classroom education and the creative use of our materials. In particular, the differences between digital “surrogates” and the items that they were created from is a source of much current scholarly inquiry. Virtual Visits to Special Collections does not seek to simply create a “surrogate” of an in-person visit, but to experiment with ways that digital spaces can enhance the use and versatility of The University of Florida’s (UF) physical collections.

The research aspects of the project are important for the Library Technology Services department and the role that the department plays in facilitating technology deployments that enhance access to our collections. By partnering with SASCs curators this project will allow for a better understanding of specialized technologies that are needed to maintain our preeminent status as a research library across the state, nationally, and internationally.

c) Innovative Components

This project contains several key innovations that will position both SASC and the Libraries as emergent in the field in the coming year.

First, by focusing on a combination of flexible and user-friendly technology, the project team proposes to outline methods which will not intimidate newcomers to virtual education and which can be tailored to the particular needs of a curator or class. Using systems like Zoom, this project will use products that have been licensed by UF and have become increasingly accepted by library staff over the past few months.

Second, this program promises a range of outputs, from livestreamed class sessions and in-depth discussions of specific materials to short pieces of content that can be linked to a course’s Canvas page. This will overcome a key obstacle to rare book instruction that usually occurs during a traditional visit: introducing the materials and handling practices to a class and allowing students flexibility to work with the subject matter independently. This has important ramifications not just for the courses who already incorporate our materials but for the vast community of UF students and programs whose programs were already entirely online.

Third, the goal of the project is to foster collaboration in the virtual classroom not just between the curators of SASC but between experts in the libraries, the campus, the state and across the nation. By allowing for streaming and editing, our project will allow curators and instructors to pull in outside material and expert knowledge in real time, ultimately creating more versatile content than would be permitted in an in-person visit.

Taken together, curators will be able to create assignments or discussion topics that will cast subsequent in-person or livestreamed visits in a new light, enhancing the experience of working with materials rather than imitating an in-person visit to the collections. These discussions and opportunities do not exist in our current workflow and constitute an important innovation in the ways that special collections libraries look to enrich and promote their content and the knowledge of their personnel.

d) Comparison with Other Academic Libraries

This effort, and its associated study, will put UF on the leading edge of national institutions that are looking to engage remotely with diverse audiences. Conversations were in process prior to February of this year among curators (at UF and nationally) about the best way to teach remotely or offer reference services to audiences outside of the library. However, these were seen on campuses as being contrary to the purpose of in-person, hands-on instruction. With the onset of COVID-19 related social distancing, the institutions that had been able to invest in dedicated spaces and technology have adapted more readily. Academic research libraries are turning to livestreaming/broadcasting in order to promote collections or teaching tools (e.g. the Newberry Library in Chicago). In this respect, nation-leading collections such as the Latin American & Caribbean Collection and the Baldwin and Judaica libraries could be put forward in a rapidly-growing space.

Weijer, Neil
Links?
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By working towards an agile, reproducible method that does not rely heavily on resources of space or

funding, this project will position the UF libraries as a guiding force in the region and nation for collections who are looking to similarly enhance (or continue) their instruction efforts.

The production of instructive content for the SASC website will also advance the web presence of the

department and the libraries in line with nationally leading institutions. The Beinecke Library at Yale, for example, integrates instructional videos on their webpage, as well as narrated segments highlighting recent exhibitions. This dynamic integration of content and the creation of new opportunities for engagement is limited to a small number of libraries and cultural institutions.

e) Library Resources Committed to the Project

The project will require access to the SASC collections and the time of curators in preparing segments, in addition to the time of the project team in editing the materials and collecting feedback. The team is working with the Chair to ensure continued curatorial access to materials. It will require use of video editing software, such as Adobe Premier Pro or Premiere Rush. Curator time and materials would already be committed for an in-person session, and access to editing software is currently provided via the Libraries’ subscription to Adobe Cloud. The Library Technology Services (LTS) department will participate in the project and provide installation, configuration, and maintenance of the workstation technologies. LTS staff will also participate with the training of these resources and the joint creation of the documentation for the use of the equipment. f) Timeline and Plan of Action

Timeline of project during the funding window of 7/1/2020 – 7/1/2021:

Time Period Project Objectives

6/1 - 6/30/2020

Pre-grant preparation

Utilize document cameras that have been loaned by UFIT Academic Technology to do initial training and test of using document cameras for the recording and livestreaming of sessions. Assess advantages and limitations of presentations via screen capture for the Village (begun 5/2020).

7/1-8/16/2020 Purchase and receive equipment; Install and produce equipment use documentation and conduct one-on-one training in the use of the systems. Production of at least six video segments for the Village and Oak Hammock communities using a combination of physical materials from across SASC curatorial areas. Initial Recommendations to department on feasibility and usability of technologies and video formats.

8/17/2020-12/2020 Use of technology in UF instruction during Fall 2020 semester. Further develop live-stream and asynchronous course integration possibilities, with a goal of using the technology in four course sections from different curatorial areas.

1/2021-3/31/2021 Continued use in instruction in Spring 2020, with the goal of at least one inter-university collaboration. Creation and promotion of template materials and walkthroughs within the libraries on the SASC website and LibGuides.

4/1/2021-4/29/2021 Survey to Curators and SASC personnel, faculty to gather feedback on the use and creation of video materials. Write up of results.

4/30/2021 Further Recommendations to department and to Libraries. Potential application for a technology fees grant to acquire additional technology to expand or supplement the SOP.

6/24-6/29/2021 Presentation of findings at ALA Annual conference.

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6/2021 Possible submission of study for academic publication.

g) Copyright and Ownership

The physical books and materials that will be featured in the created video content are held by the University of Florida Libraries. Many do not carry copyright restrictions, as they are either old enough to be in the public domain or will be shown in limited extent to qualify as fair use. Additionally, a majority of the digitized holdings of virtual collections that will be used all carry CC0 licenses or are similarly unrestricted for educational purposes. h) Expected Results, Final Product, and Projected Use

The project team expects that at least two dozen video segments detailing areas of the collection and highlighting specific policies and content will be produced over the course of the grant period by the curators of SASC. These will be used to meet and augment the instructional needs of the department and the libraries both while in-person instruction is impossible and, likely, to broaden the range of in-person options that are possible in the department. Additionally, the project team will collect feedback from the SASC curators on the strengths and weaknesses of the two main video platforms. This will result in a guidance document for future equipment purchases and considerations, as well as guides for the types of instructional activities best created with the new technologies. The project team will work with the curators in SASC and the Assessment Librarian to develop an assessment plan to test the efficacy of various methods. i) Dissemination

The project team expects to use content generated over the course of the year on the SASC website, in classes and canvas sites, and as part of the scheduled programming of retirement or assisted living communities, giving the content wide exposure at multiple levels. The guidance and results of our evaluation will be stored on the IR and should form the basis of a presentation to at least one major library conference in 2021. The re-developed SASC features a dedicated section for virtual instruction, and we anticipate making durable videos for the department broadly featuring collection materials and specialists. Over the fall and summer, content will be promoted in collaboration with other libraries/outreach events, notably the exhibition coordinated by Jeanne Ewert on William Wordsworth. This content will also be highlighted on SASC's webpage. Neil has contacted the Center for Teaching Excellence, who are promoting a series of strategies for expanded, hands-on teaching (#NoWallsTeaching), to see if our virtual visits can feature in their promotion. These strategies should allow us not just to bring new audiences to special collections, but to bring in audiences whose expectations are different from our traditional community of in-person users. Dissemination of course materials will depend on the needs of the instructor and the content of the video. SASC is currently surveying course and outreach requests from the curators to determine need, and using the resources developed by Perry Collins on copyright. (https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/copyright). Our working plan is for class– or instructor-specific materials or anything with copyright concerns to be delivered via Dropbox and posted to Canvas, limiting the audience and timeframe that our materials are up. All materials will be stored on SASC’s departmental shared drive, so our curators and public service personnel will have access to working versions and can later revise or update them. In planning their content, the project team is also offering advice to curators on how to create segments for re-use or re-hosting with minimal effort after their initial use in classes. Outreach videos for residential communities have already begun appearing on the Libraries' YouTube channel, and Sarah Coates has collaborated with Moxy to create playlists for the content that we create. Some exemplary or useful videos created for classes (& which use public domain materials) may be selected for external hosting on YouTube so that they can be featured on our website, and may be preserved in the IR as well. This guidance on use, hosting, and permissions to share will also benefit the department in the future, and contribute further to the vibrant conversation that libraries, archives, and museums are having in response to COVID. j) Long-Term Financial Implications The costs of this grant are largely limited to the cost of acquiring equipment and should not carry any long-term

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financial implications. Replacing broken or obsolete technology would be a potential implication, as would the continued access to editing software along the lines of Adobe Premier or Premier Rush, which is already provided to members of the department. Funds from the department’s budget will be used for future sustainability. k) Ownership of Purchased Supplies All supplies purchased during the course of this grant would be property of the Libraries and would be stored in

SASC and maintained by Library Technology Services. Equipment can serve multiple purposes and can be re-used for other purposes after the grant period is completed.

References from Profs. Nina Caputo and Anton Matytsin (History) attached as an Appendix.

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BUDGET NARRATIVE Length: Maximum 1 page of text (single-space)

l) Provide a detailed explanation for how each expense was calculated.

The expenses reflect the available retail prices for each component at a range of electronics suppliers. A detailed spreadsheet with supplier information is attached to this proposal.

m) Provide a justification for each expense required to carry out the project.

1) Laptop – Required to connect the components of the system and manage the inputs during filming.2) SLR/Tripod system – Allows for versatile capture of large or fragile items, books on supports, andpanning across multiple items

Canon M50 – Highly-rated and versatile SLR camera, capable of recording in 1080p and taking still images of collection items of any size, at any angle. Microsoft LifeCam Studio – Small HD webcam with autofocus, suitable as an additional camera

for a splitscreen/interview or for attaching to the tripod to film books of any size at any distance. Tripod & Boom arm – provides support for camera/webcam and can be suspended over books.

3) Document Camera – Provides high resolution, close zoom capabilities on individual loose documentsor books up to the size of large octavo/small quarto. Some flexibility of viewing angles.4) Microphone – Required to cut the ambient noise of most recording environments in Smathers, or allowfor post-production changes for segments that will be broadcast asynchronously.5) Cart/Workstation - Provides security for materials when not in use. Large work surface provides for aplug & play option with the document camera or a wide base for the tripod mount.

n) Provide a detailed explanation of the PI’s role vis-à-vis effort (does not qualify as a cost share match).

Neil Weijer (Co-PI, 10% effort) will coordinate all activities between members of the project team, direct the collection of feedback, and compose recommendations for the future use and expansion of the technology. Over the course of the grant period, Neil will incorporate virtual and distance sessions into his instruction and research mentoring and collaborate with UF to test new approaches. He will also conduct research on parallel efforts in preparation to report the project’s findings in person and in publication. As the head of SASC’s Digital Strategy and Identity committee, he will work to publicize the videos and technologies on the department and Library websites and social media accounts.

Todd Digby (Co-PI, 5% effort) will coordinate the purchase, installation, and support of the equipment. During the grant period Todd will work with the project team and other campus and library partners to facilitate the storage, access, and dissemination of any videos produced.

o) Provide a detailed explanation of the contributed cost share by project team members toward the required10 % matching requirement.

Sarah Coates (Investigator, 5% effort, cost share) will contribute to the research team as a coordinator of the segments with external communities such as the Village continuing through the Fall and into the spring. She will assist in the preparation of guidance documents, as well as compose and create sessions to serve as test cases.

Hunter McDaniel (Investigator, 5% effort, cost share) will use her knowledge of editing and communications software and approaches to advise on the best practices for production and planning of the virtual segments and visits. She will assist in the editing and production of durable videos of the collections and in the guidance documents for the department.

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BUDGET FORM

Strategic Opportunities Grant Budget Form 2020-2021

1. Salaries and FringeName of Person % of effort Grant Funds Cost Share Total

Neil Weijer (PI) 10 $0.00 $8,093.28 $8,093.28 Todd Digby (PI) 5 $0.00 $7,590.22 $7,590.22 Sarah Coates 5 $0.00 $3,513.28 $3,513.28 Hunter McDaniel 5 $0.00 $1,197.69 $1,197.69 SUBTOTAL $0.00 $20,394.47 $20,394.47

2. EquipmentItem Quantity times Cost Grant Funds Cost Share Total

Dell Latitude 7300 Laptop $1,400.00 $0.00 $1,400.00 Doc Camera Lumens PS 752 $1,350.00 $1,350.00 Canon EOS M50 SLR (Kit) $749.00 $749.00 K&F Concept TM2515T $120.00 $120.00 Microsoft LifeCam Studio $79.99 $79.99 Yeti USB Mic $129.00 $129.00 USA Office Machines Cart $707.28 $707.28 Cart & Laptop Accessories $200.00 $200.00 LED Light Kit Set $149.99 $149.99 SUBTOTAL $4,885.26 $0.00 $4,885.26

3. SuppliesItem Quantity times Cost Grant Funds Cost Share Total

$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 SUBTOTAL $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

4. TravelFrom/To # of people/# of days Grant Funds Cost Share Total

$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 SUBTOTAL $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

5. Other (Vendor costs, etc. Provide detail in Budget Narrative section.)Item Quantity times cost Grant Funds Cost Share Total

$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 SUBTOTAL $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Grant Funds Cost Share Total Total Direct Costs (add subtotals of items 1-5) $4885.26 $20,394.47 $25,279.73

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Category Item Vendor Link Price Qty TotalLaptop Dell Latitude 7300 Laptop Dell https://solutions.sciquest.com/a 1,400.00$ 1 1,400.00$ Document Cam Lumens PS 752 B&H Photo and Video https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ 1,350.00$ 1 1,350.00$ Tripod Rig Canon EOS M50 SLR (Video Creator Kit) B&H Photo and Video https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ 749.00$ 1 749.00$ Tripod Rig K&F Concept TM2515T Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/Conce 120.00$ 1 120.00$ Tripod Rig Microsoft LifeCam Studio B&H Photo and Video https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ 79.99$ 1 79.99$ Mic Yeti USB Mic Best Buy https://www.bestbuy.com/site/b 129.00$ 1 129.00$ Cart USA Office Machines Cart USA Office Machines https://www.usaofficemachines. 707.28$ 1 707.28$ Cart & Laptop Accessories Cart & Laptop Accessories Amazon Amazon 200.00$ 1 200.00$ Camera Lighting LED Light Kit Set w/2 Adjustable Arms Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Smith 149.99$ 1 149.99$

Total 4,885.26$

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Support for Special Collections Grant Proposal

Dear Grant Review Committee:

It has come to my attention that Dr Neil Weijer (in collaboration with Todd Digby) is applying for a grant to support thepurchase of equipment for recording presentations and digitizing works from the special collections to make thesematerials accessible and available to a broad audience. This is obviously an incredibly timely proposal, but it is importantfar beyond the immediate conditions of life and academic work at the moment. I am writing in support of this proposalbecause my students and I had the enormously good fortune to benefit from an MP3 and a powerpoint slideshow that DrWeijer produced for a seminar I was teaching on "Apocalypse and Millennium in the Middle Ages." Early in the semester, Ihad arranged for the class to visit Special Collections for a guided tour through various works in the collection related tothis theme. Sadly, the date of our visit was set for mid-April, so we could not manage a physical visit; however, Dr Weijervolunteered to provide a virtual tour that also highlighted the history of these texts and how they found their way into thecollection. The lecture introduced us to several of illuminated medieval manuscripts of the Book of Revelation fromvarious collections around the world, as well as a number of printed texts held in the UF collection – including a 17thcentury text on the meaning of 666 and the Antichrist, an illustrated New Testament with graphic depictions of the Bookof Revelation, a book of astrology, Sir Isaac Newton's commentary on the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation, andan early 20th century illustrated bible. Dr Weijer's lecture tangibly illustrated a long-term trajectory of interpretations of aset of texts and ideas that are integral to western culture and religious thinking. It was very successful effort. When Iteach this course again I fully intend to return to these works and use them familiarize the students to the way that ideasrelated to the meaning and time of human history and experience follow parallel but separate paths from late antiquity tothe present.

The one thing I would say was missing from this presentation was the opportunity for the students to interactspontaneously with Dr Weijer. They posed questions about the images and texts that I simply could not answer. It is myunderstanding that this grant would make it possible for Dr Weijer and his colleague to produce high quality videopresentation as well as live interactive presentations that would allow for the active discussion his video presentation thatwould have ensued were it possible. I strongly support their effort. Providing funds to enable Dr Weijer and his colleaguesto produce high quality digital materials for classroom use is an excellent investment that will shine a spotlight on theinvaluable resources in the library – both material and human.

Please feel free to contact me if there is anything I might add.

Sincerely,

Nina CaputoAssociate ProfessorDepartment of HistoryUniversity of Florida80 Newell Drive025 Keene-Flint HallGainesville, FL 32611-7320(352) 273-3379

Nina CaputoTue 5/12/2020 7:54 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

1 attachment

SpecialCollectiosGrantSupport.docx;

Support for Special Collections Grant Proposal - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

1 of 2 5/12/2020, 9:16 PM

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Support for Smathers Libraries Strategic Opportunities Grant

Dear Neil,

I attach my strong endorsement of the grant proposal in the text below. Please let me know if there are any additionalcomments or materials I can shared.

All the very best,

Anton

Dear Grants Management Committee,

I write in strong support of Neil Weijer’s and Todd Digby’s application for the 2020 Smathers Libraries StrategicOpportunities Grant to expand virtual classes in Special Collecitions. The virtual visits that Dr. Weijer organized for mycourse on The Scientific Revolution were invaluable to the students during the disruptive semester of Spring 2020. Whilewe were able to see some of the texts from the first part of the semester in person, our second visit was made impossibleby the closure of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Weijer volunteered to make video recordings of the texts that we would have seen in person. The videos enable thestudents to virtually experience various material aspects of the texts, including their layout and size (which was especiallyimportant in the case of the French Encyclopédie, on which they were doing their final projects). Dr. Weijer’s videos wereaccompanied clear and enlightening commentary that gave the students important background about the texts and theway they were produced. The videos also helped to produce engaging discussions about the materiality of texts, thevaried circulation of ideas, and censorship in early-modern states.

While no virtual visit can be a perfect substitute for an in-person experience of our rich special materials collection, thesekinds of videos are the best substitutes in these uncertain times. I was glad to hear that Dr. Weijer is seeking to continueworking on these virtual visits, and I hope that he is able to secure the necessary funding.

Thank you for your consideration and all the best,

Anton Matytsin

-- Anton M. Matytsin, Ph.D.Assistant ProfessorDepartment of HistoryUniversity of Florida

Author, The Specter of Skepticism in the Age of Enlightenment (2016)Co-editor, Let There Be Enlightenment: The Religious and Mystical Sources of Rationality, co-edited with Dan Edelstein(2018) and The Skeptical Enlightenment: Doubt and Certainty in the Age of Reason, co-edited with Jeffrey D. Burson (2019)

Matytsin,Anton MikhailovichTue 5/12/2020 9:23 AM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

Support for Smathers Libraries Strategic Opportunities Grant - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

1 of 1 5/12/2020, 9:19 PM

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Re: "Go Ahead, Bring Your Pen" SOP

Dear Neil,

Thank you for organizing this SOP grant application with Todd Digby. "Go Ahead, Bring Your Pen: Virtual Visits to SpecialCollections" is a very important project for making our collections available to researchers and for instruction. It also ensuresour national leadership in special collections access. I enthusiastically support this application, and very much appreciate ourpartnership with Libraries' IT to advance library resource access in this way.

My strong support for this project includes approval for your 10 percent effort allocation, for Sarah Coates and HunterMcDaniel each to contribute 5 percent effort, and for the activities specified in your proposal to be undertaken as you haveoutlined them.

Your team will meet a critical need for our department. The project makes University of Florida a leader among academiclibraries working toward aggressive advances in special collections access. I look forward to this project and will align ourdepartment's support to facilitatework.

Again, I enthusiastically support this important project.

Sincerely,

Haven Hawley

Elizabeth Haven Hawley, PhDChair, Special and Area Studies Collections DeptGeorge A. Smathers LibrariesUniversity of [email protected]

President, American Printing History Association (2018-2022)

The Smathers Library building will be closed to the public beginning March 20, 2020. I am available by e-mail, videoconferencing, and phone Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:30 pm. For virtual collection assistance with instruction and researchsupport, please contact:

Special Collections (Grand Reading Room): [email protected] American and Caribbean Collection (LACC): [email protected] & Imagery Library: [email protected]

Updated information from the Smathers Libraries is available on the Smathers Libraries home page: https://cms.uflib.ufl.edu/

Hawley,E. HavenFri 5/15/2020 12:55 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

1 attachment

Weijer-Digby SOP_Coversheet 5-15 LT Signed_hh.docx;

Re: "Go Ahead, Bring Your Pen" SOP - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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Approval and Confirmation of Effort for SOP Grant

Dear Neil,

As Hunter McDaniel's supervisor, I am happy to approve and confirm her cost-share of 5% to your SOP grantabout virtual use/instruc on of special collec ons and area studies. I know she is very excited about thisproject.

Please let me know if you need anything else from me.

Best wishes,Suzan

Alteri,SuzanThu 5/14/2020 1:18 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

Approval and Confirmation of Effort for SOP Grant - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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Go Ahead, Bring a Pen

Dear Neil,

I wanted to send you an e-mail to confirm my approval for you to contribute 10 percent of your me in2020-2021 to the "Go ahead, bring a pen: Virtual Visits to Special Collec ons" project. I have been enthusias cabout this project idea, and it is an important part of SASC's ini a ve to significantly and meaningfully expandvirtual access to collec ons and virtual collec ons. Your work is very important, and I strongly endorse yourproject with Todd.

Thank you,

Haven

Elizabeth Haven Hawley, PhDChair, Special and Area Studies Collec ons DeptGeorge A. Smathers LibrariesUniversity of [email protected]

President, American Prin ng History Associa on (2018-2022)

The Smathers Library building will be closed to the public beginning March 20, 2020. I am available by e-mail, video conferencing,and phone Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:30 pm. For virtual collec on assistance with instruc on and research support, please contact:

Special Collec ons (Grand Reading Room): [email protected] n American and Caribbean Collec on (LACC): [email protected] & Imagery Library: [email protected]

Updated informa on from the Smathers Libraries is available on the Smathers Libraries home page: h ps://cms.uflib.ufl.edu/

Hawley,E. HavenThu 5/14/2020 2:45 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

Go Ahead, Bring a Pen - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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Digby, Todd

From: Taylor,Laurie Nancy FrancescaSent: Friday, May 15, 2020 9:50 AMTo: Digby, ToddSubject: RE: SOP cover sheet signature

Todd,   I typed my initials in, and this email is also confirmation. Please make sure Mike/Evan have seen this and know that this will be a collaborative process for any equipment. This is a great project! Congrats and thanks for your work on this!  Best wishes, Laurie  Laurie N. Taylor, PhD Senior Director for Library Technology and Digital Strategies, University of Florida Chair, Digital Partnerships & Strategies Digital Scholarship Director, Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC, www.dLOC.com) Editor‐in‐Chief, LibraryPress@UF Pronouns: she/her 352.273.2902 (office) | 352.871.5113 (cell)  

From: Digby, Todd <[email protected]>  Sent: Friday, May 15, 2020 9:16 AM To: Taylor,Laurie Nancy Francesca <[email protected]> Subject: SOP cover sheet signature  Laurie,  Attached is the cover sheet for my SOP grant application with Neil. At this point, I just need an initial beside your name at the departmental resources section. Also, Bess said it would be good to have you write a brief email of support for my participation in the grant activity.  Thanks, Todd  ‐‐ Todd R. Digby Chair, Library Technology Services George A. Smathers Libraries University of Florida [email protected] – 352.273.2590 (office) – 612.803.4922 (mobile)  

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Re: SOP Grant Proposal

Hi!!

I was able to login and see it and reply! I would be happy to do work on this. Keep me posted when details when it gets a little closer. I lookforward to working on it thank you so much for considering me!

From: Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>Sent: Friday, May 1, 2020 3:29 PMTo: McDaniel,Hunter L <[email protected]>Cc: Alteri,Suzan <[email protected]>Subject: Fw: SOP Grant Proposal Dear Hunter,

I realize that I sent this message from earlier in the week to your lib- email address, which I don't know ifyou're s ll checking off-campus. I apologize if this is the first me you're seeing it.

Todd Digby and I are pu ng together a grant proposal to inves gate technology for shoo ng virtual specialcollec ons segments. The proposal is going to include both the acquisi on of tech and the crea on of bestprac ces for some of this content, and I think that your perspec ve on edi ng and produc on, not to men onthe experience making the videos, would be really valuable.

I hope that, with Suzan's permission, you'll be able to par cipate in the proposal. If you're interested and able,could you please let me know soon, and if you have any ques ons please feel free to ask.

All best,Neil

Neil Weijer, PhDCurator of the Harold & Mary Jean Hanson Rare Book Collec onThe George A. Smathers LibrariesUniversity of Florida

The Smathers Libraries are closed to the public un l further no ce, and due to school closures and childcareneeds my working hours have shi ed to 1:00PM-5:00PM and 7:00PM-11:00PM, Monday-Friday. I will havevery limited access to email and flexibility to par cipate in mee ngs outside these mes. I appreciate yourpa ence; my new co-workers don't yet know the meaning of the word.

Likewise, if you receive messages from me a er normal business hours, please do not feel the need to reply

McDaniel,Hunter LMon 5/4/2020 12:41 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

Re: SOP Grant Proposal - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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un l the next day.

From: Weijer, NeilSent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 9:11 PMTo: lib-HunterMcDanielCc: Alteri,SuzanSubject: SOP Grant Proposal

Dear Hunter,

I hope that this finds you well, and sorry to hear about your hard drive woes. A er a few weeks of using mylaptop plugged into everything I've gone back to my old high school/college gaming setup, which is just abaking rack between the laptop and the desk, but has kept my ba ery from incinera ng anything.

I wanted to ask if you would be interested (with Suzan's approval) in being on an SOP grant proposal that ToddDigby and I are submi ng to inves gate technology for shoo ng virtual special collec ons segments. Theproposal is going to include both the acquisi on of tech and the crea on of best prac ces for some of thiscontent, and I think that your perspec ve on edi ng and produc on, not to men on the experience makingthe videos, would be really valuable. The work on the project would probably begin in the later summer/fall,so not much, if anything else, should be required at this stage, aside from any details needed to finalize theproposal by May 20.

If you don't think you'd be able to (or interested in) working on the project, please let me know, and if youhave any ques ons at this or any point please feel free to ask.

All best,Neil

Neil Weijer, PhDCurator of the Harold & Mary Jean Hanson Rare Book Collec onThe George A. Smathers LibrariesUniversity of Florida

The Smathers Libraries are closed to the public un l further no ce, and due to school closures and childcareneeds my working hours have shi ed to 1:00PM-5:00PM and 7:00PM-11:00PM, Monday-Friday. I will havevery limited access to email and flexibility to par cipate in mee ngs outside these mes. I appreciate yourpa ence; my new co-workers don't yet know the meaning of the word.

Likewise, if you receive messages from me a er normal business hours, please do not feel the need to replyun l the next day.

Re: SOP Grant Proposal - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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Confirmation of grant activity participation

Hi, Neil,

As requested:

I confirm my allo ed me for this Virtual Visits to Special Collec ons grant project will be at 5%, and I confirm that I amwilling to par cipate in this grant’s ac vi es.

Sarah N. Coates

The Smathers Libraries will be closed to the public from March 20, 2020 un l further no ce. During this me, I amavailable via email, Zoom conferencing, and phone Monday-Friday.----------------------Sarah Coates, CAUniversity ArchivesPO Box 117005George A. Smathers LibrariesUniversity of FloridaGainesville, FL [email protected]

Coates, SarahWed 5/13/2020 2:17 PM

To:Weijer, Neil <[email protected]>;

Confirmation of grant activity participation - Weijer, Neil https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/#viewmodel=ReadMessageItem&ItemID=AA...

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