Bringing the University Online: Robarts Library and the expansion of computing access
Host Jesse Carliner explores how Robarts Library helped move the University of Toronto into a digital space as computing, the internet, and digital resources reshaped research and access. In the episode opener digital scholarship librarian Leslie Barnes defines digital humanities and describes AI as lowering barriers to coding while increasing the need for AI literacy and technology education in libraries. Then the episode traces early humanities computing through Ian Lancashire, founder of the Centre for Computing in the Humanities in Robarts, and his efforts to introduce word processing and computational methods to humanities graduate students. Former chief librarian Carole Moore recounts the uneven early distribution of email and computers and the push for broader access. Lari Langford describes building the Information Commons, dial-up starter kits, tokens, and campus-wide support. Retired reference librarian Patricia Bellamy and retired information technology service librarian and director Sian Meikle detail the web’s arrival, early UTL site design, local hosting of Elsevier journals, and Representative Poetry Online’s wide impact.
00:00 Unquiet Library Ep. 9 Opener- Leslie Barnes
02:45 Introduction
03:51 Ian Lancashire-Early Digital Humanities Computing
09:31 Carole Moore-- The library provides email and internet access to U of T
13:33 Lari Langford-- Bringing the university online
19:58 Patricia Bellamy-- Reference Department and the birth of the online library
23:05 Sian Meikle- Early university and library websites
26:59 Ian Lancashire- Representative Poetry Online
32:34 Conclusion
Robarts Library 50th anniversary exhibit: http://uoft.me/robarts50
Key figures and concepts mentioned in this episode:
Amrhein, Carl G. - Discover Archives
In Memoriam: Professor Emeritus Ian Lancashire | Department of English
What is Gopher in Computer? - GeeksforGeeks
Graphical user interface - Wikipedia
Theme music:
Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Sound credits:
2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
","author_name":"Library Communications"}