Digital Scholarship Space on the 4th Floor of Bird Library
Located on the 4th floor of Bird Library, the Digital Scholarship Space (DSS) is a workshop, laboratory and classroom space designed for the study and creation of digital artifacts and experiences.
The DSS is designed to maximize flexibility in response to emerging digital practices and supports software design, game study and development, statistical analysis and data visualization, digital mapping and digital humanities projects across a variety of disciplines. Equipped with high-end computers and virtual reality platforms, DSS offers a broad range of software and can install new and experimental software packages upon request.
The DSS includes a room for classes, meetings, presentations and screenings for up to 25 participants, with an adjacent space for play, development and study. The DSS is available for all campus users to book events and course meetings on topics that take advantage of DSS technology and services. During the week, the DSS hosts open lab hours for students to use the equipment for class-related and personal projects. Registered members can apply to have access during extended hours. We also welcome proposals for enhanced functionality as part of academic projects.
Fall 2025 DSS open hours are:
- Monday: 10 AM–3:30 PM
- Tuesday: 10 AM–5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10 AM–3:30 PM
- Thursday: 10 AM– 6PM
- Friday: 10 AM– 6PM
- Saturday: by appointment
As an example of the level of activity that takes place in the DSS, last academic year the DSS had 428 unique visitors in the Fall 2024, resulting in 2,343 total visits; 649 unique visitors in the Spring 2025 resulting in 2,284 total visits; and 46 unique and total visits in the Summer 2025.
Fall 2024 classes and groups that met in the DSS included:
- WRT 307 - undergrad class met twice a week
- ENG 329 - undergrad class met twice a week
- FYS 101 - undergrad class, met once a week
- Philosophy Assistant Prof. Martin Zavaleta - hosted 4 student meeting sessions
- Newhouse Assistant Teach Prof. Melissa Martinez - hosted 3 student undergraduate sessions
- HUM 141 - undergrad class met twice
- ENG 145 - undergrad class met 3 times
- WRT 105 - undergrad class met twice
- HEOP - undergrad class met twice
- ENG 156 - undergrad class met twice
- ENG 164 - undergrad class met once
- Art & Music History Part-time Instructor and Librarian Amanda DuBose - graduate class met once
- ENG 631 - graduate class met once
- Graduate Game Studies Group - faculty/student research group met 7 times
- Whitman Pedagogy Research Group - faculty met twice
Spring 2025 classes and groups included:
- ENG 730 - Graduate seminar met weekly and held a conference in the space
- ENG 154 - Undergraduate class met twice a week
- DES 300/600 - Undergrad/grad class met twice a week
- Whitman School - 8 student meeting
- Writing Assoc. Teaching Prof. Chris Feikes - hosted 2 sessions of 3 different undergraduate classes
- Newhouse Assistant Professor Jason Webb - hosted 6 sessions of undergraduate classes
- Autonomous Systems Policy Institute - Research group of faculty and students met once
- ENG 192 - Undergraduate course met once
- Writing Instructor and Librarian Dylan Mohr - hosted undergraduate class once
- ENG 115 - undergraduate course met once
- Art & Music History Part-time Instructor and Librarian Amanda DuBose - graduate class met once
- ENG 164 - undergraduate course met once
- WRT 205 - undergraduate course met once
- Graduate Game Studies Group - met 6 times
- Teens with a movie camera - high school students group met twice
- Computer Science Professionalization Group - had 5 meetings of undergraduate group
- Camden High School - two sections of high school students
- Newhouse Assistant Professor Jason Webb hosted Virtual Reality session with 20 local businesspeople
And even over the Summer 2025, activity in the space continued with:
- Melissa Martinez - hosted students in the Advanced Media Management master’s program
- Melanie Decker - hosted 2 sessions of prospective "pre-med hopeful” Summer College students
Watch this video to learn more!