Aims & objectives

The key objectives of the ADHO are to promote the scholarly application of advanced technologies in humanities research and teaching, and to create an associational framework that supports this as effectively as possible across a wide range of activities and countries.

The proposed organisational structures, as detailed below, aim to provide a framework for more effective and wider-ranging collaboration immediately, and for coherent long term development.

Current practice

The two associations leading the ADHO initiative are both well established in the field. The ACH has N American origins, the ALLC European, but both are international in membership. Since 1989 the two Associations have held annual joint conferences, with the venue alternating between North America and Europe. The collaborative nature of the joint conferences is governed by a formal protocal, and managed on a practical basis by a Programme Committee whose members are appointed in equal numbers (4 each) by the two Associations.

Other collaboration between the two Associations, and between the Associations and other bodies, has been on an informal basis.

The ACH is managed by an Executive Council, elected on a rolling basis, and a President and Vice-President, elected for 2-year terms. The electorate in all cases is the full (individual) membership of the Association. The meetings of the EC normally take place at the annual joint conference, and considerable business is done by email.

The ALLC is managed by a Committee which consists of 9 elected members and 5 officers appointed by the Committee. The officers are the President, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Editor of Literary and Linguistic Computing. The Editor of LLC is appointed sine die, the President for 3-year terms, and the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer for 1-year terms. The elected members are elected on a rolling basis to 3-year terms, with 3 being elected in any given year.

Range of possibilities

The two possibilities for future development which have had most attention are (i) merger and (ii) collaborative membership in a broader umbrella grouping. There are undoubtedly other possible frameworks for collaboration.

The option which is proposed here is the creation of ADHO as a broad umbrella grouping, within which ACH, ALLC and other organisations which wish to join will retain their identity. There are two principal reasons for proposing this:

• the history and traditions of each of the Associations are regarded as important, and give each a particular character that reflects its origins and primary geographical focus
• there may be practical reasons for having associations with particular regional identities, e.g. in seeking funding

Proposals

It is proposed that

• an Association of Digital Humanities Organisations (ADHO) should be set up as an international umbrella for organisations engaged in the support and promotion of appropriate technology in humanities research and teaching.
• the role of ADHO will be both to provide an international framework for collaboration and to co-ordinate fund-raising and other activities that need or benefit from a single international focus.
• ADHO should aim to develop regional chapters, taking into account the needs, opportunities and benefits that may be involved in particular areas. In some cases it may be appropriate to develop specific programmes of support, e.g. supporting conferences and workshops.
• ACH and ALLC will be founding members of ADHO. ACH will be designated the 'North American' chapter of ADHO, and ALLC the 'European' chapter.
• Other chapters envisaged include Asia & Pacific, Central Asia, Africa, and South America. Such chapters could be established on the basis of existing membership of ACH and ALLC, or of newly recruited members, or - more likely - both. ALLC membership is relatively strong in Japan, and current ACH and ALLC members in Australia and New Zealand might wish to collaborate in establishing an Asia & Pacific chapter, or work to establish a separate Australia-New Zealand chapter.
• members of established chapters would be encouraged to collaborate in the recruitment of members in sufficient numbers to make new chapters viable, with the aim of covering the globe.
• Each regional chapter would aim to encompass the whole range of digital humanities activities, and to promote and support initiatives and activities across this range within its region.
• In addition to regional chapters, ADHO would also have as members associations or activities that share common interests in promoting digital humanities. For international bodies, membership would be in AHDO directly. For bodies with a regional focus, membership would be in the appropriate regional chapter.

Rationale

The rationale for these proposals is that ADHO can provide a framework that 'at worst' will make current collaborative ventures more effective, and if it works as intended will provide a context for new initiatives, new types of collaboration, and a more coherent identity at international level, and greater mutual support at regional and country level.

Opportunities for collaboration

Among the more important collaborative opportunities that ADHO will offer are:

• consolidation of support for a major print journal
• development of a major electronic publication
• coherent development of a programme of paper and digital publications in digital humanities
• development of programmes of courses and workshops, at beginner and advanced levels, and of varying scope from general to specialised; plus development of teaching and learning materials
• development of an international multi-lingual multi-cultural agenda
• identification and pursuit of funding opportunities
• recruiting new members, and extending the geographical scope of association activites, to establish a level of membership and participation more commensurate with the increasing range of activities in digital humanities

Administrative arrangements

While it would be possible to consider centralising a number of administrative functions, this is not proposed at the initial stage. The proposed structural and administrative arrangements are:

• An ADHO Council should be established, to comprise two nominees from each regional chapter, and one from each international affiliate. The Council should do its business principally by email and conference calls, with meetings to be held in conjunction with the international ADHO conferences.
• the terms of reference of the Council will include the administration of ADHO-level activities, the oversight of ADHO-level finances, and making decisions on proposals received from the regional chapters and international affiliates.
• ADHO will have three officers, who will be ex-officio members of the Council. These will be the Editor of the print journal, the Editor of the electronic publications, and a Finance Officer/Administrator.
• if ADHO is extremely successful, the funding of a full-time administrator is a goal for sometime in the future. The limit of administrative funding at the outset, however, will be modest subventions to provide clerical/secretarial support for each of the officers in their home institutions.
• the Council will elect a Chair and a Secretary from among its membership.

Constitution, and regional independence

An important underlying concept in these proposals is the continuing independence of the constituent member organisations. ADHO will provide a framework for collaboration for independent regional chapter organisations (such as ACH and ALLC) and international affiliates (such as TEI). ADHO will require a constitution and bye-laws, and its creation will provide an opportunity for the constitution and bye-laws of the member organisations to be updated and harmonised to some extent at least, as appropriate.

As part of its global mission, ADHO should create a template set of constitution and bye-laws to provide a starting point for new regional chapters.

Financial implications

The broad financial implications of creating ADHO are addressed in the main Finances section of this paper.

In the proposed administrative arrangements, subventions will be required to provide clerical and secretarial assistance to the three officers: Editor of the print journal; Editor of the electronic publications; Financial Administrator. (The ALLC already has an arrangement of this kind to support the Editor of Literary and Linguistic Computing.)

Transition requirements/options

The key transition requirements are:

• preparation of detailed proposals for the creation of ADHO; preparation of ADHO constitution and bye-laws.
• preparation of proposals to change the constitution and bye-laws of ACH and ALLC as may be appropriate.
• approval of the ADHO proposals by the ACH Executive Council and the ALLC Committee.
• approval of the proposals by the memberships of ACH and ALLC, by ballot or at Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings.
• appointment of ACH and ALLC members of the ADHO Council, and appointment of print journal Editor, electronic publications Editor and Financial Administrator.
• accession of international affiliates, and appointment of their representatives on