So What Are You Going to Do with That? The Promises and Pitfalls of Massive Data Sets

Abstract

This article takes as its case study the challenge of data sets for text mining, sources that offer tremendous promise for DH methodology but present specific challenges for humanities scholars. These text sets raise a range of issues: What skills do you train humanists to have? What is the library's role in enabling and supporting use of those materials? How do you allocate staff? Who oversees sustainability and data management? By addressing these questions through a specific use case scenario, this article shows how these questions are central to mapping out future directions for a range of library services.