Acceptances for THATCamp Columbus have been sent! We’ve got a wonderful mix of people and are looking forward to a great gathering of humanities folks on January 15th-16th, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. For you stragglers, we’ve reserved just a few extra spots and some more could open up due to cancellations, but you’ll need to get those apps in right away! For those of you that have been accepted already, here’s a quick recap of the email you should have already received.
The steps below will get you started with travel, networking, brainstorming and community building.
Step 1: RSVP
Take 30 seconds (literally) right now to RSVP.
We really need to know if you are unable to attend so we can give your spot to another worthy applicant. We also need to know if you have any dietary restrictions, whether you will be using the hotel block we reserved, and what size t-shirt you would like, so those questions are included on the form as well.
Please keep in mind that you are expected to attend sessions on both Friday and Saturday.
Step 2: Make your travel arrangements
We’ve reserved a block of rooms at…
Holiday Inn Columbus Downtown-Capitol Square
175 E. Town Street
Columbus, OH 43215.
(614) 221-3281
map | website
We’ll start a thread on the blog to help people connect for room and ride-sharing. If you need – or want to volunteer – a shared room or ride, please leave your info in the comments.
Hotel shuttles and taxis are available for the two-mile ride to and from the event, as well as to and from the Columbus airport.
Each day’s gathering begins at 8:30am. Friday’s sessions will be over by 5pm. We’ll end the Saturday sessions around lunchtime, followed by an open panel discussion to end by 3pm, so plan your return trip accordingly.
Step 3: Twitter
Even if you’re not convinced that Twitter is right for your daily routine, it is actually an important part of THATCamp culture. There is a thriving community of people who participate from afar by following the #thatcamp hashtag and joining in the conversation before, during, and after the event. Your fellow campers and their twitter handles (if they have one yet) are listed at thatcampcolumbus.org/campers. In addition to sharing notes and ideas about your session, this is a good way to connect with your colleagues before we all gather in Columbus.
Step 4: Complete Your Profile
You now have a profile on our site, accessible at: thatcampcolumbus.org/campers.
To retrieve your password, go to the login URL above and choose “Lost Your Password?” and enter the email address you used in your application – a confirmation link will be sent to your email account within a few minutes. Once logged in, you can go ahead and edit your user profile. By filling out your profile, you’ll let others know more about your interests so we can get to business when we meet face-to-face. We have populated your profile based on your application info, but until you post to the blog (see step 5), only your Twitter profile will be visible.
Wondering why some users have photos, and others don’t? The website aggregates profile photos using Gravatar, a universal avatar that WordPress and other popular blogging platforms use. We encourage you to visit gravatar.com and register using the same email address you used to create your THATCamp Columbus profile. Once you’ve added an avatar, it will be used not only on thatcampcolumbus.org, but whenever you post a comment on a WordPress blog, and will be printed on your name badge.
Step 5: Blog Your Session
Each participant is expected to post a thoughtful description of their session(s) at thatcampcolumbus.org. Be as comprehensive or as concise as your topic demands. The point here is to inform others about what to expect from your session. Campers are encouraged to leave comments on posts that interest them. Ask questions, make suggestions, share your thoughts, connect with other campers, and feel free to work out impromptu sessions and social gatherings.
Importantly, the blog is also the basis for the scheduling rush that will happen on the morning of Day One. We will use your blog post to assign a slot in the schedule, combining sessions where appropriate. Your fellow campers will choose whether or not to attend your presentation based on the information you provide so give them something to work with.
Lastly, please remember that although this is a great opportunity to share your work, we don’t want too much self-promotion in the sessions or on the blog. That doesn’t mean you cannot discuss your research or project (you can and should!), but we ask that you do so by identifying the larger questions involved, and framing the discussion broadly so that it is as relevant as possible to your colleagues.
We are very much looking forward to meeting everyone at THATCamp Columbus in January. Do not hesitate to contact us for any reason at all. We want to hear your comments, questions, and ideas for making this the best event it can be.
About Erin Bell: Erin Bell is Project Coordinator and Technology Director at the Center for Public History + Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University.