Just a quick note about (and pointer to) THATCamp RTP (@THATCampRTP, which Jade E. Davis kickstarted recently for the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill region. Plans are still evolving.

Hope you have a great time at TC London.

I like the THATCamp concept a lot and look forward to attending my first one at King’s College in London. There are a number of us in Melbourne, Australia who may be interested in holding a THATCamp event as well.

All the best,

Craig

For what it’s worth, I’ll say that about the only measurable difference I’m aware of between the THATCamp in Fairfax at CHNM and the burgeoning Regional THATCamps is that attendees at the latter are eligible for the newly-granted Mellon micro-fellowships, whereas THATCamp Fairfax is not. I think all the THATCamps will have rather different foci and even structure, to some extent, but certainly there’s no intent to create any kind of hierarchy.

I don’t want to be a total buzzkill, but one thing I’d (somewhat hesitantly) like to just throw out one consideration as the regional model becomes a little more formalized.

Hierarchy seems to be a natural function of human networks. Perhaps in spite of that, I love the work, emphasis and care that CHNM has put into keeping THATcamps non-hierarchical, as mentioned in your regional guidelines. It’s certainly part of what makes it so exciting and successful–everyone has something to contribute.

“It is also non-hierarchical: THATcamps welcome graduate students, scholars, librarians, archivists, museum professionals, developers and programmers, administrators, managers, and funders.”

Here you’re talking about people attending THATcamp, but I wonder if we can extend that to the various THATcamps around the world themselves.

As the idea grows and more THATcamps take place around the world, I wonder if we should avoid putting more value or import on one camp or another. This isn’t to say that some won’t be better than others for any number of factors, but I’d hate to see people competing to get to one or another because it’s deemed that one particular THATcamp is more important than another, especially when space is necessarily limited.

On the other hand, maybe one should be more important than another and there is a place and a need for that kind of hierarchy? Maybe some people of regions do have more to contribute than others? I don’t have the answer, and only pose the question. Perhaps it will become obvious over time. Or maybe there should be regional, national, or global THATcamps? Maybe some will focus more on archivists, some on historians? Maybe it will depend if it is held in conjunction with another conference, like SAA.

I do question whether the term THATcamp Prime captures the meaning you’re looking for with that particular gathering. Maybe it would be helpful to know how it is different than others, or how the focus might be different.

In any case, I’m extremely grateful to have been involved in THATcamp Great Lakes this past weekend and thrilled that there are more resources available to continue these efforts.