IOI recently added a new entry in Infra Finder for Knowledge Commons. Previously known as Humanities Commons, Knowledge Commons is a nonprofit network that enables scholars, researchers, practitioners, teachers, and students to create a professional profile, discuss common interests, develop new publications, and share their work. IOI’s Lauren Collister interviewed Zoe Wake Hyde, Community Development Manager for Knowledge Commons, about their Infra Finder entry and their recent name change experience.
Lauren: How was your experience in creating your entries for Infra Finder? Did any of the questions surprise you or give you a chance to revisit some of your own materials or policies?
Zoe: Creating our entries for Infra Finder was an exciting journey. Having worked on several Open Infrastructure (OI) projects, I know the challenge of being discoverable. It's crucial for people to know what we do and where to find us. Engaging in this initiative allowed us to reflect on our project’s current state and future direction, led by our Director, Kathleen Fitzpatrick. The structured process of responding to prompts was invaluable, providing insights into how others perceive our work and what information they seek.
Lauren: Did the process help you and Knowledge Commons in some way?
Zoe: Absolutely. The timing of our participation coincided with significant changes, such as our name change and the development of our new repository, Knowledge Commons Works. This alignment made it an ideal moment to share these updates. The process of creating our entry also highlighted the importance of our recent work and allowed us to showcase these developments effectively.
Lauren: How might Infra Finder be useful for the Knowledge Commons community?
Zoe: As a Community Development Manager focused on growing our member base, Infra Finder is a valuable tool. It helps raise awareness about our existence and aligns us with similar projects that people are exploring. Sharing our presence in Infra Finder lends credibility and visibility to our work. It's exciting to see what IOI will do with this platform, and it’s a great way for developers to see their efforts recognized in the broader ecosystem.
Lauren: What advice might you give other infrastructure services interested in being part of Infra Finder?
Zoe: One common challenge in this field is staying focused on our work while also engaging in community efforts. Being part of Infra Finder offers an opportunity to showcase our work in a way that aligns with the values of open infrastructure. It’s a chance to look up from our day-to-day tasks and reflect on our structures, governance, and communication. Participating in Infra Finder helps position ourselves within the ecosystem and contributes to the collective movement of advancing open infrastructure.
Lauren: Can you tell us more about your recent name change? Why did you decide to change your name, and what has the experience been like?
Zoe: Yes, we've been working on this name change for about 18 months. We received an NSF grant to support STEM education research, which helped launch the STEM Education Research Commons and our new repository, coming later in 2024. As we were doing the work on these projects, we became aware that the word "humanities" in our name sometimes deterred people from other disciplines. While we value our humanities roots, we wanted a name that better represented our interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work. "Knowledge Commons" captures this broader scope while emphasizing collective management and shared resources.
We were pleased that our community appreciated the name change and reacted positively. We anticipated some concern about moving away from our humanities identity, but the feedback has shown us that people appreciate that the new name is more inclusive and expansive. We've also deferred changing our URL to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting our members' digital presence. This careful approach reflects our commitment to supporting our community throughout the rebranding process.
Lauren: You mentioned a new repository – what’s the latest news about this work?
Zoe: Our new repository, built on the InvenioRDM platform developed by CERN, is a significant upgrade. It offers better support for various formats, larger uploads, and the ability to create collections of related works. We’ve customized it based on user research, including features like content warnings and summaries of Generative AI use. This repository is more than just an archive; it’s a publishing platform and discovery mechanism. We’re excited to see how our community will use it once it launches in the coming months.
Lauren: How can people stay up to date with Knowledge Commons?
Zoe: For updates, visit hcommons.org and sign up for our newsletter, which provides monthly updates. We also have a Mastodon instance (hcommons.social) where you can follow us at hello@hcommons.social, or find us on LinkedIn or Twitter/X. Our new ‘about’ site will launch soon with use cases and information on how to get involved, and stay tuned for the KCWorks launch this fall!
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This post is part of our “Infra Finder Spotlight” series. To stay updated on posts from this series and more from Invest in Open Infrastructure, please sign up for our newsletter. If you’d like to see your organization in Infra Finder, let us know!
Header image by Wesley Pribadi on Unsplash.