Digital Scholarship Tools: Digital Book Publishing

The UW Libraries is currently piloting several digital book publishing platforms for the next three years. These platforms include Manifold, Pressbooks, and Scalar. Please see the Manifold and Pressbooks guides for more information on these platforms. Have questions on which one is best for your project? Email uwlib-scp@uw.edu to talk through your project and receive guidance from our staff.

Scalar

Scalar website

Scalar is a free, open source authoring and publishing platform that’s designed to make it easy for authors to write long-form, born-digital scholarship online. Scalar enables users to assemble media from multiple sources and juxtapose them with their own writing. Starting in 2020, the UW Libraries is taking part in a 3 year pilot hosting Scalar sites through Reclaim Hosting.

• What You’ll Need for a UW Scalar Site:

  • Project idea

  • Fill out our project request form

  • A place to store media and files.  Scalar will only allow you to upload an item that is less than 2 MB.  Check the Scalar-affiliated media archive for options.  Be sure to read the terms of use before posting any of your media on a 3rd party site.

  • CSS knowledge if you wish to create a custom look and feel

• Examples:

  • New Media and American Literature

  • Scalar Showcase

• License: Open source

• Help:

  • Getting started with Scalar

  • Scalar User’s Guide

  • Scalar Support Forum

  • Scalar Blog

  • Teaching and Researching with Scalar--HASTAC Scholars Webinar