JSTOR Labs works to create new digital tools for researchers, students, and teachers through collaboration with publishers and libraries. They have developed tools like TopicGraph to help users understand topics covered in books and Text Analyzer to search articles and books using a custom document. JSTOR Labs takes a rapid prototype approach, conducting user research, workshops, and iterations to quickly build and release new projects while working with diverse teams in a supportive environment.

1. INTRODUCTION
TO JSTOR LABS
WHAT WE DO &
HOW WE DO IT
@abhumphreys
Alex Humphreys, JSTOR Labs
American Theological Library Association
April 20, 2017

2. ITHAKA is a not-for-profit organization that helps the academic
community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly record
and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit
digital library of academic
journals, books, and
primary sources.
Ithaka S+R is a not-for-profit
research and consulting
service that helps academic,
cultural, and publishing
communities thrive in the
digital environment.
Portico is a not-for-profit
preservation service for
digital publications, including
electronic journals, books,
and historical collections.
Artstor provides 2+ million
high-quality images and
digital asset management
software to enhance
scholarship and teaching.

3. JSTOR Labs works with partner publishers, libraries and
labs to create tools for researchers, teachers and students
that are immediately useful – and a little bit magical.

4. labs.jstor.org/monograph
REIMAGINING THE MONOGRAPH

5. labs.jstor.org/topicgraph
TOPICGRAPH
Understand at a glance the topics covered in a book.
Jump straight to pages about topics you’re researching.

6. WHITE PAPER
Currently released
as a draft for comment
Describes the
project, process & prototype
Includes 12 principles to
consider when reimagining the
monograph
labs.jstor.org/monograph

7. HOW WE DID IT

8. WORKING
RAPIDLY
Can we improve the
experience and value of
long-form scholarship?
Aug-Sep: User Research
Oct: Workshop
Nov: Build Prototype
Dec: Release Paper/Prototype

9. TALKING TO USERS

10. WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

11. A DIVERSE TEAM
Biz

12. A SAFE SPACE TO INNOVATE

13. ITERATING, ITERATING, ITERATING, ITERATING, ITERA

14. SOME OTHER
PROJECTS
I LOVE TO SHOW OFF

15. www.jstor.org/analyze
TEXT ANALYZER
Use your own document to search for articles and books.

16. labs.jstor.org/shakespeare
UNDERSTANDING SHAKESPEARE
Pick a play. Click a line. Instantly see articles on JSTOR
that quote that line.

17. Thank you
Alex Humphreys
Director, JSTOR Labs
ITHAKA
http://labs.jstor.org
@abhumphreys
alex.humphreys@ithaka.org
Further Reading
• The Lean Startup, Eric Ries
• Business Model Generation & Value
Proposition Design,
Osterwalder et al.
• Marty Cagan’s Blog: svpg.com/articles
• Running Lean & Scaling Lean, Ash
Maurya
• Sprint, Knapp, Zeratsky, & Kowitz

18. APPENDIX
(OPEN IN CASE OF NO
INTERNET CONNECTION)