What is Scalar?
Scalar is an open-source platform used to showcase scholarship in a non-linear format. Created by the Alliance for Networking Visual Culture at the University of Southern California, Scalar intends to move away from the linear nature of physical books by allowing the creator to guide the viewer through their content in a variety of customizable pathways.
This guide will introduce you to Scalar's platform and give you initial guidance for creating a "book" to showcase your research. If there is any information you cannot find in this guide, you can refer to Scalar's own guide. If you're a visual learner, these YouTube videos by Chapman University are an excellent resource.
Examples of Scalar Books
Creating a Collection: A Tour Through the Smith College Museum of Art
Mirrors and Mass: Wayne Thom's Southern California
More examples:
Roger Shimomura (Virtual Asian American Art Museum Project)
Claude McKay's Early Poetry (1912-1922): A Digital Collection
Creativity After Combat (Art Exhibit)
Workshop Recordings
Introduction to Creating Digital Publications with Scalar
Scalar is a publishing platform that allows users to use multimedia to create digital books. Scalar's many features allow users to integrate many different forms of multimedia while providing scholarly commentary. In this workshop, participants will get an overview of Scalar’s capabilities, learn the basics of creating a Scalar book, and understand the potential use for digital humanities applications.
View the Zoom Recording.
Advanced Scalar Workshop I
This Advanced Scalar Workshop will build on the concepts and skills from the Introduction to Scalar Workshop offered in March. The Advanced Workshop will cover how to build a table of contents and other ways to use navigation menus and paths in Scalar. It will also cover advanced page layouts and user permissions.
View the Zoom Recording.
