Drew University is deepening its work with JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services through participation in the Tier 3 charter program, focusing on faster processing, improved accessibility, and stronger integration of distinctive collections into research and teaching.
Drew has long used JSTOR as a key public interface for its digital collections and already shares over 9,000 items across 50 collections on JSTOR. Through the Tier 3 charter program, Drew will gain access to JSTOR Seeklight—the AI-powered collections processing tool within Stewardship—and collaborate with peer institutions and the JSTOR team to refine the tool’s functionality, contribute to shared practices, and accelerate impact while maintaining expert oversight.
Priorities for Drew include using JSTOR Seeklight to expand access to handwritten manuscripts, yearbooks, and other materials that have historically been difficult to process at scale. Early pilots have already shown meaningful time savings, including transcribing, describing, and publishing on JSTOR a handwritten 122-page journal from 1788 by Freeborn Garrettson, an early American Methodist preacher and abolitionist. This item is featured heavily in Drew’s newest exhibit and online collection, Voices of the Revolution: Ideas, Conflict, and America’s Independence. Pedagogy and workforce development are also priorities: Drew will train student workers to participate in JSTOR Seeklight-enabled workflows, making collections processing a learning opportunity while sustainably scaling capacity.
“We’ve long expanded access to our collections through JSTOR, and we’re eager to bring more online without compromising the care and expertise these collections require,” said Elizabeth Leonard, Director of University Libraries and Special Collections at Drew University. “JSTOR Seeklight gives us a way to make more materials discoverable while also creating opportunities for learning and engagement.”
“Drew’s commitment to access and teaching, and their thoughtful approach to integrating AI-assisted workflows make them a great addition to the charter community,” said Bruce Heterick, Senior Vice President of Open Collections and Infrastructure at ITHAKA. “We’re excited to learn alongside Drew as they help shape what responsible, scalable stewardship looks like in practice.”
About Drew University
Drew University, a Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts university, includes the College of Liberal Arts, the Drew Theological School, and the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. Drew is located on a beautiful, wooded campus in Madison, New Jersey, a thriving small town close to New York City. It has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 students and has 143 full-time faculty members, 98 percent of whom hold the terminal degree in their field. The Theological and Caspersen schools offer master’s and doctoral degrees, and the College confers BA and BS degrees in 40 disciplines, and offers 69 minors, 17 Dual-Degree programs, and seven New York Semesters.
About JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services
JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services is a seamless, cloud-hosted platform that unites digital asset management, long-term preservation, and expanded discovery pathways—including sharing on JSTOR—with the AI-assisted collections processing tools of JSTOR Seeklight.