Aggregating and curating scholarship from, or on, the open web. Is it possible? Why should we do it? And how? Let's get together to discuss and play with this approach to publishing.

Aggregating and curating web content can be a way to identify new projects for formal publication, distribute work related to your own area of expertise, or share important information within a community. We can talk about the why, and then move on to the how. What is the range of sources and various models? What tools are available?

For the play component, I can demonstrate and provide access to a sandbox with our new PressForward plugin (https://github.com/PressForward/pressforward/wiki/About) , which offers an RSS Reader, collaborative editorial tools, and the ability to republish from within a WordPress dashboard. And if there's interest and time, we can choose some RSS feeds and new content in order to create our own curated publication during the session.

If you’ve never been to an un-conference before, it can be a little intimidating. You might feel lost without a fixed program, but never fear!

Here is what you can expect:

• You and all the other attendees will be proposing sessions, either via a blog post on this site, or in person on June 19
• THATCamps are informal! Your organizers will be wearing T-shirts and jeans, and you are welcome to do so as well.
• This is a social and collegial event: you will be able to meet and speak with everyone — publishers, authors, editors, production specialists, developers, faculty, students, and librarians. We’ll have introductions at the beginning, a group lunch outside, and the opportunity to give a 3 minute Dork Short on something you are working on or thinking about
• You can choose your own adventure. We have a Law of Two Feet: you can always move to another session, with no hurt feelings allowed.
• You can have something to show at the end of the day: participatory making or playing is encouraged. Is there a new software program you’ve been meaning to try? A resource or documentation you’ve been meaning to produce? Do you have an idea and want to write out a spec or scope? You can propose a session, or peel away and work in a smaller group.

Don’t forget to check out the website for new proposals, review the logistics so you know where to go, check out How to Prepare to Attend an Unconference by Kaliya Hamlin from Unconference.net if you’d like more advice, and invite your colleagues and people you’d like to meet — we still have space for more registrations!

We are a month away from THATCamp Publishing and applications are continuing to roll in — especially since the word is out that we have both free registration and free food!

Once your registration is confirmed then start thinking about what you’d like to talk about. Since this is an unconference, attendees will propose and determine all the sessions (see our About Page for more on unconferences).

Session proposals will be posted on this site over the next few weeks and you can second or extend an idea in the comments. We will finalize the schedule in person first thing in the morning on June 19.

What should you propose? You might start by thinking about a professional problem you are having related to publishing and pose a session to get help with that problem. And if you have a new idea or see a big opportunity, then propose a topic of conversation to find colleagues and collaborators.

At the 2011 THATCamp Publishing we talked about the big picture, like the Digital Future of the Heavily Illustrated Book and what would you need if you found yourself on a desert island and needed to start a scholarly press? We didn’t ignore the details, though, with sessions such as what’s your digital text workflow?

Take a look at our Proposing a Session page for instructions and then start a conversation. What do you want to talk about?

THATCamp Publishing is an opportunity for the publishing community to discuss the practice and trajectory of scholarly communication. Both publishers and readers face the challenges of balancing print and digital methods of development, dissemination, and consumption. Everyone is experimenting new tools, structures, and services. Let’s get together to ask questions, discuss new approaches, share experiences, create new resources, and build a community network across trade, university, library, and institutional publishing.

THATCamp Publishing will take place on June 19 at Simmons College. Registration, breakfast, and lunch are all free thanks to our sponsors. Visit the Register page to sign up!