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I think the first question to ask is who wants to use it? I imagine that you brought up the issue because you have had a request or a use case for LaTeX. Knowing who the audience is would help figuring out where support should come from. Steve McDonald [log in to unmask] > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Francis > Kayiwa > Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 12:14 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [External] Re: [CODE4LIB] What manner of creature is LaTeX? > > Heya, > > I was recently introduced to https://typst.app/ which IMO fills that niche of > enough LaTeX to get most of what you need. > > Sincerely, > Francis > > On Tue, Jul 18, 2023, at 11:32 AM, Dan Johnson wrote: > > Dear List, > > > > How do you all deal with LaTeX? The LaTeX Project describes it as a > > "high-quality typesetting system," but it *looks* similar to a few > > different software paradigms, and this makes it hard to figure out who > > on a university campus should be supporting it. > > > > For example, one could make the case that it's an advanced, low-level > > form of word processing, which should therefore be supported with > > training and problem solving by central IT, who cover Microsoft Word and > Google Docs. > > But it's much more than WYSIWYG word processing, and support for IT > > would be a very heavy lift. > > > > So maybe instead you think of it as a markup system. In that case, > > perhaps it's the library's digital scholarship center that should be > > providing support. Yet, it's not really used for the purposes of > > scholarly annotation and digital presentation of primary sources that TEI is. > > > > Since it's used for creating beautifully-looking articles and books, > > perhaps it's a scholarly communication tool, and hence the schol comm > > division of the library should support it. But the biggest use case > > may be dissertation formatting, in which case perhaps a university's > > graduate school or office of research should take charge (especially > > if they provide a dissertation template). > > > > But then, the software is especially good at formatting mathematical > > notations, and indeed, the vast majority of dissertations submitted > > with LaTeX formatting come from the school of science, so perhaps it > > is scientific computing software. In that case, maybe the college of > > science's departmental IT units should bear the brunt of support. > > > > The final option, it seems to me, is to call it "just one of those > > very helpful things," like regex, that you won't see in any formal or > > informal learning environment, and so you have to figure it out on > > your own to be in the know. > > > > How do you all parcel this out? > > > > Best, > > Dan > > > > -- > > *Daniel Johnson, Ph.D.* > > *Interim Co-Director, Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship * > > *English; Digital Humanities**; and Film, Television, and Theatre * > > *Librarian* > > > > *University of Notre Dame* > > 250C Hesburgh Library > > Notre Dame, IN 46556 > > o: 574-631-3457 > > e: [log in to unmask] > > Caution: This message originated from outside of the Tufts University > organization. Please exercise caution when clicking links or opening > attachments. When in doubt, email the TTS Service Desk at > [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> or call them directly at 617-627-3376.