We examine in detail the FAIR Guiding Principles, what they are, why they were created, as well as highlight the difference between Linked Open Data and FAIR. We then give an overview of the...Show moreWe examine in detail the FAIR Guiding Principles, what they are, why they were created, as well as highlight the difference between Linked Open Data and FAIR. We then give an overview of the current environment of humanities scholarship, paying particular attention to the Digital Humanities and book history. We explore some of the reasons that the implementation of FAIR is significantly slower in the Humanities compared to the Sciences or Social Sciences by highlighting some of the challenges faced by humanities scholars in terms of producing and quantifying digital research data that is also easily findable and reusable, while taking time to discuss issues found in all disciplines such as IP, copyright, and privacy laws, as well as issues concerning authenticity, authority, trust, verification, and uncertainty relevant to open-source platforms and digital assets. A case study is then presented using a database that was created using information from the original book catalogue and cashbooks from the Bibliotheca Thysiana, a seventeenth-century library located in Leiden, The Netherlands. After analyzing the quality of the data from the Thysiana based on the requirements of the FAIR Principles, we then utilize the steps in the FAIRification Process by applying each to the database one at a time, highlighting any challenges along the way. Finally, we conclude with thoughts and criticisms on the feasibility of the application of FAIR onto a humanities database, suggesting that it is indeed a guide that can be implemented practically in the field of book history, yet not without some challenges and forethought.Show less