1) How useful were the pre-course readings?

1: Some were very valuable; some less so. The dry academic-type made for dreary reading, but that's academics. Most importantly, the readings/books were almost all available! If things are out of print, alternatives should be suggested. 2: Useful to me; not absolutely necessary as preliminaries to the course. 3: Useful. 4: Very useful. 6: Very good background especially since I'm not familiar with Northern European medieval history. 7: Good background reading. Helped put things in context when CC lectured. 8: Very useful. 9: Fine. 10: Very useful.

2) Were the course syllabus and other materials distributed in class useful (or will they be so in the future, after you return home)?

1: Absolutely. 2: Very useful -- the booklet will go onto my active reference shelf at home. 3: Yes. 4: Yes, I shall refer to them for the rest of my life. 5: We didn't have a course syllabus, but the syllabus will greatly help to understand the class materials. 6: Articles esp. relevant and those included in class bound-handout will be of great use in future work and study. 7: Very useful -- helped understanding of material covered -- great reference material for later study. 8: Very useful -- some came late. 9: Yes. 10: Many, many things to read. All look extremely interesting and very useful.

3) Was the intellectual level of the course content appropriate?

1: It was fabulous -- he has an unbelievable knowledge and breadth. 2: The intellectual level was high, but no one got left behind. It was engaging as well as intensive. 3: Yes. 4: Perfect. 5: Yes. 6: Excellent merging of knowledge of handwork and scholarly/academic history. 7: Yes. 8: Yes, appropriate. 9-10: Yes.

4) If your course had field trips, were they effective?

1: Excellent. We visited the Library of Congress and the Folger. The staff there were wonderful and generous. 2: Very well spent -- since it would be difficult to see many medieval MSS otherwise. 3: Yes. 4: We had a most fruitful day at Library of Congress and Folger; the group bonded. 5: Yes, to evaluate and observe the actual objects or binding process with instruction is better than lecture. 6: YES! Maybe even too many books. Maybe, would've benefitted more from more time spent on fewer examples. 7: Excellent: what a rare opportunity and privilege. 8: Yes; well spent. 9: Yes. 10: Yes. It's always wonderful to look at the objects that are being studied.

5) Did the actual course content correspond to its RBS brochure description and Expanded Course Description (ECD)? Did the course in general meet your expectations?

1: Yes. 2: Yes, only better. 3-4: Yes. 5: I expected more technological, functional aspects of binding. 6: Yes. 7: Spot on! 8-10: Yes.

6) What did you like best about the course?

1: CC and classmates, his knowledge, the field trip -- can't dissect it. CC obviously spent a tremendous amount of time preparing for us, preparing our field trip, adjusting slides each night to tailor for us -- he's fabulous. 2: The professor and his manner of teaching (the book dummies were awfully good). 3: CC's focus on the remarkable details of book construction that I would have ignored without having taken this class. Also, wonderful visual images from his vast collection of slides. 4: I adore CC and want to stay in touch with at least six other students from this course. 5: Comments from the instructor, who has lots of experience. 6: CC and his presence as teacher, scholar, historian, binder, and archeologist. 7: The absolutely amazing material and experience given and shared to us by CC. 9: Knowledge of instructor. 10: The instructor.

7) How could the course have been improved?

2: Two-weeks, with lab sessions (dream on). 3: Don't know if some kind of overall structure or "road map" might be possible -- but then again the materials are so complex!! 4: I wouldn't change a thing. Or, maybe have fruit rather than cookies at the 3:00 break. 5: Syllabus gives more structure. 6: I loved the course -- but as a binder would like another week with CC to have actually done some of the bindings with him. 7: Perhaps moved closer to rest of program. Felt a bit isolated in Architecture Building from rest of group. 8: No room for improvement. 9: Closer to Alderman.

8) We are always concerned about the physical well-being both of the RBS teaching collections and of materials owned by UVa's Special Collections. If relevant, what suggestions do you have for the improved classroom handling of such materials used in your course this week?

2: Our materials were designed for handling. 3: Nothing to say. 5: We should have used book models collected by the RBS. 6-7: N/A. 8: Not relevant. 9: Didn't handle any -- only instructor models. 10: N/A.

9) Please comment on the quality/enjoyability of the various RBS activities in which you took part outside of class (e.g. Sunday afternoon tour, Sunday night dinner, evening lectures, Bookseller Night, Video Night, Study Night, tour of the Alderman digital/electronic centers, printing demonstrations, &c.).

2: Fun as always. 3: All very enjoyable. 4: I skipped all that and went to the gym. 5: Very good! 6: (Food bad and expensive on Sunday pm) but evening programs excellent. 7: All well organized, staff extremely helpful and accommodating. Bravo! 8: Did not take part. 9: Monday evening lecture was fun, as was Bookseller Night.

10) Did you get your money's worth? Any final thoughts?

1: Absolutely. I think in order to keep this opportunity from being rare and unusual, and ultimately elitist, scholarships need to be established. The expense is quite high for students and self-employed, and it is a very bad idea to cut them out. 2: Yes, as always. 3: Yes. 4: Absolutely. 5: It's worth it, but too expensive for students (unfortunately). 6: Can you put a price on CC's teaching? 7: Yes I did, despite the Canadian exchange rate. Will be back and will definitely tell my colleagues of this wonderful opportunity. 8: Great value!! 9: Yes. 10: Yes -- be prepared for an intense week.

Number of respondents: 10

There were seven conservators, binders, or preservation librarians (70%), one rare book librarian (10%), one teacher or professor (10%), and one full-time student (10%).

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