1) How useful were the pre-course readings?

1: Very useful -- a great list. 2: Very useful to me since I did not have a music background. 3: Somewhat useful, especially the music history overview and the Grove article. Book in America would have been more valuable had I started out with a more comprehensive knowledge of the topic. 4: Very -- I needed the music history especially, since my music education has been informal. 5: HELPFUL for framework. 6: The readings were a good review/refreshment of the topic. 7: Good and useful -- not essential to deriving full benefit from the class. That is, one could get a lot from the class even without doing many of the readings. 8: 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: Yes -- excellent. 2: Yes. I expect that I will refer to them quite a bit when describing, accessioning, reference, &c. 3: Yes -- the bibliographies are extremely useful to me. 4: Yes. Yes. 5: Yes. 6: I find this syllabus useful as I want accurate citations for further reading. 7: Yes -- well done as usual, will be useful in the future as well. 8: Yes, Yes!

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

1: Yes -- very stimulating and everyone in the course seemed to be "on task" and motivated. 2: Yes. All things were adequately explained if I did not know them. 3-4: Yes. 5: Definitely. 6-7: Yes. 8: Yes!

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

1: Yes -- very useful. 2: Very. Seeing the Bay Psalm Book in its various editions was a real highlight of the overall class. 3: Yes, the music library tour and "show and tell" at Special Collections were interesting and relevant additions. 4: This was a wonderful field trip to look at UVa's Bay Psalm books. 5: Very well spent. Wonderful to see the Bay Psalm books. 6-7: Yes. 8: Yes!

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. It was followed closely. 3: Yes -- the systematic presentation of topics and more or less chronological presentation of the materials was a good format. 4: Yes. 5: I took it on suggestion of my boss -- didn't read the description. 6-8: Yes.

6) What did you like best about the course?

1: The opportunity to study with DWK -- he has such a wealth of knowledge and experience which he shares so freely and in such a stimulating manner. He relates today and yesterday so well -- and successfully involves all members of the class in discussions and activities. 2: The hands-on materials that illustrated the various points, themes, techniques we were studying. Many thanks for all of your hard work gathering them. 3: The hands-on work with the music materials was extremely interesting. Of course, the accompaniment of DWK's anecdotes and explanations of the various aspects under consideration made these exercises most enjoyable and educational. 4: Instructor's lectures on early American music and the hands-on discussions of music from the RBS collection. Instructor created a related but disciplined atmosphere in the class for learning. 5: Having the examples to pass around was wonderful! 7: An opportunity for hands- on work with a wide range of materials. 8: Hands-on opportunities -- saw and handled a lot of music. Instructor -- even when "I don't know" was the answer.

7) How could the course have been improved?

1: I don't have any concrete suggestions right now. At the moment, I just wish that we were continuing next week! The opportunity to work with DWK has been an experience and privilege which I shall cherish. The materials made available for this course were excellent. 2: More magnifying glasses perhaps. 3: Just continue building up the music collections. 4: A little more on printing processes. A little more practice identifying processes. 5: Magnifying glasses for participants -- either provide or strongly recommend bringing one. 7: It was excellent and well-done -- I can't think of any areas in glaring need of improvement. 8: Perhaps more table space to lay out more music -- class could circle tables and see even more?

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?

1: The packets were terrific. (The one suggestion I would have is that the items which are "with odor" should be heated or removed as some people with allergies were affected by these items -- e.g. Hit Parade magazines.) 2: I thought they were very well encased, but you might put the more valuable items in individual folders, although most are not particularly valuable in this course. 3: Handling and presentation measures seemed adequate. 4: A care and handling handout or short talk at the beginning -- basics including a reminder to use pencil. 5: Hit Parade magazine issues need to be de-fumed. The molds are sufficient that most weren't willing to handle. 8: Some folders (especially Hit Parade magazine) contain extremely acid stuff -- try to buffer.

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.).

1: These were excellent -- and I appreciated the fact that there was something available each night, for not only was it enjoyable to attend, but it also gave me an opportunity to meet others at RBS. 2: It was a good variety and offered appropriately. 3: I enjoyed all of the outside activities in which I participated -- the food was terrific. 4: Enjoyable. 5: I'm VERY glad I attended the Video Night and very sorry I chose not to come to Study Night. 7: I mostly did not participate -- just a matter of personal preference/habit &c. 8: All worthwhile -- I did all but Sunday afternoon tour. Appreciated Study Night and Video Night for all the preparation RBS staff did for us.

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

1: Yes, indeed. My congratulations to all involved in the "operation." Excellent planning and excellent execution for the course and for the other activities. And the administrative details, including the social breakfasts and breaks, were excellent and much appreciated. You have an excellent staff and I congratulate and thank them. Thank you so much -- a most stimulating week, and I hope to return. 2: Yes. I would recommend this and other courses. DWK was a delight -- a verbal encyclopedia, humorous -- wonderful! 3: Yes -- I highly recommend the course. 4: The course was worth the time away from my job. 5: Definitely got somebody's money's worth. I'm now more interested in re-starting our sheet music cataloging project. 6: Yes, I did. Any prospective student should be somewhat experienced/well-read in music history and technology to keep up with the class-at-large. 7: Yes. 8: Yes, and so did my institution.

Number of respondents: 08

There were two archivist or manuscript librarians (25%), one rare book librarian (12.5%), one general librarian with some rare book duties (12.5%), one general librarian with no rare book duties (12.5%), one teacher or professor (12.5%), one conservator, binder, or preservation librarian (12.5%), and one music librarian with some rare book duties (12.5%).

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