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No. 14: Publishers' Bookbindings, 1830-1910 12-16 July 1999 1) How useful were the pre-course readings? 1: The pre-course readings were very useful, and the range was excellent, although perhaps subdividing out those items that may be considered essential would help in strategizing the pre-course workload. 2: Yes, although the list was quite long and I was therefore unable to read everything more thoroughly. I am planning to do so after this course. 3: SA’s articles were particularly interesting. Tanselle’s articles on cloth grains and colors were perhaps too esoteric, especially for the pre-course readings, and are best left on the bibliography for future readings only. 4: Very useful. 5: Pre-course readings insured that everyone had a foundation in the subject. 6: The list could have been sent out earlier. With a regular work schedule, I only read half of the items on the list. 7: Very. 8: Didn’t have time to read them all, and the usefulness varied. 9: They were useful, and they gave me a basis for understanding the material. 10: Very useful. They gave me a broad idea of what to expect. 11: The readings were very helpful and they prepared me for class. 12: 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: Very helpful. The timeline and the bibliography, especially, are tools that will immediately become part of everyday use, and will be used as collection development tools. 2: Yes. I especially found the rough outline to be a useful tool for taking notes, which assisted me in learning and retaining the information. 3: SA’s flyer publication by the Library of Congress is going to be hung on the bulletin board above my desk for ready reference. 4: Handouts should be very useful. 5: In general, materials were helpful. 6-7: Yes. 8: They were useful. I expect them to be continually useful. 9: SA’s LC handout is wonderful. I know I’ll use it at work. I’ve never seen a timeline like this before. 11: Yes. 12: Absolutely. 3) Was the intellectual level of the course content appropriate? 1: Yes. 2: Due to the diverse backgrounds of those taking the course, I believe it was appropriate. I also enjoyed the discussions and comments from the group. 3-4: Yes. 5: Yes! Ideal. 6-12: Yes. 4) If your course had field trips, were they effective? 1: Yes. The trips to the Rotunda (where we could both browse and handle materials) was very helpful. 2: I enjoyed going to the Rotunda, but would have liked more time to browse and hold the books in order to understand the variations within the time period studied. 3: Yes, especially the trips to the Rotunda, where we could handle the books. 4: Yes. 5: The time spent in the Rotunda was particularly useful. I’d recommend more time to survey this wonderful chronological arrangement of publishers’ bindings. Special Collections was useful, too. 6: Arrangements in Special Collections could have been improved. Poor lighting made it difficult to see the details of the book covers. It could be broken up into two sessions instead of one, allowing more time for the instructor to introduce the book. 7-8: Yes. 9: Yes. It was great to have class time with the collections in the Rotunda. 10: Yes. 11: Yes. The trips to the Rotunda were extremely helpful. There we were allowed to touch (yes, touch!) The books which we weren’t allowed to touch in class. 12: The visits were a pleasure and a joy. 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? 1-2: Yes. 3: Very well. 4: Yes. 5: I believe so, but I think the course’s focus on American bindings might be further emphasized, perhaps even added to the course title. 6: Yes. 7: Even better. 8-9: Yes. 10: I thought there would be more on binding techniques - clearly not what the instructor is researching. Perhaps the title/description should make clear that the class is about cover art and materials. 12: Yes. 6) What did you like best about the course? 1: It was very well focused and organized, from the developments in American publishers’ bindings through the C19. By the time the course was completed, I felt reasonably confident identifying and characterizing each of the decades. 2: SA! I enjoyed her positive enthusiasm for the subject, hearing her personal experiences with these materials, and her method of applying social history to this subject. 3: SA provided a wealth of information in a well-organized fashion, with excellent examples in her slides and in the classroom collection. 4: I left the classroom every day feeling that I knew more about the subject than I did the day before. The instructor’s extensive knowledge of the subject, and willingness to share it, were impressive. 5: SA’s presentation of the material. Her knowledge and expertise in the field are unparalleled! Class size was ideal. 6: The instructor’s love of the books, and the related information about them. 7: I’m beginning to develop an appreciation for these bindings through a better understanding of how they were made, what influences were at work in their manufacture and design, and an idea of what to look for in them. 8: Hearing SA talk about books! I’ll never view them the same way again. I learned a great deal! 9: SA’s enthusiasm for the subject and great knowledge of the material. 10: SA! 11: SA. She is an absolutely delightful lecturer. She is a true scholar, and I would love to take another class with her. 12: The enthusiasm and knowledge of the instructor. 7) How could the course have been improved? 1: A more organized approach to English publishers’ bindings in order to give a rough sense of how styles progressed. If that information could be schematized with the American timeline (even if considerably more generalized), it would be quite helpful. A more focused summary of continental traditions would also be helpful. 2: I would have enjoyed more discussion about some of the changes in binding structures. 3: By having more books which could be handled. It’s not easy to get a feel for the book as a whole unless you can see both covers, endpapers, illustrations, &c. Perhaps in telling us that we wouldn’t be able to handle the books, the class assistant could remember that the participants are professionals, and do not need to be instructed in the same manner as incoming first-year undergraduates. Perhaps students in this class should bring gloves, and be allowed to handle some materials. 4: More time actually handling materials would be helpful. The collection of detached book covers are fine for feeling the texture of the cover, but looking at the spine and seeing the endpapers is also useful. Of course, the books should not be put at risk. Perhaps as the collection grows, it will be possible to allow more student handling of items that are not too fragile. 5: Was there a syllabus? I think it would have been helpful to have a breakdown of what periods would be covered each day. Perhaps more time for questions and discussion. "Show and tell" might be facilitated if all of the books were passed around beginning at the same end each time, rather than starting at both ends and meeting in the middle. 7: I can’t imagine. 8: It would have been most useful to have had time to open the cases in the Rotunda, and systematically explore those books chronologically - especially since they could be handled. Two to three hours to do this would’ve been great. 9: Let us touch the books! This was the bad part of the course. I think Cal Otto, while a nice man, was too strict with us. I think we can turn a book over to see the back cover without being chastised by him. 11: Let us touch the books in class. It was rather insulting to not be allowed to handle the books. White cotton gloves could have been given out the first day. I handle such books on a daily basis, and shouldn’t be penalized for someone else’s mistakes. 12: I have no suggestions. 8) We are always concerned about the physical well-being both of the BAP’s 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: Handling conditions were fine with the use of the baskets. 2: We didn’t handle the materials. 5: The collection suffered no ill-effects from this class -- the materials were rarely handled. Books were passed around on trays. Cal Otto was extremely helpful in this area. 7: The baskets are, reluctantly, a good idea.10: I think only one explanation of how to handle rare books would be appropriate -- perhaps given as a small presentation at Monday’s coffee. 11: Give us white gloves. It is not helpful to just look at a book, and not be able to pick it up or look at the insides. My loupe was useless. 9) Please comment on the quality/enjoyability of the various RBS activities in which you took part outside of class, eg Sunday afternoon tour, Sunday night dinner and videos, evening lectures, Bookseller Night, tour of the Alderman digital/electronic centers, &c. 1: Lectures were very good. Once again, I was happy for the Sunday Night Dinner opportunity to meet people. Perhaps, however, one free night would be helpful. Scheduling all four nights can be quite time consuming if you have a little reading to do for class. 2: I very much enjoyed SA’s talk, and Bookseller Night. Some of the other lectures weren’t particularly interesting to me. 3: I enjoyed every part of it. 4: Outside activities were enjoyable. 5: Sunday Night Dinner is still a great way to meet people, and one never grows tired of seeing the videos. Bookseller Night gives people an opportunity to explore the rest of Charlottesville. 7: This has been a thoroughly enjoyable week. 9: The social aspects of the week were delightful. 10: One less evening of entertainment. 11: I met some wonderful people this year. We had great meals together. Like last year, it would have been nice to get together with the instructor over a meal, and really get to talk with her (as I can tell she has wonderful stories). 12: Suggest that the evening lectures commence at 5:30 (not 6:00) pm. 10) Any final thoughts? Did you get your money's worth? 1: I recommend doing the readings. It also helps to do the readings, and browse one’s own collections to start to get an idea of what one will find in C19 publishers’ bindings. Definitely got my money’s worth. 2: Yes. Overall, I found this week to be very enjoyable, and the setting seemed to foster valuable exchanges between students. I hope to attend future courses! 3: Do it! Yes [got my money’s worth]. 4: Highly recommended. The instructor’s expertise is outstanding. 5: Know your collection well, and come with a goal ( which is the reason for taking this course). 6: Yes. 7: Of course I got my money’s worth! 8: I would advise course participants to scan their collections and bring photocopies/photos/examples of relevant material. I certainly feel that I got my money’s worth! 9: Yes. 11: I learned a great deal. I can read until the cows come home, but I need a live lecturer with tangible examples to look at. Yes, I did get my money’s worth. 12: Those who will take this course should consider themselves fortunate. Thank you, SA, for letting me see bindings through your eyes.
Number of respondents: 12 |
| Leave | Tuition | Housing | Travel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institution gave me leave | Institution paid tuition | Institution paid housing | Institution paid travel |
| 83% | 79% | 67% | 58% |
| I took vacation time | I paid tuition myself | I paid for my own housing | I paid my own travel |
| 0% | 21% | 25% | 33% |
| N/A: self-employed, retired, or had summers off | N/A: self-employed, retired, or exchange | N/A: stayed with friends or lived at home | N/A: lived nearby |
| 17% | 0% | 8% | 8% |
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There were five rare book librarians (42%), two general librarians with some rare book duties (17%), three conservators/binders/preservation librarians (25%), one book-collector (8%), and one library staff member (8%). |