7-11 July 2008
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: They were very useful, so we all speak the same language. The Latin chapter was worrisome; I could have used a note of reassurance as to how in-depth we were expected to absorb it. 2: The pre-course readings were extremely useful. I would recommend that future students spend as much time with Descriptive Cataloguing of Rare Materials (Books) as possible before class, if only to know where to look in the manual for specific answers. 3: They were crucial, although I really stressed over not completing all of it, and I probably didn’t have to. What I did really helped my comprehension in class. 4: They were incredibly useful. I wish I could have done more of the optional reading – I would recommend making the Gaskell [A New Introduction to Bibliography] chapter on imposition required. It really helped me. 5: The readings were very useful, and many will continue to be useful as I apply what I have learned. 6: They were very helpful. 7: They were very useful. Everything in class made sense when it was explained, since I’d encountered many of the issues before in the readings (though I didn’t understand it all when reading). 8: They were very useful. I never felt lost and it even seemed as though the readings were clarified through class discussion. 9: They were very useful for becoming familiar with terms and concepts touched on in the course. 10: Good. 11: They were very useful.
2) Were the course syllabus and other materials distributed in class appropriate and useful (or will they be so in the future, after you return home)?
1: Yes, it would have been better if for some sections the PowerPoint slides were there at the start or were handed out before being covered in class, for the sake of note taking. And the 2nd section (“after the green page”) has confusing pagination, not always easy to find. 2: These were useful and I will use them at home. Again, take some time on Day 1 and familiarize yourself with the contents of the course packet because there are useful sections that we did not specifically look at in class (this will save you time). 3: Yes, they were invaluable. One suggestion: please add one full 300 example with all subfields in the physical description powerpoint (including format, &c.) 4: Yes! 5: Yes, they have been useful and will be invaluable in the future. 6: They are indispensable to recall what was learned. 7: Yes. 8: Absolutely. I look forward to adding all class materials to my personal reference library. 9: Yes, the materials provided in class will be very useful once I return to work. 10-11: Yes.
3) What aspects of the course content were of the greatest interest or relevance for your purposes? Was the intellectual level of the course appropriate?
1: The hands-on exercises were of greatest interest. There’s nothing like doing to help get it into the head. 2: Learning basic transcription and basic rare book cataloguing principles was the part that I was most looking forward to. 3: Yes, it was very helpful. We were all cataloguers, and had a baseline for further training. Everything related to the hand-press period was most relevant for me. 4: Figuring out signature and collation were of the greatest interest and relevance to me. I would never have gotten it on my own. It was good to go through a record step-by-step. 5: How to apply DCRM(B) rules to actual cataloguing practice, and how it actually all works, was of most interest. I thought that the intellectual level of the course was perfect to encompass the variety of backgrounds and levels of previous experience. 6: Quickly identifying the key aspects was of greatest interest. The level was just right for those who are experienced, but don’t know rare book rules. 7: It was just about what I wanted. I really moved from being a cataloguer with experience cataloguing in AACR2/MARC, to being comfortable applying DCRM(B) standards in my cataloguing. 8: I really can’t think of anything that wasn’t useful, relevant, and interesting. 9: Everything we touched on was good solid practical information. I’m amazed at how much I was able to learn in 5 days. 10: Yes. 11: All aspects were relevant. The intellectual level was appropriate.
4) If your course left its classroom to visit Special Collections (SC) or to make other field trips away from your classroom, was the time devoted to this purpose well spent?
1: Yes, we visited SC to compare different editions/impressions. 2: I found the field trip to be time well spent; it was great to get the perspective from someone who cares about the “little” differences between books (Professor David L. Vander Meulen, UVa English Dept; a bibliographer). 3: Yes, I loved DVM, the Pope bibliographer. It’s important to be exposed to professionals with a lot of expertise. 4: Yes, seeing four quite different-looking books that turned out to be al the same edition, and hearing DVM’s research process, were very interesting. 5: Yes. The material could probably have also been covered in the classroom. But it would have taken just as long and the examples would not have been as clear. 6: The trips to SC for state, issue, edition, &c. demonstrations were excellent. 7: Yes. 8: Yes, it helped solidify the concepts to see examples. Also, the conversation between cataloguers and DVM aided in an understanding of differences and similarities. 9: Yes, the trip to SC helped to illustrate the difficult (for me) to grasp concepts of edition, issue, and state. 10: Yes. 11: No, the tour of SC was not useful.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: I liked the small size, the ability to discuss things readily with “folks like us.” The instructor never thought anyone has dumb questions. 2: I liked the hands-on illustration of the rules – the code in action. 3: I liked DL’s thoroughness and her personal experience/accounts (as well as that of the other students). I also appreciated DL’s give and take in the classroom. She strikes a balance of refining critique and affirming praise. She is equally aware of her own strengths and when she make occasional mistakes in the classroom, making her students more comfortable. 4: I loved the way DL integrated theory and practicum. Here’s what you do and why: now do it. I think it really helps the material stick in my brain. 5: I liked hearing how cataloguing issues are handled at other institutions, and getting a real world interpretation of and introduction to DCRM(B). 6: The instructor and the classmates! 7: DL is a fantastic teacher! 8: All of it! I thought that the structure was particularly helpful. Lecture followed by exercises, with a few films thrown in, meant that the time always seemed to fly by. 9: That I was able to feel confident about rare book cataloguing after 5 days. The instructor was very knowledgeable and personable, and also great at managing a classroom. 10: I liked the examination of rare books. 11: The workbook was the best.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: Occasionally the discussion got so free-flowing that we jumped around a bit and got off topic. It is hard to keep focused when that happens. Maybe we should finish a topic before opening to questions? 2: Because I had very little expertise with rare books at all, I might have better spent my time here had I been able to work on some very basic exercises ahead of time. I felt like it was a little harder to get myself up to speed. I’m not sure how this could be accomplished, though. Personally (and I think I know others in the class did not need this) I think that having the slides with examples ahead of time would have been extremely helpful, so that I could focus on the weirder stuff earlier in the week. Less on illustration would be good (it was fun, but too much proportionally). Still, extremely well taught. 3: Couldn’t be. 4: I would actually like shorter breaks (15 minutes) and lunch breaks (1 hour) so that we can get through more material. 5: Time on the last day could have been better managed to allow more time for discussion of cataloguing policy. 6: Miss computer editing. 7: I wish we’d had more time! (But the days were long enough as they were). 8: I’m unsure of any way to improve it.
7) 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: Hm, the foam “cradles” at every desk? Ban pens from the classroom? Emphasize the need to bring a pencil. I didn’t and I had to borrow one. 3: Put a better pencil sharpener in the classroom! 4: None. 6: I appreciate that you have them.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or other evening lectures, were they worth attending?
1: They were quite interesting, even when off of my career needs. 3: Yes, I wish the maps lecture had been more technical, although, again, exposure to other collections and the fine people working with them is invaluable. 4: The second was. 5: Yes. 6: I enjoyed the map lecture [No. 509] and Audubon talk, but the movie on booksellers was too long. 7: Yes, I attended them all, and they were interesting. I especially liked seeing and learning about the Audubon prints. 8: They were enjoyable and educational! 9: Yes, I enjoyed attending the lectures and video might, and the topics/speakers were very interesting. 10-11: Yes.
9) Did you get your money’s worth? Any final or summary thoughts, or advice for other persons considering taking this course in a future year?
1: I think so. I probably could have used even more exercises to drive things home. So I’m grateful for the promised “life line” of a listserv to subscribe to. 3: Yes. If you’re in the dorms, bring a radio, and flip-flops for the shower. 4: I got more than my money’s worth! This is by far one of the best learning experiences I have ever had anywhere, and I hope to reutrn as soon as possible. For those considering attending, do the advance reading! This course does not slow down and you need to be up to speed. 5: Yes. 6: Yes. Upon arrival I became envious of the courses others were taking. I expect that I’ll be back. 7: Yes. It’s an invaluable course for learning about and learning how to apply DCRM(B) in a short period of time. 8: Absolutely. I can’t wait to come back. 9: Yes! I loved attending and will recommend it to all my colleagues! 10: Yes. 11: Definitely.
Number of respondents: 11
PERCENTAGES
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
100% 90% 81% 90%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
0% 0% 19% 10%
N/A: self- N/A: Self- N/A: stayed N/A: lived
employed, re- employed, with friends nearby
tired, or had retired, or or lived at
summers off scholarship home
0% 10% 0% 0%
There were 2 rare book librarians (18%); 1 archivist/manuscript librarian (9%); 5 general librarians with some rare book duties (42%); 1 general librarian with no rare book duties (9%); and 2 cataloguers with some rare book duties (18%).