Terry Belanger and Richard Noble
Coordinating Instructors

Julia Dupuis Blakely
John Buchtel
Peter-john Byrnes
Stephen Tabor
David Whitesell
Lab Instructors

Heather Horechny
Melissa S. Mead
Curators of the Course Museums

Terrence P. Chouinard
Printer in Residence

1) How useful were the pre-course readings? How successful was the advance use of the videotape, The Anatomy of a Book, as a teaching tool?

1: Very useful. 2: Extremely useful and fundamentally necessary. 3: Pre-course readings were essential. Video -- extremely helpful. 4: Pre-course readings were very helpful. It would have been very hard to understand (catch-up) on lots of vocabulary, &c., if I had not read the books and watched the videotape. 5: Pre-course readings were extremely useful, though Bowers was (and in some ways still is) very difficult to follow (and attend to on warm afternoons). I found the video less useful than I had expected, after reading Gaskell, Carter, et al. 6: Both readings and video helpful. I must add my voice to the Greek chorus: read Bowers. I did before I came here, but not enough, and the first day was catch up. 7: Indispensable. The readings are necessary and the videotape particularly helpful for understanding parts of the reading in Gaskell. I would have liked advanced warning to FOCUS ON BOWERS Chapter 5, since I began with Gaskell and didn't finish Bowers. 8: The pre-course readings and videotape are imperative. I watched the tape four times and read everything (except Bowers) at least two times. I started weeks ahead and got help along the way. I wish I had done more! 9: The workbook and videotape were very helpful as were the readings. 10: Had I not seen the video, I would not have been prepared for the course work, or for TB. The video provided a good introduction and helped put a "face" on our work. 11: Essential. This class does not just require pre-course reading. It requires pre-course studying and reviewing. (Bowers should be your chosen companion for the weekend preceding the start of the course.) Video not useful. 12: The videotape was indispensable to understanding the basic vocabulary and concepts. If anything, I wish I had devoted more time to the pre-course readings. 13: Readings were good and necessary, although Bowers was tough going without any accompanying elucidation. Suggestion: watch video several times before attending and after some instruction -- better grasp of details. 14: Both the video and pre-course readings were essential. 15: Essential. 16: Very useful on all counts. 17: Pre-course readings essential. The videotape immediately made formats clear. 18: The videotape was useful. The readings were also very useful. One suggestion: tell students Gaskell should be brought too. I think it only said to bring Bowers. The book on examples (forgot title) really didn't impress me much. 19: Very useful, especially that the reading was prioritized. 20: They were useful in enabling me to become familiar with the terminology, processes, and structure of books. I would have been lost without them.

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

1: Yes. 2: Indeed, I believe they will be essential for my continued education and professional development. 3: Yes. 4: Course syllabus -- very helpful. Exit list -- will be helpful. 5: Both -- yes, definitely. 6: I plan to keep the reading list for further study. 7: Yes!! 8: I am sure they will be. I will be ordering books tomorrow. 9: Absolutely. 10: Aside from TB and RN's lectures, the syllabus, workbook, and exit reading lists will be essential to what I do when I get back to work. 11: Yes. 12: Absolutely. 13: Yes. 14: Very useful. 15: Essential. 16: Yes! 17: Exit list will be an important reference tool for my professional and personal reading. 18: Yes, I believe they have been/will be very useful, especially the exit reading list. 19: I think that they will be; although it is an awful lot of paper. 20: Yes.

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

1: Yes. 2: Quite (this is so much better than library school)! 3: Absolutely. 4: Very much so. 5: Yes -- it was immensely informative and presented with intelligence and wit. 6: Yes. I was always challenged but never left behind. Kudos to JB, who conducted lab with knowledge, enthusiasm and, when setting us straight, tact. 7: Yes! 8: I believe everyone had to stretch. 9: Vigorous and challenging. 10: When combined with the museum, yes. 11: Yes. Challenging, but with enough assistance to minimize frustration. 12: Stimulating. 13: Yes. Challenging. 14: Yes. I was lucky enough to be paired with someone who had roughly the same level of expertise. The lectures were useful and exhilarating. Much of it I had learned earlier, so the course served as a needed reinforcement. 15-16: Yes. 17: Appropriate and challenging. 18: Yes. 19: Yes. In my lab, it seemed to be perfectly pitched at our level. 20: Yes.

4) To what extent did the Museums contribute to the success of the course? How could they have been improved? How useful to you were (or will be) the copies of the museum labels?

1: It was like going over the material taught in class. 2: I think they gave some good examples and raised interesting points. In some cases they merely piqued my curiosity, but I think it is an efficient method considering amount of work and time constraints. 3: These exhibits were a pleasure to experience. Great to have "hands-on" experience with these objects and books. There is so much information in the labels that I will enjoy reading them again. 4: Museums helpful in the fact of giving us more examples with which to help progress understanding. Also gave examples of other things that would be interesting to study. 5: My museum sessions were sometimes abbreviated by the necessity of hurrying back to the 2nd floor of Clemons to continue Desbib homework. Very interesting, however, to the extent I could get into them. 6: An embarrassment of riches! If only everything was spread over two weeks. 7: Extremely useful and interesting. It is one thing to read or hear about a thing and another entirely different thing to SEE the thing. CLARITY. 8: The museums and collections are absolutely amazing. It is a tribute to TB -- his perseverence and the high regard those in the field have for him. Contributions have come from an amazing variety of people and institutions. 9: The museums were very good. I just wished I had more time to get through them all. The museum labels are and will be a great reference source. 10: The museums give a tangible dimension to the reading and the lecture. Plus, we saw items in the museums that we hadn't seen elsewhere. The museums were a valuable part of this course. 11: By the end of the day, with homework looming, it was often difficult to concentrate on the museums. Nonetheless, the examples backed up the lectures well, and the labels, containing so much information, will invite further scrutiny. 12: Provided examples and through them I was able to incorporate all my senses in the learning experience. 13: Museum workbook copies serve as a reminder of what was in display -- so much to see. 14: The museum labels are a wonderful tool to take home and refer to in future. They contributed to the success of the course in terms of illustration, but didn't materially affect my performance. 15: Excellent all around. 16: Museums were very helpful. 17: I enjoyed and found illuminating the ability to have a hands-on experience with matters discussed in class. 18: Museums were very useful and interesting. One suggestion (and this only happened once, but on the day when concentration was most important): don't have museum mentors socializing. I will say that one mentor asked others to be quiet. I'm not sure how useful the labels will be. 19: Definitely useful; I think I have to tear out the really useful ones while the memory's still fresh. 20: I am a "visual" person, so I greatly appreciated the museums and certainly will go back and use the labels that were particularly interesting to me.

5) How successful were your format-and-collation labs? How effective was your lab instructor in conveying the material to be covered? How could the labs have been improved?

Julia Blakely: 1: I cannot imagine this class without the labs. The instructor was great. 2: The labs were good. I do wish unprepared and dominating students had been addressed (discreetly -- of course) early in the week. 3: Very successful. This is what I came here to learn and I did learn. Our lab instructor was terrific -- knowledgeable, friendly, always helpful. John Buchtel: 4: Very! JB was very good at explaining and answering questions. He always took the time to help. Maybe a little longer to be able to go over all the books. 5: JB was very good at leading our group of three in an appreciation of the intricacies and sometimes truths which the Bowers method reveals. Reminded me of a math class, where the method one followed was always more important than the answer. 6: See #3 for instructor comment. My only suggestion is perhaps less examples to format and collate. Six made a certain amount of rushing necessary, and I saw no one breezing through them. Peter-john Byrnes: 7: Very successful. I would have liked more time after the homework to review my errors and clarify my understanding. But the structure of the labs is very effective. 8: My lab instructor was great. Once or twice I asked him a question he couldn't answer, and he went and got the answers. When I suggested shortcuts I proposed to do in my work, he persuaded me to reconsider Bowers and explained why. He enthusiastically made very helpful suggestions for my obscure project. 9: Our lab instructor was excellent in explaining the methodology of desbib. I sincerely appreciated his humor and patience with our challenging assignments. I do feel I know more now then I did on Monday. In addition, I would not change the intimacy of the student-teacher ratio in the lab sessions. It is a relationship that works. Stephen Tabor: 10: Relatively successful, and ST was essential to us understanding both our successes and errors. If we had half the books to contend with, we might have covered them in great detail. ST was great in keeping us focused. 11: Very successful. My instructor has shown considerable patience and good humor; more importantly, he has provided daily doses of enlightenment. 12: Labs were the most effective venue for communicating the depth of the course. However, I would have appreciated receiving the correction sheets immediately after studying the books instead of waiting until the end of the week. 13: Labs very instructive. Lab instructor superb. 14: Excellent all around. We had lively discussions, and he was extremely knowledgeable. David Whitesell: 15: Couldn't be better. Excellent. 16: The labs were very good. I have no suggestions for improvement. 17: The instructor helped greatly to explain difficulties encountered in homework exercises. His teaching style was thorough and comprehensive. 18: My lab instructor was great! I really liked the way we worked the format and collation out one at a time. My cohort's composition was also very useful, like minds working together. 19: The labs were the best part of the course. It is several times easier to remember even minor historical details when the books are there to associate the memory with and you've already spent time with it. I think perhaps we could have started full collational formula from the beginning. 20: Very. DW was quite knowledgeable and helped guide our thinking.

6) Did the actual course content correspond to its RBS brochure description and Expanded Course Description?

1: Yes, but still it's more work than I imagined. 2: Yes -- the focus was more specific than the totality of the reading list, but hints on that list were helpful for placement of emphasis. 3: Exactly. 4: Very much. 5-6: Yes. 7: Better than expected. 8: It offered much more than I expected. 9: Yes. 10: Yes. Homework should, however, have been addressed in more detail. 11: Yes -- although from the reading, one might think that the course will require knowledge of full-dress descriptive bibliography. 12-16: Yes. 17: Corresponded. 18: I believe it did. 19-20: Yes.

7) What did you like best about the course?

1: Enlightening. 2: Hands-on practice and detailed discussion -- great lectures. 3: I enjoyed it all -- the lectures, the homework and labs, the museums, demos. The Sunday night lecture was great! I especially liked having the labs in the mornings, museums in the afternoons. It is good to do the tough stuff in the morning. 4: The actual collation statements and learning about parts of books, I never knew existed. I learned that I don't know everything I should know! I hope to come back for several more classes. 5: Ask me this in a year or so and I'll answer it better. 6: The lectures and banter of TB and RN. Made a complex subject entertaining as well. Study Night (needs a more enticing name). 3D Carter was impressive. Finding myself asking WWFBD? (What would Fredson Bowers do?) 7: Format/collation labs (homework) and the museum. 8: I am carrying home the resources to begin a bibliography and a reading list to continue my studies. 9: It has been a vigorous and challenging course in all aspects. I especially enjoyed the visual museums and other displays because they made many things very clear to me. 10: TB and RN's lectures. They should have been twice as long. 11: The elegance of the structure -- from small intensive groups to fluid lecture to individual study. Being taught so much so quickly. Desbib as a subject. 12: The depth and variety of information presented that will enable me to continue my individual study. I see this as a preview for further study/investigation. 13: Lab sessions and homework are where actual learning takes place. 14: Homework. 15: Labs! 16: The chance to work hands-on with a variety of interesting materials. 17: It was well thought-out. I enjoyed the teachers from senior, junior, to lab instructor. 18: Even though it took a lot of time, I liked the homework sessions best and the follow-up labs, too. 19: Again, labs. 20: Hands-on collating experience.

8) How could the course as a whole have been improved?

1: N/A. 3: I cannot imagine! 4: If the class could last a little longer -- could cover more -- example, just over a week. 5: More time? Lectures in the morning -- NOT after lunch. Generally, however, not at all. 6: Add nothing but time. Not that it's probably possible, though. I easily got two weeks' worth of info into one. While that is a rich experience, I hope it all settles in to be accessible in the future. I would hate to see anything lost, though. (Well, maybe Thursday Video Night). 7: I don't know, except more time to review homework. 8: I thought TB/RN did a splendid job. They were thoughtful, helpful, and realistic about cataloging (a profession for the leisure class, and it takes 30 years to do a great bibliography!) 9: I would put the homework sessions in the morning rather than at the end of the day when one's stamina is strongest. 10: Fewer books for homework, which would have allowed us to attack them in greater detail. Also, we should have had a unit on contents listings. 11: More explanation should have been provided for the requirements of homework. 12: Perhaps a more open discussion session allowing more insight into "the state of the art." 13: Could use more hands-on work (folding, cutting) with complex formats, i.e. 12mo, 18mo. 14: Perhaps it could be broken into two sections -- those with more background and experience delving into other elements of bibliographical entry besides the ones covered without turning it into the advanced course. 16: No suggestions at this point. 17: I can't see how it can be improved. Make it longer? 19: For me, the pace of the course seemed to peter out right after Thursday labs as we had no more collation homework. I thought perhaps more homework/labs could be added at the expense of museums, and museums moved to evening session.

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, Video Night, evening lectures, Tuesday evening Bookseller Night, Study Night, hand-press printing demonstrations, Rotunda exhibition, &c.).

1: I wish the Sunday afternoon tour were more professional. 2: Demonstrations were very helpful for understanding. It was all quite fun -- great opportunities to talk with colleagues and like-minded, interesting people. 3: Unfortunately, homework took the time of Study Night and Bookseller Night; the tour was good, as were the videos and the demos -- press and the Hinman. I crammed in what I could and enjoyed it all. 4: [Sunday night dinner]: great get-to-know evening. [Hand-press printing demonstrations]: wonderful and fun. [Rotunda exhibition]: excellent. 5: Didn't do tour, but other events seemed quite worthwhile. I especially enjoyed Will Noel's lecture on the Archimedes palimpsest -- though he was very unscripted. 6: Sunday night dinner, the Archimedes lecture and Study Night were my favorite activities. 7: I have found the whole experience here to be very supportive and friendly. Everything and everyone fits together well. 8: I did not make it to Video Night or the Bookseller Night but hardly missed anything else -- hand-press, evening lecture, Sunday tour and dinner, Hinman demo, Rotunda exhibition, and McGregor &c., &c. I enjoyed EVERYTHING. 9: I have tried to see and do as much as possible in my time here, and I have benefitted from all the activities and displays that I have participated in. 10: With the amount of homework, it wasn't possible to see everything. That should be stated to future Desbib students. 11: The Monday evening lecture was the highlight of the week. With that exception, the evenings were devoted to homework. 13: Food is great. Sunday night dinner is essential for solid introductions before classes start. 14: I did all the activities and enjoyed them all. 16: All were very enjoyable. 17: The lecture was fantastic; demonstrations enjoyable and informative. 18: I participated in many of the extra-curricular activities and was appreciative that one was not expected to go. They were well thought-out. The lecture was extremely interesting and well presented. Some of the videos were poor quality. 19: WN's lecture was very entertaining and a great way to start the week. Lunch-time demonstrations squeeze in nicely. I wasn't up to making Bookseller Night; might have been better on Thursday. 20: I enjoyed all the activities. They were all quality, though the second video seemed dated and unintentionally funny.

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

1: Yes. 2: Indeed! I hope to spend more here in the future! Advice -- please come prepared: for your sake and that of your classmates. 3: Oh, yes! Advice -- read the booklet on RBS -- all of it. Some people didn't seem to know about things that were clearly given in the booklet. And -- do believe that all that reading is necessary -- it is! 4: Yes. Be sure to read before class. Great instructors and great examples. 5: I think so, yes. (Especially if I can convince the IRS to give me a deduction!) 6: Yes. Be prepared to be challenged. It will be a bit exhausting but you will be sad to see it over so soon. 7: Oh, yes. Do it. 8: Did I get my money's worth -- I had a private tutor! He was fabulous. My advice to others is unless you are already cataloging on a regular basis DO THE HOMEWORK. Start early so you can re-read the material. 9: Yes. I just wish "real" education was this passionate and challenging. 10: I feel like I made out like a bandit after taking Desbib. The amount of preparation needed for this class does, however, need to be emphasized. One cannot hope to succeed in or to understand the material without a TON of preparation. 11: This course imparts a high sense of accomplishment and humility; it is an intense tour of desbib and the history of the book. Advice: Read and see the pre-course material in the suggested sequence. Everything builds up to Bowers. 12: Do prepare ahead. Worth it all! 13: Absolutely. 14: Overwhelmingly. Advice -- amazingly enough, one of my classmates admitted to not having done the pre-course reading. I'm not kidding: don't waste your money or your classmates' time. 15: Yes. Watch video on book production. Look at bibliographies. 16: Very definitely. I do most strongly suggest doing all the preliminary reading beforehand. 17: Well worth it. Prepare, prepare, prepare. I hated Bowers before, now I look forward to reading through again. 18: Yes. 20: Yes. It was worth every penny and I hope to return. Advice: Do the advance reading and don't wait till the last minute to read Bowers. It requires time to read carefully.

Number of respondents: 20

There were five rare book librarians (25%), two general librarians with rare book duties (10%), two full-time MLS students (10%), four antiquarian booksellers (20%), one archivist or manuscript librarian (5%), one general librarian with no rare book duties (5%), one teacher or professor (5%), one antiquarian bookseller in-training (5%), one book collector (5%), one acquisitions librarian with some rare book duties (5%), one employee of a rare book library who has preservation and conservation duties (5%).

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