1) How useful were the pre-course readings?

1: Course readings were, for the main part, relevant and useful to the course and course work. Information in the readings became clearer through class lectures and discussion. 2: The pre-course readings helped to set the tone for the course: a great deal of material will be covered... 3: Everything I read was useful. There was so much, though, that I couldn't get through all of it. 4: The pre-course readings were useful and appropriate to the course. I feel requiring the pre-course reading was necessary to deriving full benefit from the course. 5: Useful for background, history, and to get a sense of other libraries' practices. 6: They were useful. They made us more familiar with the terminology used in the field. 7: The pre-course readings were very useful, although I found Gaskell hard to get through. 8: Very useful. 9: I will now go through the readings again. I believe they will be more readily absorbed. 10: They were helpful in preparing for class discussions. 11: Some were useful. Readings will make more sense after class.

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: Syllabus relevant during course. Distributed materials (cataloging policy; title page transcripts; full cataloging examples), will be extremely useful for future work with rare book cataloging. 2: The workbook will be/has been very useful. 3: Yes. 4: Course schedule issued at beginning of week had to be modified. This was acceptable as a necessary flexibility in adapting to events, some of which were external to our own class. 5: Extremely. 6: Yes. More hand-outs would be helpful. 7-8: Yes. 9: Yes. But I think some responsibilities is my own -- to put things in good order when I return. 10: Very appropriate and very useful. 11: Yes.

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

1-2: Yes. 3: Absolutely. In fact, I though that we were all at a similar level and that made the pace very comfortable. 4-5: Yes. 6: Yes. After all, we all are professionals. 7-11: Yes.

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

1: Visit to Special Collections was helpful to visually see first-hand and not from photocopies editions, issues, states of works. 2: Yes -- definitely. I would have enjoyed a trip on day one, and then again on day four. Seeing the books and the differences made cataloging issues much easier to visualize. 3-5: Yes. 6: Yes. We saw actual examples of issue and state. 7-11: 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?

1-11: Yes.

6) What did you like best about the course?

1: Finally understanding rare book cataloging and how to read/interpret a DCRB cataloging record. A lot of the mystery is now gone. 2: Having an opportunity to use actual books was very helpful. DJL made a potentially dry issue -- fun; she regularly encouraged those of us who were not as proficient, that we could do it. Thank you! 3: My primary reasons for attending were (1) to gain experience with DCRB, and (2) to learn about local practice and setting of cataloging policy. Both topics were covered quite well. DJL was an excellent instructor; she obviously knows her field backward and forward. 4: Being able to receive training directly from an experienced rare book cataloger -- personal interaction with fellow classmates who shared my background in cataloging. DJL has a very enjoyable classroom presence. 5: (1) Hands on practicum. (2) I love the extra information, such as the "Latin pages," in the workbook. This is going to be an invaluable resource to me in the future. 6: Hands-on practice, emphasis on details. 7: Learning something I can really use on a day-to-day basis. The signature and pagination explanation particularly. 8: The instructor and members of the class were stimulating and provoked other questions, &c. -- Time was allowed for this to happen. The practice sessions were much needed but I would have liked more, more often. 9: Work with actual books, the opportunities to see things illustrated. The instructor is enthusiastic and obviously loves her subject. She was always ready to answer questions and will continue to be a resource. 10: That I understand Rare Book Cataloging now. Having an excellent instructor and great classmates. 11: Everything. At first difficult because of not cataloging rare book materials yet. By end of course, much came in place.

7) How could the course have been improved?

1: Course work was all relevant. It helped to do exercises initially in pairs until one became comfortable with the material. It would have been perhaps more helpful to have spent time with the books before receipt of worksheets. 2: Having time to catalog on a daily basis would have been useful. It was hard to assimilate so much new material without doing daily cataloging. 3: It is a lot of information! If it were possible to have two-week courses...no, just kidding. 4: Certain materials, such as illustration packets and video on format/printing, seemed to be in short supply, so instructors were forced to negotiate with each other over who got them when. This could be avoided. 5: Briefly show resources available to rare book catalogers on the Internet. 6: More time should be spent on how to formulate signatures, especially the bizarre situations. 7: I think it's fine as is. Having people in the class from a wide variety of public, academic and special libraries makes a nice cross-section. 8: I would have liked more time to discuss the Cataloging Policy issues. I absorb smaller units of information better, plus time to practice these smaller units before forging into other areas. 9: Perhaps more practice work with critiques. 10: It was excellent. I don't know how it could be improved within the given constraints. 11: Not sure. Maybe more time to look at materials -- perhaps students could work on after class. Perhaps cataloging students can get more opportunity to handle materials 7-9 rather than attend other RBS events. Enjoyed instructor's teaching manner. Never got bored. Enjoyed everything. Loved the cataloging practicum corrected sheets.

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: We were all well instructed on how to handle the RBS materials and the reason behind the care. No further suggestions necessary. 2: Not for improvement -- but the sponge holders were helpful. 3: It seems to me that you all are doing very well with this already. 7: Mini-cradles to support book rather than flimsy foam supports. 11: I very much enjoyed the opportunity to handle the materials made available.

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: Sunday afternoon tour -- enjoyable, informative, gave a good sense of where things are in campus and relation to Alderman. Evening events worthwhile, especially Monday lecture with Barbara Shailor and Study Night. Bookseller Night interesting, Video Night OK. Makes for a late night. 2: The Sunday afternoon tour was very useful since I had not been on the campus before. The dinner provided an opportunity to meet people. Study Night was great. 3: The course was so intensive that I really didn't have the energy to do much in the way of extra activities. 4: Sunday afternoon tour was excellent. BS's lecture on Monday night was a real high point. Study Night was also highly worthwhile. 5: Enjoyed all. 6: I enjoyed seeing the movies. They won't ever win Oscars, but they showed how the processes of producing books worked. 7: All were good, but perhaps another lecture might be preferred to Video Night. 8: Good quality and most enjoyable. 9: The evening lectures and Study Night were particularly enjoyable. By Video Night, I was very tired. 10: I thought the quality of the RBS activities was very good. One free night would be good also. 11: Great idea, but unable to attend, although planned.

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

1: Certainly got money's worth and more. The RBS staff is very encouraging, interested, and helpful. The food at breaks/breakfast and the idea of the breaks to get all students and faculty together is a great idea. 2: Do all of the reading before the course starts. 3-4: Yes. 5: Yes, especially having the current Bibliographic Standard's Committee chair as the instructor is a bonus. Advice: do the reading beforehand. 6: Yes, it was well worth it. Read beforehand, though. 7: Yes, the instructor being on the RBMS Bibliographic Standards Committee is great, in that she was current with latest rule interpretations and possible forthcoming changes. 8: Recent cataloging experience is extremely important. 9: Yes. 10: Yes! 11: Yes, of course more to learn. Great introduction to complexities of rare book cataloging.

Number of respondents: 11

There were three rare book librarians (27%), three general librarians with some rare book duties (27%), two catalogers (18%), two catalogers with some rare book duties (18%), and one supervisor of both rare book and non-rare book catalogers (10%).

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