44. Artists’ Books: Strategies for Collecting [C-80]
13-17 June 2005
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: Very helpful; read about 3/4 of what was requested. 2: The Century of Artists’ Books by JD was the most useful and certainly necessary. 3: Very useful, although they will be even more useful as post-course readings. 4: Extremely useful pre-course reading, especially JD’s own text. Some/many were difficult to get hold of before class through library. 5: It was difficult to access some of the readings. 6: Readings were relevant.
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 good. 2: Yes. 3: Very useful. 4-5: Yes. 6: Yes, materials will be useful. Web sites will be very helpful.
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: Very strong, well researched, well articulated concepts were presented. I really appreciated the comments and diverse perspectives of my class members. 2: It would be very difficult to pick out a particular aspect, because I was excited, interested, and intellectually stimulated by all of it. 3: The combination of seeing/touching so many works, with JD’s intellectually stimulating, yet accessible discussions of the works was fantastic! 4: Being able to see the actual artist books, handle, compare, was invaluable to learning. We never could have learned any of this without JD’s extensive collection in addition to UVa’s holdings. 5: All of the course content was good. Access to books in Special Collections were a highlight. 6: All. Yes.
4) If your course had field trips, were they effective?
1: Yes, very well spent. Part of each day was spent reviewing a special genre or aspect of artists’ books, livres d’artistes, printing techniques, content, &c. 2: Yes, getting to see some otherwise not accessible work was a good way to get a true sense of the history of the book as well as offering a visual reference for things often written about. The actual object is an invaluable resource. 3: Definitely. I especially enjoyed the visit to the Virginia Arts of the Book Center. 4: The ability to view the artist books in Special Collections was essential. 5-6: Yes.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: It was the most interesting, comprehensive, and informative conversation I have had about artists’ books in 30 years of making and teaching artists’ books. 3: JD’s encyclopedic knowledge and critical facility. Thanks; great class! 4: a) JD; b) Seeing the books in hand. 5: JD’s knowledge of the field and her willingness to share and discuss the subject in a variety of ways. The opportunity to meet and network with people from a variety of institutions and organizations in USA and UK. 6: Hands on book evaluation and discussion.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: Could have some follow-up courses or some writing (critical writing) homework. 4: The room was always too cold. 6: I think the title of the course should be changed. It’s so much more than Strategies for Collecting.
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: None. 3: The classroom was, often, too cold for much of the class. 6: None.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or Monday night lectures, were they worth attending?
1: Monday was somewhat boring. 3: N/A. 5: Yes.
9) If you attended Museum Night, was the time profitably spent?
1: Yes, it was interesting. 3: N/A 5: Yes.
10) 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: Yes, money well spent. 2: I fell that this class was above and beyond my expectations. Anyone interested (even slightly) in artists’ books would find this class informative and fun. 3: The course would be excellent for librarians, curators, booksellers, teachers, book artists, and collectors. The instructor is able to reach whatever level of expertise or knowledge a student has and enhance it. Good job. 4: Yes. I would have felt that I had gotten my money’s worth even if I had paid for this myself. 5-6: Yes.
Number of respondents: 6
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
50% 66% 50% 50%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
0% 17% 17% 17%
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 exchange home
50% 17% 33% 33%
There were two general librarians with some rare book duties (32%), and one each (17%) rare book librarian, professor, and museum employee. One participant did not list a profession.