82: The Book in the Manuscript Era [H-20]
25-29 July 2005
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: The pre-course readings were very helpful. 2: The pre-course readings were very helpful -- especially J.J.G. Alexander’s Medieval Illuminators and their Methods of Work, Michelle Brown’s Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts, and BAS’s The Medieval Book. 3: The first level of the reading list was quite useful. I did start on the other readings, but thought that I could have focused my attention on them more profitably had I had specific passages to look at. 4: Extremely useful. 5: Very useful. I would have been lost without them. 6: Extremely useful. 7: Useful, for the most part. 8: Very helpful. It was the first course I’ve taken where they actually were useful, or I should say referred to. 9: They provided an excellent introduction to the material. 10: Extremely useful before and during class. 11: Excellent and extensive.
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: This material is a veritable treasure. BAS thoughtfully gave us a mountain of written and electronic resources. 2: Yes. I especially appreciated the extensive bibliographies on manuscripts and on illuminations. 3: Yes! The bibliography is great, and I can’t wait to work with the images on the CD, which I think will be invaluable! 4: Yes, especially the incredibly detailed reading list for follow-up reading at home. 5-7: Yes. 8: The workbook will be useful. 9: Absolutely. 10: The course materials will be invaluable in future study. 11: Excellent and thorough.
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: This course was a terrific combination of theoretical and practical activities. BAS wanted us to “learn to look and to see clearly” what makes a medieval manuscript what it is. She did so magnificently. 2: Trips to Special Collections (SC) at UVa and our visit to the Library of Congress (LC) and the Folger Library were very interesting. BAS is a great lecturer, and I enjoyed being able to handle the manuscripts. 4: Examining original texts with BAS and learning how to train my eye. The visits to SC at UVa were extremely useful and interesting. 5: I enjoyed the focus on scripts. Working with an art historian, paleography is overshadowed by iconography. 6: The highest intellectual level. It was extremely relevant to what I collect. 7: Dating of scripts. 8: Absolutely everything. My knowledge of medieval manuscripts was very little before I took this course. Now I know a prick (on parchment, that is) when I see one. 9: Descriptions of manuscripts in the collections at UVa. I will now be able to enhance my online cataloging of those manuscripts. 10: The intellectual level was appropriate and challenging. All aspects of the course were of immense interest. 11: The forensic work done on the RBS fragments was particularly interesting. The intellectual level was way above mine -- or so I felt frequently.
4) If your course had field trips, were they effective?
1: Certainly. 2: Yes, especially our trip to the Folger. 3: I think so, although it was very difficult and frustrating for a group of 12 to view codices (especially small ones). 4: Yes, extremely -- we saw some wonderful things and learned a lot from the experts working at LC and the Folger. 5: Yes. However, the transportation needs to be improved. A few of us (the littlest of course) had to ride in the very uncomfortable back row. My back hurts today because of that seat. 6: Definitely yes. 7: Very much so. 8: The LC and Folger Library trips were fantastic. 9: Yes. 10: The trip to LC and the Folger Library were of terrific benefit and were wonderful enrichments of in-class discussions. 11: Yes!
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: BAS: what an astonishing scholar, teacher and -- most important -- person. 2: Being able to handle items, our final projects, and class lectures. 3: I found it very stimulating. 4: Being exposed to BAS’s extensive knowledge of and experience with medieval manuscripts. 5: The instructor is clearly an expert and also a very good teacher. She is not an easy, forgiving teacher, but I have learned how to begin to identify a medieval manuscript with a trained eye. 6: Everything -- it got better each day. 7: Time spent in SC. 8: BAS! 9: The in-depth knowledge of the instructor. There wasn’t a question she couldn’t answer. Her enthusiasm for the material was catching. 10: The instructor’s depth and breadth of knowledge and engaging and entertaining presentation of often complex and difficult subject matter. 11: The teacher and the content.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: Hold it over a period of two weeks! 2: With so many people in our class, it was difficult to view items. Also, a few people tended to dominate the lectures with off-topic comments. 3: As much as I enjoyed our class, I found it incredibly frustrating to view materials in groups of 12. Inevitably it was difficult to see codices, although the “basket” method did work. Could the size of the class be limited to eight or nine? 5: Fewer people. There were too many people trying to look at the materials at once. The less aggressive of us couldn’t see sometimes. 6: I do not know. 8: More space is needed for manuscript viewing. 9: Two weeks instead of one! 10: The entire course was skillfully and professionally presented. I have nothing but praise to offer. 11: I do not have a clue.
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: These materials were respected and cared for by all who were part of the program. 2: None. 3: I thought the “basket method” for passing materials was a great idea. 4: I found the classroom (Clemons 322B) uncomfortable -- too small for the number of people, unpleasant with no windows. 5: A lazy susan? 6: None. 7: Things seemed to be well-protected. 10: None. 11: No ideas.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or Wednesday night lectures, were they worth attending?
2: Yes -- especially Wednesday’s lecture on “The Scholar-Librarian” -- excellent. 3: The Sunday night lecture was informative because I didn’t know very much about the relationship between RBS and UVa. I didn’t get very much out of the Wednesday night lecture. 4-6: Yes. 7: Wednesday night’s lecture was very worthwhile. 8: Yes, both lectures were worthy. 10: Yes. 11: Absolutely.
9) If you attended Museum Night or Video Night, was the time profitably spent?
1: Yes, Video Night was superb. 2, 4-6: Yes. 7: Possibly. I think I was too tired to benefit as much from these events. 10: Yes.
10) Did you get your money’s worth? Any final thoughts?
1: This class was simply one of the very best I have ever been part of -- at any time. And BAS’s personality, scholarship, communication skills and eagerness to help us grow as knowledgeable people are beyond compare. 2: Yes. 3: I was pretty impressed by people who took the course but didn’t know any Latin! Would it scare too many people off if you added to the description that a little familiarity with Latin is recommended? 4: Yes, definitely worth attending. I learned a huge amount and have lots of ideas and resources to take home for further study. 5: Yes. Advice: come prepared. Do your reading. Realize it will be hard work with minimal downtime. 6: Yes. 7: I think my institution got its money’s worth. I learned a lot that I will be able to use in my job right away. 8: I always get my money’s worth. You can never go wrong with RBS; I wish it advertised its programs more. 9: Take it! 10: I’ll be back. 11: Yes; it was a very “illuminating” week.
Number of respondents: 11
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
54% 45% 27% 36%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
9% 36% 54% 54%
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
36% 18% 18% 9%
There were three archivist/manuscript librarians (27%), three book collectors (27%), two rare book librarians (18%), two full-time students (18%), and one teacher/professor (9%).