H-80: The Stationers’ Company and the London Book Trade to 1830
16-20 July 2007 in Charlottesville
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1:
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! The course book is a real treasure, as is MT’s database. 2: The course packet was very useful; rather necessary. 3: Very useful; will share with colleagues. 4: Very much so – the use of MT’s database and all the slides meant we got into much more detail than we would have without visual aids. 5: Yes. Now that there are page numbers, the next step is a table of contents. 6: Very useful. 7: Yes, the packet was very useful, especially with the reproductions of the various Acts and Charters. I know that the currency converter chart at the end will be of great use in the future.
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: I really enjoyed my brief encounter with the microfilm archive; it has whetted my enthusiasm for volunteering to help MT and contribute to his database. The intellectual level – including contributions from fellow students – was excellent. The instructors were good about explaining things we didn’t know without getting bogged down on basics. 2: I really enjoyed studying some of the people in-depth; as well, understanding the hierarchy and ruling within the company was fascinating. 3: This course gives a very good foundation to the history of printing and publishing in
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: For my project I used microfilm in the Alderman periodicals department – time very well spent. 2: We spent an afternoon period viewing the printing press which was informative. 3: We went to look at type and presses; had already done that in previous courses. 4: Yes! The projects part of the class was particularly informative and worthwhile. 6: N/A. 7: Yes, I enjoyed Monday afternoon’s printing lab.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: Interaction with MT and IG, and classmates; exposure to MT’s amazing database. 2: The knowledge of the professors was inspiring; listening to them teach and engaging in class discussions was very thought-provoking. 3: The instructors; very knowledgeable. They shared and complemented each other. 4: IG and MT – it was an honor to be asked to take the course, and I feel very privileged to now consider IG and MT good friends, and I look forward to future exchanges. 5: The instructors. They are both knowledgeable, and I very much enjoyed their relaxed styles. 6: The instructors’ wealth of knowledge – I really knew I was learning from the best. 7: Getting to know MT and IG.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: More time! 2: Perhaps an additional book for the pre-course reading could be an overview of
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: I witnessed no problems (but I heard about a coffee spill when I was at microfilm.) 2: We handled the materials well in our classroom. The usual good sense of keeping food and drink away from the collections should always apply. 3: No drinks on table. 6: N/A. 7: The room divider was not enough; I could hear the other class almost all the time.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or other evening lectures, were they worth attending?
1: Yes. James Green’s talk was excellent. Ian Willison was a little too institutional in focus for my taste, but always interesting. 2: The Sunday evening dinner and opening welcome was a nice way to set the tone for the week ahead. Monday night’s lecture [by JG] on Benjamin Franklin as a job printer was terrific; the [Big D] exhibit afterwards was priceless. 3: I attended Sunday and Monday night lectures: length of time, subject matter, and lectures themselves were great. It is always good hearing about RBS. JG was fascinating. 4: Absolutely – both JG and IW gave wonderful talks of the right tone and length. It was great to get caught up with the activities of the RBS on Sunday evening. 5: Sunday night, yes. Monday night, very much: JG is a wonderful speaker; the lecture was informative and based on solid research. 6: N/A. 7: The Monday evening lecture was a pleasure; I had a tough time hearing/understanding/following the Wednesday evening lecture.
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: Yes. Come well rested, but understand you will be run ragged.
Number of respondents: 7
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
71% 43% 86% 86%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
29% 14% 14% 14%
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% 43% 0% 0%
There were 4 rare book librarians (57%); 1 conservator (14%); 1 full-time student (14%); and 1 retired (14%).