Andrew Stauffer
L-65 Digitizing the Historical Record
7-11 June 2010
1. How useful were the pre-course readings? (Leave blank if you applied and were accepted late for the course, and thus did not get the list in time.)
1: Too broad for the class. 2: The pre-course reading list is GOLD. I have already shared it with a colleague who might benefit. 3: Good. 5: Very useful and pertinent to course content. 6: Extremely useful and interesting. 7: Very helpful but a bit overwhelming. 8: Very useful and will read these materials (which were optional) when I return. 9: Good background. 10: They were moderately useful. Some were a bit dated and leaned more to professional interests than institutional interests. 11: Okay.
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 number of rare books was high for the course's content, but right for its constituency, I think. 2-4: Yes. 5: Yes, absolutely. 6: Yes, the suggested reading list is especially helpful as I continue to improve my knowledge in this area. 7: Appropriate and I anticipate future use. 8: Yes, and will read materials listed in workbook bibliography. 9-11: Yes.
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: Markup and the Google Books project. 2: Honestly, it was all interesting and relevant. I learned a lot every day. 3: The course was very policy driven. This is of course relevant to anyone working with these types of materials and projects. However, I would have liked to have spent more time learning about the scholarly projects themselves. In most cases, much of the policy discussed was preaching to the choir. That said, since this was a test-run for the course, it was well-organized. 4: Since this is the first time the class was offered, overall I think it is interesting. 5: It provided an intellectual framework for building a digitization program—it was exactly what I needed. 6: I was especially interested in learning about digital projects that were completed, and the class discussions which evaluated their usability, and success as gateways to the material. 7: Survey of what is done in other areas. Broadening my focus from the specific materials with which I work. 8: Visits to various digitization areas of UVA and the theoretical conversations we engaged in (very seminar-like) which although sometimes free-form and wide-ranging nevertheless were anchored around the examples and studies/readings. 9:. Mixed. Some aspects too intensively covered (e.g., complexities of metadata) beyond what was needed, and in so doing perhaps buried essential "takeaway" in detail. 10: Discussion of comparative practices and projects. 11: Both theoretical and practical. Learned about digital humanities scholarship. Concepts applicable to non-historical documents.
4. What did you like best about the course?
1: We didn't get easy answers—which is frustrating! It would have been very easy for AS to simplify the course and give us a more palatable course. Instead it was mind-blowing. 2: Interactions with and learning from other students; field trips/guest talks by relevant experts at UVa; deep, broad, thoughtfully selected readings. 4: The subject and the way everyone viewed the problems of print and digital form. 5: Lively intellectual discourse between teacher and participants. 6: The open nature of class discussions and varied perspectives from different backgrounds, i.e., scholars, librarians, archivists, &c. 7: Intense and detailed exposure to expertise. 8: Discussions and application of RBS materials to the questions we considered. 9:. Hands-on discussion of objects at beginning; some of the general discussions. 10: Open discussion among students and the instructor. 11: Interaction with classmates; tour to Digitization and Scholars' Labs; instructor not dogmatic but open-minded; exposure to people in special collections; offered different perspective on collections (unpublished manuscripts vs. published works in library).
5. Did the instructor(s) successfully help you to acquire the information and skills that the course was intended to convey?
1: Not that type of course! More conversation. 2: I think so—the
"takeaway points" were quite broad, but I don't think it was inappropriate for
them to be so. 3-7: Yes. 8: There are no easy answers, however! 9:.
Yes, to some extent. But not always so clearly focused as needed to ensure that
specific key issues/takeaways were clear to all. 10: Mostly. The course
description was quite vague and the course was at variance with my
expectations. 11: Yes.
6. Did you learn what the course description/advertisements indicated you would learn?
1: Yes. Or at least that there are no answers, only questions, when it comes to digitization! 2-7: Yes. 8: Yes. Emails from instructor were also helpful to clarify. 9: Yes and no. Not entirely. 11: Yes and no. Partially. 12: Yes.
7. Did you learn what you wanted to learn in the course?
1: Yes. The course was less about acquiring information and more about the issues that need to be considered when framing institutional policy. It was not what I expected. But the course style and content were appropriate to the topic. 2: Yes. I learned a ton and am glad I took the course—but also feel that I could keep investigating and discussing these issues for another week or more. 3: Yes and no. AS mentioned that he did not include any technical training in the course because he wanted to look at the bigger picture. I think some of that could have been condensed and both abstract and technical training could have been provided. 4-8: Yes. 9: Yes and no. In some ways, yes. But overall outline of topics to be addressed needs to be made focused. 10: No. 11: Yes.
8. How do you intend to use or apply the knowledge or skills learned in this course?
1: We need to design a comprehensive digitization policy. My hope is to be in a position to ask the right questions as the institution moves forward. 2: I need to take another look at the collections I work with and make proposals for action to my colleagues/boss. 3: It will help in current digitization policy discussions. 4: To share with friends at work and to think outside the box! 5: Yes, absolutely. It will be extremely useful to me in my position. 6: I hope to take a leading role in digital projects at my institution; this course provided the background that I need to begin discussions. 7: Immediately apply knowledge and skills to projects pending at work. 8: Will be returning to institution to consider using the open source software we saw in class for use in my own website and projects. 9:. Useful insights for further work with faculty and in discussions library-wide. 10: Discuss ways of approaching new digital projects with staff and administration. 11: Design archives website.
9. How could the course have been improved? If you have a suggestion for a new course (and—equally important—a person who could teach it), please contact the RBS Program Director.
1: This is a first-course mistake, but don't assign additional reading each night. It can't be done and muddies up the class. AS was the right choice for the course. 3: Perhaps this course could be co-taught with one instructor handling policy and the other more technical aspects? 5: It was great as is—no improvement necessary. The instructor was exceptional. 6: The course was extremely well done, obviously as technology changes and digital projects develop the course content will evolve. 8: This was the first year of the course so ... probably a little less free time? Although I enjoyed that very much. Try to ensure a mixture of students (librarians, academics, administrators) so that the discussions will have multiple viewpoints and experiences. 9: This was the first time through and that was a bit of a challenge. A clearer outline of course objectives, rather than topics for discussion, would be helpful. Good topic worthy of retention for RBS and refinement over time. 10: I think the course might have been improved if co-taught by a practitioner and an academic. 11: Less boring readings.
10. 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?
1-2: Yes. 3: Yes, most definitely. 4: Yes, that was a good use of time. 5: Yes—very informative and appropriate. 6: Yes 7: Time was well used and field trips were supportive of class. 8: Very well spent! 9-10: Yes. 11: Yes! Very stimulating and inspiring.
11. 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: N/A 3: More foam, cradling. 4: N/A 5: No—all participants were respectful of the collections. 6: No. 8: More book supports perhaps. 10: None. It was fine. 11: None.
12. If you attended the optional evening events (e.g., RBS Lecture, Video Night, RBS Forum, Booksellers' Night) were they worth attending?
1: Wednesday's forum on the topic of Google Books—the others were not immediately relevant personally. 2: Lecture and forum—yes. Video/booksellers—didn't go. 3: Yes. 4: N/A. 5: Yes—Wednesday lecture was particularly good. 6: Yes, they were some of the highlights of the week. 7: Evening events were worthwhile and very helpful. 8-9: Yes. 10: N/A. 11: Okay.
13. Did you get your (or your institution's) money's worth? Any final or summary thoughts, or advice for other persons considering taking this course in a future year?
1: Yes. Visiting Scholar's Lab &c. is a great way to advertise UVa's digital facilities and make potential alliances. Hope to work with you soon. 2: Yes—I was not paying for the course, but I took time out from paid work to attend. I think it was very worthwhile. 3: I hope this course or others like it will continue to be taught, expanded, and improved upon. 4: Yes! 5: Yes, indeed! This class was great—it was my second class at RBS, and I can't wait to come back for another. 6: Yes!! 7: Definitely got money's worth. Recommend the course. 8: Yes. 9:. To a large extent, yes. 10-11: Yes.
Number of respondents: 11
PERCENTAGES
Leave
Institution gave me leave
90%
I took vacation time
0%
N/A: self-employed, retired or had the summers off
10 %
Tuition
Institution paid tuition
55%
I paid tuition myself
9%
N/A: Self-employed, retired or scholarship
36%
Housing
Institution paid housing
54%
I paid for my own housing
18%
N/A: stayed with friends or lived at home
18%
Travel
Institution paid travel
36%
I paid my own travel
27%
N/A: lived nearby
27%
There were two rare book librarians (18%), five archivists (45%), two general librarians with some rare book responsibilities (18%), one library assistant (9%), and one library director (9%).