Course Synopsis:

This is a 1.0 credit course that will focus on the curation of an exhibit on medieval manuscripts using a collection loaned to the Library from Les Enluminures, a rare book firm located in Chicago, New York, and Paris. The exhibit will be installed and launched in the Exhibit Gallery in Archival & Special Collections during the Winter 2020 term as part of the Manuscripts in the Curriculum program. Students in this course will learn about the production of manuscripts in Medieval and Early Modern Europe and will examine the specific historical contexts that produced each manuscript on loan. Students will write a research paper that centres on one of the nine manuscripts and will use the Omeka web-publishing platform to mount a digital display of that manuscript for the exhibit in March 2020.

Learning Outcomes:

A student who has successfully completed this course will be able to:

1. Communicate a broad understanding of the history and material culture of medieval books in Europe
2. demonstrate knowledge of rare book and archival standards and “best practices” for exhibit curation
3. demonstrate a knowledge of procedures and protocols for using collections in Archival & Special Collections in the University of Guelph Library
4. interpret the intellectual and artifactual content of original primary resource materials
5. demonstrate familiarity with the Omeka platform

Method of Evaluation and Weights:

Class participation - 20 %
Oral Presentation - 10%
Omeka Digital Project - 25%
Research Paper - 45 %

All texts will be made available through Courselink and ARES Course Reserves.

*Please note: This is a preliminary website description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.