Gailus, Fardoux

LIS 701.F2011

Battles, Matthew. Library: An Unquiet History. W.W. Norton, 2004. The Librarian Li!rarian is "reater than the su# o$ his%her !oo&s $ound in the li!rar'. (he Li!rar' is seen as a li)in" or"anis#. Breathin", e)ol)in", *han"in" - (he Li!rar' is a re*ord o$ hu#an ex+erien*e

Burning Alexandria - Was a "reat li!rar' $ound in ,"'+t in the -rd .entur' B.. /eld wor&s !' histori*al $i"ures su*h as ristotle, 0lato, So*rates and r*hi#edes. - Most texts were written on 0a+'rus 1hard to +reser)e2 (he li!rar' ex+erien*ed #an' in*idents with !urnin"s and all texts ha)e !een lost.

3 .hinese Buddhist *ar)ed reli"ious sutras on *a)e walls. (hose who )isited too& ru!!in"s o$ the text as a wa' to #a&e *o+ies. Muslim Contributions -Muha##ad althou"h illiterate +la*e "reat i#+ortan*e on litera*' and the a!ilit' to read and write - Musli#s *olle*ted !oo&s $ro# other *ultures and learned $ro# the# instead o$ destro'in" the# 3 (he +rintin" +ress allowed $or #an' #ore wor&s to !e +u!lished and #ore *o+ies to !e readil' a)aila!le $or readin". Reasons for Book Destruction - .ensorshi+ o$ in$or#ation - 4e#o)al o$ 5una++ro)ed6 texts .ontrol in$or#ation "i)en to the +u!li*

3 Man' li!raries in the 17th and 17th *entur' "rew due to the *t o$ 0rintin" and .o+'ri"ht re"istrar, in whi*h at least one *o+' o$ e)er' wor& +u!lished would !e "i)en to the li!rar'. Melvil Dewey In)entor o$ the 8ewe' 8e*i#al S'ste# in whi*h !oo&s were or"ani9ed !' su!:e*t - /el+ed $ound the #eri*an Li!rar' sso*iation - Was one o$ the $irst to allow wo#en into the +ro$ession Evolution of the hysical Book - .la' ta!lets - 0a+'rus s*rolls - Sil&%!a#!oo 1.hina2 - Wood and wax (a!lets 1Isla#2 - 0a+er - .odex 3 5(he Li!rar' is unli#ited and *'*li*al.6 ; <or"e Luis Bor"es

Gailus, Fardoux 8is*ussion =uestions>

LIS 701.F2011

1. What #eanin"1s2 does a li!rar' hold in our )iew, !oth +ersonall' and +ro$essionall'?

2. What other wa's *an 'ou thin& o$ to des*ri!e the li!rar' in a #eta+h'si*al wa'?

-. 8o 'ou $ind Battles@ inter+retation o$ this +aintin" to !e a**urate with 'our own )iew o$ the li!rar'?

4. What +oint o$ trans$or#ation in the #eanin" o$ the li!rar' is Battles exa#inin" in this *ha+ter?

A. 5Li!raries are as #u*h a!out losin" the truth ; satis$'in" the inner !ar!arians o$ +rin*es, +residents and +retenders ; as a!out dis*o)erin" it.6 1Battles, -12

7. Gender and litera*' in the /ouse o$ Wisdo#B

7. Without +onderin" a Modern +ers+e*ti)e, do 'ou thin& the n*ients@ re)erential )iew+oint toward the *lassi*s was a++ro+riate? Wh' or wh' not?

C. (hin&in" a!out this wee&@s readin" in 4u!in, s+e*i$i*all' the dis*ussions a!out D"ood@ !oo&s and D!ad@ !oo&s, do 'ou thin& the .o+'ri"ht 4e"istrar and National Li!raries *ontri!ute to this !' o!tainin" a *o+' o$ ,E,4F +u!lished !oo&?

G. 8oes this idea o$ the li!rarian@s role still ha)e an' #erit toda'? /ow was it *han"ed?

10. $ter this dis*ussion o$ Battles@ !oo&, ha)e 'ou altered 'ou )iew o$ the li!rar' in an' wa'? /ow?