Course Catalogue

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This course introduces students to the history of information storage and retrieval via the codex format tracking the development of the book from scroll, to manuscript, to print, and introduces students to books in the digital age (i.e. which tools and interactives are being used/have been developed to communicate rare books and manuscripts to different audiences). The content of the course will be a combination of traditional lectures, object handling sessions in Special Collections, and hands-on making sessions (book making, book binding, and printing).

1 x weekly lecture (1 hour) 1 x weekly experiential learning session (2 hours), either in Special Collections or in a maker space

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Digital Media and Information Studies, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

ARTMED4040 - Books as New Media

INFOSTUD4003 - Books as New Media

None

Exam (60 minutes) - 40%

Essay (3,000 words) - 60% Or

Creative Piece with Reflective Report (1,500 words & Object) - 60%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ Evaluate the developing codex format as a means of information storage, retrieval and knowledge exchange

■ Examine the codex format from scroll to manuscript, print and digital using Glasgow's Special Collections materials

■ Examine, use and critically analyse digital tools for displaying, interpreting and communicating rare books and medieval manuscripts

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Define key structures and processes central to the study of book history (i.e. codicology)

■ Use the theoretical principals of book history research to critically analyse the codicology of a rare book or manuscript

■ Articulate the ubiquity of the codex-format for information preservation, retrieval and knowledge exchange across time

■ Recognise and critically evaluate the opportunities and limitations of digital media for communicating the codex

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.