Understanding the Medieval Book : A Seminar with Dr. Christopher De Hamel (The University of South Carolina)

The University of South Carolina will be sponsoring a free medieval manuscripts seminar with Dr. Christopher de Hamel on 4-5 April 2011. The event will take place at the university’s brand new Hollings Library and will use its collection of 120 manuscripts and fragments. The event includes two evening lectures.
Details and application materials can be found at this URL . Application deadline : 1 December 2010.
Some information :
* Understanding the Medieval Book : A Seminar with Dr. Christopher de Hamel
* Students, scholars and librarians are invited to enroll in a seminar on the medieval book
* to be held at the University of South Carolina, 4-5 April 2011.
Because this free seminar is a hands-on experience, space is limited to 25 participants*.
* What : What is a breviary ? A missal ? A Book of Hours ? How were these books organized ? Illustrated ? Used ? \”Understanding the Medieval Book\” will explore the layout and function of four important medieval books: Books of Hours, breviaries, missals, and bibles. Participants in this seminar will acquire a fundamental understanding of these medieval books and, by extension, be able to catalogue, publicize, and exploit them in designing courses on language, literature, history, history of the book, art history, and a host of other humanities subjects. Participants will use USC’s collection of approximately 120 medieval manuscripts and fragments.
* Where : The Irvin Dept. of Rare Books and Special Collections, Hollings Library, University of South Carolina, Columbia. Participants will enjoy working a newly opened facility with integrated projection for broadcasting digital surrogates. The Hollings Library is central to campus, which is located in the center of the state’s capital city, Columbia.
* When : 4-5 April 2011: 9 am – 5 pm. Evening lectures at the Hollings Library on the history of the medieval bible (4 April) and at the Columbia Museum of Art on the Book of Hours (5 April).
* Who : Currently the Donnelly Fellow Librarian at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and Lecturer in History at Cambridge University, *Dr. Christopher de Hamel is a world authority on medieval manuscripts. In addition to being a Senior Managing Partner and Head of Western Manuscripts at Sotheby’s for 25 years, De Hamel holds a DPhil from Oxford. He has authored six books, including The Book : A History of the Bible and A History of Illuminated Manuscripts. He has examined and described more than 10,000 medieval manuscripts for Sotheby’s and estimates that he has consulted 80,000 manuscripts worldwide.
* Cost : The seminar is free. Refreshments are offered at all breaks, but lunch and dinner are not provided. Participants may wish to stay locally at any of the area hotels. The Inn at Carolina, Claussen’s Inn, and Clarion Town House are recommended for proximity.
This seminar is generously funded by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of English, the Thomas Cooper Library, and the Humanities Council of South Carolina.