This week is Library Week, where I’m actually dragging King Arthur students into Special Collections to view a sampling of ten books. My goal: a crash course in the history of the book, medieval paleography and codicology. The result: students in absolute awe that someone handwrote (“like, really, by hand?”) what they held in their hands seven centuries before.

“But it’s so neat!”

Which led to a discussion of scriptoriums and the poor monk at the bottom of the totem pole whose only job is to do lettering, much like in modern comic books. Which turned into a quick discussion on the profession of the writer and how they could move up in the world. Which will hopefully lead into an ongoing conversation about the power of books in our lives, and how precious these living artifacts are.

I’m sorry that I haven’t taken advantage of the library resources before this. Every time I teach a medieval lit class, wherever that might be, I’m going to do my best to take my students into the archives and to present them with the physicality of history. Because there’s nothing like smelling parchment and feeling paper and seeing the difference between early print and late script, and knowing that SOMEONE in the distant past made this book, all for you.

Aue, aue
We are explorers reading every sign
We tell the stories of our elders
In a never-ending chain

-“We Know the Way,” Moana