A book has always been my favourite item since I was a youngster. Not only for the tales and information, but that is a big part of it. I've always been captivated by the idea of a book as a thing—a physical entity whose function is to connect intangible thoughts and pictures. Bookbindings and covers, different editions, marginalia in a used book—all of these elements form a part of the unique book and its meaning and are worth studying and contemplating. Books and their analogous forms—perfect bound, scrolled, stone tablets, papyrus—have long been an important aspect of material culture and one of our most important sources of historical knowledge. We are able to learn and hopefully manage layers of information that we would otherwise be unfamiliar with through both the literal object of the book, the words contained thereon, and its relationship to other books—forms of context, text, and intertext—we are able to learn and hopefully manage layers of information that we would otherwise be unfamiliar with.
Furthermore, blogs, webcomics, digital archives, e-readers, and even social networking sites like Tumblr and Facebook have transformed the concept of the book by altering how we exchange and transmit ideas and information, much like the XYZ printing press did in the fourteenth century. Once again, there has been an increase in both the number of people who can provide information and the number of people who can receive it.
I'm passionate about preserving the physical book because I believe it's a vital component of human history (not to mention a satisfying sensory experience for the reader). However, I'm equally worried about the digitalization and organization of knowledge in the current world, so that the book, in all of its forms, remains relevant and accessible. Libraries and museums, which house collections of books, archives, and information kept on the world's servers, are crucial resources that must be properly structured and controlled in order for their audiences to fully benefit from them. My goal in applying to the University of XYZ's Material Culture and History of the Book program is to obtain the skills needed to maintain all types of books relevant and effective in an age when information may flow more quickly than ever before.
In addition, after completing my master's, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Library and Information Sciences, and I believe that this program will prepare me to approach library science from a highly scholarly and multidisciplinary viewpoint.
As a folklore and mythology student, I've developed a strong grasp of material culture and how it ties to larger cultural issues. I've also learned about the diffusion of ideas, knowledge, stories, and legends across and among communities, which is an essential aspect of book history. Folklore is likewise concerned with issues of literary vs. oral lore, as well as the tendency for text to "canonise" folklore, while text may also challenge or invert canonical versions; my research in my particular subject of religion and storytelling has also been profoundly concerned with intertextuality.
I also have professional experience that will help me understand the book better. I interned at the XYZ History Museum after my first year of college. I was exposed to the museum's preservation and archive departments and worked closely with the education department while in the visitor services department, which piqued my interest in archival collections and how museums provide collection information to the public. I worked at XYZ, a rare book library, after my sophomore year and into my junior year of college. For archival storage, I created selected collections. The personal papers of notable people were largely found in these collections, organised into alphabetical folders. This experience helped me become more process-oriented and grasp how collections work.
Finally, in my current position as an education mentor in XYZ, a Boston suburb, I have realised the instructional importance of book history and material culture. As a mentor who creates curriculum for individual students and small groups, I've realised how important it is to have well-organised and helpful educational materials like websites, iPad applications, and books as learning aids. We make information available to people who need it by maintaining and arranging collections in a logical manner.
