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Jul. 30th, 2009 07:12 pmI'm trying hard to find things to occupy my time these last few days at work. I really only have about 2 and a half days left where I need to keep myself busy. Next week will mostly be full of intern-type activities as we finish up the term. As I completed all my work earlier this week, I came up with a few ideas for things I could do in the meantime. One of my ideas was to string cord through the holes in the Burmese manuscripts that don't have any in place. Pruitt even left notes on some of the manuscripts, specifically stating that they need string. Plus, when I went to lift them out of their box, a couple of them were quite unwieldy due to the fact that they weren't strung together. I was worried I'd get the leaves out of order. In theory, it seems like a good mindless way to spend my last few days.
I was quite, quite wrong.
Here's an example of a manuscript. You can see the holes in the wooden covers and each leaf has two holes to match up. The manuscript I did today was twice as thick as the one pictured above. It took me, no exaggeration, one and a half hours to string it through. If I'd been able to use a needle I'm sure it would have gone much faster, but there is the potential of damaging the manuscript with the sharp end. What I did was tape up the end of a piece of string, sort of like a shoelace, and just push it through usually one leaf at a time. When I finally finished, my arm ached from the repetitive motion of threading and pulling. As I did it, I kept thinking to myself that there must be a much more effective way to do it. For example, when they were originally created, how did they string it up? I wondered if I was doing the same action that had been done hundreds of years ago, or if I was completely mucking it up in my methodology.
I think I'll find another way to use up my last few days.
I did do some exploring to fill up my time. I went to the main reading room for the first time and of course that was absolutely amazing. So beautiful. I also went to the Hispanic room and the European reading room. They both seem much smaller than the Asian reading room. Lastly, I went to the Rare Book room and asked if I could see the first edition copy of the Book of Mormon. They let me! I hear this slogan, "This is your library" over and over again but it's still hard to believe. But literally, any person can come in (as long as you get a library card which is simple) and ask to see any book and he/she will be allowed to see it. It's so cool.
So, back to the Book of Mormon. It was printed in 1830. The brown leather cover was worn smooth, I assume from someone's hands. I wished I'd taken a modern-day copy so I could compare and see what sorts of textual changes have taken place. I sat there for about a half hour, flipping through the pages and reading. It was a very neat experience, one that I'll cherish for quite a long time. They also have a copy of "The Book of Commandments" which is the first edition (1833) of the Doctrine and Covenants. Perhaps I'll see that one tomorrow.
I was quite, quite wrong.
Here's an example of a manuscript. You can see the holes in the wooden covers and each leaf has two holes to match up. The manuscript I did today was twice as thick as the one pictured above. It took me, no exaggeration, one and a half hours to string it through. If I'd been able to use a needle I'm sure it would have gone much faster, but there is the potential of damaging the manuscript with the sharp end. What I did was tape up the end of a piece of string, sort of like a shoelace, and just push it through usually one leaf at a time. When I finally finished, my arm ached from the repetitive motion of threading and pulling. As I did it, I kept thinking to myself that there must be a much more effective way to do it. For example, when they were originally created, how did they string it up? I wondered if I was doing the same action that had been done hundreds of years ago, or if I was completely mucking it up in my methodology.
I think I'll find another way to use up my last few days.
I did do some exploring to fill up my time. I went to the main reading room for the first time and of course that was absolutely amazing. So beautiful. I also went to the Hispanic room and the European reading room. They both seem much smaller than the Asian reading room. Lastly, I went to the Rare Book room and asked if I could see the first edition copy of the Book of Mormon. They let me! I hear this slogan, "This is your library" over and over again but it's still hard to believe. But literally, any person can come in (as long as you get a library card which is simple) and ask to see any book and he/she will be allowed to see it. It's so cool.
So, back to the Book of Mormon. It was printed in 1830. The brown leather cover was worn smooth, I assume from someone's hands. I wished I'd taken a modern-day copy so I could compare and see what sorts of textual changes have taken place. I sat there for about a half hour, flipping through the pages and reading. It was a very neat experience, one that I'll cherish for quite a long time. They also have a copy of "The Book of Commandments" which is the first edition (1833) of the Doctrine and Covenants. Perhaps I'll see that one tomorrow.