July/August 2021
“The History of the Book in the Early Modern Period: 1450-1800” is a massive online course (MOOC) offered by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) through the Futurelearn website. It is a four-week course comprised of videos from lecturers at TCD, articles, and quizzes as well as additional readings and resources to explore. The topics covered included the book making process prior to and following the invention of the printing press in the 15th century; who sold books in Western Europe during this period and how; how people read and engaged with books; and how books facilitated changes in fields such as religion, medicine, and science. The course included examples for each of the topics taken from the collections of the TCD and Edward Worth Libraries.
After completing the Illuminated Medieval Manuscripts short course from the University of Cambridge, I was interested to learn more about book history and the book as an object and see how this intersected with what I was learning in information studies. After searching online for short courses in book history, medieval history, or manuscripts, I came across this course on Futurelearn which piqued my interest as it taught aspects of book history and bookmaking that I wanted to learn more about. These included illustrations, bindings, and provenance, as well as how people interacted with books from the sellers to the readers.
Completing this course was akin to opening a door in my mind. Prior to completing this and the Illuminated Manuscripts course I was unsure which direction I wanted my career to take after graduation and was feeling stuck in my current job. What I have learnt on this course has helped me to find my passion and begin articulating professional goals I want to achieve on the path to my chosen career in working with rare books and manuscripts. Articulating my career goals has also helped me to view my job in a different way. I know this is not the area of libraries I wish to work in long term and finding what I am passionate about and setting goals for myself has given me the confidence to begin searching and applying for positions which align better with my goals.
Looking back on this reflection eight months later I can see how much of an effect this course had on me. Only a few months after completing this course I accepted a contract position and relocated to a new city and state. This new position is within a flexible workplace where movement between teams and levels is encouraged to build the career you want. It has also provided me with professional development opportunities which have helped me to grow professionally and achieve several of the competencies set out by ALIA for information professionals.
