Digital Codicology: Medieval Books and Modern Labor

Medieval manuscripts are our shared inheritance, but we understand little about what these digital objects really are. This book demystifies digitization, revealing what it's like to remake medieval books online and connecting modern digital manuscripts to their longer media history. It highlights the hidden expert labor responsible for today's revolutionary digital access to medieval culture and argues that centering the modern labor and laborers at the heart of digital cultural heritage fosters a more just and rigorous future for medieval, manuscript, and media studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 338 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2022
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Medieval manuscripts are a precious legacy that we can now access more easily than ever thanks to digital copies available online. However, despite the widespread digitization that has revolutionized our connection with the medieval past, we still know very little about the actual nature of these digital objects. We rarely pause to consider the intricate processes involved in their creation or the individuals responsible for bringing them to life. This comprehensive book aims to demystify digitization, offering a unique insight into the process of remaking medieval books online and establishing a connection between modern digital manuscripts and their extensive media history, spanning from print to photography and the emergence of the internet.

To explore this topic, the author examines a range of classic late-1990s projects, such as Digital Scriptorium 1.0, alongside later initiatives like Bibliotheca Philadelphiensis, as well as world-renowned projects created by institutions like the British Library, Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Stanford University, and the Walters Art Museum. By comparing these projects with in-house digitizations conducted in lesser-studied libraries, the author uncovers previously untold narratives about globally significant digital manuscript archives.

Drawing on expertise from medieval literature, manuscript studies, digital humanities, and imaging sciences, the author highlights the hidden labor of experts who are responsible for the revolutionary digital access to medieval culture that we enjoy today. By centering the modern labor and laborers at the heart of digital cultural heritage, the book argues that we can foster a more just and rigorous future for medieval, manuscript, and media studies.

This insightful book offers valuable insights into the world of digitization and its impact on our understanding and appreciation of medieval culture. It encourages us to reevaluate our approach to digital preservation and access and to recognize the contributions of the modern labor and laborers who have made this cultural heritage accessible to a wider audience. As we continue to navigate the digital realm, this book serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and celebrating our shared heritage while also exploring the possibilities for new discoveries and insights in the field of medieval studies.

Weight: 646g
Dimension: 158 x 237 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503632752