B5077 - STORIA DELLA BIBLIOGRAFIA E BIBLIOLOGIA

Learning outcomes

The discipline aims to provide in-depth knowledge on the one hand of the theoretical phases of the history of bibliography as a discipline and of the main types of bibliographic tools, on the other hand of the materials and techniques for the production of printed books in the period of manual production from the 15th to the 19th century. At the end of the course the student is able to analyze the book as both an artisanal and cultural product, to use the main bibliographic tools, and to independently evaluate the bibliographic coverage and organization of a library's book collections.

Course contents

The course aims to provide an in-depth knowledge of the History of Bibliography.

The course is structured in two parts:

1. History of Bibliography: bibliographic concepts and tools; elements of Bibliology for basic knowledge of ancient books as artifacts; analysis of the main bibliographic works to grasp their historical evolution and cultural and intellectual significance: the millenary bibliographic chain up to the Liber de scriptoribus ecclesiasticis by Johannes Trithemius, the Bibliotheca Universalis by Conrad Gesner.

2. Bibliology: definition of the disciplinary scope of bibliology; the material aspects of the book; the technical and technological revolutions of books and printing; catalogues, tools and bibliographic repertoires for ancient books

Readings/Bibliography

1. History of Bibliography:

Alfredo Serrai - Fiammetta Sabba, Profilo di Storia della Bibliografia. Milano, Sylvestre Bonnard, 2005, p.1-82.

2. Bibliology:

a) Andrea De Pasquale, Che cos’è la bibliologia, Roma, Carocci, 2018.

b) Edoardo Barbieri, Guida al libro antico. Conoscere e descrivere il libro tipografico, Milano, Le Monnier, 2006.

** For not attending students one to their choice:

Alfredo Serrai, Gabriel Naudé, Helluo Librorum, e l’ Advis pour dresser une bibliothèque, a cura di Fiammetta Sabba e Lucia Sardo, Firenze, FUP, 2021.

Lorenzo Baldacchini, Il libro antico. Storia, diffusione e descrizione, Roma, Carocci editore, 2019 (varie ristampe successive)

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons; classroom exercises of research and bibliographic description.

The teacher will make the material available for revision and further study on the Virtual course page (ask the teacher for a password to access it).

** For attending students: A bibliographical work may be assigned by the teacher which will be the first topic covered during the exam.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral interview starting from the presentation of a topic chosen by the student or from a research assigned.

The teacher will evaluate the mastery of the content and of bibliography of the course, the ability to synthesize and analyze the themes and concepts, the use of an appropriate language, and also the critical and methodological abilities matured by the student.

You will notice that lack of training, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course will be evaluated negatively.

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The final assessment will be based on the following indications:
- insufficient: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of texts and/or problems

- sufficient: possession of basic knowledge; interpretation mostly correct, but conducted with imprecision and little autonomy

- good: possession of intermediate level knowledge; interpretation fully correct, but not always precise and autonomous

- excellent: possession of knowledge at a high level; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills

Teaching tools

Practical activities:

- Commented projection of original bibliographic texts.

- Analysis of ancient volumes.

- Research exercises given by teacher.

In the 'Virtual teaching resources' section - which can be accessed with a password that the teacher will communicate at the beginning of the lessons - the basic teaching material will be available from the start of the course (exemplary and in-depth Power Points, links to videos and handouts provided by the teacher). Furthermore, the recordings (or the link to the recordings) of the first two actual lessons of the course (which will be held in the classroom) will be available on Virtuale, so that everyone (attending, non-attending, workers, etc.) will be able to retrieve the orientation information for the course.

Please note that initiatives (educational visits, seminars, conferences, book presentations...) indicated and/or organized by the teacher are to be considered supplementary to the teaching and will be recognized during the exam.

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All student who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special strategies to compensate it, are kindly requested to contact Prof. Sabba, in order to be referred to the colleagues in charge and get proper advice and instructions.

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Office hours

See the website of Fiammetta Sabba