Project description
Advanced methods of book conservation
The books at the University of Limerick’s Bolton Library, one of Ireland’s most important private libraries, are undergoing a conservation process. However, some of the oldest books are too fragile to withstand treatment. The EU-funded BSBL project will pilot a new application of micro-computed X-ray tomography that will ease the conservation of these medieval books and unveil new information about Irish books’ history. The project will examine the bindings of the books to learn more about the cultural and intellectual contexts of book production during early English colonialism, place these books within the global frame of trade in materials and craft techniques, and create a network of scholars to support research in book science.
Objective
The Bolton Library, newly housed at the University of Limerick (UL), is one of Ireland’s most important private library collections. It is currently part of a major conservation effort aimed at saving the books from decades of damage. However, some of the earliest books are too fragile for conservators to handle easily. My project pilots a new application of micro computed x-ray tomography (µCT) that will facilitate the conservation of these important books while revealing new information about the history of the Irish book.
I have four main aims: first, to examine the bindings of the medieval books in the library in order to learn more about the cultural and intellectual contexts of book production and collection during early English colonialism. Second, to position these books within a global network of trade in materials and craft techniques. Third, to pilot a novel use of µCT in special collections care, particularly as a means of understanding the status and structure of fragile items in order to plan treatment. Finally, to establish a network of scholars to support further studies in book science in Ireland and internationally.
The research takes place in three overlapping phases detailed in my work packages. All of the medieval books in the library will be assessed and catalogued during the data collection phase. Suitable books will be selected for µCT imaging at UL’s Bernal Institute. Processing of the primary data takes place in a second phase, when any further lines of scientific enquiry will be pursued. In the second year I will translate this quantitative data into qualitative argument. Guided by new analytical approaches, my project will reveal the full significance of the materials and structures that medieval books in Ireland comprise: advancing a new holistic account of the history of the book in Ireland, and its participation in global networks of trade and production. Here regionally specific techniques are embedded in their international conte
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
- Limerick
Ireland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.