This online exhibit can be downloaded in whole or in part and used as a learning package (see the projects Creative Commons license information above for more details).
The reflection questions below have been designed as part of this learning package. They are aimed at promoting discussion and in-depth reflection on the learning package content.
1. What is a manuscript? The libraries mentioned in this learning package generally lost fewer losses from their manuscript collections than from their book collections during the war; why is this?
2. What factors influenced the preservation of manuscripts during the Second World War? Try to list three, with examples from the learning package.
3. Why do groups like UNESCO consider protecting manuscripts important?
4. Taking into consideration some of the examples of manuscripts that were lost, why might the destruction of manuscripts create problems for local history research?
1. Choose one of the manuscripts from the project dataset. Try to choose one that interests you.
2. Read over the catalogue description carefully. Where was the manuscript from? Which text(s) did it contain? How old was it? Use the catalogue description to try to answer as many of these questions as possible.
3. Using your answers to question 2, conduct research into the text(s) contained in the manuscript and the location where the manuscript was produced (if possible). You can use online research sources or a library.
4. Using your answers to question 3, prepare a brief report explaining what makes this manuscript unique or important. For example, was the manuscript useful for local historians? Did it contain a version of a medieval poem that would be valuable for literary studies?