As a team, we\u2019re used to working in lockdown. Our PDRA interviews were conducted virtually, and although the project got going nearly three months ago we\u2019ve yet to meet up in person. Coming into a new project under these circumstances has been quite daunting and, like all of us, I\u2019m (still) trying to adjust. As a manuscripts specialist, I\u2019m very grateful to have been able to spend a few days in Oxford\u2019s Weston library in late November, but with new lockdown measures now introduced we\u2019re all trying to figure out how to work effectively without library access and in a world where all our team interactions are taking place online.<\/p>\n
All this has got me thinking again about the Quadrivium conference<\/a> which was held virtually at the University of Kent this November. It was heartening to see so many people attend, and to hear how everyone is adapting. Technology is key, of course, and there\u2019s much to be excited about. Professors Elaine Treharne, Jukka Tyrkk\u00f6 and Mike Kestemont gave three fascinating talks on Digital Futures in Manuscript Studies, while Dr Johanna Green and Dr Diane Scott demonstrated a new camera at the University of Glasgow that captures incredibly detailed manuscript images. While I\u2019m not working with anything quite so cutting edge, I have been trying various digital tools to help organise my research, and I\u2019ve also found digitised catalogues and collections very helpful. Manchester Digital Collections<\/a>, the Wren Digital Library<\/a> and British Library Digitised Manuscripts<\/a> have been particularly useful this month.<\/p>\n The session on Using Libraries in a Time of Pandemic, with contributions from Dr Paul Dryburgh (National Archives<\/a>), Dr Alison Ray (Canterbury Cathedral Library<\/a>) and Richard Ovenden (Bodleian Library<\/a>) gave us all an opportunity to hear about the work that has continued at libraries and archives throughout the year, to share experiences and to hear about online tools and resources. For now, I\u2019m making full use of these, and am compiling a list of manuscripts to consult in person, hopefully in the not-too-distant future. Seeing Professors Linne Mooney and Wendy Scase discussing Working with Manuscripts at Quadrivium made me eager to get back into the library, but also reminded me how much can be achieved when working from images.<\/p>\n