Although we may think of scholarly communication as the process of disseminating research through formal publication or online distribution, scholars have been communicating with and responding to each other since well before the advent of the Internet or even print journals. One way in which modern scholars can understand earlier processes of communication is through the study of marginalia, or the notes to themselves or others that previous scholars have left in the margins of the texts they read. Works have been published on the marginalia of single writers, such as
Voltaire’s Marginalia on the Pages of Rousseau (Havens, 1971), or on marginalia as a topic unto itself. H.J. Jackson has published two books on marginalia:
(Note: Both titles are available as e-books to members of the NU community.)
Recently, the personal library of Charles Darwin was digitized and made available freely online through the
Biodiversity Heritage Library. Darwin himself frequently made notes in the margins of his books, and one special feature of this online collection is the full transcription of all his marginalia. Being able to read the notes that Darwin made to himself as he read gives scholars today insight into how his ideas, well,
evolved over time. Marginalia were also a way for Darwin and others to share their ideas informally with their contemporaries through exchanging personal copies of their books.
Of course, marginalia aren’t only created by the greatest scientific minds – one of my favorite poets, Billy Collins, wrote a poem on the margin notes left by everyday readers:
Sometimes the notes are ferocious,
skirmishes against the author
raging along the borders of every page
in tiny black script.
If I could just get my hands on you,
Kierkegaard, or Conor Cruise O’Brien,
they seem to say,
I would bolt the door and beat some logic into your head.
Other comments are more offhand, dismissive –
“Nonsense.” “Please!” “HA!!” –
that kind of thing.
I remember once looking up from my reading,
my thumb as a bookmark,
trying to imagine what the person must look like
who wrote “Don’t be a ninny”
alongside a paragraph in The Life of Emily Dickinson.
— From “Marginalia” (Billy Collins)
(Read the full poem here.)
Construction is underway as Snell Library’s CyberCafe gets transformed into Boston’s first ArgoTea. ArgoTea offers a variety of specialty beverages derived from an assortment of global teas and coffee. There’s one for everyone! From sweet and fruity to dark and bitter with a little bit of everything in between- you’re sure to be satisfied!
As with any construction comes a little (or a lot!) of noise, so please excuse the additional auditory effects in the library as construction is completed.
ArgoTea is expected to open the first week of August! Get a head start and choose your favorite beverage by checking out the menu online: http://argotea.com/
Any questions or concerns about the construction of ArgoTea can be directed to Frank Mahoney, Director of Special Projects, at f.mahoney@neu.edu
Joan Krizack, University Archivist and Head of Special Collections, will depart Northeastern University after 17 years since her arrival as the founding archivist. Joan resigned her position on July 7th to pursue a career as a freelance consultant. Joan leaves a legacy at the University of several hundred historical collections that document the struggles and triumphs of Boston’s African American, Chinese, Latino and GLBTQ communities. She has also received numerous awards; most recently the 
