Before Google Reflection

This project was the first time that I used the Rose Library in Woodruff. I didn’t know what to expect or what to look for in the archives, but I decided to search for documents relating to Emory’s own history. The pages I sifted through were old, crinkled, and ink stained. I loved seeing the elaborate script handwriting, even in mundane reports. The document I decided to bring in is Emory College budget from the school year 1915-1916. I thought that choosing something from over a hundred years ago was cool. Not only to see the actual page, but also because it shows how much the university has grown and how money has changed. I love the scribbles and margin notes taken on the page. I didn’t realize until I saw these pages that I was missing this when on the internet. It reminded me of Walter Benjamin’s concept of aura. His idea that reproduction takes away from a piece of art is the revelation I had when reading these pages. Type on a screen can’t provide the same feeling as hand-written words can, no matter the content. Some of the handwritten pages were illegible to me, which doesn’t happen when you are online. I love the process of coming across hidden treasures that you can hold in your hands, and the challenge of trying to find what you’re looking for.