Researcher Spotlight #5: Shelby Carson
Ready for another Researcher Spotlight? We thought so! This week, you will get to know Shelby Carson, a metadata assistant at the CEMVC!
Shelby has had a key role in the compilation of the Ovid, Early Modern Women, and Latin American Chronicles collections. She has worked with the CEMVC for the past 3 years as a metadata assistant, meaning that she conducts research by gathering data for the collections. At the moment, Shelby is working on quality control and consistency of the collections in CAIRN to ensure everything is presented the best way possible!
Shelby is a recent graduate of Mount Allison University, having completed her B.A. this year. During her time at Mount Allison, Shelby majored in history and obtained a minor in German and classical studies. Her areas of interest include the Hellenistic period and the Medieval era, as well as German literature.
After spending Summer 2021 at the CEMVC, Shelby will continue her studies at the University of Toronto, where she will be enrolled in a Masters of Information with a concentration in Archives. Good luck Shelby! We will definitely miss such a hard working and positive team member!
For now, here are some questions to help you get to know Shelby and her work at the CEMVC.
Q: What was your favourite collection to work on?
A: This is such a tough question! I enjoyed all three collections that I worked on for different reasons. The Ovid collection holds a special place in my heart because it was the first collection I worked on when I joined the CEMVC. It also ties into my interest in classics because Metamorphoses covers many fables that any classics buff would be familiar with! I enjoyed Boccaccio’s On Famous Women because it’s one of the very first pieces of (Western) literature that is exclusively written on women. Misogyny is, of course, riddled throughout the book, but it’s still fascinating to read about women of the past through the lens of an Italian Renaissance humanist. I also enjoyed New Chronicle and Good Government in the Latin American Chronicle collection because I started working on it right after I got back from a trip from Peru. The author of the book discusses the history of Peru before and after colonization, so it was interesting to work on this collection just after I had been in the very place the book was written.
Q: What is one key take-away gained through your experience collecting metadata?
A: One thing I can take away from this experience is how beautiful and under-appreciated illuminations and engravings are in medieval manuscripts. I think, in these modern times, we take the accessibility of books and illustrations within them for granted. Prior to the printing press and the accessibility of mass-produced books, manuscripts with illuminations and woodcuts were created with such care and attention. I walk away from this experience with much more appreciation for the creation of these old books and the images within them.
Q: What will you miss most about working with the CEMVC?
A: As difficult as it was, I will miss trying to read the ineligibility of middle-French gothic fonts in 15th century manuscripts. The fact that they are SO hard to read made it such a fun challenge! I will also miss the feeling that I am contributing towards an important project for the field of research. Metadata and visual culture are valuable pieces to research and I’m so happy I was able to contribute my time to help create collections for future researchers to be able to use.
Bonus Q: Favourite song and why?
A: Anything Lady Gaga, duh.