Acquisitions

Ann-Christe Galloway Grants and Acquisitions Acquisitions historian of note, her most famous nontra- vel work is the Pax Britannica trilogy, a A rare medieval bible has been ac- history of the British Empire. quired by the University of South Carolina (USC). The book is English and was made in Oxford around 1240, and is in pristine (“Introducing transliteracy,” cont. from condition. It was purchased at auction in page 533) London with support from New York’s B. H. Breslauer Foundation. Most complete into question the often assumed privilege of medieval Bibles in the United States, fewer printed text. Transliteracy works against the than 100 in number, are from France or “entrenched bias towards the written me- Italy, and USC’s Bible likely remained in its dium.” ALA Committee on Literacy’s definition country of origin from its creation until this of literacy demonstrates this bias. It defines year. The Bible acquired by USC is the only literacy as the ability to use “printed and English pocket Bible in the Southeast. written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s A collection of Jan Morris has been gifted knowledge and potential.” to the University Libraries at George Mason Transliteracy is not unique in questioning University. It comprises a comprehensive this bias—media literacy efforts have certainly collection of nearly all of her travel narra- tried to raise the profile of nonprint materi- tives in not only the first editions, but also als. But transliteracy is unique in combining most of the subsequent editions, including democratizing communication formats, ex- galleys, proof versions, and editions with pressing no preference of one over the other, composition errors. The Jan Morris Col- with emphasizing the social construction of lection consists of 136 titles and one rare meaning via diverse media. poster (a chromolithographic enlargement Because of the ways in which transliteracy of the dust jacket of Manhattan ’45, a pro- questions authority and devalues hierarchi- motional piece, signed by Morris). The col- cal structures for disseminating information, lection includes Morris’s Coronation Everest, proponents tend to advocate for issues that signed by Sir Edmund Hillary. Born James help level the information playing field, Morris in 1926 in Somerset, England, Morris such as ensuring neutrality and bridging the began medically transitioning from male-to- digital divide. female in 1964, and underwent gender re- Despite the fact that transliteracy originat- assignment surgery in 1972. She published ed outside the library realm, librarians should under her former name, James Morris, until follow the development of this concept the 1970s. She is widely acclaimed for her because so much of transliteracy overlaps travel writing, which includes famous pro- concerns much at the heart of librarianship. files of Oxford, Venice, Wales, Hong Kong, As more research is created in the field, librar- and New York City, among other places. ians can incorporate these new ideas into the Morris’ most recent book, Contact! A Book ways they assist patrons with accessing, un- of Encounters, was published in 2010. A derstanding, and producing information. The Welsh nationalist, and also an essayist and social aspects of transliteracy can enhance the workplace by creating robust systems of knowledge sharing and can enhance user Ed. note: Send your news to: Grants & Acquisitions, C&RL News, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795; experience by granting them a role in the e-mail: [email protected]. construction of information. November 2010 567 C&RL News.

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