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MIAMI UNIVERSITY The Graduate School Certificate for Approving the Dissertation We hereby approve the Dissertation of Ryan P. Ireland Candidate for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ______________________________________ James E. Porter, Director ______________________________________ Jason Palmeri, Reader ______________________________________ Linh Dich, Reader ______________________________________ Tim Lockridge, Reader ______________________________________ Glenn Platt, Graduate School Representative ABSTRACT FROM TRADITIONAL MEMORY TO DIGITAL MEMORY SYSTEMS: A RHETORICAL HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY AS MEMORY SPACE by Ryan P. Ireland This dissertation examines the library as a memory system. To do this I craft a rhetorical history of both the classical canon of memory as well as the institution of the library. Within the Graeco-Roman Western rhetorical canon of memory was born out of an oral culture. Memorization was a tool primarily used to deliver speeches; however, the mnemonics rhetors used to remember grew into systems of memory. The use of systems is often viewed as a tool for organization, but they are also tools for memorization. If we move beyond the idea of memorization as a relic of the oral culture and view it as system, it becomes apparent that memory is still an active force in print and digital culture. In this project I examine the library as a memory system—as a structure and institution that helps collect, preserve, organize, and distribute knowledge. The library is one of the most influential and widely-used memory systems we have for collecting and disseminating knowledge. Like the canon of memory, it remains undertheorized within rhetorical studies. This project tracks the history of the library in Western culture, as it moved from a collection of inscribed scrolls, to printed materials, to digital artifacts. I also examine a variety of counter systems—alternate forms of memory storage that push against the traditional memory structure of the library. This project contributes to the field of rhetoric/composition by expanding our understanding of the rhetorical canon of memory, pushing it from a tool too closely associated with orality and delivery toward a more-relevant network of knowledge. For compositionists who frequently access these systems for information, this network of memory creates potential for more avenues of invention. Additionally, the view of memory as a system has the potential to recognize the flaws and cultural hegemony that take place in institutional memory. Consequently, the use of systematized memory could alter the ways in which we choose to organize and access memories. Moreover the digitally networked materials of memory can be stored and accessed more easily than ever before, creating opportunities for individuals to have agency over their own historical narratives. FROM TRADITIONAL MEMORY TO DIGITAL MEMORY SYSTEMS: A RHETORICAL HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY AS MEMORY SPACE A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of English by Ryan P. Ireland The Graduate School Miami University Oxford, Ohio 2016 Dissertation Director: James Porter © Ryan Patrick Ireland 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of figures………………………………...………………………………………..iv-vi Dedication……………………………………………………………………….……….vii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………..…viii Chapter 1: Using the Genealogical Methodology to Explore Memory Systems……..…...1 Chapter 2: From Orality to Digital Memory: Recalling the History of Memoria as Place-based Mnemonics………………………………………………………………….28 Chapter 3: History of Libraries in the West: From Alexandria to the Enlightenment ..…59 Chapter 4: Classifications of Knowledge: Melvil Dewey and the Decimal System.........80 Chapter 5: The Architecture of Memory: Carnegie’s influence on the APL……….......103 Chapter 6: Designing Memory Spaces: The Physical Library as a Loci Mnemonic…...128 Chapter 7: Counter Systems of Memory: Disruptions to the APL..................................149 Chapter 8: Re-placing the System: The Digital Public Library of America as Counter System..............................................................................................................................192 Chapter 9: Filling in the Gaps: Working Toward Multiple Systems of Memory............222 Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………….243 Appendix..........................................................................................................................257 iii LIST OF FIGURES Chapter 2 2.1 Detail of written table from Middle Ages………….………………………………...38 2.2 Classical arcade structure……….…….……………………………………………...38 Chapter 3 3.1 Speculative lithograph of the Great Library of Alexandria ..………………………..63 3.2 Fra Muaro map ….…………………………………………………………………...72 Chapter 5 5.1 Carnegie Library of Houston …………………...……………………………….....104 5.2 Library of Congress reading room ……...……………………………………….....105 5.3 War Service Library bookplate ………………………………………………….....121 Chapter 6 6.1 Screenshot from Ghostbusters.…..………………………………...……...………..131 6.2 Screenshot from Ghostbusters II..……………………………………...…………..131 6.3 Screenshot from The Day After Tomorrow ………………….………………...…..132 6.4 Screenshot from Shadow of a Doubt.………………...………………………….....133 6.5 Screenshot from Shadow of a Doubt....……………………………...……………..133 6.6 Screenshot from Shadow of a Doubt ...…………………………………...………..133 6.7 Map of Filming locations for Shadow of a Doubt ……………………...…....…….134 6.8 San Antonio Public Library.….………………………………………………….....136 6.9 Esperanza Moreno Branch.…...………………………………………………....….136 6.10 Exterior view of Book Mountain .……………………………………......……….139 6.11 Interior view of Book Mountain ……………………..…………………......…….140 iv 6.12 Kansas City Public Library parking garage……………..…………......………….140 6.13 Cité du Livre-Bibliothèque Méjanes ………………………………....……..…….141 6.14 Ordos Library.……...………………………………………………………......….141 6.15 Seattle Public Library circa 1928………..………………………......…………….143 6.16 Seattle Public Library circa 1965…………..…………………......……………….144 6.17 Seattle Public Library...…………………………………………………......…….146 Chapter 7 7.1 DPIL edition of Runaway Tomato.………………………...…………………….....159 7.2 Alpha Seed and Grain Mill with the weigh house……………………………….....163 7.3 LFL of Alpha……………………………………………………………....……….165 7.4 Lithograph located inside Alpha LFL...……………………………....…………….166 7.5 “Bud Carter” Park…………………….………………………………....………….171 7.6 LFL official stamp……………………………………………………………....….171 7.7 Little Free Library in Syracuse, NY.…………………………………………....….174 7.8 Screenshot of LFL map………………………………….……………………....….176 7.9 1888 map of Beaver County….………………………………………....………….182 7.10 Google map of Beaver County ………………………......……………………….183 7.11 Frisco historical marker……………………………………………………….......184 Chapter 8 8.1 Memex, as illustrated for “As We May Think;” The Atlantic Monthly………….....199 8.2 Pantheon……………………………………………………………....…………….214 8.3 University of Virginia Library……...………………………………………...…….214 8.4 Screenshot of Google’s Bacon number for Bruce Dern……………...………....….220 v Chapter 9 9.1 Main page of Two Way Street………..………………………………………….....239 9.2 Sample of Two Way Street metadata categories..……………………………….....240 vi DEDICATION For Alex. Stay curious. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have many people to thank for seeing this manuscript all the way through. Foremost is Jim Porter, the chair of my committee, who first let me explore libraries as rhetorical systems of memory and then held me accountable throughout the process. Without his critical eye and thoughtful feedback, this project would have never come to fruition. I thank him for his guidance, support, and unending patience. My committee, Jason Palmeri, Linh Dich, Tim Lockridge have provided valuable insight that has only made the final product a richer piece of scholarly work by raising questions and stoking intellectual curiosities. Each of them has brought a unique and valuable perspective to this project. My friends at the Greene County Public Library also deserve my gratitude. Kevin Cretsos, library cataloger extraordinaire, was able to explain the finer points of complicated matters of classification over tacos. Kevin Delecki’s passion for makerspaces has helped fuel my interest in developing libraries into centers of memory creation. A good friend, mentor, and model public servant, Judy Nablo, deserves special thanks for her continued support of my work and many long meandering conversations about Melvil Dewey. My brother-in-law, Dr. Steven Poelzing, has provided me with sage professional and personal advice as I have progressed through the doctoral program. I was elated to include a very small portion of his incredibly important work in this dissertation. I also owe a great deal of thanks Glen Holt, the editor of Public Library Quarterly. Years ago Glen published a paper I wrote for Jim’s History of Rhetoric course. Glen’s suggested edits strengthened my prose and encouraged me to frame my rhetorical work in such a way that it would also extend across the fields of Rhetoric and Library Science. Finally, and most importantly, I want to acknowledge my family—Amber, Karolina, Alex, and Kylie. They deserve a tremendous amount of credit for their patience while I have worked on this project. My wife, Amber, especially has been supportive. Her work in the field of social services has deeply influenced how I perceive the public library and what I think is possible in a public service institution. viii Chapter 1 Using the Genealogical