About the prize
The UBC Undergraduate Prize in Library Research is a way to showcase students’ effective and innovative use of library services, information experts and resources provided by the UBC Library. Applications for these prizes also provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their information-seeking experience, showcase their research beyond the classroom, and promote scholarship excellence at the undergraduate level at the University of British Columbia.
The Prize was established by UBC Library to encourage more and deeper use of its resources and collections, to advance information literacy at UBC, and to promote academic excellence at UBC.
Q: Could you tell us a little bit about your project?
Cosmographia is a 1574 cosmographical text, which contains five movable volvelles (rotating circular slide charts). UBC has a copy in its Special Collections. My project situated Cosmographia in early printing history, trade networks and paper production systems. I was also interested in how the reader’s ability to manipulate the volvelles disrupts the linear reading experience generally expected of early modern readers.
Q: What does winning this prize mean to you?
I am delighted that others enjoyed reading my project as much as I enjoyed working on it.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
In September I’ll be starting law school here at UBC — I look forward to making use of some new and different library resources!
Q: Do you have a favourite research spot at UBC Library?
I enjoy spending time in the Education Library in the Neville Scarfe building. The plants are lovely and it’s very quiet.