The Book of Kells
by Ian Hackmann, Administrative Assistant

Last month when Dr. Robertson spoke at the Library Town Hall Meeting, he mentioned how much the Book of Kells had influenced his life. Dr. Robertson is not the only individual this book has influenced as over 500,000 visitors grace the Long Hall of Trinity College’s Library in Dublin each year to view but four pages of this magnificent masterpiece.
The Book of Kells has been hailed as “the most beautiful book in the world.” For many years it was believed to have been written by angels. This belief was asserted by Welsh historian Giraldus Cambrensis in the late twelfth century. This assertion was due to the extraordinary detail that the book entails. For example, one, quarter-inch illustration was examined under extreme magnification and found to contain 158 interlacements, ten rare and expensive colors (current printing schemes only use four) and no errors. Modern draughtsmen have attempted to replicate the artwork in the Book of Kells and have abandoned the task as hopeless. Truly, the Book of Kells is an exquisite and unique work of art.

The origin of the Book of Kells (as with much in history) is debated, but there is strong evidence that the original work began in the Iona Monastery in Scotland by the Irish under the commission of, or by, St. Columba of the Collum Cillae order. As for the number of scribes involved, there is a consensus that there was a minimum of two main scribes with speculation that there may have been as many as 30 subordinate scribes contributing. Regardless of the number of scribes involved, it is estimated that it took no less that thirty years to complete.

Currently, the Book of Kells is preserved as four volumes of 340 folios (680 individual pages) of vellum (made from approximately 185 calves’ skins). Originally, the book was bound in one volume and contained the four gospels in Old Latin and Vulgate text, concordances of the gospels compiled in the fourth century by Eusebius of Caesarea, a fragment of Hebrew names, and legal documents associated with the Abbey in which it was written. While the date of conscription is debated, it was no doubt written before 806 AD when the Vikings raided Northern Scotland. At that time, the book was moved to the Kells Monastery where it may or may not have been completed.

The book was most assuredly at Kells in 1006 AD as the Annals of Ulster reports on “its cover of gold studded with precious stones.” Unfortunately, the book was stolen in 1007 AD only to be found in a ditch several months later missing its precious cover and having irreparable damage to approximately 30 of the front and back pages. The book remained at Kells until 1541 when the Roman Catholic Church commandeered it in an effort to preserve it. Eventually, the book was returned to the Governor of Kells in 1653 who presented it as a gift to Trinity College in 1661 where it has remained ever since.

An attempt was made to restore the book in 1821. Unfortunately, an “ignorant and mischievous bookbinder” created even more damage and more of the priceless book was lost forever. A second attempt was made in 1895 which allowed for cessation of further decay. In 1953, the book was repaired and rebound in its final format (now in four volumes due to the extreme disrepair of the original) by Roger Powell. Since that time, due to the extreme demand for the book, a Swiss publisher was allowed to manufacture facsimiles detailed to the 580 holes made by “beetles, weevils and the aging process.” These facsimiles were limited to 1480 copies and retailed for $18,000 in 1990.

The Book of Kells is not only Ireland’s most precious medieval artifact; it is possibly Ireland’s most important artifact. It not only demonstrates the extreme ‘sanctity and reverence’ of effort that the scribes of medieval times devoted to their ‘holy’ task of disseminating the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but is also evidence of extreme knowledge and devotion in an era inappropriately named the ‘dark ages.’ If these were indeed dark ages, then the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly penetrated this darkness like a laser that still shines and affects people like Dr. Robertson today.

For further information, please consult:

http://www.irishclans.com/articles/bookofkells.html

http://www.tcd.ie/info/trinity/bookofkells/

http://historymedren.about.com/od/bookofkell1/p/book_of_kells.htm

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National Library Week
by Charlise Holmes, Assistant Circulation Supervisor

National Library Week 2006 is coming! Last year’s participants probably remember all of the delicious food, fun prizes, enlightening demonstrations, and of course PATRON AMNESTY that made the week a success. This year’s festivities on April 2-8, 2006, will prove to be another fantastic celebration with planned activities that include free tax advice, a book talk by an esteemed faculty member, and an essay contest that has a $200 grand prize!

We have other fun and interesting activities planned for this year's event! You won’t want to miss National Library Week 2006. For more information on times and events, contact Librarian Georgianne Bordner at georbor@regent.edu or at extension 4493.

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Great Ladies Leave a Great Legacy
by Elizabeth Keen, Circulation Supervisor

In commemoration of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, the Library has placed on display a series of photos and books of three women who changed the course of the history of the United States: Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges-Hall. The display is on the right just inside the entrance to the University Library.

Coretta Scott King, who recently passed away on January 30, 2006, was the wife of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. She was a partner with him in advocating for the rights of all people, even after his death in 1968. She founded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and also traveled the world “to serve the cause of justice and human rights.” In 1986, she saw the fruition of one of her dreams for which she campaigned relentlessly: the first observance of the national holiday celebrating the life of her husband. (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/kin1bio-1)

Rosa Parks (1913-2005) is perhaps best known for her refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, thereby violating a Montgomery, Alabama city ordinance. Her subsequent arrest marked the beginning of the end of legal segregation in the United States. In 1977, Parks founded the Raymond and Rosa Parks Institute for Self-Development, which has a program called Pathways to Freedom that encourages young people to learn more about the history of America’s Civil Rights Movement and also develop the principles of “dignity, integrity, strength of character, sound judgment, and ‘quiet strength’.” (http://www.rosaparks.org/news/2006pathways.html)

Ruby Bridges-Hall (1954- ) was the first African-American child to desegregate an elementary school. On November 14, 1960, four U.S. Marshals (two in front, two behind) escorted her into William Frantz Public School. The first day she never even made it into her classroom and had to stay in the principle’s office for her safety. In fact, she didn’t even have any other students in her class for the rest of that year – it was only Ruby and her teacher, Mrs. Henry. (http://www.rubybridges.com/story.htm) Ruby formed the Ruby Bridges Foundation in 1999 which “promotes and encourages the values of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences.”

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Deeper into Databases
by Leane Strum, Ph.D., Coordinator of Technical Services & Systems

Over 150 Reference Books Are Now Available Online

• Need a comprehensive overview of your topic as you begin your research process?
• Would you like to see some sample business plans for a company you are starting?
• Need maps, dictionaries, encyclopedias, or almanacs?

Regent University Library now subscribes to two major online reference collections, Gale Virtual Reference Library and Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection with the Western Civilization Collection. Features of these two collections include:

24/7 remote access
Expanded searching for difficult-to-find material
Boolean searching capabilities
Ability to e-mail and print articles

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Gale's Virtual Reference Library’s basic search functionality is simple to use. Researchers can find terms through a keyword search, by article title or in the full text. The advanced search feature allows users to combine criteria by title, keyword, image captions, publisher, author, full text, or publications.

The following titles are now online:
Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America
Contemporary Fashion , 2nd Ed.
Contemporary Novelists , 7th Ed.
Contemporary Poets , 7th Ed.
Encyclopedia of Small Business , 2nd Ed.
Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 2nd Ed.
Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America , 2nd Ed.
Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology , 2nd Ed.
Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History
Nonfiction Classics for Students
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture

Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection with the Western Civilization Collection

Oxford Reference Online combines rich and scholarly resources with authoritative, quick-reference coverage of the full subject spectrum. It also offers excellent functionality, and a wide range of additional material such as maps, illustrations, and timelines.

The Premium Collection offers the following titles, in addition to the 100+ titles already available in the Core Collection. To view the entire list of titles go to: http://www.oxfordreference.com/pages/Subjects_and_Titles__2F.html

A Dictionary of Modern Design
The Oxford Companion to American Law
The Oxford Companion to American Literature
The Oxford Companion to American Military History
The Oxford Companion to American Theatre
The Oxford Companion to Archaeology
The Oxford Companion to Australian History (revised edition)
The Oxford Companion to the Bible
The Oxford Companion to the Body
The Oxford Companion to British History (revised edition)
The Oxford Companion to Canadian History
The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization
The Oxford Companion to the Earth
The Oxford Companion to English Literature (sixth edition)
The Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science
The Oxford Companion to Military History
The Oxford Companion to Music
The Oxford Companion to Philosophy
The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World (second edition)
The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare
The Oxford Companion to United States History
The Oxford Companion to Western Art
The Oxford Companion to World War II
The Oxford Dictionary of English
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (fifth edition)
Visual English Dictionary
World Maps
World Encyclopedia (Premium Edition)

Timeline Feature

Timelines linking over 2,000 key events in 20th century history in the fields of Art and Architecture, Literature, Performing Arts; Politics and Government; Science, Technology and Medicine; Society; and War are included. Click on the link Timelines at the top of the search page and enter a category and date.

Citation Feature

Oxford Reference Online provides a full citation for each entry, so that whenever you cite entries from the service, you can give a full citation for the source. The citation for each entry includes a URL, which readers can use to find the original entry, and indicates the name of the subscribing institution.

These online reference tools are easily accessed from the library database page and click on either the Gale Virtual Reference Library or Oxford Reference Online. Contact a reference librarian at reference@regent.edu or 757.226.5159 if you have any questions.

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Library Services for Undergraduate Students
by Harold Henkel, Assistant Librarian

Do you have an Interlibrary Loan account?

One of the most valuable services the University Library offers the Regent community is Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery. Interlibrary Loan is an extraordinary world-wide system in which libraries work together for the common good of all by loaning each other materials not in their own collections. Last year our Interlibrary Loan Department was able to obtain 6,302 items for Regent users while filling 9,334 lending requests from other libraries.

Regent has essentially two Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery services, one for local students, and one for distance students (defined here as students living outside the Southside Hampton Roads cities, Hampton, and Newport News):

In order to take advantage of Interlibrary Loan for local or distance students, you must register for an account online.

Here are two tips to make Interlibrary Loan convenient and easy:

If you have not already, take a few moments now to sign up for an account. Whether you are a local or distance student, Interlibrary Loan greatly increases the resources at your disposal.

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Book Spotlight--The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God by George Weigel
Reviewed by Harold Henkel, Assistant Librarian

One of the most perplexing events to many Americans in recent years was Spain’s reaction to the terror attacks of March 11, 2004. Three days later, in a reversal of what polls prior to the attacks predicted, the Spanish electorate turned out the Conservative government in favor of the Socialists, who had campaigned on a pledge to remove Spanish troops from Iraq. Thus Al-Qaeda terrorists succeeded in overturning a major European government with one well-timed attack. Why did a people with a proud heritage allow themselves to be cowed by thugs and murderers?

This is just one of the questions that George Weigel asks in The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. The cube and the cathedral refer respectively to La Grande Arch de la Défense and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. Which culture would better protect human rights and the moral foundations of democracy—the culture of the cube or the cathedral? Weigel’s use of Notre-Dame and La Grande Arch to epitomize the difference between Europe’s Christian past and post-modern present is well taken. It seems a pity he does not elaborate on this idea by a closer examination of the two buildings, which would say much about the spirit and aspirations of their builders.

The spiritual sickness of contemporary Europe is the subject of The Cube and the Cathedral. Weigel lists a number of examples in support of his contention that Europe is spiritually sick, but it will suffice here to site only the most urgent: the continent’s demographic suicide. Why are Europeans, “healthier and wealthier than ever before, [declining] to create the human future in the most elemental sense, by creating a next generation?” Making this trend all the more ominous is the presence in Europe of 20 million Muslims, who do not seem to have bought into the European Union’s promised benefits of absolute secularism.*

For Weigel, a noted American Catholic author and biographer of Pope John Paul II, the roots of Europe’s sickness lay in atheistic humanism. Many of Europe’s elites are openly hostile to Christianity and Christians. One example will suffice to illustrate: Rocco Buttiglione, a distinguished Italian philosopher, was judged unfit by the European Parliament to serve on the European Commission because of his views on homosexuality and marriage. Buttiglione, a committed Catholic, had made it clear that as a commissioner, he would uphold and defend the civil rights of all. Nevertheless his moral convictions, not anything that he had said or done, rendered him unacceptable for any leadership role in the EU. Buttiglione has since warned of a new totalitarianism in Europe that flies under the flag of tolerance.

If atheism (in both militant and passive forms) is at the root of Europe’s spiritual crisis, clearly Christian revival would be her salvation. The author’s hero in The Cube and the Cathedral is Pope John Paul II, who offered Europe a Christ-centered humanism in direct challenge to the godless humanism of the continent’s elites. If Weigel sees any cause for optimism in Europe’s present predicament, it is the extraordinary affinity John Paul II had with young people and the spiritual seeds he planted in a new generation of European youth. Since the future of Europe depends on whether or not her people reconnect to their ancient faith, one wishes Weigel had devoted more space to exploring the influence of individuals and communities in Europe who are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

To return to the question posed in the first paragraph, the Spanish voters made a rational decision. A nation with a birthrate of 1.1 children per woman is going extinct, and why would anyone fight for a country that will disappear during the next century? As for the author’s rhetorical question as to which culture (Christian or radical secular) will best protect human rights and democracy, unless Europe undergoes a profound spiritual change as to what constitutes a fulfilling life, its future will be senescence and colonization by Islam. Given the riots of Europe’s disaffected Muslims this past fall and winter, the future of human rights and democracy does not appear bright under the radical secular option.

*In a recent poll, 40% of British Muslims favored the introduction of sharia in the United Kingdom, and 20% sympathized with the “feelings and motives” of the July 7 London bombers.

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