October 12th, 2017

Response to Borges, Mandell, & Dalbello

I enjoyed reading Borges' "The Library of Babel," it was an interesting look at libraries and some people find them becoming obsolete now. But Borges doesn't think that library will ever become extinct, because they are one of a kind. At the same time, I thought the way he wrote was at times cryptic or way more self-reflecting than I thought necessary for writing something about a library. But maybe I just didn't understand it fully. He said, "The Library is unlimited and cynical." I thought this was interesting but I'm unsure of how to piece everything together to understand. He talks about a library as if it's alive. Is this how he is trying to point out the importance of preserving them?

I didn't really understand the point behind Mandell's piece either...there was a poem dissected in there but I don't know for what reason or point. Maybe she was trying to show the importance of the old techniques of literature, and yet she seems to be an advocate for digital humanities. She said, ". . . The apologists for 'Digital Humanities' are careful to admit that computers may not in fact do anything 'new' to literature."

Dalbello seems to also be in favor of digital humanities but at the same time wishes to preserve the "old" humanities. She said, "That preservation of culture, social memory and living history is a project for the humanities.