Permissions: The Other Side

The research process has always been an exciting application of quasi-scientific methods within humanities; proper formatting, whether bibliographical or page numbering, provides just enough rigidity that a standard can be set and subsequently conformed to, shifting the creative focus appropriately to the utilization of sources and proliferation of final products (i.e., the paper itself.) And while the taboo of plagiarism often looms large over the conscientious writer, the consequences of such a ethical violation often remain isolated to in-house discipline, without an understanding of the broader implications of such action within the scholarly community.

As the Rosenbach holds the papers, and library, and living room, of Marianne Moore among their collections, she is a figure of much study within the confines of the Museum & Library. And while I have been aware of the forms needed from researchers before their work on Moore begins, working with the files of research on her elucidates her importance within the poetry community. Beginning with a compilation of reference works the Rosenbach already holds, I have now begun to sort through the files of scholars who examined her materials, finding out which researchers had their work published, and confirming proper citations to the Rosenbach. A gratis copy is also a requirement of publication on Rosenbach holdings; it has been truly shocking to note how many researchers were not compliant with these two conditions of permission. (The files aren't particularly welcoming, either, perhaps distorting my perception of the extent of "transgressors" in the academe.) However -- especially as someone interested in pursuing a career that would consist of such research -- the work I have done on her files is as personally beneficial as it is exciting to read from some of the most prolific scholars' and poets' work done at, and inspired by, the Rosenbach. Examining some of the older files also contextualizes the Rosenbach as an institution rich with history, and expertise, within its collections; among the organization's former staff members are the executor of the Marianne Moore estate, as well as a preeminent Moore scholar, whose knowledge of Modernism in poetry facilitated a position at Yale's prestigious Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Despite my ineptitude regarding poetry, seeing so many creative and compelling analyses of one individual's work by the academe is a true inspiration for my own research interests and goals.