Heather Ball
City University of New York
Panel: “The Material Object in Digital Culture”

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Digital technologies have found a use in almost every aspect of scholarly research and communication. Though the Internet proves advantageous by increasing access, it can also be detrimental to novice researchers. By solely encountering medieval manuscripts through a computer screen, users sacrifice the visceral experience that accompanies viewing the actual manuscript. Misinformation is another drawback when searching for medieval content online. How can a user discern authoritative sources from subjective and non-factual sources? One consideration that must be incorporated into further study is how digital surrogates and technologies are affecting the original manuscripts as well. If digital access increases, does access to the original become restricted? This paper will seek to answer the above questions, and provide fodder for a thorough, scholarly debate.