Dr. Jayne Wark, a Professor in the Division of Art History and Contemporary Culture, has accumulated hundreds and hundreds of books in her 33-year career as a scholar. Now in her last year at NSCAD, she is giving her book collection away to students.
“I’m giving away all my books because I’m going to be retiring. They’ve served their purpose for me as research and teaching tools. And I’m not a hoarder! I think students will use them more than if I bring them home, where they will sit unused. “
Wark has put up posters around campus listing four dates when students can drop by her office to pick up some paper treasures: March 6, 14, 22 and 30.
On March 6, the first free book day, Wark saw a steady stream of visitors, who took away about 133 books. Many former students she knows, and many students she doesn’t, came in to drink tea, eat a piece of her homemade banana bread, and talk about books.
She’s keeping track of where the books go.
“I like to see what students pick up. Like Will here took all fashion books, because that’s their area, but another person was in here about 45 minutes ago and they took just two books, Virginia Woolf’s feminist classic A Room of One’s Own, and a book on Minimalism in the 60s.”
Student Nicole Di Maggio picked up a copy of Dick Hebdige’s classic book, Subculture, saying, “This is the reason why I make my own like earrings. People have come up to me and asked if I sell them and I say no, I’ll lose my subcultural capital.”
There are likely thousands of dollars’ worth of books here, Wark says. She also invited the NSCAD library to select books that they could use in their collection, but really, she wanted to make them all available to students.
“They’ve been all been loaned out many times to students over the years, anyway,” she says.
Be sure to visit Professor Jayne Wark’s office (G225) from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on March 14, 22 and 30 to pick up some books. There are still hundreds to choose from – something for everyone!