Note-taking in the Middle Ages: Objects and Objectives

Erik Kwakkel

Thursday, 22 October 2026, at 16:30

Edda auditorium (E-103)

Note-taking has always involved various tools and media, often chosen for specific contexts or reasons for taking notes. Today, phones and other digital devices are popular, while some prefer more traditional methods like notepads, single sheets taken from the printer, or even scrap paper, like writing a shopping list on the back of a letter. While spontaneous writing and taking notes on-the-go was more challenging in the medieval period, mainly due to the writing tools involved, note-takers then also had specific reasons for taking or keeping notes. Likewise, these reasons impacted what device would carry the notes.

This lecture explores the diverse ways in which individuals in the Middle Ages took and kept notes. It focuses on the objects that survive, usually in limited numbers, and examines specific note-taking methods and note-keeping practices. A wide range of written objects is introduced, from blank notebooks and bundled quires filled with notes, to small slips of parchment that could be inserted into existing manuscripts. Helicoptering over the medieval tradition, the lecture demonstrates the variety of media used, highlighting how their design may reflect the specific setting or context in which the notes were created or kept.

Erik Kwakkel is Professor at the School of Information, The University of British Columbia (Vancouver), where he teaches the History of the Book. His research interests are related to the script and material design of manuscripts produced in medieval Europe.

The talk will be delivered in English and is open to all.

The University of Iceland Centre for Medieval Studies