A new USC Libraries Special Collections exhibit explores the fascinating afterlife of medieval manuscripts.
Curated by librarian and art historian Dealla Goodings, What a Waste: Manuscript Treasures Lost and Found highlights how, beginning in the fifteenth century, discarded parchment texts were often recycled as binding material in newly printed books. Once considered expendable, these fragments—referred to as manuscript or binding waste—are now invaluable to scholars. Drawing from the USC Libraries' Rare Books collection, the exhibit features striking examples of manuscript waste, from Gregorian chant sheets repurposed as decorative covers to hidden theological texts revealed only through damage or age. Each item tells two stories: that of the printed book and the older manuscript embedded within it. Together, they offer insights into medieval culture, early printing practices, and the unexpected ways books preserve history.
What a Waste: Manuscript Treasures Lost and Found is on display outside the entrance to the USC Libraries' Special Collections on the second floor of Doheny Memorial Library.