VERMILLION, S.D. -- There are any number of textbooks and scholarly publications that one can read to get a better understanding of the Magna Carta.

The document, in which King John of England proclaimed certain rights of his people, became the foundation for many constitutions since it was written in 1215.

It's one thing to study all that. It's entirely different to pick up a 659-year-old copy of the Magna Carta, to feel the aged book cover and pages, to examine the intricate ink strokes made by the scribe who diligently copied it in Latin.

Seeing and feeling that copy makes the centuries-old document feel alive.

Visitors can have similar experiences with other famous works at "Words that Changed History," an exhibit at the University of South Dakota that contains rare first or early editions of books and documents from the worlds of literature, science, religion and law.

"It's one thing to take a course in history, a course in literature. It's another thing to hold an original document or an early copy of a document," said Jack Marsh, executive director of USD's Al Neuharth Media Center and vice president of the Freedom Forum, whose founder, USD alum Al Neuharth played a role in getting the exhibit here.

On the first floor of the center, visitors can browse through a copy of the Magna Carta from 1350. There's a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence from 1777 and a page from a Gutenberg Bible printed sometime shortly after Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1450.

Displays on the second and third floors of the I.D. Weeks Library include an early printed edition of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." There is an edition of Greek philosopher Aristotle's works that was printed in 1496 and a bound collection of the works of Greek physicist and engineer Archimedes, printed in Greek and Latin.

Since the exhibit arrived on campus earlier this semester, visitors have marveled at the history preserved in the glass cases. They've been even more amazed once they find out that they can hold the rare books and flip through the pages.

"I think people have been appreciative that it's here and shocked that they can pick up items and handle them," said Daniel Daily, archivist and special collections librarian at USD. "It's fun to watch students being able to pick up an item that's 300, 400, 500 years old. Who knows whose hands it passed through?"

The only exception: the Declaration of Independence. It is not to be handled.

Though some of the pieces are hundreds of years old, all are in excellent shape. Paper back then was made out of animal skin or cotton rags and lasts much longer than today's paper made from wood pulp. Instead of being brittle, the pages are smooth. You can feel the indentations made by the printing presses that stamped the words into the paper.

Daily said those who love books take an interest in how they were made. Books were bound by hand, and it's not uncommon to see pages that have been sewn back into the binding. There are intricately molded book covers with clasps or strings to keep them closed.

"The craftsmanship, the care that's in the pieces is really why they're still with us today," Daily said.

But the real attraction is seeing, and holding, documents that helped shape the world.

"There's been a genuine excitement to have this here. People have been thrilled not only to see the works but to hold them," Marsh said.

BREAKOUT 1

If you go

"Words that Changed History" will be on display at the University of South Dakota through Dec. 16. The exhibit is open to the public 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and is located on the first floor of the Al Neuharth Media Center, the second floor of the I.D. Weeks Library and the Archives and Special Collections office on the third floor of the I.D. Weeks Library.

To set up an appointment for a weekend showing, call (605) 677-5424.

BREAKOUT 2

Rare items

Early copies of the Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence are two of the bigger attractions of the "Words that Changed History" exhibit at the University of South Dakota.

The exhibit also includes:

Early copies of George Orwell's novels "Animal Farm" and "1984."

Henry David Thoreau's "Yankee in Canada," the first book to contain his essay "Civil Disobedience."

An 18th century printing of Galileo's works.

An 1848 printing of Karl Marx' "Communist Manifesto."

Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," printed in 1776.

The exhibits are on loan from The Remnant Trust, a Louisville, Ky., foundation that shares its collection of original and first edition works. According to a pamphlet available at the exhibit, the trust makes the collection available to colleges, universities and other organizations for use by students, faculty, scholars and the general public.