This course is intended for librarians, educators, collectors, booksellers, and others who seek an introduction to the physical aspects of books printed during the hand-press period (i.e., 1450–1830). It covers …
This intensive hands-on course will provide an overview of the history of papermaking with a focus on five major paper traditions and techniques. Through lectures, demonstrations, readings, and hands-on activities, we will cover …
Books studied in class will include papyrus fragments of Homer and the Bible; Hebrew Esther scrolls; early Qur’an leaves; Greek and Latin codices; Books of Hours and many other illuminated …
This short, three-day course will introduce participants to these and related questions with a series of focused investigations centered within the collections of the Library Company of Philadelphia and the …
Blending book history, bibliography, and publishing networks with Indigenous systems of knowledge allows us to view Indigenous collections as belongings entwined with agency and familial relations. Drawing on current and …
This course will cover the materials and manufacture of wood type, the design of wood type, including the influence of signwriting and stone lettering, and the description of identification of …
Among the topics that will be covered in this course are: the differences between periodical forms; technological innovations in printing and illustration; business models for periodical publication; relationships between publishers, …
With greater access to digital surrogates, catalogers, special collections librarians, bibliographers, researchers, and collectors are becoming increasingly interested in the materiality of bound volumes. This course will focus on understanding …
Among other topics, the course will cover safe handling of photographic materials, determining appropriate housing and storage conditions, and developing exhibition guidelines. The instructors will share examples from the Center …
Maps are everywhere in Indigenous American books. There are the iconic endpaper maps of D’Arcy McNickle’s The Surrounded (1936) and Leslie Marmon Silko’s Almanac of the Dead (1991). The cover …
The course will address a broad range of subjects, providing a historical perspective on the literary manuscript and turning to the status and uses of literary archives today. The course …
To the extent possible in a week, the class will attend to the full lifecycle of handpress-era books, from the practices of early printers, booksellers, binders, and readers to the …
Share your suggestion for a new course (and—equally important—a person who could teach it). Successful courses require extensive materials, one or more experienced faculty members, and an audience.