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VOLUME 12 N O .3 2005 A FOUR- DAY CELEBRATION OF the changing book begins with a hands-on look at all that’s new—and beloved about the old—in our industry. The Oakdale Campus kicks off The Changing Book Conference where the outdoor tent show proves to be a delightfully eclectic event in which a couple hundred book enthusiasts chat about various aspects of the book. The Tent Show provides four exhibits and over twenty-five book craft and materials demonstrations. Nearby is an informative tour of the Oakdale Paper Making Facility. A walking tour of some of Iowa City’s little jewels include its diverse bookstores, private binderies and studios. Taking an unmarked passageway dubbed “Oakland Alley,” participants just might spot local artisans hard at work in these little stops: Black Bird Bindery, Cheryl Jacobsen Calligraphy, Larry Yerkes Bindery and Naughty Dog Press. The opening exhibit at the Iowa Artisans Gallery honors William Anthony who was the University of Iowa’s first book conservator. His diligent work in preserving the bookbinding craft is honored with the opening of an exhibit, “Bill Anthony: Lineage of a Master,” which is made possible—and demonstrates his resounding influence on many professional artists and craftsmen in the world of hand bookbinding Archival Products NEWS The Changing Book: Transitions in Design, Production and Preservation The Tent Show provides four exhibits and over twenty-five book craft and materials demonstrations. WSUI features three participants of the Changing Book Conference during its live Friday morning Talk of Iowa broadcast. Shown in the photo: Parchment maker Jesse Meyer, Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler (Chief of the Document Conservation Laboratory, National Archives and Records Administration), and Larry Yerkes (bookbinder, teacher and University of Iowa Museum Curator).

The Changing Book: Transitions in Design, …demand, Pothi texts, Tibetan libraries and preservation efforts in From Pothi to Pixels and Back Again: The Tibetan Book.His preview from

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VOLUME 12

NO.32005

AFOUR-DAY CELEBRATION OF

the changing book begins with a hands-on look at all that’s

new—and beloved about the old—in our industry.

The Oakdale Campus kicks off TheChanging Book Conference where theoutdoor tent show proves to be adelightfully eclectic event in which acouple hundred book enthusiasts chatabout various aspects of the book. TheTent Show provides four exhibits and overtwenty-five book craft and materialsdemonstrations. Nearby is an informativetour of the Oakdale Paper Making Facility.

A walking tour of some of Iowa City’slittle jewels include its diverse bookstores,private binderies and studios. Taking anunmarked passageway dubbed “OaklandAlley,” participants just might spot localartisans hard at work in these little stops:Black Bird Bindery, Cheryl JacobsenCalligraphy, Larry Yerkes Bindery andNaughty Dog Press.

The opening exhibit at the IowaArtisans Gallery honors William Anthonywho was the University of Iowa’s first bookconservator. His diligent work in preservingthe bookbinding craft is honored with theopening of an exhibit, “Bill Anthony:Lineage of a Master,” which is madepossible—and demonstrates his resoundinginfluence on many professional artists andcraftsmen in the world of hand bookbinding

Archival Products

NEWSThe Changing Book: Transitions in Design,Production and Preservation

The Tent Showprovides fourexhibits andover twenty-fivebook craft andmaterialsdemonstrations.

WSUI features three participants of the Changing BookConference during its live Friday morning Talk of Iowabroadcast. Shown in the photo: Parchment maker JesseMeyer, Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler (Chief of the DocumentConservation Laboratory, National Archives and RecordsAdministration), and Larry Yerkes (bookbinder, teacher andUniversity of Iowa Museum Curator).

—by contributions from 35 bookbinders. Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler, opening

keynote speaker, explores the differencesand similarities of Craft Binding in Chicagoand Iowa. She leads us through theconnections between Chicago and Iowaand between the social movements andproduction settings of bookwork in thefirst half of the 20th century.

Following the lecture, Fritz James,

President of LBS Archival Products andgreat-grandson of Ernst Hertzberg whostarted the Hertzberg Bindery, isrecognized for his donation to theUniversity of Iowa’s Main Library’s SpecialCollections department and company’s rolein the conference. A special collectionsexhibit follows, showcasing the lineage andheritage in The Hertzberg Bindery collectionof scrapbooks, decorated papers and a finecollection of books and company archivesdemonstrating “The Business ofBookbinding in Iowa: 1930-1950.”

An additional exhibit, “BookbindingAcross Time and Culture,” curated byUniversity of Iowa Conservators GaryFrost and Kristin Alana Baum, illustratesthe benefits of using bookbinding models—instead of actual historical bindings—to more freely demonstrate a book’smechanics and structure. Conferenceparticipants also observe the repair andrebinding of rare books at the Conserva-tion Lab.

Experts extolling the continuation andprosperity of printed books interminglehistorical cases with modern technology topropel further understanding of continuingparadigm for conservation and bookcrafting.Don Etherington’s Historical Background ofBook Conservation presentation reviews thepast 40 years, from the 1966 Florenceflood to the development of institutionalcollections in the second half of thecentury.

The Kennicott Bible: A Description of ItsIllumination & Conservation Problems byChris Clarkson examines the 1400’sHebrew Bible of Moorish Spain. Chrisdetails the physical features, which includean extremely rare box-binding and conser-vation treatments performed includingissues with decorative layer consolidationand binding stabilization.

The next session, Continuing ResearchValue of Print Collections, features YvonneCarignan who reports on, Who WantsYesterday’s Papers? The faculty and studentsof the University of Maryland answer in a2002 debate about the future of printcollections on campus. Yvonne presentsthe mixed responses with some facultydependent on electronic resources andothers dependent on print collections,however, there was concurrence for accessto both books and electronic resources.Walter Cybulski follows by exploring e-Miles to Go and Promises to Keep in anassessment of digital media’s impact ontraditional libraries which concluded thatthe library’s future is directly related to thefuture of the printed book and the futureof libraries is a much greater issue.

In the Continuing Role of the Print Book,Kate Hayles contends books have beenforced to change their content strategies inreaction to “trauma” from newer emergingmedia. The soul of the book responds tothe encroachment of the foreign media ofelectronic communication.

T H E C H A N G I N G B O O K – c o n t i n u e d

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The openingexhibit at theIowa ArtisansGallery honorsWilliamAnthony whowas theUniversity ofIowa’s first bookconservator.

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Sarah H. Townsend and Kim White inElectronic Book Technologies set up the topicframework then open it up for widerdiscussion relating to the areas of preser-vation, standardization and literacy. Theyexamine the qualities of equivalence in aperceptive review while navigating their“End[of]Paper” reference website. Massmarket publications, textbooks, colla-borative and critical works and ephemeralmanifest an electronic, non-paper presencethrough e-technology—blogs, wikis andebooks.

The panel, Bookcraft Education by ChelaMetzger, Mark Andersson, Anna Embreeand Julie Leonard, discusses the differences,similarities and benefits of today’s morewidely embraced educational programsversus past traditional apprenticeships. TheKilgarlin Center for Preservation of theCultural Record, the North Bennet StreetSchool of Bookbinding, the University ofAlabama Book Arts Program and theUniversity of Iowa Center for the Book are profiled.

Next, the panel of Bill Minter, LarryYerkes, Mark Essler and Sally Keyexpounds on Bill Anthony’s Impact onApprentices. Bill Minter, Bill Anthony’s firstapprentice, leads the discussion about Mr.Anthony’s valiant efforts to keep book-binding apprenticeships alive and thelasting impact of those endeavors. It is aspecial treat to have Bill Anthony’s wife,children and grandchildren join us at the“William Anthony: Fine Binder” exhibit atthe University of Iowa Museum of Art.Through the exhibit and publication of thesame name, attendees receive a comp-rehensive look at the book art and bookcraft of this beloved pioneer.

John Dean gives his World View of BookConservation. Facing political and environ-mental difficulties in other areas of theworld, Western advancements in con-

servation bring hope to other countries byway of training and development. Hedescribes the jeopardy of collections andlibrarians at risk during war and disasteraround the globe and illustrates theassessment and preservation of a collectionof antiphonals in a Cathedral Library.

Four speakers address the topic, Changein the Perception of the Book. Jim Canaryfirst details efforts in digitizing sacred texts,developing digital Tibetan fonts, print-on-demand, Pothi texts, Tibetan libraries andpreservation efforts in From Pothi to Pixelsand Back Again: The Tibetan Book. Hispreview from his documentary video onTibetan book production leads us into theworkshop to experience the activities ofhand block printing and the speed andagility of the handwork.

Book designer DJ Stout then breaksfrom the classic model in creating metic-ulously designed books that communicatevibrantly and effectively with the readerwhich he explains in his presentation of theRole of Book Design in the Changing Book.DJ is dedicated to good design in bookformat and uses typography, illustration,historical and contemporary graphics thatresult in his successful book designs.

In Book Conservation and the Book Arts,Pamela Spitzmueller shares books andbook treatments to help conservators plantheir work and gives those who make newbooks inspiration and insight. Pamillustrates through her own work thatdisasters to books invigorate book art andwhere book art was saved by historic bookconservation.

Tim Ely’s From Signal to Noise offersparticipants information about interpretingembedded imagery and connotations inhistory and in book arts. He does notpropose community building but describeshis own propensities. Citing the humancapacity to construe pattern from random

T H E C H A N G I N G B O O K – c o n t i n u e d

noise, he catalogs the kind of denials thathe must make to convince viewers that hisdrawings are not personalized communi-cations.

The next topic, Impact of the ChangingBook on Preservation, is first addressed byJeanne Drewes in Publishing Trends inAlkaline Paper. Surveys based on simpleassessment spot testing prior to alkalizationindicates that the trend to alkaline paperscontinues overall, but only US publishersof scholarly monographs can be depend-ed on for consistent, persistent use of such stock.

Roberta Pilette demonstrates thebenefits of a team approach to broad-spectrum preservation efforts; conservatorsbeing just one part of the equation in Book Conservation within Library Preserva-tion can focus on item treatment while the overall program benefits from a prod-uctive specialist.

The final session addresses the fastmoving industries of printing and bindingbooks on-demand in Responding to the On-Demand Society. As the business of librarybinding began to decline, Jim Larsenexplains how his traditional library bind-ery made the transition to automated on-demand book production in the orationHistorical Background for Print/Bind on Demand.

Paul Parisi, authoritarian on theautomation of library binding, discussesquality standards for new technologies,digital imaging for on-demand publishersand how the “package” still counts inmarketing a successful book in Whole BookProduction with the New Technologies.

Susan Peterson informs participants howthe virtual format has changed in the pastfive years and what it’s E-volving into withregard to risks and rewards with E-books on Demand. She highlights that thepublishing industries have always “followedthe readers,” producing formats and

products that correspond with changingreading behaviors.

The University of Iowa Center for theBook Open House of its Fine Press, TypeKitchen and Kolarik Bookbinding Studioprompts the thought of the physicalimpact of the traditional book in a reader’shand. Although there is a constant call andpurpose for the Changing Book and newmedia, there continues to be a strongcalling to hold and read the traditionalbook as we have known it through manygenerations.

To conclude the conference, somechoose a motor coach tour to LBS ArchivalProducts. Others choose a local tour to theUniversity of Iowa Historical PrintingStudio or the Linotype Museum inDenmark, Iowa.

The tour starts at the Des Moinesfacilities that house Fritz James’ threecompanies, beginning at the LBS admini-strative offices and Corporate Imagedivision that creates presentation materialsfor leading corporations. After a buffetluncheon, we walk through the perennialgarden path adjoining the buildings andenter Archival Products to witness theproduction and order fulfillment processesof elegant preservation enclosures. We alsoobserve the conversion of reinforcementmaterials for LBS Book Componentsdivision. At another building, where themain LBS Book Components is located,participants learn about the equipment andmaterials that go into producing endpapersand the conversion of book cloth.

This concludes our tour and theChanging Book Conference. Iowa Cityprovided an idyllic setting for learning,sharing and growing. Our most sincerethanks to all involved.

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T H E C H A N G I N G B O O K – c o n t i n u e d

In BookConservationand the BookArts, PamelaSpitzmuellershares booksand booktreatments tohelp conservatorsplan their workand gives thosewho make newbooks inspirationand insight.

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Book Sculpture, Definedby Wendy Gray

Introduction

PEGGY JOHNSTON IS A SCULPTOR—a book sculptor. Painstakinglyconstructing each of her creations,

Peggy often uses bizarre materials, such asgrape leaves found on a vacation andunexpected casings like river stones, batwings or pastries. Sound interesting? There’s more…

Entirely dedicated to this craft, Peggyhas printed, pulped, poured, painted,pasted, woven, sewn and even cast her ownpaper. Each of the 1,400-plus books Peggyhas created is hand-numbered and carriesher own logo. Peggy knows each one ofthem intimately, for she created them asindividual works of art.

The SettingWorking from a well-equipped studio,show area, paper storage facility and printshop right in her home, Peggy adamantlycontends the artistry of a book can bemuch more remarkable than its contents.However, her coast-to-coast clients often

commission Peggy to create housing fortheir most meaningful memoirs—weddings, personal journals, vacationkeepsakes and even movie ticket stubs;Peggy fashions those from theater posters.

The History“Ever since I was young, I have had astrange passion for paper and containers,”Peggy admits. “And since people knowabout that obsession, they are always givingme samples of unique paper and materialsthey find.

Entries from the Bat Log, Limited EditionBat wing pages open to reveal 10 original drawings in thisVademecum book. Peggy cut and scored each page byhand. The book features handset, letterpress printing andPeggy’s drawings based on real bat sightings in her house.(And she actually still lives in that house despite thesesightings!) The leather cover is even lined with a copy ofher actual bat log. Peggy says, “This book is intimate andhumorous, just like our bat encounters were!”

Peggy’s own Movie Ticket Keepsake Book

Turquoise Rock with Fishing Fly, from the River RockSeries, One-of-a-Kind bookInspiration: “When fly-fishing in rocky rivers, the fly isfrequently lost from being caught among the river rocks.”This book’s closure is a de-barbed fly on a cord that wrapsaround the rock and fastens to a small quartz bead. Peggysews accordion-folded joss paper to a strap on the insideof the rock. She then adds brass wire curlicues to providean element of sound for the book and handmade Granitepaper to cover the outside.

“It eventually got to the point where Icouldn’t use all of this paper I’d accumulatedby just making greeting cards so I got intobinding books; that way I could use a lotmore of it up,” Peggy acknowledges.

The IdeasFrom where do all of her remarkable

ideas come? Peggy seems to have an endlessflow. To organize her thoughts, she doesn’tuse an electronic database or keep a listsomewhere on her laptop. Instead, Peggyhas what she calls Idea Books, all fashionedin black-and-white Japanese paper withbright red ribbons. Her Idea Books arebursting with handwritten notes, businesscards, clippings, drawings, formulas andpaper samples. Some pages even have tabsat the top, which Peggy quickly and easilymaneuvers to reference, say, a project shedid three years ago.

“I’ll often get calls from people wantingme to create books similar to those I didfor them months—even years—ago,”Peggy says. “The easiest way for me to recallall of the details is to refer back to my IdeaBooks. There, I’ve got all of the elementsthat went into the project: from swatchesof the materials and the particular bindingstructure I used to exactly how much timeI logged on the project. Storing that kindof detail on a computer just isn’t possible.”

Toting her Idea Books to the art showsand exhibits she regularly attends, Peggyeagerly shares them with interested parties,

explaining how they are literally herbuilding blocks. In addition to housing thefoundations of her work, being a creativeinspiration and her professional reference,the books are all the same size and formatfor a reason. Sometimes, she stacks themonto each other in Stonehenge-like form-ations or fans the books out next to eachother, just for fun. “I have six of themnow; a couple more and I’ll have acomplete circle,” Peggy smiles.

The TeachingsAsked how she came to call book sculptureher profession, Peggy humbly says, “It’swhat I’ve done the longest; it’s what stuck.”But Peggy has formally trained under thefield’s most respected authorities nationwideincluding Gary Frost, Bonnie Stahlecker,Barbara Mauriello, Don Glaister, RichardFlavin, Jim Croft and Pamela Spitzmueller.

Currently, Peggy teaches her own seriesof coursework and offers experience-appropriate workshops ranging from ahalf-day to nine weeks in length for adults,gifted and talented students, at-riskadolescents and young children alike. Titlesof these courses include:

• Making Boxes• Designer Folds• Ethiopian Binding with Satchel• Vademecum • Flexible Sculptural Books• Skin-like and Textural Paste Papers• Japanese Stitching• 15 Books in a Box• The Exquisite Corpse• Clamshell Book with a Box

B O O K S C U L P T U R E , D E F I N E D – c o n t i n u e d

“It eventuallygot to the pointwhere I couldn’tuse all of thispaper I’daccumulated byjust makinggreeting cards soI got intobinding books;that way Icould use a lotmore of it up.”

Peggy’s six Idea Books… inspiration coming full-circle

Handmade Old Book BookThe cover is made from salvaged antique books; the rest iscreated from new materials. Peggy sews the accordionspine and pages over straps attached to the old cover. Shesays this book is ideal for photos, journaling or sketching.

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• Crossed Structure• Finding Closure• 36 Shot Album• Piano Hinge—Distortions and

ExaggerationsPeggy is obviously not apprehensive

about giving intimate and specific detailsinvolved in her unique mastery of bookartistry. She’s happy to share her knowledgewith anyone interested in the craft.

In fact, she recently helped start a group

called The Prairie Book Collaborative, atroupe of individuals who, like Peggy, arededicated to the book in all its forms. Thegroup’s first project is a book titled One.The work is a beautiful compilation of thenine founding members’ own professionalsamples and bios in their respective fieldsof printmaking, etching, letterpress andcalligraphy. The Prairie Book Collaborativeunveiled One at The Edible Book Tea, anevent featuring cakes and pastriesresembling legendary texts—for example,“S’more and Peace.”

The group’s future ambitions includeproducing another limited edition bookcalled (you guessed it) Two, as well ascreating a library display to educate visitorsabout all aspects of the book and a Centerfor the Book in the group’s base of DesMoines, Iowa. The Center, Peggy says, will

be a place for those of all ages to work,meet and learn about bookmaking.

The WorkHow does Peggy categorize her wildlybroad initiatives into a marketable body ofwork? Pretty methodically, actually. Breakingthe offerings in her craft into six distinctareas, it’s rather simple to get a grasp onwhat seems, at first, to be an insurmoun-table organization feat. On Peggy’s website,her work is organized as such:

• Books • Supplies and materials• Commissioned work• Gallery and exhibits• Paper • CoursesA few examples, taken from Peggy’s

website, www.wavelandstudio.com...

B O O K S C U L P T U R E , D E F I N E D – c o n t i n u e d

The Center,Peggy says, willbe a place forthose of all agesto work, meetand learn aboutbookmaking.Having a Ball with Sherlock Holmes, Limited Edition

Peggy cuts Sherlock Holmes stories apart, mounts themon cambric selvage, then winds them into a ball. Readersunravel the mystery to get to secret artifacts at the center.A traveling case contains and protects the ball. Storiesoffered are The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, TheMusgrave Ritual, The Final Problem, The Adventure of theEmpty House, The Adventure of the Dancing Men, and The Adventure of the Priory School.

Piano Hinge Spine BookAn exaggerated spinemakes this book ideal forstoring photos as well asbulkier items. Motifs arerandomly selected andPeggy finishes each onewith a button and cordclosure.

Japanese Screw PunchAccessoriesIn addition to handmadebooks, Peggy createsbookmaking supplies andmaterials, like this screwpunch cap, storage case(made from a kimono orleather) and bit case.

Pot Luck Collage PacketsFor those who like surprises, Peggy has a random selectionof decorative papers, antique book pages, joss paper,postage stamps and paste papers…delivered in ahandmade envelope with a wooden button closure.

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The ScheduleIt can be tough to pin Peggy down; she’sconstantly touring the country for exhibits,shows and courses. Peggy and/or her workhave recently been seen as follows:

• Fourth International Book & PaperArts TriennialChicago—Columbia CollegeJuly 15, 2005–August 27, 2005

• Iowa Exhibited-Heritage GalleryDes Moines, IowaJune 13, 2005–August 4, 2005

• Intensive Spirit—Celebrating 22 yearsof the Paper & Book IntensiveSteamboat Springs, ColoradoApril 29, 2005–June 19, 2005

• Red Dot Fine Art—Small WorksSanta Fe, New MexicoApril 1, 2005–April 16, 2005

• Readers Art Five—Susan Hansel GalleryMinneapolis, MinnesotaMarch 4, 2005–April 26, 2005

The FutureSitting amongst rose petals scattered

across her studio (for the wedding album

of a local socialite), Peggy mentions herlove of commissioned work—distinctivebooks that will be revered for generations.So additional people can learn about herspecialized craft, she would also like tohave more of her work featured in specialcollections, and Peggy is constantly seekingnew forums for gallery, exhibition and evensolo shows.

But all of that aside, possibly mostrewarding is the opportunity to share hercraft with others interested in learningabout book sculpture. Peggy hopes to addeven more courses to her already broadeducational offering and to enlarge herteaching space, providing room foradditional students to learn, hands-on, inPeggy’s own studio.

When visiting Peggy Johnston’s studio,show area, storage and printing space—which now spread through three levels ofher lovely historic home—it quicklybecomes apparent that, for Peggy, the linebetween professional and personal passionis as blurred as the line between books andartistic sculpture. What a delightfulcoexistence.

To learn more about Peggy Johnston’sbook sculpture, her courses, specialcommissions and exhibits, simply visitwww.wavelandstudio.com.

LBS/Archival Products1801 Thompson Ave.P.O. Box 1413Des Moines, Iowa 50305-14131-800-526-5640515-262-3191Fax [email protected]

archival.com

Peggy hopes toadd even morecourses to heralready broadeducationaloffering and toenlarge herteaching space,providing roomfor additionalstudents tolearn, hands-on,in Peggy’s ownstudio.

B O O K S C U L P T U R E , D E F I N E D – c o n t i n u e d

Peggy Johnston in her studio