LIS 350 – Spring 2017
This is an undergraduate class in which we explore the history of the book – from its earliest beginnings as a codex up through its most recent iterations in diverse digital platforms and media. By reading, making and observing, we attempt to uncover what has gone into book production and technologies over the centuries. With that knowledge, we can then proceed to question and challenge our own perceptions and assumptions when interacting with old and new books today.
During the course of the semester students have made videos about their visits to Special Collections at Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin – Madison, and about their experiences making a book, using a quill pen, and printing a short phrase. The process of filming and editing the videos has required students to reexamine human interactions with old books, and each video reveals different conclusions reached by the students in that particular group.
A Visit to Special Collections – Vince Kuranz, Katherine Renzelmann, Joe Tortorelli, and Nick Trautner
A Visit to Special Collections – Rebecca Feldman, Rachel Ochsenschlager, Lauren Frericks, and Eric Lugassy
Book Production – Maggie Doleschy, Sydney Rider, and Karl Wertheimer
A Series of Unfortunate Book-Making – Callie Hebert, Kristin Heller, and Mikayla Toonen