Word Processing

Wood Type Weekend celebrates the art of letterpress printing

The Book Arts Workshop at the Dartmouth College Library will celebrate its growing collection of wood type with a weekend's worth of events, beginning on Friday, Feb. 23, with an illustrated lecture. Richard Zauft, a historian, professor, and practitioner of the book arts, and co-editor of Hamilton Wood Type, a History in Headlines, will speak on the history of wood type in printing at 4 p.m. in the Treasure Room, Baker-Berry Library. A reception will follow in the Book Arts Workshop, Baker-Berry Room 21-23. Book arts staff will be available during the reception to help guests create a hand-printed keepsake of Wood Type Weekend.

A second, registration-only, event on Saturday will allow participants to further explore the hand-crafted poster, using wood type and iron hand presses from the College's collections.

"The Book Arts Program is sometimes jokingly called Dartmouth's best-kept secret," notes Barbara Sagraves, head of preservation services and book arts program coordinator. "But we love to share it with the rest of campus." The Book Arts Program holds regular open studios in letterpress printing and book binding, as well as a series of short classes in various book-making techniques.

"It's really very simple," says Sagraves, "We provide enthusiastic instructors, equipment, and supplies. All you have to do is bring your imagination. People have made everything from greeting cards, wedding announcements, and graduation announcements to scrapbooks, broadsides, and hand-printed and bound books of poetry."

The winter book arts schedule is available on their Web site.

By KELLY SEAMAN

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