Learn and Practice the Book Arts Over The Summer

During the academic year, the Dartmouth College Library Book Arts Program offers workshops and open studio opportunities that allow for the advancement of skills and knowledge. Most summers we take a break from the full range of opportunities, and this summer is no exception. Our program will only offer a single class: The Letterpress Intensive, but that doesn't mean the learning fun has to stop! Whether you will be in Hanover, back in your hometown, or in a city somewhere around the globe, chances are there is a way to practice the book arts. Here are a few suggestions to expand your knowledge until we are fully open again in the fall, or if you happen to be away from Hanover. Here are suggestions of workshop locations, as well ideas for self-study. There are many more possibilities for learning than what I have mentioned here so I have included some general links to more listings of book arts study opportunities.

If you are looking for others to teach you:

There may be a book arts center where you are going. Multi-week, weekend, and one-day programs can be found through these places, including:

• Lovely in the Home Press/Erin Sweeney (NH)
• Book Arts Guild of Vermont   (VT)
• Otter Pond Bindery/Susan Bonthron (VT)
• Center for Book Arts (NY)
• Wide Awake Garage/Daniel Kelm (MA)
• North Bennet Street School (MA)
• Wells College Book Arts Summer Institute (NY)
• Morgan Conservatory (OH)
• Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper (IL)
• Minnesota Center for the Book (MN)
• San Francisco Center for the Book (CA)
• London Centre for Book Arts (UK)

If you are willing to teach yourself:

I am a big advocate for self-study. There is so much out there, whether on the Internet or on library shelves, available for free if you take the time to watch or read. Nothing beats hands-on demonstration and practice with a knowledgeable and gifted teacher, but sometimes it is not very practical. So get your Google skills fired up and search the web for those resources. A good place to start is checking out the great information on Peter Verheyen's Book Arts Web. For letterpress printing, try the Boxcar Press's website and their blog,

Ladies of Letterpress, and Briar Press. Some book artists blog about the practical skills that are part of their art practice, including Sarah Bryant of Big Jump Press, Carmencho Arregui, and Jana Pullman.

If you want to learn a particular binding or technique, use both the traditional web search and use an image search. Sometimes we don't have the words to describe what we know visually, so an image search can be useful, as the image can link back to more information. You can also search specifically for tutorials, or just Google your question.

For a link into the community of bookbinding and book arts, check out the Guild of Book Workers and the College Book Arts Association. These organizations offer information and networking opportunities.

Stop in at your local library, whether a small public or large institution, and see what might be on the shelves. Remember that many libraries have inter-library loans and can help you get a title to borrow. Also, your local bookstore may have a volume you want to purchase. The Dartmouth College Library has many books on printing, binding and other book arts that can be checked out, including the Ray Nash Collection, housed in the Current Periodicals Room.

Don't forget you can sign up for our list serv and we will be alert you to any book arts opportunities that arise here at Dartmouth. Check out our webpage and see what's up!

This fall we'll have the addition of our new Book Arts Special Instructor Sarah Smith. She will be in the shop and bindery, with a new line-up of opportunities to learn and practice the book arts. We look forward to seeing you then.

By Stephanie Wolff