CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 18, 2009 - The Newberry Library welcomes the public to The Caxton Club/Newberry Library 2009 Symposium on the Book. On Saturday, April 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., scholars, rare book collectors, attorneys and law enforcement officials will explore ways in which attacks on books have been carried out, uncovered, punished or not, and prevented.
"Books are more fragile sometimes than we think, just because they are battlegrounds for thought," said Paul Gehl, Custodian of the John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing. "Over the years, religious authorities, kings, queens and governments have destroyed and censored books in the name of stability, while armies and revolutionaries have burned books in order to create radical change."
The morning program of Pillage, Punishment, & Provenance: Books As Victims Of Crime begins with a look at how librarians and others have protected books during wartime. The following discussion will compare nineteenth-century punishments for financial forgery, execution, with those for crimes against intellectual property such as plagiarism.
In the afternoon, a roundtable session regarding book crime history, detection and prevention features rare book librarians, a Chicago attorney and collector, a bookseller and a member of the FBI Art Crimes Task Force.
The Symposium is free and open to the public, however seating is limited and advance registration is required. For details, visit www.caxtonclub.org to register or call (312) 255-3700.
The Newberry Library will present, in conjunction with the Symposium on the Book, a Spotlight Exhibit of Newberry materials that will explore the various ways attacks on books have been framed, executed, uncovered, punished (or not), and prevented. Book Crimes runs from March 25 through Saturday, April 4.
Schedule of Events:
SESSION I
9:00 a.m., Ruggles Hall, The Newberry Library
Sem Sutter (University of Chicago Libraries)
"Habent sua fata libelli: The Fate of Libraries in Wartime"
A look at libraries during ancient and modern wars offers some insights into the mentality of conquerors and the lengths to which librarians and others have gone to guard the written word.
Sara Malton (St. Mary's University, Halifax)
"A Capital Past: Forgery, Wilkie Collins, and 19th-Century Cultural Memory"
Focusing on the life and work of Wilkie Collins, this talk will consider how 19th-century authors compared the severe punishment for financial forgery (execution) with the lesser penalty for crimes against intellectual property such as plagiarism.
SESSION II
11:00 a.m., Ruggles Hall, The Newberry Library
Jennifer Larson (Jeffrey Marks Rare Books, Rochester)
"Caveat Emptor/Caveat Venditor
Ms. Larson will talk about the need for ethical standards from the viewpoint of someone active in the rare book trade for thirty years. She will speak about best ethical practices for dealers; changes in the way the rare book market looks at legal issues such as title and authenticity; and whether provenance and other research should be the duty of the dealer or buyer.
SESSION III
2:00 p.m., Auditorium of the Alliance Francaise
"Book Crime History, Detection, Prevention"
Roundtable discussion will include moderator Alice Schreyer (University of Chicago Library), Susan Allen (Getty Research Institute Library), Michael Thompson (Chicago attorney and collector), Brian Brusakas (FBI Art Crimes Task Force) and William L. Butts (Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, Galena, Illinois.) The audience will be invited to participate.
Venues
The morning session will be held in Ruggles Hall of the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton Street, Chicago. The afternoon session will be held at the Alliance Française de Chicago Auditorium, 54 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago.
ABOUT THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY
The Newberry Library, a preeminent humanities research and reference institution, is home to a world-class collection of books, manuscripts, maps, music, and other printed materials related to the history and culture of Western Europe and the Americas. The collections span many centuries. The Newberry offers research fellowships for scholars, exhibits based on its collections, and a broad array of programs and activities. The Newberry has been free and open to the public since 1887. Visit us online at www.newberry.org, and in person at 60 W. Walton Street, Chicago, Ill. 60610.
ABOUT THE CAXTON CLUB
The Caxton Club of Chicago was founded in 1895 by fifteen Chicago bibliophiles who desired to support the publication of fine books in the spirit of the prevailing Arts and Crafts Movement. Today, The Caxton Club brings together a community of individuals who share a love of books and provides them a forum to learn about their history, production, and preservation; to heighten their appreciation of outstanding content, design and production; and to share in the joys of fine books. Learn more at www.caxtonclub.org.