Event—Adult Education

Making (and Owning) Books in the Early Modern Period

2017 marks the 400th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, a time in which books had enormous impact. But how exactly were books made, and who made them?

Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (by September 1): $170
Regular Price (after September 1): $187

Register Online

Seminar Description

2017 marks the 400th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, a time in which books had enormous impact. But how exactly were books made, and who made them? This seminar will build on the Newberry's fall exhibition, Religious Change and Print, 1450-1700, and will use the library's world-class collection on the history of printing to examine the labor and materials that went into making books and other printed materials in the period. Four sessions.

Jill Gage is the Custodian of the John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing and Bibliographer for British Literature and History at the Newberry Library, and she curated the Newberry's 2016 exhibition, Creating Shakespeare. She holds a PhD from the University of London.

Materials List

Required:

  • Carter, John. ABC for Book Collectors. 8th edition by John Carter and Nicolas Barker. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Books; and London: British Library, 2004. (The most recent edition of Carter’s ABC for Book Collectors is also available as a free PDF download at: https://www.ilab.org/eng/documentation/29-abc_for_book_collectors.html) ISBN-13: 978-1584561125

Note: A Short History of the Printed Word by Warren Chappell and Robert Bringhurst was previously listed as required, but has been removed because it is out of print. Your instructor will providing handouts on this topic instead, but if you would still like to purchase the book, it is available, used, online.

First Reading:

  • There is no reading assignment for the first class.

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.