futureofthebook.com

opened book everywhere

Seth Morabito is working with the
LOCKSS project at Stanford. Bookbinders have an intuitive sense of best strategies for digital preservation.

“The project itself is immensely interesting to me. It’s under the umbrella of the Stanford University Libraries, and is creating a system that will let libraries build, maintain, and archive local collections of e-journals that require paid subscriptions.”

(see Seth’s May 13, 2004
Opened Book blog posting for further description.)

hot metal services

At work today in
Denmark was Dave Seat the last of the traveling Linotype servicemen. His company,
Hot Metal Services, has the inventory of Merganthaler parts. He is also supplying solid state temperature controls for caster pots, bringing the Linotype, Ludlow and other casters into the 21st century of their use.

It was a real pleasure to watch him at work reconditioning Larry’s Ludlow.

they all shelve the same, but each one opens differently

Have you ever noticed that each book will shelve between any of its neighbors? Across a wide, wide expanse of books from diverse periods and cultures they will all shelve together happily.

But take any single binding in hand and you will find that they all opened differently. And many will not happily open for reading.

FotB has gone back to the first codex binding to understand the principles of good book action. We will report on the amazing results at the annual
AIC meeting.

independent media, other than books

It takes spectacular organization and expertise to preserve independent media other than books.

STP brake cleaner and WD 40

Larry and I revived another model 31
Linotype on Sunday. These machines do not want to stand idle, there is news to print!

real book artist

Tim Moore is an artist who makes equipment for hand bookbinders and hand paper makers. Its a wonderful feeling as Tim’s tools assist your own craft skills and make every day a pleasure.

(Moore)

a cascade of readers

It is strange enough that books navigate the
cascade of reading modes. Beyond that a single book tumbles from reader to reader. A fascinating example of the diversity of meanings from a single book is presented in this
thread of reviews of
Stange Objects.

the Great Revival of the future of the book

The book is an invention of sectarian societies. The codex format, our familiar book, came into prevalence in late Antiquity as a portable reading and communication medium which was particularly suited to the exchange of teachings and scripture as well as to individual book ownership and use.

This legacy of book making is still apparent in Iowa. Beyond devotional book printing, Iowa communities, also aspired to independent newspapers, local periodicals and all the varieties of job printing from circus broadsides to wedding announcements. New technologies of printing mixed with the old as local printers both preserved and advanced their skills. Inventions such as the Linotype setting and casting machine, enabled the publication of popular books and timely, daily newspapers. Until the very end of the 20th century, connectivity and community organization depended on print.

Return with us now to those golden days that still prefigure the future of the book. Summer of 2005 will bring the Great Revival to the
Amana colony of Homestead. The recreation of the Amana Printing Shop, the Chautauqua of the
2005 PBI, the UI conference on the
Preservation of the Changing Book and a celebration of the Iowa made book will mark the joint Sesquicentennials of the UI Libraries and the settlement of the Amanas, Wow!