Mastering Craft: Interpreting Historic Bookbindings

Our new exhibit highlights work from the Triangle Research Libraries (TRLN) Master Bookbinders Group. Our group consists of staff members from the conservation labs of UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State and Duke University libraries.

Its purpose is to research historic bookbindings so we can deepen our understanding of the history of the book, and develop knowledge and skills that help inform our daily conservation work.

Creating binding models is a traditional form of learning the craft of bookbinding and the history of the book. Each quarter we assign a binding style to one or two of our members. Our volunteer teachers research the history of the binding and how it was traditionally made, and demonstrate it to the rest of the group. We then make our models, sometimes recreating the binding exactly and sometimes interpreting them more artistically.

The exhibit will be up through January 2011, just outside the Conservation Lab in Perkins Library 023. It is open when the library is open.

Our current exhibit, “Mixed Blood: Conservation Work and Decision-making in Support of the Study of Racial History,” will be coming down in about a month. If you haven’t had a chance to see this wonderful display by Mary Yordy, Senior Conservation Technician, please stop by the Lower Level (outside room 023) when you have a few minutes. It’s worth the trip to the Underground.

Some enterprising person left us a little something on the exhibit case over the weekend. Is this perhaps an ode to the great sculptor Alberto Giacometti and the recent record breaking sale of his “Walking Man”? Who knows, what I do know is it made me smile on this grey Monday morning.

I was able to take a couple of images before someone cleaned them up. Perhaps this artist is on the way to selling their artwork for $104.3 million per piece just like Giacometti. One can only dream.

Later today we will be helping to install the next exhibit called “Abusing Power: Satirical Journals from the Special Collections Library” which coincides with the Nasher Museum exhibit “Lines of Attack: Conflicts in Caricature.”

Come visit the new Preservation exhibit, Mixed Blood: Conservation Work and Decision-Making in Support of the Study of Racial History. Curated by Mary Yordy, this exhibit highlights materials held by the Duke University Libraries pertaining to the study of mixed racial heritage. Crossing multiple disciplines and reflecting cultural influences that are international in scope, items from these collections are used heavily and frequently by students, faculty, and scholars. Within this exhibit, the materials show the necessity of conservation work and preservation care to ensure the long term use and availability for future scholars. Located in Perkins LL1, outside Room 023.