video paper, electronic papyrus
The Sony
thin display using electronic ink cells is projected for various kinds of flat and contoured displays. The simile of paper suggests the wider role of paper itself, beyond conventions of publication. Paper screen and paper print can then define each other.
weight of the Internet
The current Discover (June, 2007) magazine has quantification of how much the Internet weighs. Based on the weight of electrons required to charge all the “1” bits the weight works out to 0.2 millions of an once or about the weight of a grain of sand. Clearly this is less than the weight of the hardware required. There are also differences in the energy used to distribute life cycle content vs. life cycle hardware. One option here is to keep our thoughts to ourselves.
Stepping backward to a larger view, can life itself be sustained without a computer, a car or a credit card? Amish farmers are able to do this here in Iowa. But until the mid 20th century their life style economy was not that much different from others around them and their behavior was in context of empathy by others. Today their behavior appears less normal.
But here is something to consider: it is the car, card and computer culture that is fragile. Card, car and computer dependence relies on energies we do not metabolically produce ourselves. The Amish person does not notice power outages.
above, below and in the Sahara
As with human evolution in Africa,
Book art in Africa adventures into origins. The advent of the codex is an African story of tied papyrus.
adventures in book conservation
The 16 session evening class 021:259:001 on historical binding will run again in the spring 2008 term. Great projects and newly expanded Conservation Lab. Also watch for soon-to-be-released, codex format, book; "Adventures in Book Conservation" to be published by
Iowa Book Works
book studies perspective
“Having, as a historian, studied the world of books in the distant past, I now have an opportunity to do something for the cause of books and book learning in the present,” Darnton continued. “And I want to help find a way in which the new and the old media can reinforce each other, strengthening and transforming the world of learning.” Robert Darnton
Robert Darnton is
now Professor of the University and Director of the Library at Harvard.
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