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A History/Future Hybrid

History and Future of Printing Exposition

We recently offered the 9th event at the Mossman Historical Printing Studio. The November 2nd exposition attracted 19 students. Subsequently, I had a conversation with Holly Carver, Director of the University of Iowa Press. She mentioned that the Press could take a supportive role, along with that already provided by the Printing Department, in the presentation of historical printing expositions.

I suggested that the Press could present students with development in print on demand services. This emerging sector is based on imaging files of books that are printed on high speed copiers. The POD addition to the Historical Printing Exposition would add the topic of the Future of printing.

Composite instruction, presenting both the history and future of a subject, may be a developing idea for book studies courses. (1) The commodification for instruction is similar; both past and future are projected based on existing evidence with agreement on general themes, but with tangents of specialization. The hybrid curriculum may also have appeal to the students. (2) Because of the wide scope of book studies, a composite history/future course or seminar coverage could also be considered for papermaking and bookbinding,

The action item here is an instructional exposition on the History and Future of Printing. (3) The events and sessions could be conveniently spread across a given semester. (4) Some interesting discussions could emerge. These include a contrast between academic focus on history and commercial focus on future prospects with each approach suspicious of the other. Another discussion follows from the role of practice in crafts and arts of bookmaking as a mediator of such bias. Finally, a history/future course hybrid could engage a wider community of support for the University of Iowa Center for the Book.

(1.) An excellent example of a curriculum and bibliography for a hybrid course is presented by Allison Muri of English Department, University of Saskatchewan. See History and Future of the Book (2.) The excellent success of Julie Leonard’s book studies seminar indicates the appeal of a more expansive course curriculum. (3.) Various resources are already in place for a more expansive printing seminar. These include the new UICB Research Station Denmark, with pre-press facility in a new 8’ x 20’ job-site trailer and working access to printing studios. The Denmark plant now includes operating a Heidelberg “windmill” press, the 26” x 30” four color Vandercook press, Ludlow and Linotype setting and casting stations. Our own Mossman studio features an 18” x 24” Reliance iron bed press, 7” x 11” Kelsey Star jobber press and the excellent model 31 Linotype. Add to these resources the production technologies of the Printing Department and the expressed interest of the University Press in the POD topic. Finally, the UICB printing program has a magnificent instructional resource in Larry Raid, Director of the Working Linotype Museum at Denmark, Iowa. (4.) At present a Linotype Tutorial if offered each semester at the Mossman studio. Five consecutive semester tutorial have been presented so far. An additional all day event could be provided once a semester at Denmark (80 miles from campus). Additional events would probably bring the whole semester series to 3 or 4 on-time sessions. All instruction is provided free by hosting agencies, supplies and transportation budget could be submitted and tuition would be assessed for a 1 hour seminar.

11.24.05/glf