Join us on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 5pm for a lecture and exhibition tour by curator Mindell Dubansky on the topic of "Blooks". The Best Kept Secret: 200 Years of Blooks, an original exhibition opening January 16, 2025, at Center for Book Arts, considers 200 years of hand-crafted book-shaped objects made by craftspeople, artists, and inventors. Dubansky's talk will provide insight into the traditions prevalent in the history of blooks using examples on display. Dubansky’s observations on what these objects signal about their makers’ practical and emotional connections to the book are captivating and we hope you will leave this evening with a new-found passion for the book via these historical look alikes. Invitees are invited to arrive at 5pm for a pre-event viewing of the exhibition and a selection from the CBA library. The lecture will begin at 6pm, and the evening’s activities will conclude with a reception. This program is organized by Center for Book Arts in partnership with The Bibliographical Society of America.
Mindell Dubansky
Mindell Dubansky is the head of the Sherman Fairchild Center for Book Conservation, at the Watson Library, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She writes on the book arts, particularly in the areas of 19th century publisher’s bindings, hand papermaking and bookbinding.
About BSA
The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) is the oldest scholarly society in North America dedicated to the study of books and manuscripts as physical objects. It was organized in 1904 and incorporated in 1927 with the principal objectives of promoting bibliographical research and issuing bibliographical publications. These objectives have been and continue to be accomplished through a broad array of activities, including meetings, lectures, and fellowship programs, as well as the publishing of books and the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America (PBSA), North America’s leading bibliographical journal. The Society is open to all those interested in bibliographical problems and projects, and its membership includes bibliographers, librarians, professors, students, booksellers, and collectors worldwide.