COURSE SYLLABUS

LS 568:  HISTORY OF BOOKS AND PRINTING

PREPARED BY BERNARD VAVREK

SUMMER 2003, WEB VERSION
 
 

DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY SCIENCE

CLARION UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

[online office hours immediately following chats]

    Telephone [office] 814-393-2383

Telephone [fax] 814-393-2150

Telephone [toll free] 866-272-5612

Telephone [home] 814-226-6671
 

e-mail= vavrek@clarion.edu

Blackboard= online.clarion.edu
 

Online chats will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings from  6:00-8:00 p.m., as noted in this syllabus.  Students must participate in all sessions.

N.B.:  Throughout this syllabus, underlining is used to show linkable sites.

N.B.B.:  Please note, as well,  that access to the content of chat and discussion forums is only available to members of the class.

---

---

 This course studies the evolution of the printed book through a survey of the origin of recorded communication; history of witing materials; study of manuscript production; type design; illustration; bookbinding; book production; and, copyright from the earliest times to the present.

Note: This course assumes a basic working knowledge of computers and related functions, including electronic mail, accessing web-based materials, utilizing word processing programs, etc. If you are deficient in any of these areas, it may be necessary for you to do some remedial work to "get up to speed."
 

II. Educational/Behavioral Objectives:

A.   Understand the nature of circumstances that gave need for written expression in global societies.

B.  Understand  the nomenclature and vocabulary associated with the history of books and printing.

C   Understand the cultural conditions that gave need to the various forms of writing material.

D.   Become familiar with the names of those individuals most closely associated with the development of books and printing.

D.   Be able to identify different type faces that were integral to the development of printing.

E.   Understand the factors that created rare book libraries and the role of book collectors.

F.   Understand the current status of the booktrade in the United States.

G.   Understand the manner in which the Internet has affected the concept of publishing.

H.   Understand future trends and challenges for the library community as it relates to information access
 

III. Statements on Readings, Oral, and Viewing Assignments:

A. The textbooks will provide the major sources for reading materials in this class, although additional bibliography will be needed as assigned throughout the semester.  One will find that a "course bibliography" has been prepared of those books dealing with the history of books and printing available at the Carlson Library.  These are available to students both in Clarion and at distant sites.  The latter would be accessible as interlibrary loans.  Great resources also reside in places such as the New York Public Library, as another example.

B. Oral assignments will be in the form of chat participation, which is noted more fully below under the category of "Evaluation."

C.  Students are required to [physically] visit a rare books library and report on the same before the end of the semester.  Examples of rare book libraries would include: the Rosenbach Library and Museum; Library Company of Philadelphia; and, the Rare Book Department at the Free Library of Philadelphia, in Philadelphia.  In Pittsburgh, examples would be the Frick Fine Arts Library,  the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and the William R. Oliver Special Collections Room at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.  In State College, the rare books room at the Pattee/Paterno Library.  The J.P. Morgan Library and collections at the New York Public Library would comprise examples in New York City.  In Washington, D.C., the Folger Shakespeare Library, the National Agriculture Library, and the rare book collections at the Library of Congress, would be very appropriate examples. [The report should be no longer than five double-spaced pages highlighting the history, special collections, and whatever other oddments you would wish to include.]
 

IV. Activities and/or Class Projects:

A. In addition to those items noted in III, above, students will be expected to add their comments on the issues discussed throughout the semester to the Blackboard site for this class.  Further, as a major class assignment, each student will be expected to prepare a research paper of no fewer than 20 pages relating to some aspect of the history of books and printing.  Possible topics will be as varied as those that will be discussed during the semester from the textbooks.

V. Teaching Methods:

A. Various teaching methods will be used, including chat discussion, threaded commentary on the Blackboard site, instructor initiated questions, and student generated research.
 

VI.  Evaluation:

A. Seventy-five  percent of the semester grade will be based on the successful completion of a research paper.  This paper will consist of no fewer than twenty pages, using a maximum of 1.25-inch margins, and a maximum type size of 12 points.  The bibliography or resource page for this paper should not be counted in the page total.  A reasonable number of footnotes, references, etc., would be in the range of 30-50 citations.  This will be governed, as well, by the nature of the research undertaken.  It will be expected that students will use one of the major guides to syle in preparing this paper.

B. The remaining 25% of the total evaluation will be comprised of active participation in the chat discussions and directed assignments using the Discussion Board Forum on Blackboard.  It is assumed that students will actively participate in all chat discussions.  These are scheduled at  6:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday of each week as scheduled in the syllabus.    If a student misses a total of three chat sessions during the semester, without prior approval, her or his grade will be reduced the equivalent of one letter.  If a student misses a chat session, he or she is expected to review the archives of that discussion and post comments on that session in the form of another archive.

C. Members of the class may complete their papers, if necessary, at the end of the second summer session, 2003.  In the interim, one would receive the grade of "I," indicating incomplete work until the paper is submitted.
 

VII. Academic Honesty:

Please review the university's policy as it pertains to this very important topic.
 

VIII.  Textbooks:

A.  Chappell, Warren.  "A Short History of the Printed Word."  New York [?]: Hartley and Marks,
2d ed., 2000.

B. Eisenstein, Elizabeth L. "The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe."  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 1983.  [PLEASE READ THIS BOOK FIRST]

C. Febvre, Lucien and Martin, Henri-Jean. "The Coming of the Book:  The Impact of Printing, 1450-1800.  London:  Verso Press, 1976 [reprinted in 1990].

D. Regarding the texts, above, while these titles are available from the University Book Store, they are also available from both amazon.com and buy.com.  I have not purchased anything using buy.com, but that site offers the Chappell title about $9.00 cheaper than from amazon.  The other titles are comparable in price. [At least one of our students, who has used buy.com, assures me of its prompt and efficient service.]
 

IX. Course Outline:

A. Orientation, objectives, etc.

B. Blackboard, Library Science's Web site, etc.

C. Changes from scribal to print culture

D. Components of an electronic culture of information dissemination

E. Changes from print to an electronic culture of information dissemination

F. Early forms of writing/record keeping

G. Development of the alphabet

H. Development of paper

I. Monastic libraries

J. Scribal culture

K. Block books

L. Johan Gutenberg's invention

M. Dissemination of printing

N. Venice and its master printers

O. Type design

P. First printing in English

Q. Book illustrations

R. Printing in America

S. Private press movement

T. High-speed printing, linotype, etc.

U. Electronic publishing--e-books, etc.

V. Thirteen digit ISBN numbers/permanent URLs/other trends

W. Conclusions
 

Please note that the following calendar is based on a Monday, Wednesday [6:00-8:00 p.m.], schedule of chat forums. Members of the class must participate in all chat sessions. Items identified as “Assignments/Readings” require that those things should be completed by that date and would either directly or indirectly be part of the chat discussion for that evening.

I. Assignments/Readings:

A. Review the goals and objectives of the class

B. Each member of the class should provide a brief introduction of herself/himself using the Discussion Forum on Blackboard. Please include the following items:  "Where are you from/presently living?  "What work do you currently do?" "What are your interests in librarianship?" What are your other interests?" "What is your educational background?"

C. Attach a photo of yourself/family if that is convenient.

D. Familiarize yourself, overall, with the use of Blackboard.  Help in the use of Blackboard, in addition to your instructor, is available by contacting bbhelp@clarion.edu

E. Review the Department of Library Science's Web page, its policies, etc.  Among other things, particularly examine the Toolkit link that is provided.

F. Purchase textbooks--or borrow them from a friend/library.

G. One should refer to the following link for a hint of topics appropriate for the research paper. Research topics
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Discuss class objectives, bases of evaluation, etc.

B. Questions pertaining to the use of any technology, including Blackboard.

C. What style manual is appropriate to use for the class?

D. What are the major indexes and abstracts  to the "library literature?"

E. How useful are OCLC and First Search for researchers?

G. Topics appropriate for a research paper.

H. Initial comments about visit to a rare book library.

H. Review assignments for the next class.

I. Assignments/Readings:

A. Eisenstein, "The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe."

B. Post your comments about Eisenstein's book to the Blackboard Discussion Forum.  Emphasize what are the effects of civilization moving from a scribal to print culture.

C. Post your research topic and working outline to the Blackboard Discussion Forum.  It will understood if either is still tentative.  "Working outline" is meant to suggest enough of a direction to identify a workable process.
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Review research topics, outlines, techniques, etc.

B. Discuss the significant effects of civilization evolving from a scribal to print cutlure.

C. Review assignments for the next class.

A. In preparation for this class session, review the extent to which the Internet and other recent developments, e.g., online access to virtually every form of information, have added an "electronic culture" to the history of books and printing.  It is understood that some collateral reading may be necessary to do this kind of analysis.

B. Identify the components of what we will label for class purposes as the "Culture of Electronic Information."  In many ways, it includes all of those issues relative to a print culture as, e.g., pubishers. printing techniques, type faces, copyright, etc.

C. Read the papers from the Media in Transition Conference, held at MIT in 1999.

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Accomplish # A, B, and C above.

B. Review the assignments for the next class.

I. Assignments/Readings:

A. Comment on at least one aspect of the CEI [Culture of Electronic Information] by posting your views to the Blackboard Discussion Forum.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other  class members.  As an example, one might comment on the extent to which the super bookstore is an enormous departure from that of the 15th century, or is it?

B. Last chance to identify a research topic and finalize an outline.
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Accomplish #A and B, above.

B. Review the assignments for the next class.

I. Assignments/Readings:

A.  Chappell, pp. 3-37.

B. Febvre, 9-28.

C. For a chronology of dates, events, persons, you will find these tables particularly valuable.  Please memorize them for next week.  [Just kidding.  A little history of books and printing humor].

D. For early writing forms, please look at the links to cuneiform and the alphabet.

E. For libraries of the ancient world please take a look at this link.

F. To the Blackboard Discussion Forum, report on any one topic--person, event, etc., that is seminal to an understanding of developments from the earliest times to the period of the manuscript book.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other  class members.

G.  While not a requirement, if you have access to the 1986 movie, "The Name of the Rose," starring Sean Connery, the scenes of the scriptorium are very interesting.

H. No understanding of the manuscript book is complete without an examination of the "Book of Kells."

I. Please look at the collection of manuscripts from the Bodleian Library.
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. What are the historical/social events that enabled a scribal culture to exist?

B. How did our present alphabet evolve.  What were the key developments?

C. Didn't monastics have something better to do than creating "Books of Hours?"

D. Review the assignments for the next class

A. Chappell, pp. 38-83.

B. Febvre, pp. 29-108.

C. To the Blackboard Discussion Forum, report on any one topic--person, event, etc., that is seminal to an understanding of developments from the manuscript book to the Incunabula period.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other class members.

 D. Take a look at the biography of Johann Gutenberg and that of Johann Fust.  A useful site in this regard [pertaining to printers ] is Myfonts.com

E. Relative to the raw materials needed for the production of print, engravings, take a look at a short article on the history of mining in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Who are the important printers and the products of their presses during this period?

B. Review the assignments for the next class

A. Chappell, pp. 84-140.

B. Febvre, pp. 109-332.

C. To the Blackboard Discussion Forum, report on any one topic--person, event, etc., that is seminal to an understanding of developments following the dipersal of printers and printing following the Incunabula period.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other class members.
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Discuss the consequences of the spread of printing during the 16th and 17th centuries.

B. Who are the important printers and the products of their presses during this period.

C. What type faces play leading roles?

D. Printing in America-the "Eliot Bible."

D. Review the assignments for the next class.

I. Assignments/Readings:

A. Chappell, pp. 141-203.

B. To the Blackboard Discussion Forum, report on any one topic--person, event, etc., that is seminal to an understanding of developments during the 18th and 19th centuries.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other class members.

C. There was no more famous private press than that of the  Kelmscott directed by William Morris.
 

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Discuss the consequences of the spread of printing during the 18th and 19th centuries.

B. Who are the important printers and the products of their presses during this period

C. Discuss how industrialization changes letter-press printing.

C. Why does the private press movement begin?

D. Review the assignments for the next class

I. Assignments/Readings:

A. Chappell, pp. 204-244.

B. To the Blackboard Discussion Forum, report on any one topic--person, event, etc., that is seminal to an understanding of developments during the 20th century.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other class members

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Who are leaders in the continuing private press movement?

B. What typefaces abound?

C. What other important developments should be noted?

D. Review the assignments for the next class

A. Submit the highlights of your research paper to the Discussion Forum.  In addition, each member of the class should respond to the postings of at least two other class members.

B. Comments about visit to a rare book library.

B.  A physical and disk copy of your research paper [as opposed to an electronic copy] should be sent by postal mail so that it is received by your instructor no later than Monday, July 14, 2003 [for the Summer I grading period or Monday, August 18, 2003 for the Summer II grading period].  Be sure to inform your instructor on your choice of submission date.  The mailing address is:  Department of Library Science, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, 840 Wood St., Clarion, Pa. 16214.  A printed copy [no disk copy required] of your paper describing your visit to a rare book library should be included in this mailing.

II. Topics for Chat Discussion:

A. Discuss items from the research papers.

B. Future trends in the history of books and printing.  This linked page was contributed by Frank Daly, former Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, New York, NY.