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• November 2018 Dinner Program - One Week Later

  • When
    11/28/2018
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • Location
    Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

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  Michèle V. Cloonan on “The Monumental Challenge of Preservation: The Past in a Volatile World”

  AND

  Presentation of the Caxton Club Book Arts Awards and Recognition of Past Book Arts Grant Recipients.

  Dinner: Wednesday, November 28, Union League Club

  Monuments—movable, immovable, tangible, and intangible—of the world’s shared heritage are at risk. War, terrorism, natural disaster, vandalism, technological obsolescence, and neglect make the work of preservation a greater challenge than it has been since World War II. In her most recent book, The Monumental Challenge of Preservation, Michèle Cloonan makes the case that, at this critical juncture, we must consider preservation in the broadest possible contexts. Preservation requires the efforts of an increasing number of stakeholders. Michèle will give examples of dilemmas presented by monuments ranging from the Book of Kells to the Vietnam Memorial and the Bamiyan Buddhas. She will also discuss the role of collectors in cultural heritage preservation. Every day we make preservation decisions, individually and collectively, that have longer term ramifications than we might expect.

  Michèle V. Cloonan studied humanities at Bennington College (A.B.) and the University of Chicago (A.M). She has an M.S. and a PhD in library and information science from the University of Illinois. She was a conservator at the Newberry Library, a preservation administrator at Brown University libraries, and a rare book curator at Smith College. At UCLA she was associate professor and chair of Information Studies. She is a professor at Simmons University in Boston, where she was dean from 2002-2012. Her previous book, Preserving Our Heritage: Perspectives from Antiquity to the Digital Age, was awarded the 2016 Society of American Archivists’ Preservation Publication award.

  November Dinner: Union League Club 65 West Jackson. The evening will follow this order: social gathering 5-6 pm, award presentation and program 6-7:30, three-course dinner immediately to follow. Program is free and open to the public. Dinner $63. Beverages $6-$12.

  Reservations must be received by NOON on November 26. Dinner cancellations after this time and no-shows will require payment.  To reserve go on line to www.caxtonclub.org, email caxtonclub@newberry.org, or phone 312-255-3710.

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• December 2018 Luncheon Program

  • When
    12/07/2018
  •  
    11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
  • Location
    Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

  Register

  Karen Christianson On
  The Archeology of Medieval Manuscripts
  

  This is going to be positively Medieval.

  Some of the most venerated and valuable books are those painstakingly constructed manuscripts with elaborate bindings.  Everything was done by hand by craftspeople in a scriptorium somewhere that probably didn't have much in the way of central heating, air conditioning, or enough of the pumpkin spice pods to go with the Kuerig coffee makers.

  Join us as the Newberry’s Karen Christianson's generously illustrated presentation reveals how the manuscripts were made -- from preparing the parchments to illuminating the texts to binding the books.  How complex was the process?  How many people would be involved?  Were there standard sizes or were these books all bespoke?  She will answer all of that and more, finishing with an example that is particularly apt for the season.

  Karen Christianson draws on her background as historian, college lecturer, and Associate Director of the Newberry's Center for Renaissance Studies to deliver scholarly presentations with an entertaining touch.
  

  Mark your calendar and make your reservation today!

  December 7 Luncheon:  Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd.  Buffet opens at 11:30 am; Program 12:30 - 1:30.  Luncheon is $35.  Program free but please let us know you're coming.  Reservations or cancellations for lunch by noon on Wednesday the week of the luncheon.  Reserve online at caxtonclub.org, call (312)255-3710, or e-mail caxtonclub@newberry.org.
  

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