About Us

The Caxton Club was founded in Chicago in January 1895 by fifteen bibliophiles. Their charter stated that the intent of the club was “the literary study and promotion of the arts pertaining to the production of books and the occasional publishing of books designed to illustrate, promote and encourage these arts.”

Today the Caxton Club has more than 375 resident and nonresident members of all ages and from a wide variety of fields—archivists, authors, binders, book artists, collectors, conservators, dealers, designers, editors, librarians, publishers, and scholars—united by the love of books in all their forms. Club members from these diverse backgrounds form a community of those interested in the study and promotion of the arts and technologies pertaining to the production, distribution, and reception of handwritten and printed books and related textual objects such as pamphlets, broadsides, and ephemera.

Throughout its history, the Caxton Club has published fine books on a variety of subjects, including Americana, art history, the book arts, the history of printing and collecting, and literature. The club continues its commitment to publishing. In addition, the club’s regular events, publication of the Caxtonian, joint meetings with related organizations, and field trips provide the membership with many ways to learn about the history, production, and collecting of books.  The club reaches out to the next generation by providing scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other support for young book scholars, artists, and collectors.

The Club meets for an evening program on the third Wednesday of the month and mid-day on the second Friday of the month from September through June. All programs are presented virtually and recorded for members to view at any time. When in-person, these meetings may include receptions and meals.

The Caxton Club welcomes members of all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities/expressions, sexual orientations, and socio-economic statuses.  To advance the vitality and sustainability of the Caxton Club, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Outreach Committee (DEIO) was established in 2020. The committee's work reflects a club-wide effort to broaden our membership and programming across many different demographics. A report on the committee's mission, goals, and initial efforts was published in the March-April 2022 issue of the Caxtonian. The Caxton Club affirms this as a long-term commitment, and encourages participation in these efforts from across the club's governance and membership.