“Based at Massey College since its foundation in 2000, Book History and Print Culture is a collaborative program in which the rich material and human resources of U of T are brought to bear on all aspects of the creation, transmission, and reception of the written word. BHPC has grown to involve sixteen participating departments, faculties and centres across the university, and is internationally renowned as a leading forum for the multidisciplinary investigation of manuscript, print, and digital text and cultures.”You can find out more (see p. 32) here.

“The Clarendon Lecture series is run across the University of Oxford. The next series will be given by Professor Thomas Keymer, Chancellor Jackman Professor of English at the University of Toronto, in November 2014, and all are welcome. The theme of the 2014 series is ‘Poetics of the Pillory: English Literature and Seditious Libel, 1660-1820’.”  You can read more here.

“Students entering the University of Toronto this fall have access to the top-ranked library system in Canada, according to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The ARL recently ranked the U of T library system one of the top three in North America, after Harvard and Yale. The only Canadian university in the top 10, U of T has placed among the ARL’s top five research libraries since 2002-2003.”  You can read more here.

“The Arts and Humanities Research Council [UK] and the British Library are launching a two-year research project which will explore the future of academic books in the context of open access publishing and continuing digital change … This project will have a significant impact on a wide range of stakeholders in research, library and publishing communities and generate new evidence and dialogue that will inform policy and national approaches to this important area of scholarly communications.”  You can read more here and here.

“Faculty of Information instructor Greta Golick wanted her students to think about what form books take, how the content is presented, and create something new, using text and/or an image to remake the book. The result is a stunning collection of book-inspired art created by 45 Faculty of Information (iSchool) students, in the display cases in the north atrium of Robarts Library (130 St. George Street, second floor, adjacent to the iSchool entrance).”  You can read more here and here.

“The Book History and Print Culture (BHPC) program at the University of Toronto (UofT) has been called “a world leader in [its] field of academic study,” according to a program review by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). The program has an international reputation for Book History studies, a valuable resource for students and the University, the review noted. Professor Alan Galey points to the thriving book history community in Toronto and the “intellectual diversity of the program and excellent student engagement” as a significant factor in shaping the strong growth of the program.”  You can read more here.

“Yale Sterling Professor Annabel Patterson has had a remarkable career as a scholar of what is now known as early modern literature. In fact, her work encompasses history, law, politics, and everything that tends to motivate the creation of literature. It began at the University of Toronto, where she was first a student at University College and later an assistant professor at Victoria College. As a student she graduated first in her class, and received the Governor General’s gold medal, as well as a Commonwealth Scholarship for graduate work in London, England.  Subsequently she taught at York University, the University of Maryland, and Duke University, moving to Yale to complete her trajectory, and receive Yale’s highest rank, a Sterling Professorship. Although she is now officially retired from the Yale Department of English, she continues to teach there.”  You can find out more here and watch her Convocation address here.

“When someone takes a pen or pencil and adds a comment, an underlining or a question mark to the pages of a book – is it cause for celebration or condemnation? And if the person with pencil in hand happens to be famous, should that colour our view? These are the questions Simon Armitage – himself a lapsed margin scribbler – wrestles with as he sets off to tell the story of marginalia.”  You can hear the interview here.

“B.C.-born Claire Battershill is both a highly accomplished academic and the author of fiction that has been nominated for multiple awards. Her debut collection, Circus, came out in April.”  You can read the interview here.

“Dr. Vernon “Von” Totanes (PhD ’12) is celebrating two major accomplishments back to back. On November 16th in Toronto, he graduated from the iSchool with a PhD in the Collaborative Program in Book History and Print Culture, under the supervision of Professor Emeritus, Patricia Fleming. His thesis is entitled ‘History of the Filipino history book’. On the same day, back in the Philippines, Von started as Assistant Director of the Rizal Library at Ateneo de Manila University. In April 2013, he will take over when the current Director retires. Dr. Totanes’ new credentials helped him land this prestigious appointment.”  You can read more here.