Welcome back to another exciting academic year, and welcome to all new freshmen! Over the summer, Collins Library had a new front entrance face lift as part of the campus Commencement Walk project. You’ll find nice surprises inside the building as well, such as our new elevator to the fourth floor, and more!

Puget Sound Book Artists Opening Reception

Thursday, June 2, 2011
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: June 2 – July 31

Collins Memorial Library,
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington
Library Hours
http://pugetsoundbookartists.org

The exhibit, curated by MalPina Chan and Lucia Harrison, showcases the work of members of the newly formed Puget Sound Book Artists organization.  The exhibition opens on Thursday, June 2 and runs through July 31, 2011.  The opening reception where the public can meet the artists will be on June 2 from 4:30 to 6:30.

“The interdisciplinary art form of the book as art has always intrigued us and we are delighted to bring this exhibition to Tacoma.  Books by nature are intimate, interactive and engage the reader.  The exhibition features over 25 artists, some well known and others emerging.  The artists have used a variety of structures and moveable elements with an array of materials ranging from handmade papers, photographs, fabric, thread, wire, decorated paper, and found materials.  Themes include nature, literature, politics, social issues, family and personal history. We are delighted by the number of talented artists who entered the exhibition. “  – Lucia Harrison and MalPina Chan

Contemporary artist books are noteworthy for the multiplicity of forms.  Techniques are varied from traditional to experimental.  Some works are hand painted and one of a kind.  For editioned work, small presses and individuals continue to promote the art of letterpress printing and the handcrafted book.  Some artists use computer-generated images and photocopiers to reproduce their work.  Many have taken up the challenge to experiment with content and physical structure of the traditional book form.

Puget Sound Book Artists (PSBA) is a nonprofit organization comprised of both amateurs and professionals from all quarters of the book arts field for the purpose of creating a spirit of community surround the books arts and those who love books. This new organization strives to increase educational opportunities for individuals as well as institutions and other organizations, fostering excellence through exhibitions, workshops, lectures and publications related to various aspects of book arts throughout the year. The group meets monthly for play days which are designed to be brainstorming opportunities” for beginning and experienced book artists. There is time to discuss the lectures, work on a personal project, ask questions about formats, surface design, and the latest products as well as view samples of handmade and published books.

The organization also has an ambitious agenda for the rest of the year. They are sponsoring a two-day workshop and lecture with nationally recognized paper maker Velma Boylard in July and will be sponsoring a lecture by Portland based book and paper artist Helen Heibert in the fall.

Article on Puget Sound Book Artists from the Weekly Volcano.
Interested in Membership?  Learn more by visiting the Puget Sound Book Artist web site or
contact Jane Carlin, Library Director – University of Puget Sound Collins Memorial Library.

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Please note: This summer, the library front entrance is closed for construction. Temporary access will be: on the east side of library building, in the library parking lot by the loading dock. Entrance is down the ramp.

24/7 Hours: Collins library will be open all night on May 1-3 and 8-12, to help you prepare for finals week and a terrific upcoming summer! Be sure and take a study break with some delicious free tea in the LIBRARY BREAK ZONE downstairs by the hot water tap area! The Break Zone is a great place for snacking, visiting, and mobile phone use! Please enjoy!  And best of luck for Finals!

Need some Stress Busters? Take five and check out Writers and Kitties!

For another bit of stress relief – take the What Kind of Reader Are You personality quiz!

Got Questions about the library? Collins Library participates in the Admitted Student Days Campus Resource Fair, April 9,15, and 22! Stop by our table to visit with library staff who will share information about employment in the library, research services, and connecting to the library 24/7! We look forward to seeing you there!

• Location: Trimble Hall
  
• Saturday, April 9, 12-2 p.m.
• Friday, April 15, 12-2 p.m.
• Friday, April 22, 12-2 p.m.

Join us for another amazing performance by Margaret Shelton, harp musician and winner of the The Prestigious Watson Fellowship.

Music at Collins Library
“Harp”, performance by Margaret Shelton
Friday, April 15, 2011
3:30-4 p.m.
Collins Library Reading Room

Got Questions about the library? Collins Library participates in the Admitted Student Days Campus Resource Fair, April 9,15, and 22!  Stop by our table to visit with library staff who will share information about employment in the library, research services, and connecting to the library  24/7!  We look forward to seeing you there!

• Location: Trimble Hall
  
• Saturday, April 9, 12-2 p.m.
• Friday, April 15, 12-2 p.m.
• Friday, April 22, 12-2 p.m.

Artist Talk/Poetry Reading:
Thursday, April 7, 2011, 7-9 p.m., Library 020.
“Printer & Poet: In Collaborative Spirit” with May Day Press proprietor Catherine Alice Michaelis & local poet Anne Spiers.

Catherine Alice Michaelis has collaborated with local poet Ann Spiers on several May Day Press publications. Together they will discuss the creative process of artist and writer collaboration and the synergy created from the intersection of these two fields.

Quintessence: The Ethereal and Material That Inspire the May Day Press
Catherine Alice Michaelis has long been inspired by plants to create artists’ books and prints. Passionate for the green world, Michaelis’ work has traveled from mayflowers to maypoles to pole stars to pentagonal symmetry. In this show she shares a selection from 19 years of letterpress printing and book design. Her colorful work uses letterpress printing, often combined with other printing techniques, along with skillful paper engineering that has become the hallmark of this Washington artist’s work.

Show runs Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011- Friday, April 14, 2011

Opening Reception:
Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Refreshments provided.

Music at Collins Library
“Fabulous Flutes: A performance by flute chamber ensembles from the School of Music”
Friday, March 25, 2011
2:30-3 p.m.
Collins Library Reading Room

Have you collected items on your favorite topic? Maybe it’s Science Fiction, Operas, graphic novels, or even your favorite author. If your collection consists of mostly books, but maybe includes materials like photos, illustrations, maps, ephemera, CDs, music scores, or posters… then Say YES – and enter up to 30 items in the Collins Library Book Collecting Contest! This contest is open to full-time Puget Sound undergraduates. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 24, 2011, 5:00 PM.

Collins library encourages your appreciation of reading and collected works for pleasure and scholarship. Contestants are invited to a reception at the Collins Memorial Library, April 15, 2010, 3:30 – 4:30 where contest winners will be annnounced. Submit your entry now!

Image from 23sandy.com website

An Evening with Laura Russell:  Photographic Artists’ Books
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Puget Sound Book Artists

Collins Memorial Library, Room 020
University of Puget Sound

Puget Sound Book Artists is pleased to host an evening with Laura Russell, of 23 Sandy Gallery, a fine art gallery in Portland, Oregon that presents local and national artists working in the fields of book and paper arts, photography and mixed media.  Laura is an accomplished photographer and book artist who creates hand-bound limited edition artist books and exhibits widely. Laura holds a BBA from Northwood University and had a 15-year career in graphic design and marketing before becoming a full time working artist in 2002 and then opening the gallery in 2007. She is a past board member of the non-profit Photolucida and past co-president of the Colorado Women’s Caucus for Art. She is a current board member of both the Portland Art Museum’s Photo Council and the Portland Art Dealers Association.  Her books are collected by many museums and libraries; including the University of California, the Museum of Modern Art (NYC), the Tate Collection (London) as well as  Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound.

Her illustrated presentation will feature the work of photographers and book artists from around the world who are creating artists books to showcase their photographs. View purely visual books that allow the images to tell their own story, and books that marry image with text to form a compelling narrative. The artist books presented use everything from paladium prints to ink jet prints to cyanoprints. Explore structures from the simple stapled pamphlet to the traditional codex to sculptural books that challenge the viewer’s definition of a book.

The presentation is about 40 minutes, followed by a show and tell of books from gallery inventory plus Laura’s own photographic artist books. You are encouraged to bring your own photographically illustrated books as well!

Directions and parking information available from the university web site:  http://www.pugetsound.edu/about/visiting-puget-sound/directions/

Questions? Contact Jane Carlin: jcarlin@pugetsound.edu