Bookmaking at the Main Library

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 3, almost 50 curious folks stopped by the CBAS tables in the Atrium of the Main Library for an introduction to bookmaking. After doing a simple stab binding and a basic one-page book, participants were very interested in the examples volunteers had brought to display and had lots of questions about how each structure was made.

Some of our visitors were passersby attracted to the activity near the Information kiosk, but at least a half dozen had come specifically to find out about CBAS and learn more about making books. Included in our guests: a young man who wanted to learn bookmaking so he could bind some of his own writings, a very enthusiastic young couple with a million questions, a woman eager to share what she'd learned with the mothers' group at her church, a 13-year old who talked her Bengals jersey wearing dad into making his own book, a retired gentleman with a British accent who's been a weaver for 25+ years and is eager to learn Coptic binding, and a tattooed and multiply-pierced fellow in a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt excited to learn he could make a book of his own drawings.

One of our goals for the year has been increasing community outreach, and this program was another great example of how eager people in Cincinnati are to learn about bookmaking and about our organization.

Many thanks to CBAS members Fran, Janice, Patty and Veronica for volunteering to share their enthusiasm for bookmaking, and to Jeanne, Cindy and Chris at the Main Library for arranging the program.

And thanks to Janice for sending us this photo and post.