Papyrus to Print to Pixel on iTunes U

Join Mary French '09 and Josephine Corlett '08 as they examine the work they and classmates did in EXTD 240: Papyrus to Print to Pixel, co-taught by Ruth R. Rogers in Special Collections and Katherine McCanless Ruffin of the Book Arts Program.

The original presentation was delivered April 20, 2008 at the Ruhlman Conference at Wellesley College. The recording took place later, and was modified especially for the iTunes U format and includes dozens of images. The abstract of the presentation reads:

The class of EXTD 240, “Papyrus to Print to Pixel,” spent the spring semester learning about the history of written communication, using hands-on experience to gain a unique perspective on the subject. Recreating clay tablets, papyrus sheets and scrolls, early codex book structures, and medieval manuscripts, as well as experimenting with early printing methods, mechanical printing, and ondemand printing, the students of “Papyrus to Print to Pixel” experienced first-hand the evolution of the technology behind the written word. Through lab sessions, group discussion, and experiential learning, the group gained a truly in-depth understanding of the subject matter by applying knowledge of lecture material to relevant projects. Our interactive presentation will share with the Wellesley community our wonderful and truly unique encounters with the history of written communication and we hope that our audience will gain from it as well.