The Library’s Blog

I stumbled upon Augustana’s collection of English color-plate books almost by accident. This spring, I was asked to give a session to the Art History department’s History of Printmaking class. While searching for representative examples of printmaking used in book illustration, I came across a color-plate book. And then another. And then another, and another. I have now discovered almost thirty titles, and I’m sure there are more to be found.

English color-plate books are an interesting and unusual type of publication, popular (as might be obvious from the name) in Britain between 1790 and 1860. The books are particular outgrowths of interests of Regency and Victorian society; popular topics included travel and antiquities (especially in the Near and Far East), sports such as hunting and horse racing, scenes of British life, landscape gardening, and caricature. Most illustrations were produced using either aquatint or lithography. Aquatints were usually produced in one or two colors, with the rest added later by hand. It is the process most suitable for reproducing watercolors, which was a popular medium at the time. Lithography gradually came to replace aquatint because it was a cheaper process and it eliminated the need for hand coloring.

Special Collections holds a number of celebrated color-plate books, including some with plates by two of the best-known illustrators of the genre: Thomas Rowlandson and John Leech. Rowlandson (1757–1827), is best known for the books he did for the publisher Rudolph Ackermann, such as the three Tour of Doctor Syntax books (all found in Special Collections), about a cleric at the mercy of the world around him. He was equally adept at depicting classic rolling countryside and incisive caricature. John Leech (1817–1864), is best known for his work for the British humor magazine Punch, his comic illustrations for such books as Gilbert A’Beckett’s The Comic History of England, and his illustrations for A Christmas Carol (both in Special Collections).

It’s hard to describe the style that can be seen in English color-plate books; they really need to be seen in person. Feel free to stop by special collections and take a look! For more information on the genre, see John Harthan’s The History of the Illustrated Book: The Western Tradition, and for information on Rowlandson and Leech see their entries in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

~Sarah

The library will be open extended hours during Finals Week:

Finals Week*

Mon, May 19 - Wed, May 21
7:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Thurs, May 22
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Fri, May 23
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sat, May 24 - Mon, May 26
CLOSED

*Hours are subject to change. As an academic institution we reserve the right to change closing dates and/or times.

Library patrons who wish to return materials when we are closed can do so by depositing items in the book return bins located beside our 2nd floor and 4th floor entrances.

For more information, call the Circulation Desk, at 309-794-7310.

The next time you’re in the library, stop by the Leisure Reading Collection on 2nd floor next to the elevators. You’ll notice that we are expanding the collection to include a greater variety of books — nonfiction, memoirs, science fiction, biography, self-help, and more. This expansion is in response to many of you requesting it! Last year we distributed a Library Satisfaction Survey and several respondents asked us to consider purchasing more titles in Leisure reading. We are pleased to announce that we are aiming to increase the number of titles in this collection from 250 to 400.

We’d also like your input about what books you’d like to see in this collection. If there is a newly published hardback book that you’d like us to consider purchasing, please go to http://www.augustana.edu/library/about/leisure.html and fill out the request form.

Thanks, and happy reading!

For those who plan to use ALiCat or the I-Share catalog this weekend:

Due to a software upgrade, both catalogs will be available in read-only mode from 5 pm on Friday, March 28 until approximately 5 am on Monday March 31, 2008 . This means that you will be able to search the catalogs but you will not be able to place requests, renew items, or perform other actions in “My Account”. In addition, an item’s status (”checked out” or “available”) may not be correct.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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Registration for the Augustana College 2008 Celebration of Learning is now open!

The 2008 Celebration of Learning will take place on Saturday, May 10th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will open with a keynote speech given by Dr. Sharon Varallo, Associate Professor and Chair of the Speech Communication department, and will feature poster sessions and presentations given by students showcasing their research.

Click here to register today!

Questions? E-mail Reference Librarian Anne Earel: anneearel@augustana.edu

On Thursday, February 28, 2008 an exciting event occurred in Special Collections. The first book in the Fine Bindings display case was cataloged! The book is Their Wedding Journey by William Dean Howells, the great American realist writer. It was his first novel, and was based in part on a trip Howells took with his wife in the summer of 1870. Special Collection’s copy is from the 1895 large paper edition, illustrated by Clifford Carleton. The book is bound in brown morocco and has gilt tooled flower designs on the covers and spine, gilt edges which have been gauffered (had a design imprinted in them using metal tools), and marbled endpapers. The binding is signed “S.T.P.1896″ on the inside of the back cover. The binder, identified by her initials, is Sarah Treverbian Prideaux (1853-1933), a famous British bookbinder, teacher, writer, and collector of fine bindings.
Many thanks to Sally Cobert in technical services, who did the entry work for this book.
If you’re in the library, stop by sometime and admire the book!
~Sarah Horowitz