Book Arts

The Book Arts Program at Wellesley College encompasses historical scholarship and creative studio artwork through hands-on study of the arts of the book.

The program is a part of the Library Collections Group in the Wellesley College Library, and collaborates very actively with Special Collections, Clapp Library’s Conservation Facility, and the Art Department. Students may participate in the Book Arts Program through credit-bearing classes, and all members of the Wellesley College community may participate in extracurricular workshops.

The Book Arts Lab is a unique, well-equipped studio for learning typography, letterpress printing, hand bookbinding, and decorated papers techniques, and is home to the Annis Press imprint.

The Book Arts Lab is located on the fourth floor of Margaret Clapp Library, and the phone number is 781-283-2143. Hand papermaking is taught in the Papermaking Studio in Pendleton West.

For a look into some of our history and the work we do, see this 2019 article in the Wellesley Magazine.

For updates about Book Arts Program activities, please request to join the Book Arts Google Group by emailing Katherine M. Ruffin, Book Studies & Book Arts Program Director, at kruffin@wellesley.edu.