2023 Spring and Autumn Symposia
December 5, 2022 in Announcements, Manuscript Studies
2023 Spring and Autumn Symposia
on “Materials & Access”
2020 Symposium Poster 2
[Posted on 5 December 2022, with updates]
The Research Group prepares a pair of Symposia in 2023, continuing the pattern of paired Spring and Autumn Symposia launched in 2022.
The New Tradition
Before then, up to 2022, there would be only one Symposium in a given year, although the span could vary from one to three days, and the Symposia occurred only in person. Also, previously, the pattern of Symposia did not always appear each year, except notably for our first Symposia, beginning in 1995 at Barnard College, which occurred for five years as a series of Annual Symposia on “The Transmission of the Bible”. After an interval when we focused instead on other activities and tasks, including the incorporation of the RGME as a nonprofit educational corporation (1999), our resumption of Symposia (along with the adoption of other forms of Events such as Colloquia and Workshops) would examine a wide variety of themes in turn.
In this way, now, with paired Symposia for 2023, we affirm the momentum of our series of Symposia after the Covid-induced hiatus Formerly, the Symposia were held at various centers, before the cancellation of our 2020 Spring Symposium, “From Cover to Cover”, intended for Princeton University. The illustrated Program Booklet for that Symposium reports its intentions.
In resuming the series in 2022, we are able to return to some of its subjects, as the contributors make presentations, as their timetables allow, for one or other Session in the revived Symposia. Some of those contributors propose to participate in our 2023 Symposia.
In 2020, the pair of Symposia addressed the year’s Theme of “Structured Knowledge”, for which the Spring Symposium considered “Structures of Knowledge”, and the Autumn Symposium considered “Supports for Knowledge”. The webposts for them describes their scope and coverage. The illustrated Program Booklet for the Autumn Symposium, available freely for download as a booklet of 54 pages in quarto (‘letter-size’) format. The Symposia for 2023 and for 2024 already have their Year’s Theme as an overarching guide and a central focus, while other subjects also may be explored, sometimes interconnected.
“Materials & Access”
For 2023, the Year’s Theme is “Materials & Access”.
The Spring Symposium has this focus: “From the Ground Up”.
The Autumn Symposium: “Between Earth and Sky”.
“Centered”. Dew at the Center of Sedum. Photograph Ⓒ 2014 Mildred Budny.
Themes and Subjects for Sessions include some in our continuing series and others. For example, we could explore further aspects in our continuing series on
- “Catalogues, Metadata, and Databases”
- “Hybrid Books”
- “The Living Library”
- “Teaching With (and Through) Manuscripts”
- “Materials and Margins”.
We might also explore some deferred or new subjects, such as
- “Manuscripts and Photography”
- “The History of Paper”
- “Emblems”, etc.
Our interests in exploring these subjects (and more) are described, for example,
- for our 2022 Symposia and
- the Episodes for our series “The Research Group Speaks”.
Each Symposium will have the span of one day and take place on a Saturday. The selected time-zone is Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5) / Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4), depending upon time of year. That is, this year, EDT for the Spring Symposium and EST for the Autumn Symposium. The Symposia would take place online, by Zoom.
Perhaps, conditions permitting, the Autumn Symposium might be hybrid, with attendance both in person and online.
The date for the Spring Symposium has been set. It is planned for Saturday 25 March 2023, to span a full day (like the two Symposia in 2022) on the timezone of EST (GMT-5) and to take place online via Zoom.
We gather participants for the Presentations (of about 20 to 25 minutes each) and Responses (about 10 to 15 minutes each), for Sessions of 1 1/2 hours duration, with scope within them for Discussion (Q&A) and with Breaks between Sessions.
Participants, variously as Presenters, Respondents, Presiders, Moderators, and Advisers, include:
- Linde M. Brocato, Mildred Budny, Katharine C. Chandler, Justin Hastings, Atria A. Larson, Ann Pascoe-van-Zyl, Ronald Patkus, David W. Sorenson, and others.
We look forward to your suggestions and participation.
The Program
As the Program for each Symposium gathers, we can post more information both here and on the individual webposts for the two Symposia. Their webposts appear as
If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us or leave your Comments Here.
Now see the developed Program for the 2023 Spring Symposium “From the Ground Up” on Saturday 25 March 2023. It also has a half-day Pre-Symposium of Lightning Talks on “Intrepid Borders”, organized by Katharine C. Chandler, Jennifer Larson, and Jessica L. Savage, on Friday 24 March 2023.
See the webposts for these companion events, with their Programs and registration information:
Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, MS. W.148, folio 33v, bottom right, with fighting creatures. Image via Creative Commons.
The blooms of Snowdrops emerging “From the Ground Up”. Photograph Ⓒ Mildred Budny.
2023 Spring Pre-Symposium/Symposium Program Booklet
The 64-page illustrated Program Booklet is published ‘on the day’ or first day of the event (24 March 2023).
2023 Spring Pre-Symposium/Symposium Booklet Front Cover.
See 2023 Spring Symposium “From the Ground Up” for information about how you could receive, order, or download a copy of this Booklet free of charge.
2023 Autumn Symposium
Plans advance for the 2023 Autumn Symposium “Between Earth and Sky”.
2023 RGME Events
Other Events are planned for the Year. See
Suggestion Box
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- our FaceBook Page
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- our Blog on Manuscript Studies and its Contents List
Donations and contributions, in funds or in kind, are welcome and easy to give. See Contributions and Donations.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Otto Ege Collection, Volume II of Ege MS 51, Displaced Folios 29v-26r. View toward Gutter with Reused Manuscript Fragments. Photograph by Mildred Budny.
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