“Materials to Work Withal”

This chapter addresses the significance of practical bibliography, an experiential specialty within bibliographical study used both as a research method and as a pedagogical framework. With the rise of active learning, the use of process-based bibliography in teaching settings has grown in impact and popularity. Evolving from the Bibliographical Press Movement of the early 20th century, current printing labs and workshops help students within and outside the liberal arts engage in the historical study of the material book through a variety of practices. Whether intended for secondary students or part of graduate programs, or presented in single-session activities, weeklong intensives, or full-semester programs, these activities provide students with new approaches to research in the history of the book and graphic communication. The growing impact of the subfield may be visible through the rise of interdisciplinary workshops and ancillary labs such as book arts centers, maker spaces, and printing studios.