On Display: The Art of the Book: Sustainability & Social Justice

“Small books are more durable than big ones; they go farther. The booksellers revere big books; readers like small ones. An exquisite thing is worth more than a huge thing.”

- Joseph Joubert (1754-1824)

  Books mean many things to many people. To authors they are the breath of life. To readers, books are places where adventures begin, comfort is found or learning leads to knowledge. Books open us up to a world larger than ourselves. Books sustain the soul and sometimes our livelihood. Bentley Library is proud to partner with Professor Jane de León Griffin to present a display entitled, The Art of the Book: Sustainability & Social Justice. Dr. Griffin has done extensive research on alternative forms of literary production in Latin America and recently published a book on the subject, The Labor of Literature: Democracy and Literary Culture in Modern Chile. Dr. Griffin’s book explores issues of literature publishing, Latin American culture, political and social movements that shape the literary world and what a book means to those who have limited access to the printed word. The books and videos collected for this display include a variety of subjects that touch on Latin American culture and authors, the creative, emotional and artistic expression of books and book production, literature as a social movement and using the world’s cast-offs to create objet d’art. There is something for everyone to enjoy.