Center for the Book | The University of Iowa

The Center for the Book

Bookbinding, Letterpress Printing, Papermaking, Lettering Arts, Artists Books, Book Design, and Historical & Cultural Book Studies.

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A distinctive degree-granting program that integrates training in book arts practice and technique with research into the history and culture of books.

Facilities

We offer a wide variety of experiences in bookbinding, letterpress printing, papermaking, lettering arts and more.

Student Handbook

References for procedures, policies and resources for all UICB students.

Graduate study opportunities

The UICB offers an MFA degree and a graduate certificate in book studies or book arts.

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A person inspecting a print in front of a printing press.

The Center for the Book is an innovative arts and research program dedicated to the past, present, and future of the book. The Center pursues a distinctive mission, integrating practice in the art of the book with a study of the book in society. We offer curricula in the arts of printing, binding, papermaking, and calligraphy, in the history and culture of books as a field of study, and in the expressive power of the book form. The Center also supports an active program of visiting lectures and workshops with renowned book scholars and artists.

Interested in learning about our program? We welcome inquiries from prospective students and are happy to set up tours of our facilities and meetings with faculty.

Center news

Fall 2022 at the UICB

Monday, September 12, 2022

We would like to welcome our new cohort of MFA candidates and Certificate students to the UICB.

We did it!

Friday, March 11, 2022

The funds will be dedicated to supporting graduate students, hiring faculty, and creating professional opportunities for UICB artists and scholars.

Making the world larger; The Center nears the end of UICB 2021

Friday, December 3, 2021

The challenge grant generously provided by the Windgate Charitable Foundation, is nearing its close.

Upcoming events

The UI Center for the Book presents the Nadia Sophie Seiler Visiting Book Artist: Russell Maret

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 5:30pm

Becker Communication Studies Building

"The Post-Typographic Private Press?" The British private press holds such a strong gravitational pull over the bibliophilic imagination that it is hard to see that there is a thriving private press tradition in the twenty-first century. Appearance has a lot to do with it: the books of today don’t look like the books of the Kelmscott, Doves, Ashendene or other British presses, so surely they don't fall into the same category. But is a private press book designated by its physical attributes or...

Iowa Bibliophiles--Under the Covers: Exploring Book History with Science

Wednesday, October 12, 2022 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Virtual

How are the sciences, the humanities, and libraries coming together to discover more about cultural artifacts? Learn more about a group at the University of Iowa bringing 21st century technologies to medieval objects in order to uncover their secrets.

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