Welcome to the Alcuin Society

The Alcuin Society is a voluntary association supported by people who care about the past, present and future of fine books. You can join us in setting up an endowment fund to provide a future for the book arts. Founded in 1965 by Geoff Spencer and six other Vancouver bibliophiles, it is the only non-profit organization in Canada dedicated to the entire range of interests related to books and reading. These interests include authorship, publishing, book design and production, bookselling, book buying and collecting, printing, binding, papermaking, calligraphy and illustration.

News & Announcements

• Two upcoming lectures by Peter Rutledge Koch: "Printing in the Shadow of Aldus" and "Fine Printing and the Imagination" coming to Vancouver in March 2010; see the Alcuin Society blog.

photo by Karen Eng
Peter Koch thinking (in Venice)

• Alcuin Wayzgoose 2009  occurred October 24 at the Vancouver Public Library (Central Branch) with approximately 20 BC private presses, BC book artists, and demonstrations. View our 2009 photoset here.
• Canadian books recognized at 2009 Leipzig competition. For more, view the awards section, and read the complete press release for more.
• The Alcuin Society has announced the winners of its 27th annual Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada. The judges, Frank Newfeld, Alan Stein, and E.A. Hobart (Zab), selected 32 winning titles from 243 entries, 8 provinces, and 89 publishers. View the complete press release here, and a behind the scenes photoset here
• Learn more about the Alcuin Society in Nicholas A. Basbanes, "Viva Vancouver", Fine Books and Collections January 2009.
• Call for Entries - Book Design Awards 2008. Entry Form (PDF).
• Sample articles from Amphora No. 150 November 2008 online. Also, browse the No. 150 Supplement online.
• New publication: Duthie's Bookmarks, a deluxe limited edition designed by Robert R. Reid, reproducing in full colour over 300 bookmarks, with biographies of the artists.
• The catalogue of winners of the 2007 Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, edited by Marlene Chan and designed by Emmanuel Buenviaje, is now available online (4 MB).
• The first annual National Book Collecting Contest has posted its rules for the contest in English and French. First Prize is $2,500.
• List of publications offered by the Society has been updated as of May 2008. New prices! Some titles only have one copy left!
• The Robert R. Reid Award is now on our web site.
• Donating to the Society is even easier with CanadaHelps.org
• With much "heraldry," may we present the Society's Coat of Arms.
• Check out our virtual library on LibraryThing.
• Check out the Alcuin Society's online photograph album, which has pictures of events and exhibits, including Book Design Awards.
• Found the most amazing web site? Contribute to the Society's custom search engine. Let us know what should be included.

|