a newspaper picture of Elspeth Pope

Printing and Type on View at Library

Examples of printing done by students of the College of Librarianship of the University of South Carolina are on display in the glass cases in the second floor lobby of the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library.

The Pangloss Press is the property of Dr. Elspeth Pope, associate professor of the College of Librarianship at the University. It is a registered private press, and although it is a hobby with Dr. Pope, it is housed in the College of Librarianship and is used to teach a course in printing to future librarians.

A native of Canada, Dr. Pope holds library degrees from McGill University in Montreal, the University of Denver and the University of Pittsburgh. She teaches the technical services courses at the College of Librarianship.

While teaching at the library school at the State University of New York at Geneseo, Dr. Pope learned the art of setting type and operating a hand press from Robert Bretz, owner of the Gaudeamus Press. Later, when she moved to Pittsburgh, she took with her a small platen press and an assortment of moveable type.

It was in Pittsburgh, in partnership with Dr. Jay Daily of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, that the press acquired it's name. Dr. Daily and Dr. Pope agreed with "Candide's" hero Pangloss, that the best of all possible worlds for them was being able to teach library science and print interesting books.

Over the years, two more small type presses and more and more type and printing equipment were added. The students at the South Carolina college now are able to design small pieces which they set, print, and bind in simple covers.

"While it is true that librarians will not be called upon in the future to print their own books, such a course in printing is valuable because students learn to appreciate the importance of form, design, illustrations, and the variety and quality of paper that all makes up a book," Dr. Pope said. "And many students continue to use the Pangloss Press even after the course requirements have been completed."

The exhibit will be open to the public at no charge during regular library hours through Nov. 18.

Augusta GA., Sunday Morning, October 19, 1975

 


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