KU News Release

Upcoming exhibit features award winners in book design

LAWRENCE — Professionals and admirers of book jacket art and text design will have the opportunity to view award-winning books from some of the nation’s scholarly presses at an upcoming exhibit at the University Press of Kansas.

The traveling exhibit features winners from the 2008 Association of American University Presses Book, Jacket and Journal Show. It will be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays Jan. 26-Feb. 6 at the University Press of Kansas, 2502 Westbrooke Circle. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The exhibit features 44 books and journals and 31 jackets and covers. For judging purposes, the books were divided into categories of scholarly or trade typographic and illustrated, poetry and literature, and reference. Winners were selected from submission of 341 books, 376 jackets and covers and five journals published in 2007 that were submitted by university presses. Judges chose books for superior layout of typography or illustration; jackets and journals were judged for outstanding overall design.

This informal exhibit permits viewers to handle the volumes for a closer study of the winning styles. Complimentary copies of the show catalogue containing design specifications and jurors’ comments will be available for visitors.

Jurors for jacket and cover selection were William Drenttel and Jessica Helfand, both of Winterhouse Studio. The book jurors were Susan Colberg, associate professor, University of Alberta, and Kent Lew, freelance book and type designer.

The juried show was established in 1964 to recognize meritorious achievement and as a means for members of the Association of American University Presses to share ideas for “intelligent, creative and resourceful bookmaking.”

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