How have bugs contributed to the making (and unmaking) of books as objects? How have writers and artists turned to bugs to think about “the book” and how we make, consume, and experience its contents? This symposium brings together humanists, entomologists, librarians, and bibliophiles to think about and examine books from the bug’s-eye-view! The symposium begins at 10 am with a roundtable discussion, featuring presentations from Anindita Banerjee (Associate Professor, Comparative Literature), Jessica Rosenberg (Associate Professor, Literatures in English), Laurent Ferri (Curator of pre-1800 Collections, Rare and Manuscript Collections), and Annika Salzberg (PhD Candidate, Entomology). After the discussion, participants will be able to explore books from Cornell’s collections that showcase traces of insects and bugs. From 1:30-3 pm, participants will have an opportunity to make ink from insects (please email cjl299@cornell.edu to register for ink making).

This event is co-organized by Cat Lambert (Cornell University) and Trina Parks-Matthews (University of Michigan) and is co-sponsored by the Department of Classics and the Andrew W. Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography at Rare Book School.