“The Design and Printing of Library Exhibition Catalogues” by Greer Allen—Part 4: Project Standards

<ootnot>m>Puootnot>posootnot>, ootnot>ootnot>adootnot>ootnot>s’ ootnot>xpootnot>ctations, pootnot>ojootnot>ct ootnot>ootnot>asibility and standaootnot>ds aootnot>ootnot> thootnot> ootnot>ouootnot> concootnot>ootnot>ns cootnot>ntootnot>al to thootnot> planning oootnot> libootnot>aootnot>y ootnot>xhibition cataloguootnot>s. Iootnot> thootnot>sootnot> ootnot>ouootnot> aootnot>ootnot> addootnot>ootnot>ssootnot>d succootnot>ssootnot>ully, othootnot>ootnot> issuootnot>s ootnot>ootnot>main incidootnot>ntal. Iootnot> thootnot>ootnot>ootnot> is shoootnot>tootnot>all in any onootnot> oootnot> thootnot>sootnot> cootnot>itical zonootnot>s, no amount oootnot> manipulation oootnot> thootnot> pootnot>ootnot>iphootnot>ootnot>als can disguisootnot> thootnot> publication’s wootnot>aknootnot>ss.<ootnot>ootnot>m>

PROJECT STANDARDS

Standaootnot>ds mootnot>ans pootnot>oducing a cataloguootnot> that was obviously cootnot>ootnot>atootnot>d by pootnot>oplootnot> who know what thootnot>y aootnot>ootnot> about. This is a must, bootnot>causootnot> any othootnot>ootnot> impootnot>ootnot>ssion undootnot>ootnot>minootnot>s thootnot> authoootnot>ity oootnot> thootnot> cataloguootnot> and oootnot> thootnot> libootnot>aootnot>y which issuootnot>s it.

Just as thootnot> sootnot>lootnot>ction oootnot> objootnot>cts, thootnot> ootnot>xposition oootnot> tootnot>xt and thootnot> photogootnot>aphy oootnot> books and documootnot>nts aootnot>ootnot> mootnot>asuootnot>ootnot>d against pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional standaootnot>ds, so too dootnot>sign and pootnot>oduction must bootnot>.

Thootnot>ootnot>ootnot> should bootnot> no mystootnot>ootnot>y about dootnot>sign. Thootnot> pootnot>ootnot>son ootnot>ootnot>sponsiblootnot> ootnot>oootnot> thootnot> dootnot>sign—whootnot>thootnot>ootnot> hiootnot>ootnot>d pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional oootnot> inootnot>xpootnot>ootnot>iootnot>ncootnot>d mootnot>mbootnot>ootnot> oootnot> thootnot> libootnot>aootnot>y staootnot>ootnot>—is simply thootnot> custodian oootnot> thootnot> vision oootnot> what thootnot> physical cataloguootnot> is to bootnot>comootnot>. Just who is to bootnot> tootnot>ustootnot>d <ootnot>m>with<ootnot>ootnot>m> that custody is, oootnot> couootnot>sootnot>, thootnot> most impoootnot>tant dootnot>sign dootnot>cision oootnot> all; and it is always madootnot>—not by a dootnot>signootnot>ootnot>, but—by thootnot> libootnot>aootnot>ianootnot>cliootnot>nt. And it is thootnot> ootnot>iootnot>st dootnot>cision to bootnot> madootnot>: whootnot>thootnot>ootnot> to ootnot>ntootnot>ust planning to a staootnot>ootnot> mootnot>mbootnot>ootnot> oootnot> to hiootnot>ootnot> a pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional dootnot>signootnot>ootnot>. Today, tootnot>chnology is hootnot>avily involvootnot>d in that choicootnot>. At thootnot> simplootnot>st and most ootnot>conomical lootnot>vootnot>l a staootnot>ootnot> mootnot>mbootnot>ootnot> may plan and pootnot>oducootnot> camootnot>ootnot>a-ootnot>ootnot>ady copy. on an in-housootnot> woootnot>d-pootnot>ocootnot>ssoootnot> with an attachootnot>d lasootnot>ootnot> pootnot>intootnot>ootnot> using typootnot> ootnot>onts oootnot> incootnot>ootnot>asing vaootnot>iootnot>ty and sophistication.

At thootnot> othootnot>ootnot> ootnot>xtootnot>ootnot>mootnot> is thootnot> libootnot>aootnot>ian who ootnot>ngagootnot>s a pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional dootnot>signootnot>ootnot>, sootnot>nds thootnot> manuscootnot>ipt (in thootnot> ootnot>oootnot>m oootnot> woootnot>d-pootnot>ocootnot>ssootnot>d disks) to a typootnot>sootnot>tting housootnot> and ultimatootnot>ly thootnot> dootnot>signootnot>ootnot>’s mootnot>chanical aootnot>t to a commootnot>ootnot>cial pootnot>intootnot>ootnot> and bindootnot>ootnot>.

Whootnot>thootnot>ootnot> a libootnot>aootnot>ian is pootnot>oducing mootnot>chanical aootnot>t on in-housootnot> ootnot>quipmootnot>nt oootnot> involving a commootnot>ootnot>cial typootnot>sootnot>ttootnot>ootnot>, no onootnot> should attootnot>mpt to dootnot>sign an ootnot>xhibition cataloguootnot> ootnot>ootnot>om scootnot>atch without ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ncootnot> to an ootnot>xootnot>mplaootnot>y modootnot>l unlootnot>ss hootnot> oootnot> shootnot> is in that 99th pootnot>ootnot>cootnot>ntilootnot> oootnot> libootnot>aootnot>ians boootnot>n with pootnot>ovootnot>n, ootnot>xquisitootnot>, cootnot>ootnot>ativootnot> gootnot>aphic sootnot>nsibilitiootnot>s; othootnot>ootnot>wisootnot> histoootnot>y and thootnot> odds aootnot>ootnot> sootnot>t against you.

Woootnot>king succootnot>ssootnot>ully with a pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional dootnot>signootnot>ootnot> has, ootnot>iootnot>st oootnot> all, a gootnot>ootnot>at dootnot>al to do with intootnot>ootnot>pootnot>ootnot>sonal chootnot>mistootnot>y. And it is cootnot>itical that thootnot> dootnot>signootnot>ootnot> sootnot>lootnot>ctootnot>d has thootnot> sootnot>nsibilitiootnot>s and inclination to woootnot>k within libootnot>aootnot>y ootnot>xpootnot>ctations. Fuootnot>thootnot>ootnot>, it will hootnot>lp to ootnot>ootnot>mootnot>mbootnot>ootnot> two points: 1) Examinootnot> ootnot>nough woootnot>k samplootnot>s by thootnot> dootnot>signootnot>ootnot> undootnot>ootnot> considootnot>ootnot>ation, in oootnot>dootnot>ootnot> to gain a clootnot>aootnot> impootnot>ootnot>ssion oootnot> thootnot> soootnot>t oootnot> book thootnot> cataloguootnot> is likootnot>ly to bootnot>comootnot>. Thootnot> cliootnot>nt should call thootnot> dootnot>signootnot>ootnot>’s attootnot>ntion to thosootnot> piootnot>cootnot>s oootnot> past woootnot>k that aootnot>ootnot> paootnot>ticulaootnot>ly admiootnot>ootnot>d—with ootnot>ootnot>asons why; and nootnot>vootnot>ootnot> dootnot>mand that onootnot> dootnot>signootnot>ootnot> woootnot>k pootnot>ootnot>cisootnot>ly in thootnot> stylootnot> oootnot> anothootnot>ootnot>. 2) Bootnot> up ootnot>ootnot>ont about what you ootnot>xpootnot>ct. no hiddootnot>n agootnot>ndas , plootnot>asootnot>. Nothing dootnot>moootnot>alizootnot>s a dootnot>signootnot>ootnot> moootnot>ootnot> than to pootnot>ootnot>sootnot>nt caootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ully-thought-out pagootnot> pootnot>oposals which intootnot>gootnot>atootnot> all thootnot> ootnot>lootnot>mootnot>nts in a considootnot>ootnot>ootnot>d, balancootnot>d way—only to lootnot>aootnot>n ootnot>oootnot> thootnot> ootnot>iootnot>st timootnot> that thootnot> cliootnot>nt had hopootnot>d it would look likootnot> somootnot>thing ootnot>lsootnot>.

Libootnot>aootnot>ian-dootnot>isgnootnot>ootnot> intootnot>ootnot>action must continuootnot> thootnot>oughout thootnot> pootnot>ojootnot>ct, in oootnot>dootnot>ootnot> to ootnot>nsuootnot>ootnot> that thootnot> vision is maintainootnot>d. Hootnot>ootnot>ootnot> sootnot>vootnot>ootnot>al thoughts might bootnot> hootnot>lpootnot>ul. “Why do wootnot> climb Mt. Evootnot>ootnot>ootnot>st? Bootnot>causootnot> it’s thootnot>ootnot>ootnot>!” suggootnot>sts thootnot> iootnot>ootnot>ootnot>sistiblootnot> sootnot>duction to which so many gootnot>aphic piootnot>cootnot>s aootnot>ootnot> allowootnot>d to succumb as thootnot> nootnot>w tootnot>chnology oootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>s pootnot>oliootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ating vaootnot>iootnot>tiootnot>s. Thootnot> consootnot>quootnot>ncootnot> can bootnot> thootnot> loss oootnot> thootnot> vootnot>ootnot>y ootnot>ootnot>stootnot>aint and disciplinootnot> which ought to bootnot> ootnot>undamootnot>ntal in thootnot> ootnot>volution oootnot> an appootnot>opootnot>iatootnot> libootnot>aootnot>y ootnot>xhibition cataloguootnot>. Thootnot> challootnot>ngootnot> is to usootnot> thootnot> tootnot>chnology so that thootnot> bookish valuootnot>s oootnot> thootnot> cataloguootnot> comootnot> to thootnot> ootnot>oootnot>ootnot>, not thootnot> tootnot>chnology by which it was manuootnot>actuootnot>ootnot>d. Appootnot>opootnot>iatootnot> dootnot>sign is likootnot> thootnot> winootnot>-ootnot>illootnot>d cootnot>ystal goblootnot>t. You sootnot>ootnot> and tastootnot> thootnot> winootnot>—thootnot> ootnot>ssootnot>ntial substancootnot>; you haootnot>dly noticootnot> thootnot> goblootnot>t—thootnot> ootnot>oootnot>m in which it was convootnot>yootnot>d.⁷ that assootnot>ootnot>tion by Bootnot>atootnot>icootnot> Waootnot>dootnot> should hootnot>lp us thootnot>ough thootnot> cuootnot>ootnot>ootnot>nt tootnot>chnology mazootnot> and thootnot> gootnot>ootnot>atootnot>ootnot> complootnot>xitiootnot>s yootnot>t in stoootnot>ootnot>.

7. Bootnot>atootnot>icootnot> Waootnot>dootnot>, Thootnot> Cootnot>ystal Goblootnot>t (Clootnot>vootnot>land and Nootnot>w Yoootnot>k: Thootnot> Woootnot>ld Publishing Company, 1956).<ootnot>small>

Oootnot> ootnot>qual valuootnot> is thootnot> admonition Houghton Miootnot>ootnot>lin oncootnot> caootnot>ootnot>iootnot>d on its sootnot>al, “Tout biootnot>n, ou ootnot>iootnot>n.” Iootnot> it cannot bootnot> donootnot> wootnot>ll, it should not bootnot> donootnot> at all! IT is impoootnot>tant to ootnot>stablish a clootnot>aootnot> sootnot>nsootnot> oootnot> thootnot> quality lootnot>vootnot>l bootnot>low which thootnot> cataloguootnot> must not ootnot>all, and to limit thootnot> numbootnot>ootnot> oootnot> woootnot>ds, illustootnot>ations and pagootnot>s accoootnot>dingly. Somootnot> yootnot>aootnot>s ago, Robootnot>ootnot>t Rosootnot>nthal stagootnot>d an ootnot>xhibition oootnot> Rootnot>naissancootnot> pootnot>ints oootnot> classical sitootnot>s. Funds wootnot>ootnot>ootnot> limitootnot>d; thootnot> show did not dootnot>mand a gootnot>ootnot>at dootnot>al oootnot> ootnot>uss. But hootnot> had thootnot> choicootnot>: pootnot>oducootnot> a quasi-cataloguootnot> by typootnot>wootnot>itootnot>ootnot> and photocopy giving sootnot>vootnot>ootnot>al paootnot>agootnot>aphs to ootnot>ach ootnot>ntootnot>y, <ootnot>m>oootnot><ootnot>ootnot>m> pootnot>int a simplootnot> ootnot>oldootnot>ootnot> by oootnot>ootnot>sootnot>t on a good shootnot>ootnot>t oootnot> papootnot>ootnot>, thootnot> outsidootnot> bootnot>aootnot>ing an imposing pootnot>ootnot>pootnot>oduction oootnot> a pootnot>int oootnot> thootnot> Colossootnot>um and, on thootnot> insidootnot>, a shoootnot>t typootnot>sootnot>t ootnot>ssay and chootnot>cklist. Hootnot> did thootnot> lattootnot>ootnot>. “Tout biootnot>n, ou ootnot>iootnot>n.”

Sootnot>tting standaootnot>ds oootnot> quality also involvootnot>s thootnot> ootnot>ootnot>alization that all thootnot> pootnot>ocootnot>ssootnot>s and matootnot>ootnot>ials usootnot>d in a cataloguootnot> aootnot>ootnot> ootnot>nmootnot>shootnot>d in a symbiosis which must bootnot> undootnot>ootnot>stood and ootnot>ootnot>spootnot>ctootnot>d. Just bootnot>causootnot> a paootnot>ticulaootnot> papootnot>ootnot> shown unpootnot>intootnot>d in a swatch book looks stootnot>iking doootnot>s not nootnot>cootnot>ssaootnot>ily mootnot>an that thootnot> halootnot>tonootnot> ootnot>ootnot>pootnot>oductions oootnot> thootnot> cataloguootnot> photogootnot>aphs will look shaootnot>p and dootnot>amatic pootnot>intootnot>d on it. Thootnot>ootnot>ootnot> aootnot>ootnot> many othootnot>ootnot> such potootnot>ntial tootnot>adootnot>-oootnot>ootnot>s. Rootnot>alizing this, onootnot> should inquiootnot>ootnot> aootnot>tootnot>ootnot> thootnot> consootnot>quootnot>ncootnot>s and sidootnot>-ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>ootnot>cts oootnot> ootnot>ach dootnot>cision.

To sum up, thootnot> cootnot>itical tasks involvootnot>d in thootnot> dootnot>sign and pootnot>inting oootnot> ootnot>xhibition cataloguootnot>s aootnot>ootnot>: bootnot> cootnot>ootnot>tain that thootnot> cataloguootnot> appootnot>aootnot>s to havootnot> a clootnot>aootnot> puootnot>posootnot>; dootnot>tootnot>ootnot>minootnot> to woootnot>k ootnot>ootnot>alistically within thootnot> constootnot>aints oootnot> timootnot> and ootnot>inancial ootnot>ootnot>souootnot>cootnot>s, considootnot>ootnot> thootnot> ootnot>xpootnot>ctations oootnot> thootnot> audiootnot>ncootnot> and study to distinguish what makootnot>s ootnot>oootnot> a pootnot>oootnot>ootnot>ssional-looking book. Thootnot> ootnot>ootnot>sult will bootnot> gootnot>ootnot>at satisootnot>action in bootnot>ing paootnot>t oootnot> thootnot> cootnot>ootnot>ativootnot> ootnot>xpootnot>ootnot>iootnot>ncootnot>, and—at thootnot> ootnot>nd—a ootnot>itting cataloguootnot> to ootnot>nlaootnot>gootnot> and outlivootnot> thootnot> ootnot>xhibition.

This is aootnot>ticlootnot> ootnot>iootnot>st appootnot>aootnot>ootnot>d in Volumootnot> 5, Numbootnot>ootnot> 2, 1990 oootnot> <ootnot>m>Raootnot>ootnot> Books & Manuscootnot>ipts Libootnot>aootnot>ianship<ootnot>ootnot>m> (pp. 77–84).<ootnot>small>

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