BSA Archive Adds to its Collection

October 26, 2018

The Grolier Club Library and the Archives Working Group of the Bibliographical Society of America are pleased to announce the addition of the John Bidwell papers and The Ascensius Press production files to the BSA Archive, on deposit at the Grolier Club Library. From 2004 to 2008, Dr. John Bidwell, Astor Curator of Printed Books and Bindings at the Morgan Library and Museum, was the President of the Bibliographical Society of America. He also served as Chair of the Publications Committee from 2000 to 2004. A member of BSA since 1977, Dr. Bidwell gifted his BSA-related papers to the archive in 2017.

The Ascensius Press, a fine letterpress and offset printer based in Maine and run by Scott Vile, was the typographer/printer of the PBSA from 1985 to 1993 and 2006 to 2008. Mr. Vile donated his BSA-related historical production files, consisting of job envelopes and production notes for the printing of each quarterly PBSA publication and BSA event invitations. The files include advertisements, illustrations, offprints, and correspondence between the Publications Committee and The Ascensius Press, formerly known as Shagbark Press.

The complete BSA Archive consists of 84 boxes (95 linear feet) of correspondence, financial records, publication drafts and proofs, and other materials generated by the BSA Board and Committees from 1904 to 2017. Initially processed in 2015, the most recent acquisitions were processed last winter by BSA Archival Consultant, Miwa Yokoyama.

Researchers may consult the BSA Archive at the Grolier Club Library, the holding repository for the collection. The updated finding aid for the archive is available through the Grolier Club’s online catalogue and (with a complete folder list) through the Grolier Club’s website.  For more information about using the Grolier Club Library, please visit the website at http://www.grolierclub.org/ or contact the Librarian, Meghan Constantinou, at mconstantinou@grolierclub.org / ph: 212-838-6690