Creativity and curiosity took center stage April 29 as the NIU BookLab Crafting Knowledge event brought together students, faculty and staff for a celebration of book arts and literary scholarship. Throughout the day, attendees explored library collections, participated in interactive activities and engaged with innovative approaches to research and creative practice. The event showcased the BookLab as a vibrant hub for experiential learning and collaboration across campus.
The day opened with an interactive papermaking session led by Professor Nicole Clifton, where participants created their own cotton paper while learning about student-led projects. In the afternoon, attendees explored the “History of the Book” talk, presented by Matt Short and Sata Prescott, and the Rare Books and Special Collections showcase featuring 19th–century American dime novels and story papers.The event concluded with a lively student showcase and BookLab open house, where participants enjoyed hands-on activities, live demonstrations and opportunities to create personalized keepsakes and cards.
Across all sessions, attendees engaged in meaningful conversations about teaching, research and creative practice, with faculty expressing strong interest in incorporating BookLab experiences into their courses. The success of the event reflected the strong collaboration and support behind it, as well as the enthusiasm of everyone involved in bringing BookLab’s mission of innovation, creativity and hands-on learning to life.
