This Symposium presents the first of two Symposia for 2025 devoted to "Agents and Agencies". These aspects can range from the processes whereby the initial inspiration reaches the pages of manuscripts or printed books, ready to enter the world. There, perhaps they experience additional agents/agencies which might respond to them and transform or re-create them.
For our Spring Symposium, we explore the genesis and gestation of books from first thoughts to processes of production leading to the finished product and then to their owners and users.
Image: London, Wellcome Collection, 45097i. Painting by a follower of Thomas Wijck/Wyck (circa 1616-1677): detail. Alchemist-scholar seated at work among books, with an assistant at one side. Image via Public Domain Mark https://wellcomecollection.org/works/g7kj7b2f/images?id=kkakxfdz
