The first Archives Alive event of the academic year celebrates a milestone acquisition at the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections.
“The Ideal Book: Introducing the Doves Press and Bindery Collection at McMaster University” is set for Sept. 25, 2025 at noon EDT.
The online lecture will be led by Bronwen Glover, McMaster’s archives and book conservator; Myron Groover, archives and rare books librarian, and Ruth-Ellen St. Onge, distinctive collections cataloguing librarian.
“The Doves Press volumes are an exciting addition to our research collections and a real coup for McMaster University,” said Glover. “Our presentation will appeal to people interested in the Doves Press, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the history of publishing and bookbinding.”
In 2024, McMaster acquired a complete run of all vellum-bound editions produced by the Doves Press (1900-1917) — that high point of Arts and Crafts typographic excellence — as well as the associated output of the Hammersmith Publishing Society and a significant collection of related primary documents. Taken together with existing holdings from this enterprise, McMaster now possesses one of the most comprehensive Doves collections in the Americas.
To celebrate this extraordinary acquisition, McMaster’s conservator and librarians are hosting a 90-minute discussion about the significance and legacy of the Doves Press and Bindery.
The presentation will explore the aesthetic milieu and broader cultural context, the immense impact on subsequent printing and book design, the personalities and (often fractious) relationships between key figures associated with the project, and — not least — the astonishing story of how the legendary Doves Type came to be destroyed, meaning that the output of the press could never be replicated.
Registration is free for the online event.
Register
Registration webpage for Archives Alive
About Archives Alive
Archives Alive showcases the unique holdings of McMaster University Libraries’ William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections. A wealth of resources exist which will delight and inform, from rare books created before 1800 to contemporary writers’ archives. Recognizing that archives can feel intimidating, these talks allow staff and researchers to share their knowledge with the community and introduce collection items housed within the library. Archives Alive is presented by McMaster University Libraries and McMaster Alumni.
