Movable Book Collection
The rare book collections contain movable books and cards from the 15th century to the present, most notably in the Skip & Bob Smith Pop-Up Book Collection, Dr. Susan W. Schwartz Pop-Up Book Collection, and the Biedermeier Greeting Card Collection. These collections show the breadth of movable books, a variety of mechanisms that create movement, and that movable books are fun for all ages.
Though many think of pop-up books as mainly for children, books with moving parts have been around for centuries and encompass all genres. The rare book collections include 16th-century spinning wheels known as volvelles, 19th-century medical books with flaps, Victorian tunnel books, and books by the famous paper engineer and children’s book author Lothar Meggendorfer.
Due to the nature of paper engineering, movable books must be made by hand. Even with modern technology, moving parts must be manually assembled to ensure they work correctly. Paper engineers often make movable books as pieces of art or to test the boundaries of what is possible with paper, such as sculptural pieces or items with complicated mechanics.
Access these Materials
Search the Movable Book Collection on the Library Catalog
Search these related collections on ArchivesSpace and on the Library Catalog: Dr. Susan W. Schwartz Pop-Up Book Collection, Skip & Bob Smith Pop-Up Book Collection, Biedermeier Greeting Card Collection
Contact
- Department
- Special Collections, Special Collections, Preservation, and Digital Strategies
- Name
- Cassie Brand
- she/her
- Job Title
- Curator of Rare Books
- Email Address
- cassie.brand@wustl.edu
- Phone Number
- (314) 935-4950