Information Workshop II (Summer 2025)

This course is a hands-on exploration of multiple styles of bookbinding. Students will acquire fundamental technical knowledge by creating a variety of book structures using traditional tools and materials. An appreciation of the history of bindings will be gained through lectures and library visits. Students are not expected to be artistic or have skills in bookbinding before the class. Grading will be based on participation, effort, and increased skills over the span of the class.

In an interconnected world where cultural expressions transcend borders, the global copyright system, rooted in Western and Northern ideologies, plays a pivotal role in shaping the cultural and economic landscapes of the Global South. This workshop ventures into the intricate world of global copyright, exploring the tensions between cultural preservation, artistic expression, and economic imperatives. We will scrutinize the power dynamics at play, examining how these laws, often perceived as universal, have far-reaching consequences for cultural diversity and equity.

The overarching aim of the workshop is to examine a variety of issues related to library neutrality that students might encounter in their future library work. Some issues to examine include protests and counter-protests at controversial events, library collecting decisions under scrutiny with book challenges, security and policing in libraries, budget cuts, and the politicization of library boards. We will explore historical and current debates around neutrality in the profession, critical theoretical approaches to the topic, and practical, material challenges in libraries today. Through this collective work I hope students will reflect on what kinds of librarians they want to be, what kinds of libraries they want to see in the world, and how they can work toward building them.

Graphic design is a major component of the overall user experience of interactive systems. This workshop will introduce students to graphic design elements needed in the design of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). Throughout the workshop, students will learn the basic graphical design principles and theories that are essential for effective visual design. Topics will include: alignment, layout, repetition, contrast, colour, and typography; fundamentals of composition; usability and accessibility. The workshop will integrate current software tools and appropriate digital methods for the design of interactivity and user interfaces.

This workshop will allow students to:

• Explain the relationship between user experience and graphic design;
• Develop visual vocabularies related to graphical design elements;
• Develop an aesthetic understanding of how graphic design impacts the look and feel of user interfaces; and
• Apply graphical design principles and theories to design the skin of graphical user interfaces.