Blog Posts – Elizabeth Grab

Teen Zine collection & programming proposal

When working as a youth services librarian at the Flagstaff Public Library, I put together a program proposal for a 3-pronged teen zine collection and programming: (1) a zine collection curated for and by FPL’s teens, (2) passive programming to allow the teens to make their own zines, which they could add to the collection should they choose, and (3) a Teen Zine publication made up of the creative contributions of our teens that would circulate biannually.

Though I never had the chance to see the program come into being, I wanted to share the proposal for teen librarians who might find all or parts useful to them. It includes the collection and program breakdown, an evaluation of our population to show why the collection and associated programming would be relevant, and links out to the teen zine programming and collections that I found being implemented at other public libraries.

If you end up using this proposal as a jumping off point for your own, please drop me a note I’d love to cheer you on and hear how it pans out!

To view in your browser, click on the hyperlinked text. To download a pdf of the proposal to your device, click the download button.

TeenZineProposalFPL Download

Perfect Binding, Long-Stitch Binding & 3D-printed book components

Elizabeth holds a different book with 3D printed coversa nd spine, this one also with a sewn binding, but using two quires rather than a perfect binding

I worked with a 3-D printing enthusiast friend who wanted to incorporate 3-D printed structures into a bookbinding project. We worked together to determine two different binding styles that would work with two different cover designs for an Instructables.com contest he wished to enter. While he put together the 3-D printing components of the tutorial, I worked up the perfect and long-stitch binding instructions.

You can find the joint project here: https://www.instructables.com/Cryptex-Lock-Notebook/.

Creating that Instructable as a team made me want to put out tutorials on both perfect and long-stitch bindings individually. I’ve gotten round to the perfect binding Instructable (found here: https://www.instructables.com/Adhesive-Binding-Notebook/) and will eventually get to the long-stitch tutorial. Keep an eye on my Instructable.com account for that, and follow Echo Bravo’s account for more 3-D printing goodness!

Edible Book Day

In honor of the recently passed Edible Book Day, I thought it appropriate to share a book related cake I sculpted for an EBD competition during my final year of college.

Custom Wedding Card for Geeky Metalheads

I generally do my darndest to avoid attending large, expensive functions unless I’m being paid to be there, but some friends you just can’t refuse. In this instance, it was a wedding for two ’80s geeks and glam metal fans who despise all things soppy and pastel. This ruled out every wedding card in every store I tried, so I decided to make a card myself.

Artist’s Portfolio: Half Calf Case Binding

Completed portfolio after almost a year of use

In 2018, Max Shafer of Glenn’s Tattoo Service Inc. in Carrboro, NC asked me to work with him on a custom portfolio. After meeting several times to discuss what functionality and aesthetics he wished for in his book, we settled upon a half calf case binding.

Colin’s Baby Book

After commissioning three books for her baby shower (see posts Baby Shower Book, vol. 1 and vol. 2-3), Michele commissioned another to commemorate the first year of her son Colin’s life. Now that she had a better understanding of the variety of choices available to her, Michele wanted to work more closely on the design for this book. We settled on a Coptic stitch binding, which allowed for her to select alternating blue and orange signatures that would be visible along the spine, adding a touch of whimsy. We reinforced the playfulness of the aesthetic by selecting patterned paper designed with a little boy in mind. I tied this book in with her baby shower cards I also bound with a Coptic stitch by using the same color thread (see Baby Shower Book, vol. 2-3).

Michele’s Baby Shower Books, vol. II & III

Michele—the same patron who requested a photo book as part of the planning for her baby shower—also commissioned a pamphlet to store her shower memorabilia. I made up a pamphlet binding out of whimsical and appropriately themed paper, then secured the items with photo corners.

Michele’s Baby Shower Book, vol. I

In the Winter of 2015, I teamed up with the women of my family to plan the baby shower to end all baby showers for a young woman named Michele. The matriarchs handed creative planning over to me while they handled logistics. The guest book was part of that checklist of decorative items that I needed to create.

Grand Tour photo album: a conservation story

One day while I was working at the Grogan & Co. Auctioneers, a stunning pair of Grand Tour photo albums appeared in the glass cases in the entry showroom. These handbound, illuminated albums came without provenance and in grimy, dilapidated condition. I was immediately entranced and bookended every workday by pouring over the early twentieth century pictures of Algiers and cities all over Italy that were gradually transferring perfect mirror images to the facing pages as age degraded the prints. Continue reading “Grand Tour photo album: a conservation story”

Modeling Roman Villas: How reconstruction choices influence understanding

For UNC Department of Classics professor Hérica Valladares’ Fall 2016 course on Roman Architecture, I decided to focus on how the type of model researchers choose to represent and recreate Roman Villas influence the conclusions they’re capable of or likely to find. Continue reading “Modeling Roman Villas: How reconstruction choices influence understanding”