Design by the Book

Just a quickie: Cool project with the New York Public Library, called Design by the Book. It’s a collaboration between the library, a group called Design Sponge and five New York artists:

• Mike Perry, an illustrator and author specializing in hand-drawn fonts
• John Pomp, a glassblower
• Julia Rothman, a fabric/wallpaper pattern designer
• Rebecca Kutys, who runs a small printing press
• Lorena Barrezueta, who makes table and body ware in porcelain

The idea is pretty simple: Turn these artists loose in the stacks of New York Public and see what inspires them…and how it changes their work. The results aren’t really revolutionary, but it is interesting. Design Sponge videotaped the process, and incidentally reminded us that libraries are a precious resource and more than just a collection of words that can be put online. 

If you’re into Apple iTunes, it’s available as a podcast there, or you can pick up episodes directly from the site. And the librarian in the series, Jessica Pigza, has a blog called the Handmade Librarian that’s well worth a visit even if you’re not interested in the project.

And go visit your library!

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