UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Graphic designer and paper engineer Kelli Anderson will present the Penn State University Libraries’ 2026 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts titled "Moveable Books and Unblackboxing."
The lecture offers a hybrid format, with Anderson speaking in-person in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, and also virtually on Zoom from 4 to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27.
The Mann Lecture is free and open to all, though registration is required for virtual attendance. A reception follows the event in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, from 5 to 6 p.m. A recording will be available after the event.
About Anderson's work
Anderson’s work appears deceptively simple — shapes and objects move up and off the page. But how does one approach the painstaking work of animating paper with the turn of a page? Anderson’s talk will reveal aspects of the essential infrastructure of moveable books for her audience. Examples of her work, held in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library, will be available for attendees to enjoy after the lecture. The subject matter of Anderson’s works often demystifies a complex topic: typography, color theory, astronomy, light and sound — and more. Anderson’s beautiful and interactive books offer an enthusiastic answer to the question, “what can I make with paper?”
Several of Kelli Anderson’s recent works include "This Book is a Planetarium," "Alphabet in Motion: How Letters Get Their Shape," and "This Book is a Camera," due to be published this May. These works are successful as both art and book and are accessible in content and form. Anderson’s books are affordable for many institutions and households, emphasizing the point that artist’s books need not be expensive to be considered as “art.”
Noon workshop
Earlier in the day, students are invited to participate in a unique hands-on learning opportunity: delving into the world of paper engineering with a separate workshop at noon in the Mann Assembly Room. Registration is required and lunch will be served — space is limited for this exciting workshop.
About the Mann lecture
The Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts is named in honor of the first Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair for Special Collections in the University Libraries. Charles William Mann, Jr., was born in 1929 in Altoona and first joined the Penn State University Libraries as a student worker in 1954. This annual event, featuring scholars and book artists with research areas connected to the materials held in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library, is funded by the Mary Louise Krumrine Endowment and the generous support it provides.
For additional information about this event or questions regarding access, contact the Special Collections Library at spcollections@psu.edu.