Martha L. Carothers student artists' books collection

Martha L. Carothers is a book artist and professor of Art and Design at the University of Delaware specializing in graphic design and book arts (typography, book design, bookbinding, and letterpress printing). Her work as a book artist has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her books are part of museum and library collections including the Library of Congress, Museum of Modern Art, and Cooper-Hewitt Museum.

In 1983, Carothers began teaching ART 309, “Book Arts”, at the University of Delaware. The course was designed to provide an overview of book arts, teach students binding and other construction methods, and guide student work in producing creative books. Course topics have included conceptualization and ideation, execution, pacing, use of appropriate materials, craft, and attention to deadlines. Students in the course have learned hands-on application of bookmaking tools such as adhesives, utility knives, bone folders, and binding boards. Students have been permitted complete creative freedom in designing their final projects.

From its inception, the course has emphasized the reproducibility of books. Therefore, students have been required to produce two identical copies (editions) of each creative book as the final project deliverable.

At the completion of each course, Professor Carothers returned one copy of the project to the student and retained the other in her personal collection for instructional use. She donated this collection to the University of Delaware Library in 2016 to be used as a teaching collection.

"Martha Carothers | University of Delaware." Martha Carothers | University of Delaware. Accessed April 29, 2019. https://www.udel.edu/faculty-staff/experts/martha-carothers/Other biographical information derived from collection.