Centre for the Book Symposium: Books and the City

As Dunedin celebrates its tenth anniversary as a UNESCO City of Literature, the Centre for the Book proposes to think collectively about what books and cities have to do with each other.  As well as considering the epiphenomena of books in cities, and if and how cities support or undermine book-based culture, we also want to think about what it might mean to be a “literary city,” by keeping in mind the city as (Latin) civitas, and asking in broad terms what books have meant and can mean for the lives of cities and their citizens.

Registration essential by 9 am, Tuesday 12 November: 2024 Symposium Registration Form

Programme

Thursday 21 November, 5:30 pm

Opening Plenary Public Lecture Nick Gadd

Chair and Introduction: Paul Tankard

Friday 22 November

Lecture Room open from 8:30 to distribute name badges to participants, for presenters to test and set up presentations, or just for socialising.

Welcome and Introduction

9:00-9:10 Chair: Paul Tankard

Books in International Cities Chair: Kirstie Ross

9:10–9:30 David Bell - Woodblocks and Japanese Cities

9:30–9:50 Marco Sonzogni, Sydney Shep and William du Toit - In/Visible Cities

9:50–10:20 Alexander Wearing - Books As Catalysts to Change and Deepen the Experience of a City

10:20–10:40 Discussion

10:40–11:00 Morning Tea

Books in Dunedin Chair: Lynley Edmeades

11:00–11:20 Jenny Powell - The ‘South D Poet Lorikeet’ and the Promotion of Literacy

11:20-11:40 Jackie McMillan - Book Collections and City Connections

11:40–12:00 Steve Taylor - “Reading Allowed” and Aloud: Cultivating Listening Structures in a Literary City

12:00–12:30 Discussion

12:30–1:30 Lunch (on your own or you are welcome to bring lunch with you)

Making Books Chair: Donald Kerr

1:30–1:50 Michelle Elvy - Process, Power and Possession: The ‘Work’ of Books, from Gutenberg to Perch

1:50-2:10 Sue Wootton - “Books Made Here”: History of Otago University Press

2:10-2:30 Moira White - City Birds and City Bird Books

2:30–3:00 Discussion

3:00–3:20 Afternoon Tea

Ink, Architecture and the Underworld Chair: Shef Rogers

3:20–3:40 Jim Sullivan - Rogues and Rascals in Dunedin's Victorian Book World

3:40–4:00 Lachy Paterson and Ross Harvey - Community Newspapers: Ensuring a Digital Past

4:00–4:20 Liam McIlvanney - Architecture of Scottish Crime Fiction

4:20–4:50 Discussion

4:50–5:00 Respondent: Nick Gadd

Closing remarks: Paul Tankard