Marie-Claude Felton: To Publish and Perish: The Misadventures of Self-Publishing Authors in 18th Century Paris (Antwerp, 24 June 2009)

Vlaamse Werkgroep Boekgeschiedenis has the pleasure to announce its second lecture in book history: "To Publish and Perish: The misadventures of self-publishing authors in 18th-century Paris." Speaker is Marie-Claude Felton (EHESS, Paris/UQAM, Montreal).

Ms. Felton's abstract: In 18th-century Paris, the booksellers' guild maintained a well-established monopoly over the publishing business: no book was to be printed or sold by anyone outside of their corporation. During a century when authors sought more independence and began to assert their authority and rights over their work, however, some writers tried to get published on their own terms without having to relinquish their rights to a bookseller (and publisher), which was then the rule. The study of these authors' multiple endeavors allows us to examine the tensions that subsisted between authors and publishers in a world still dominated by privileges, and to realize just how far some writers would go to see their talent and knowledge be immortalized in print.

Venue: Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience, Hendrik Conscienceplein 4, 2000 Antwerpen (Nottebohmzaal). Wednesday 24 June 2009 at 5 p.m. (until 6.30 p.m.).

Entrance free, but advance notification preferred. Lecture followed by drink. Notification: via Boekgeschiedenis.be, joint site of the Flemish chapter of Book researchers and practitioners, and of the Bibliophile Society at Antwerp.

Happy Birthday, STCN!

Short-Title Catalogue Netherlands or STCN (www.kb.nl/stcn), is the online retrospective bibliography of books published between 1540-1800 in The Netherlands, and of Dutch books printed abroad. The project will be celebrating its completion on 25 June 2009.

Occasion for these wishes is the festive closure of the STCN-project at Leiden, today, 4 June, 2009, with an exhibition, Vreemdigheden en rariteyten; zeldzame boeken uit de Leidse collecties, set to illustrate the diversity of book production at Leiden. The contribution of Leiden imprints at University of Leiden to STCN is vast: 70.000 titles and 90.000 copies. But Leiden gained prominence around 1575, when the oldest still existing university of The Netherlands was founded.

In all, 170,000 (190,000) titles and 420,000 (500,000) copies have passed review. A total of 22 Dutch libraries and 2 libraries overseas, in London - holdings at BL and University of Londen, more precisely the Elzevier collection – have been receiving collaborators of the bureau of the STCN, who examined holdings.

Let’s recap. STCN kicked off in 1982. Phase 1 took 5 years, until 1987, and knew the input of 6 collaborators. Result was the description of all printed books before 1701 at the Royal Library in The Hague (KB Den Haag).

1988 marked the beginning of a phase 2, which was finalized in March 1997. All books in libraries in Amsterdam and Leiden were scrutinized. More collaborators got involved. In 1995, the last 100 years 1701-1800 were included, and the bureau got a foothold at KB Den Haag.

Phase 3, devoted to the period 1701-1800, saw completion in 2000, but was extended by 2 years. In 2002, at the end of phase 3, the database counted 123,000 entries.

For celebrations, and for another reason we’re glad to look extra muros.

In 1800, no “The Netherlands”, no “Belgium” existed. Willem I reunited what had been “Belgicum”, “Flandres”, “Paesi Bassi”, “Het Nederland” or “De Nederlanden”, as seen from Burgundy’s seat in France in the 15^th century and from Madrid the next.

Despite the Treaty of Münster in 1648, which ended a battle for political and religion differentiation, and which led to the 17 provinces of “Olanda” in the North, and the Spanish-Austrian provinces in the South, a mental separation took longer to take effect.

France later reunited les départments Belgiques, and so did Willem I. According to Hugo De Schepper, a North-South fissure did happen in Willem’s assemblée, due to the seating system.

So STCN has a sibling for Dutch editions printed in Belgium: STCV, Short Title Catalogus Vlaanderen.

STCV is younger: born in 2000, with a cradle at University of Antwerp and use of the university’s software. There's the input of 2 collaborators, and a description of editions in Dutch printed in Flanders in 1601-1700, at first not opting to ruffle the feathers of Belgica Typographica (BT). The approach slightly deviates from that of STCN.

Phase 1 lasted until 2003, and resulted in 6226 seen copies and 4850 entries. Phase 2 included other languages, and editions printed before 1601. Flemish government support –culture and education are regionalized in Belgium- was garnered along the way.

Today, Diederik Lanoye, STCV’s collaborator, is working at the Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience in Antwerp to cover lacunae for the 17^th century.

In the course of this year, STCV will be incorporated in the association of 6 Flemish heritage libraries or Erfgoedbibliotheken Vlaanderen. The bureau hopes to examine 2,400 copies per annum. Presently, the counter reached 10,000 entries.