PACSCL -- Traveling Scriptorium

LEAVES OF GOLD: Treasures of Manuscript Illumination
in Philadelphia Collections

Meg Kennedy and students illuminate an initial with gold leaf at the Northwest Regional Library.

The Traveling Scriptorium: When Books Were Rare and Beautiful

Hands-on workshops for young learners at Free Library of Philadelphia branches
Spring 2001

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A series of twenty hands-on workshops designed for students in the third to sixth grades brought medieval manuscripts to life at branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, one of the PACSCL libraries collaborating on the Leaves of Gold project. When Books Were Rare and Beautiful workshops were presented by book artist Meg Kennedy and actor/storyteller Ed Stivender. The project was coordinated by the education departments of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Free Library of Philadelphia, with funding provided by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

The workshops, lasting from 45 to 90 minutes depending on audience, began with an orientation on the tools and techniques of medieval manuscript production. Following this introduction, participants put these technique into practice to create their own "illuminated pages" using modern materials. [report and more photographs]

Workshop Schedule

Friday, March 9, 2001 10:15 a.m. (class visit)	Fishtown Community Library 1217 Montgomery Avenue, 19125 215-685-9990
Saturday, March 17, 2001 11:00 a.m.	Andorra Branch 705 E. Cathedral Road, 19128 215-685-2552
Friday, March 23, 2001 3:30 p.m.	Northwest Regional Library Children's Department 68 W. Chelten Ave., 19144 215-685-2152
Wednesday, March 28, 2001 2:00 p.m.	Wadsworth Avenue Branch 1500 Wadsworth Avenue, 19150 215-685-9293
Friday, March 30, 2001 3:30 p.m.	Blanche A. Nixon/ Cobbs Creek Branch 5800 Cobbs Creek Pkwy, 19143 215-685-1973
Wednesday, April 4, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Haverford Avenue Branch 5543 Haverford Ave., 19139 215-685-1964
Tuesday, April 10, 2001 10:30 a.m. (class visit)	Frankford Branch 4634 Frankford Ave., 19124 215-685-1473
Wednesday, April 18, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Roxborough Branch 6245 Ridge Ave., 19128 215-685-2550
Tuesday, April 24, 2001 10:00 a.m. (class visit)	Central Library Children's Department 1901 Vine Street, 19103 215-686-5369
Monday, April 30, 2001 4:00 p.m.	South Philadelphia Branch 1700 S. Broad St., 19145 215-685-1866
Wednesday, May 2, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Ramonita G. deRodriguez Branch 600 W. Girard Ave., 19123 215-686-1768
Monday, May 7, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Wynnefield Branch 5325 Overbrook Ave., 19131 215-685-0298
Wednesday, May 9, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Cecil B. Moore Branch 2320 W.C.B. Moore Ave., 19121 215-685-2766
Friday, May 11, 2001 3:30 p.m.	Lawncrest Branch 6098 Rising Sun Ave., 19111 215-685-0549
Saturday, May 12, 2001 2:00 p.m.	Bushrod Branch 6304 Castor Ave., 19149 215-685-1471
Wednesday, May 16, 2001 3:30 p.m.	Wyoming Branch 231 E. Wyoming Ave., 19120 215-685-9158
Wednesday, May 23, 2001 6:30 p.m.	Holmesburg Branch 7810 Frankford Ave., 19136 215-685-8756
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 4:00 p.m.	West Oak Lane Branch 2000 Washington Ave., 19138 215-685-2843
Wednesday, June 6, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Queen Memorial Branch 1201 S. 23rd St., 19146 215-685-1899
Wednesday, June 13, 2001 4:00 p.m.	Chestnut Hill Branch 8711 Germantown Ave., 19118 215-685-9290

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