Movable Book Society

Nonprofit organization centered on movable books

The Movable Book Society (MBS) is a nonprofit organization which provides a forum for artists, book sellers, book producers, collectors, curators, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books. The Society has nearly 450 members worldwide.[1]

## History

[edit]

In 1993, Rutgers University librarian Ann R. Montanaro published Pop-up and Movable Books: A Bibliography. The volume of correspondences from collectors who purchased the book convinced Montanaro that there was abundant interest in movable books to form an organization of collectors, and thus she founded The Movable Book Society later that year.[2][3] MBS hosts opportunities for members to meet in person and publishes a quarterly newsletter.

## Publications

[edit]

Movable Stationery: Movable Stationery is a quarterly publication featuring articles about movable and pop-up book history and collecting, surveys and reviews of new titles, information about exhibits, workshops and profiles of collectors and paper engineers. Digitized back issues (1993 – 2013) are available from the Smithsonian Libraries.[4]

Brooklyn Pops Up: In 2000, the MBS and the Brooklyn Public Library created an exhibit called “Brooklyn Pops Up! The History and Art of the Movable Book” and published Brooklyn Pops Up, a pop-up book featuring eight Brooklyn landmarks designed by paper engineers such as David A. Carter, Carla Dijs, Bruce Foster, Kees Moerbeek, Robert Sabuda, Ken Wilson-Max and others. Maurice Sendak did the cover art which was made movable by Matthew Reinhart. Brooklyn Pops Up is in its 5th printing.[5]

The Movable Book Society: A Celebration of Pop-up and Movable Books: Published in 2004, the commemorative, limited edition book explores 700 years of movable book history and contains 11 full-color pop-ups and movables, including reproductions from historical paper engineers such as Geraldine Clyne, Dean & Son, S. Louis Giraud, Vojtěch Kubašta, Harold B. Lentz, Lothar Meggendorfer, Ernest Nister, Matthew Paris, Ib Penick, Robert Sayer, and Julian Wehr.[6]

A to Z: Marvels in Paper Engineering: In 2018, the Movable Book Society published a special collection of 26 individual pop-up cards to commemorate its 25th anniversary. Each card represented a unique letter from the English alphabet and was designed by paper engineers from the U.S. and abroad.[7]

## Conferences

[edit]

Every two years, since 1996, the Movable Book Society meets in person for a multi-day conference. Past events have been held in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, New York City, Philadelphia and Boston. Past speakers have included various paper engineers and book artists, such as Sally Blakemore, Julie Chen (book artist), Chuck Fischer, Theo Gielen, Colette Fu, Edward H. Hutchins, Paul Johnson.[8][9]

## Awards and grants

[edit]

The Movable Book Society presents awards at its biennial conferences:[10][11]

Meggendorfer Prize for the Best Paper Engineering – Trade Publications: Named in honor of Lothar Meggendorfer (1847-1925), a legendary 19th century illustrator and movable books paper engineer. This award is given for the most outstanding commercially published pop-up or movable book issues in the two proceedings years.

Meggendorfer Prize - Best Paper Engineering – Trade Publications  Year | Conference location | Paper engineer | Pop-up/movable book title | Publisher

|
|
|
|

2021 | Denver, CO | Wang Wei | Opening the Forbidden City [12] |
2018 | Kansas City, MO | Simon Arizpe | Zahhak: Legend of the Serpent King | Fantagraphics Books
2016 | Boston, MA | Shawn Sheehy | Welcome to the Neighborwood | Candlewick Press
2014 | Philadelphia, PA | Matthew Reinhart | Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-up Universe | LB Kids
2012 | Salt Lake City, UT | Ray Marshall | Paper Blossoms | Chronicle Books
2010 | Portland, OR | Marion Bataille | ABC3D | Roaring Brook Press
2008 | Washington, DC | Matthew Reinhart | Star Wars-Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy | Orchard Books, Scholastic
2006 | Chicago, IL | David A. Carter | One Red Dot: A Pop-up for Children of All Ages | Little Simon, Simon & Schuster
2004 | San Diego, CA | Andrew (Andy) Baron | Knick-Knack Paddywhack! | Dutton Children's Books
2002 | Milwaukee, WI | Robert Sabuda | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Classic Collectible | Little Simon, Simon & Schuster
2000 | New York City | Robert Sabuda | Cookie Count: A Tasty Pop-up | Little Simon, Simon & Schuster
1998 | Los Angeles, CA | Robert Sabuda | The Christmas Alphabet | Orchard Books
1996 | New Brunswick, NJ | no award given |  |

Meggendorfer Prize for Artist Books: This prize honors the best pop-up and movable artist book created in the past three years.

Meggendorfer Prize for Artist Books  Year | Conference location | Recipient | Title | Publisher

|
|
|
|

2021 | Denver, CO | Paul Johnson | The Lemon Tree |
2018 | Kansas City, MO | Colette Fu | Tao Hua Yuan Ji |
2016 | Boston, MA | Graham Patten | Call Me Trimtab |
2014 | Philadelphia, PA | Dorothy A. Yule | Memories of Science | Left Coast Press

Emerging Paper Engineer Prize: This honor recognizes excellence in paper engineering among undergraduate and/or graduate students.

Emerging Paper Engineer Prize  Year | Conference location | Recipient | Pop-up/movable book title | Educational institution

|
|
|
|

2021 | Denver, CO | Tito Perilla | Nuestras Casitas Carcacol (Our little snail houses) | Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, Bogota, Colombia
2018 | Kansas City, MO | Vanessa Yusuf | Bhinneka Tunggal Ika: A Pop-up book of 10 Indonesian Public Holidays | Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
2018 | Kansas City, MO | Sandy Horsley (Honorable Mention) | Pause | Cambridge School of Art, Cambridge, England
2018 | Kansas City, MO | Amy Nayve (Honorable Mention) | Popfolio | College of Saint Benilde, Manila, Philippines
2016 | Boston, MA | Nicholas Danish[13] | Waterbirds of Michigan: Pop-Up Book | College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
2014 | Philadelphia, PA | Kimberly Maher[14] | Crooked | University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

MBS Lifetime Achievement Award: This honor recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of movable books.[15]

MBS Lifetime Achievement Award  Year | Conference location | Recipient | Contributions

|
|
|

2000 | New York City | Waldo Hunt, Intervisual Books | Honored for "ushering in the Second Golden Age of Pop-ups".

## Exhibitions

[edit]

The Movable Book Society has sponsored various exhibitions over the years:

• Stand & Deliver: Engineering Sculpture Into a Book Format, 2004, curated by Edward Hutchins. The exhibit, co-sponsored with the Brookfield Craft Center, was held at various locations including San Diego Mesa College, Wimberly Library at Florida Atlantic University, the Denver Public Library and Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper Arts. A catalog and interactive CD were published.[16]

• Pop-Up Books from the Collection of the Movable Book Society, 2001, Great Hall of the Westport Library, Westport, CT[17]

• Brooklyn Pops Up! The History and Art of the Movable Book, 2000, Brooklyn Public Library. The exhibition began at the Central Library, before touring 24 neighborhood branches. "The Brooklyn Public Library has spent more than $70,000 in state grants to organize Brooklyn Pops Up an elaborate exhibition featuring more than 100 pop-ups or movable books... [the exhibit catalog] nearly sold out its first printing of more than 16,500."[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Movable Book Society". www.movablebooksociety.org. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
2. ^ Montanaro, Ann R. (1993). Pop-up and movable books : a bibliography. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow. p. vii. ISBN 081082650X.
3. ^ Hiebert, Helen (2014). Playing with pop-ups : the art of dimensional, moving paper designs. Quarry Books. p. 119\. ISBN 978-1592539086.
4. ^ "Movable Stationery Newsletter". Smithonsonian Libraries. The Movable Book Society. 1993. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
5. ^ Brooklyn pops up (1st ed.). New York: Little Simon. 2000. ISBN 0689840195.
6. ^ A celebration of pop-up and movable books (2,500 limited ed.). [New Brunswick, N.J.]: Movable Book Society. 2004. ISBN 0974677507.
7. ^ A to Z: Marvels in Paper Engineering (1st ed.). Salt Lake City, Utah: The Movable Book Society. 2018. ISBN 9780692098943.
8. ^ Society, Movable Book Society;Movable Book (1 January 2012). "Movable stationery v.20: no.4 (2012:Nov.)". Library.si.edu. 20 (4): 14–15. Retrieved 27 November 2016.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. ^ Society, Movable Book Society;Movable Book (1 January 2014). "Movable stationery v. 22 :no. 4 (2014: Nov.)". Library.si.edu. 22 (4): 1, 2, 7. Retrieved 27 November 2016.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
10. ^ "Meggendorfer Prizes" (PDF). Movable Book Society. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
11. ^ Rubin, Ellen (November 2018). "Kansas City Here We Come ... The MBS Conference 2018". Movable Stationery. 26 (4): 1.
12. ^ "Wang Wei: Opening the Forbidden City". Movable Stationery. 29 (4): 15–17. December 2021.
13. ^ "Nicholas Danish". Nicholas Danish. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
14. ^ "Kimberly Maher". Kimberly Maher. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
15. ^ "MBS Lifetime Achievement Award". Movable Stationery. 8 (4): 19. November 2000.
16. ^ "[BKARTS] The STAND AND DELIVER catalog". cool.conservation-us.org. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
17. ^ "Fairfield Minuteman". Calendar, Exhibits. No. page B7. September 13, 2001.
18. ^ Carvajal, Doreen (27 November 2000). "Boing! Pop-Up Books Are Growing Up; Flaps, Foldouts and Complexities Attract Adult Eyes". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Books

Production|

* Binding
* Covers
* dust jackets
* Design
* Editing
* Illustration
* Illuminated manuscripts
* Printing
* edition
* history
* incunabula
* instant book
* limited edition
* Publishing
* advance copy
* hardcover
* paperback
* Size
* Typesetting
* Volume (bibliography)
* Collection (publishing)
* Book series

Consumption|

* Awards
* Bestsellers
* list
* Bibliography
* Bibliomania (tsundoku)
* Bibliophilia
* Bibliotherapy
* Bookmarks
* Bookselling
* blurbs
* book towns
* history
* used
* Censorship
* Clubs
* Collecting
* Digitizing
* Bookworm (insect)
* Furniture
* bookcases
* bookends
* Library
* Print culture
* Reading
* literacy
* Reviews

By country|

* Brazil
* France
* Germany
* Italy
* Japan
* Netherlands
* Pakistan
* Spain
* United Kingdom
* United States

Other|

* Genres
* fictional
* miniature
* pop-up
* textbook
* Grimoire
* Formats
* audiobooks
* Ebooks
* Folio
* Coffee table book

Related|

* Banned books
* Book burning
* incidents
* Nazi
* Book curses
* Book packaging
* Book swapping
* Book tour
* Conservation and restoration
* Dog ears
* History of books
* scroll
* codex
* Intellectual property
* ISBN
* Novel
* Outline
* Preservation
* The Philobiblon
* World Book Day
* World Book Capital

* Outline
* Category
* Portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template