Celebrate Shakespeare’s 444th Birthday

The Friends of the West Chester University Library are hosting a very special guest – J. Frank Mowery, Head of Conservation, Folger Shakespeare Library, in honor of William Shakespeare's 444th birthday. The morning program will take place in the Philips Autograph Library on April 23 beginning with breakfast at 8:30 AM. After the breakfast, Frank Mowrey will speak about Shakespeare Folios and the art of fine binding. J. Franklin Mowery, Head of Conservation for the Folger Shakespeare Library, is the son of two librarians. His first bookbinding experience was working for his father at the library of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He went on to study bookbinding at the Staatliche Hochschule für bildende Künste in Hamburg, Germany under the guidance of Professor Kurt Londenberg. He also worked as a student in the conservation department of the University Library in Hamburg, and, after this study, he went to the Acadamie of Art in Vienna, Austria to train as a paper conservator, under Otto Wächter. Mowrey spent six months working as a book conservator in Florence, Italy at the Biblioteca Nazionale, before returning to the USA where his first job was at the Huntington Library in California. In August of 1977, he became the Head of Conservation at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C., a position he still holds. His fine bindings have been on display in exhibitions around the world.

The cost for the presentation by Frank Mowery including breakfast is $15. Checks or Cash accepted at the door. 8:30 am - April 23, 2008 – Philips Autograph Library Corner of High and University Please RSVP before April 16 by sending your Name, email, phone to: Stephen Marvin, smarvin@wcupa.edu, 610-436-1068. FH Green Library, 25 Rosedale Ave., West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383

You are also extended the invitation to join the WCU community for the 444th Shakespeare Birthday Bash from 1-3 pm sponsored by Library Services. There is no charge and all are welcome. Rumors persist there may be sword fights and jousting in the Quad in front of the Francis Harvey Green Library! On the sixth floor of the Francis Harvey Green Library Special Collections room, West Chester University students will perform scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, readings of Shakespeare’s poetry, music from Shakespeare’s time, and a dance selection from “Kiss me Kate” Refreshments will be provided.

The Francis Harvey Green Folios are the first printings of Shakespeare’s collected works. These Shakespeare Folios were given to the University by William Pyle Philips, eminent lawyer, bibliophile, and son of George Morris Philips, Principal of the West Chester Normal School from 1880-1920.

For this day only, the four Shakespeare folios will be on display:

The First Folio, 1623 The Auchincruive Folio, once owned by Richard Oswald, Master of Auchincruive Estate in Scotland and the sole British signatory to the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.

The Second Folio, 1632 Third Folio, 1663

The Third Folio, second issue, 1664

The Fourth Folio, 1685

The cost for the morning presentation by Frank Mowery including breakfast is $15. Checks or Cash accepted at the door. 8:30 am - April 23, 2008 – Philips Autographed Library Corner of High and University Please RSVP before April 16 by sending your Name, email, phone to: Stephen Marvin, smarvin@wcupa.edu, 610-436-1068. FH Green Library, 25 Rosedale Ave., West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383