The Secret Lives of Books: Parchment, Printing-Presses, and Paperbacks
The Secret Lives of Books: Parchment, Printing-Presses, and Paperbacks summer course in Oxford, by Lady Margaret Hall.
- Duration
- Duration: 3 Weeks
- Dates
- Dates: June - August 2026
- Age Range
- Age Range: 19+
- Fees
- Fees from: £4,384.00
Course Summary
How have various technologies, from the printing press to the coding, impacted how people have read, used, and understood books? How have people’s reading practices changed over time? How have developments in philosophical, literary, religious, social thought changed the material form and perception of the book? From richly bejewelled deluxe medieval manuscripts to mass-produced paperbacks, this course invites you to explore the history of how books were made, disseminated, and read from the early medieval period to the present day.
The course offers a rigorous, varied, and exciting introduction to the scholarly field of book history, allowing you to engage with some of the University of Oxford’s world-famous manuscript and archival collections, take part in hands-on bookcraft workshops, and learn from academics undertaking cutting-edge book-historical research. Each week of the programme will focus on a particular period of book history: we will start with a focus on the medieval period (500-1500), proceed to the early modern period (1500-1800), and conclude with the modern and contemporary period (1800-present day), while also encouraging you to reflect on conceptual, textual, and material connections between them. You will experience a range of learning environments to gain a holistic experience of book historical study and develop your own individualised scholarly interests.
Course Highlights
- Live and study in Lady Margaret Hall, one of Oxford's finest colleges
- Learn from experienced academics using the tutorial system
- Enjoy meals in hall, experiencing life as an Oxford student
- Gain new skills to take you further in your future academic or professional career.
Video
What's Included?
- All tuition, including lectures, seminars, and tutorials
- Assessment, transcript of academic performance, and certificate
- A co-curricular programme of skills workshops and guest speakers
- Access to the Lady Margaret Hall College Library
- Bed & Breakfast accommodation in a single bedroom throughout your programme
- Lunch and dinner in the College Dining Hall Monday to Friday
- A full Social & Cultural Programme, including two excursions to other English cities per three-week programme session
- A high-quality printed class photograph
- Formal Graduation banquet
Academics & Extracurriculars
Teaching:
LMH Summer Programmes are designed and delivered by experienced academics from Lady Margaret Hall and across the University of Oxford, and are taught using the Oxford teaching model, which emphasises personalised small-group learning.
In a series of thought-provoking lectures and lively seminar discussions you will learn about cutting-edge research, expand your core knowledge, and explore new ideas and concepts among peers with diverse international perspectives and academic backgrounds.
Tutorials, the conclusion of each week’s study, are an intellectual thrill. They are a unique opportunity for focused and personalised attention from an expert academic and a space for enthusiastic debate of important ideas. Alongside no more than two to three other students, you will present and discuss your work, accept constructive criticism, and engage with the ideas of your fellow students. These rigorous academic discussions help develop and facilitate learning in a way that cannot be done with lectures alone.
Assessment:
On a three-week LMH Summer Programme students produce one piece of assessed work every week, which is submitted to the tutor and then discussed in a tutorial. At the end of each week you will receive a percentage grade for your submitted work. Each week’s work counts for a third of your final percentage grade, so your final grade is an average of the mark received for each piece of work. Students who stay for six or nine weeks will receive a separate grade for each 3-week course.
Academic Credit:
Lady Margaret Hall will provide a transcript of your assessed work, and can send this directly to your home institution if required. LMH Summer Programmes are designed to be eligible for academic credit, and we will communicate with your home institution to facilitate this as needed. As a guide, we recommend the award of 15 CATS / 7.5 ECTS / 4 US Credits for each 3-week course.
Learn more on the official Lady Margaret Hall website .
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