William Anthony Conservation Lectures
This lecture series is made possible by an endowment created through the vision and generosity of Julie Scott and James Fluck, honoring the legacy of Bill Anthony—the Libraries’ first conservator. Their support ensures that each year, a leading conservator visits campus to share knowledge and celebrate the artistry and scholarship that define the book arts community.
2026
Anne Hillam, Book Conservator in Private Practice & Educator
The 2026 William Anthony Lecture will be held in person at the University of Iowa Main Library Gallery on Thursday, February 26, and will simultaneously be broadcast via Zoom for online attendees of the program. The event is free and open to the public, and a recording of the lecture will be available for future viewing.
Additional information about this year’s lecture is available here.
To register for the Zoom broadcast of this event, click here.
2024
Renate Mesmer, Head of Conservation and Preservation, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.
“From an Apprenticeship in Traditional Hand Bookbinding to Conservation”
The 2024 William Anthony Lecture was held in person at the University of Iowa on Thursday, Oct. 31, and was simultaneously broadcasted via Zoom for online attendees of the program. The event was free and open to the public, and a recording of the lecture is available for viewing below.
2023
Yasmeen Khan, Book Conservator; Washington, D.C.
“Growing with the Job: Reflections on a Career in Conservation”
The 2023 William Anthony Lecture was held in person at the University of Iowa on Thursday, March 23, and was simultaneously broadcasted via Zoom for online attendees of the program. The event was free and open to the public, and a recording of the lecture is available for viewing below.
2022
Program postponed to 2023
2021
Peter D. Verheyen, Bookbinder & Conservator; Librarian, Syracuse University Libraries
“Down the Rabbit Hole: Embracing experience and serendipity in a life of research, binding practice, and publishing”
The 2021 William Anthony Lecture was held as a virtual webinar, free, and open to the public on Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. The recorded event is available for viewing below.
2020
Postponed due to COVID-19
2019
Maria Fredericks, Sherman Fairchild Head of Conservation, Thaw Conservation Center, Morgan Library
“Evidence in Old Books: Identification, Interpretation, and Preservation”
2018
Deborah Howe, Collections Conservator, Dartmouth College Library
“Old Books, New Books, and In Between Books: A Brief Look at the Path in Bookbinding and Conservation”
2017
Mark Esser, Bookbinder, Conservator in private practice
“Book Binding Has Been Very Good to Me”
2016
Barb Korbel, Collections & Exhibitions Conservator, Newberry Library
“There and Back Again: A Conservator’s Tale”
2015
Gary Frost, Conservator Emeritus, University of Iowa Libraries
“Great Legacy, Great Prospects — The Historical Bookbinding Model Collection at Iowa”
2014
Adam Larsson, Conservator, University of Uppsala University Library
2013
Pamela Spitzmueller, Conservator Emerita, University of Iowa Libraries, Harvard University Library
“Books as Physical Objects or How Conserving Damaged Rare Books and Manuscripts Inspired Me to Create New Book Objects”