Make Your Own Commonplace Book

Join members of the Ohio State Rare Books and Special Collections Fellowship Project to learn about 19th-century notebooks and note-taking and make your own commonplace book.

Join us Saturday, August 8th to learn all about 19th-century notebooks and note-taking. The event will feature a brief talk from Ohio State undergraduate student Emma Kuisick about her research on the real 19th-century notebooks featured in Thompson Library’s Rare Books & Manuscripts Library, after which attendees will have the opportunity to make and take home their very own commonplace books.

A commonplace book is a type of notebook used to collect pieces of information the user finds interesting or useful and wants to save for later. Historically, writers have used commonplace books to copy down quotes, poems, facts, ideas, and observations, but modern commonplaces can include other things like movie watchlists or song lyrics.

At this event, notebooks, pens, pencils, other craft supplies, and a curated selection of reading material will be provided for attendees to try their own hand at this historical note-taking practice.

The event is free and open to the public.

Upcoming events