This conference will take place online. Only registered participants will be sent the zoom link to the sessions.

Programming Committee - Left to right:

Professor Raluca Radulescu - Bangor University - Local organiser

Professor Martha Driver - Pace University & President of the Early Book Society

Associate Professor Niamh Pattwell - University College Dublin

Dr Margaret Connolly - University of St Andrews

Welcome

Welcome to 'Virtual Wales' - the 17th Early Book Society conference held at Bangor University, North Wales, UK, which I am honoured and delighted to host this summer. It goes without saying that I would have much preferred to welcome you all in person and showcase our treasures - the Special Collections, the old building, the history of the university, going back to the foundation of the University Building and its Library in 1884, as well as the splendid natural location, steeped in legend and history. Please navigate the pages and sample the beauty of all of these aspects of Bangor's history and university life and I look forward to meeting you virtually in July! Raluca Radulescu

This conference theme has been interpreted both narrowly and broadly, though always with reference to the history of MSS and books from 1350 to 1550 and their material culture. Our main interests centre on the following key questions: Why do some texts survive? Who are their readers or makers? Topics include evidence of borrowed books or lost books, books or libraries reconstructed from mentions in wills, and MSS and books that clearly derive from a lost original, as well as medieval libraries that are still in existence. Other subjects for consideration are texts that exist only in a singular form but seem to refer to a lost source (lost and found?) or the examination of fragments in bindings or elsewhere.

Because this conference will be online and in order to accommodate scholars in differing time zones, we have extended the number of days (with shorter time slots). There will also be informal gatherings where scholars can discuss specific topics as well as wine hours and virtual visits to collections of interest. We have attempted accommodate all time zones as much as possible.

The conference is free to all paid EBS members, but donations of any amount to support graduate student participation and help with IT issues are most welcome. Please send your membership dues or your donation either to Martha Driver or to Margaret Connolly.

For more information on membership, please see the last page of the Newsletter.