Annual Lieberman Lecture

APHA Newsletter No. 111, January-March 1993

The St. Louis Mercantile Library was the site in October for the American Printing History Association’s 1992 J. Ben Lieberman Lecture, where a large audience heard distin­guished librarian and printing historian Dr. David Kaser speak on the “Printers of Frontier St. Louis, 1808–1850.”

Dr. Kaser, currently Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, and the author of numerous books and articles on printing history, including Joseph Charless, Printer in the Western Country, about Missouri’s first printer; A Directory of the St. Louis Book and Printing Trades to 1850, and The Cost Book of Carey and Lea, 1825-1838 was well-suited to speak on the burgeoning printing industry of early St. Louis. His re­marks focused on the early hardships and business dealings of frontier printers, and he offered historical anecdotes of the experiences and range of work such printers attempted in early America. In an extended question and answer ses­sion, Dr. Kaser wittily elaborated on his formal remarks with illustrations from his wide experience with this topic.

The Lecture was also part of a scheduled dinner meeting held at the Mercantile Library for the Typocrafters Annual Conference. During a reception before hand, Typocrafters members and other guests were able to meet Dr. Kaser and view the Library’s St. Louis printing displays. A keepsake marking the event was produced by Kay Michael Kramer, proprietor of The Printery, his private press in St. Louis.