Attend Office Hours
Learn more about book history, try out the tools of digital humanities practitioners, and speak with BH+DH partners during our weekly office hours:
- Tuesdays 9:30am-11:30am
- Wednesdays 2pm-4pm
Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities
Located in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, the Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities welcomes scholars of all levels who are working on projects at the intersection of BH+DH, providing space for collaboration and learning, for experimentation and creation. We host two sets of open hours every week, and many workshops that are available to everyone.
Work With Us
The Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities is located at:
623 Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 6th floor
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Check Out Our Technologies Petting Zoo
Our Text Technologies Petting Zoo includes historical equipment for making text (e.g., typewriters, computers). Visit during Tuesday's office hours to learn more about it with Emily F. Brooks, Associate Director of the Price Lab for Digital Humanities.
View Special Collections
View and display manuscripts and other items from the Penn Libraries' special collections. With the help of our staff and equipment, you can display objects in the room, on the large screen with the document camera, on the two side monitors with the ceiling camera, and to virtual audiences via video conferencing.
To view special collections in the Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities, email Dot Porter. Once you have scheduled a time, you can request the item using your Aeon research account.
Take High-Resolution Images
Take photos and video of special collections items for personal or research use with our document camera. Starting in 2026, we will be offering access to a Multispectral Imaging System for Historical Artifacts (MISHA) for experimental use.
To schedule a time, email Dot Porter.
Partner With Us
The Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities welcomes partnerships with organizations and individuals working at the intersection of BH and DH. Groups can also reserve the space for events and workshops on related topics.
To discuss collaboration or reserve the space, email Dot Porter.
Projects and Programs
Learn about our ongoing events, activities, and working groups that celebrate and explore work at the intersection of libraries, book history, and digital humanities.
Coffee with a Codex
An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.
Manuscript Studies Interest Group
The Manuscript Studies Interest Group (MSIG) is a regular meeting for people who want to get up close and personal with a variety of handwritten objects.
Manuscript Collections As Data Research Group
A team from the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS), Cultural Heritage Computing, and Research Data and Digital Scholarship (RDDS) is working to facilitate Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) to transcribe research materials from Penn Libraries’ digitized manuscript collections using AI technologies.
Reimagining Illumination
Reimagining Illumination is a series of workshops designed to interrogate and expand the concept of illumination (i.e., the use of light) in books and manuscripts.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming events hosted by the Vitale Lab for Book History and Digital Humanities. See all Penn Libraries events.
Jan
15
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Coffee with a Codex: Illuminated Psalter
For our first event of 2026, on January 15 Curator Dot Porter will bring out Ms. Codex 2265, an illuminated psalter arranged in eight sections, probably originally marked by illuminations or decorated borders (all but two of which are now missing).
- January 15, 2026
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm
- Online
Jan
20
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Reimagining Illumination: Light in Artist's Books
On Tuesday, January 20, we'll look at the many ways that modern artists make use of light in their book creations - including transparencies, reflections, and electric light.
- January 20, 2026
- 2:00pm - 4:00pm
- Kislak Center Vitale II, Rm 623, 6th Floor
Jan
21
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Manuscript Studies Interest Group: Recipes
The Manuscript Studies Interest Group (MSIG) is a regular meeting for people who want to get up close and personal with a variety of handwritten objects.
- January 21, 2026
- 2:00pm - 3:00pm
- Kislak Center Vitale II, Rm 623, 6th Floor
Jan
22
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Coffee with a Codex: Austerlitz Memorbuch
On January 22, Judaica Special Collections Cataloging Librarian Louis Meiselman will bring out CAJS Rar Ms 778, the memorbuch for the community of Austerlitz (Czech Republic), dating from early 17th century.
- January 22, 2026
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm
- Online
Jan
26
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Exploring Handwritten Text Recognition for Manuscript Studies with 2025-2026 SIMS Fellows
This discussion will present the work of two 2025-2026 Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) Graduate Student Fellows and a 2025 Penn Libraries Data Science and Society Research Assistant exploring Handwritten Text Recognition technologies for use on a variety of historic and archival documents for future in-depth research.
- January 26, 2026
- 3:00pm - 4:00pm
- Hybrid
Jan
27
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Bookbinding Workshop: LJS 419 and Parchment Bindings
A workshop to make our own versions of MS LJS 419, a 15th century herbal from Penn's collection.
- January 27, 2026
- 5:00pm - 7:00pm
- Kislak Center Vitale II, Rm 623, 6th Floor
Jan
29
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Coffee with a Codex: Statutes of Vigliano d'Asti
On January 29, curator Dot Porter will bring out Ms. Codex 55, a 15th century copy of the Statutes of Vigliano d'Asti.
- January 29, 2026
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm
- Online
Feb
05
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Coffee with a Codex: Book of Hours Fragments
On February 5, curator Dot Porter will bring out a variety of fragments and leaves from books of hours, from the 15th and 16th centuries and written in France, the Netherlands, and England.
- February 5, 2026
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm
- Online
Feb
17
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Reimagining Illumination: Make Your Own Illuminated Initial
On Tuesday, February 17, SIMS Curator for Digital Humanities Dot Porter and Program Coordinator of Technology and Play Christine Kemp will lead a workshop where we will make our own illuminated initials on parchment using gold leaf and paint.
- February 17, 2026
- 2:00pm - 4:00pm
- Kislak Center Vitale II, Rm 623, 6th Floor
Apr
10
- Workshop
Open to the Public
Coffee with a Codex: Glossed Fragments
Coffee With A Codex featuring two substantial fragments featuring glossed texts, both from France, written in the early 13th and early 14th centuries.
- April 10, 2025
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm
- Online
