Ruth R. Rogers
rrogers@wellesley.edu
(781) 283-3592
Library Collections
B.A., Middlebury College; M.S., Simmons College

Ruth R. Rogers

Curator of Special Collections & Visiting Lecturer, Art Department


As Curator of Special Collections in the Clapp Library, Rogers administers a collection of over 40,000 items, including rare books, medieval and renaissance manuscripts, modern fine press books, and contemporary artists' books. Specializing in the evolution of the book as material culture, visual communication, and artistic form, she is responsible for strategic collection development through purchases and gifts. She prepares lectures for visiting classes in consultation with faculty throughout the curriculum. As Visiting Lecturer in the Art Department, Rogers teaches a hands-on intensive seminar,History of the Book from Manuscript to Print.Rogers is a co-founder and collaborator in the area ofBook Studiesat the College, a cross-disciplinary approach to past and future forms of textual communication.

Among the exhibitions she has curated areBeyond Words(Sewanee University),Reading with the Senses(Lesley University College of Art and Design) andSeductive Alchemy(Texas Woman’s University). In her public speaking and writing, her focus is on the critical reading of international contemporary artists’ books as a resource in academic libraries. Rogers is a frequent juror for exhibitions and awards in book arts, and is an invited contributor to the forthcomingMaterialia Luminaexhibition catalog, sponsored by theCodex Foundation.

Special Collections at Wellesley College

Book Studies at Wellesley College