Jim Canary is documenting the traditional monastic bookmaking process in Tibet. With over 30 years experience studying Tibetan life and culture, he is well qualified to do so. He is also the "escort" for Keroac's scroll manuscript of "On The Road" - travelling with the fragile 120 foot document on its international tour. In addition he is the Head Conservator at Indiana University's Lilly Library. To my mind there is a delicious connection between all of these activities.
Kim White writes, "Some of the monks are now preserving their books and their processes using digital tools. Here is an excerpt from a poem written by one of the monks in praise of digital materials, which, in his eyes, are as exquiste as a patina made from lamp black, Yakskin glue, and brains, burnished to a gloss and inscribed with an ink made from crushed pearls and silver are to me."
…The light of the disk is endless
like the light of the disks in the sky, sun and moon.
With a single push of our finger on a button
We pull up the shining gems of text…
–Gelek Rinpoche
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