Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing (SHARP)
SHARP is a global scholarly society focused on the histories of material texts. We often call what we do “book history,” but we don’t study only books nor do we focus only on the past. SHARP interests cover the histories of text-making, dissemination, and use. Current member interests include the digital transformation of current publishing, the roles of women in early printing, and the history of African American literary societies. SHARP holds an annual conference and publishes a journal, Book History, through Johns Hopkins University Press. SHARP's other publications include Book History Unbound - which shares digital materials referenced in and supplementary to articles appearing in Book History; Lingua Franca an annual and open-access electronic journal that publishes English translations of new and existing articles in order to promote the internationalization of book history; and SHARP News - their free, online newsletter publishing book history-related reviews, bibliographies, pedagogical materials, interviews with emerging scholars, and announcements of interest to SHARP members.
Early Book Society (EBS)
The Early Book Society was formed to bring together all those who are interested in any aspect of the study of manuscripts and early printed books. The Society sponsors sessions at ICMS Kalamazoo, hosts their own annual conference, publishes a journal (JEBS), and organizes a book series published through Brepols called "Texts and Transitions."
Research Group on Manuscript Evidence (RGME)
The Research Group on Manuscript Evidence exists to apply an interlinked, comprehensive approach to manuscripts and texts in other forms through the ages. The Group seeks to examine, record, and analyze the evidence of these witnesses of history, life, thought, art, and culture, and to set their testimony in context. Their interests embrace many materials and fields of study, ranging from book culture, book history, library history, art history, paleography, textual transmission, and linguistics, to archival studies, conservation, archaeology, and forensics. The Group sponsors sessions at ICMS Kalamazoo and IMC in Leeds as well as ad hoc seminars, symposia, and other events throughout the year.