The Library Beyond the Book is a publication in the metaLABprojects series authored by Jeffrey T. Schnapp and Matthew Battles that combines investigations into the storied history of libraries with insights into emerging social, cultural, and architectural forms. Within the book’s margins are a series of provocations of varying degrees of practicality and fantasticality as well as windows that offer glimpses at patents and library machines of years past. Taking these elements of the books and the existing iconography of the book, I laid out a playable card deck.
Consisting of 5 suits instead of four as well as 6 jokers, the deck offers ample room for game creation as well as bandwidth for existing favorites. But moreover, its provocations and imagery lend themselves as conversation catalysts, each shuffle to juxtapose ideas in new combinations.
Decks are currently for sale. Please make relevant inquiries to info@metalab.harvard.edu.