A woven Book of Hours: Early computer science applied to weaving in silk

A Friends of the Library Discovery Event, don’t miss the presentation and display of this amazing book artifact from the Barr Smith Library.

For the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle world fair, bookseller and publisher A. Roux of Lyon, entered his award winning Livre de Prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVI siecle. This is no ordinary book - it was fabricated from silk threads woven on a Jacquard Loom . The Jacquard Loom, patented by Joseph Marie Jacquard  in 1804, used the concept of punched cards to control the weaving operation. Considered an important step in the history of computing, it is known to have inspired Charles Babbage 's Analytical Engine .

The woven Book of Hours will be on display. Please note coffee and tea will be served from 11:45am and the event will begin at 12pm.

It is estimated that between 106,000 and 500,000 punched cards were programmed to weave 400 woof silk threads per 2.5 cm. (approximately one square inch), demanding machine movements of not more than a tenth of a millimetre. Fine quality grey and black silk threads were used. It took two years and close to fifty trials before the first copy of the prayer book was successfully completed. The pages include elaborate borders, decorative initials, and facsimiles of manuscript illuminations of the Virgin and Child, Crucifixion, and Nativity.

Presented by Professor Derek Abbott (School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology) and Lee Hayes (Assistant Librarian, Rare Books & Manuscripts, University Library).