On 19 February 2013, Council endorsed the decision of the Publications Subcommittee to ask John Hinks to convene a new Working Group to investigate a possible continuation of the Chapbooks Project. The remit of the group is to produce an Action Plan for consideration by the Publications Subcommittee and then by Council.

The aims of the group are:

  • To identify action (and sources of funding) needed to support and progress chapbooks scholarship
  • To learn from, and build stronger links with, the study of ballads, broadsides and other ‘street literature’ and traditional song
  • To produce an Action Plan for consideration by Publications Subcommittee, then by Council.

The members of the group are:

Giles Bergel (University of Oxford)
Emily Dourish (Cambridge University Library)
Adam Fox (University of Edinburgh)
Gervase French (University of Leicester)
Mike Heaney (Oxford: Bodleian Libraries)
John Hinks (University of Leicester)
Michael Powell (Manchester: Chetham’s Library)
David Stoker (Aberystwyth University)

The Working Group held a one-day Workshop at Senate House, London, on 26 February 2014 which has prepared a draft Chapbooks Action Plan, for wider discussion.

The report of the meeting with the draft action plan is available for consultation.

Further information from John Hinks: jh241@le.ac.uk