Family Tree: First Lady Laura Bush Receives Book Designed and Built by UA Book Arts MFA Program Professor and Student

By Deidre Stalnaker

First Lady Laura Bush knows books. She was, after all, a librarian. But she received one she hasn’t read at a Washington luncheon held in her honor.

Linda Bachus, wife of Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus, was chair of the luncheon and therefore had the task of choosing a theme and finding a gift for the First Lady. “Finding a gift for Mrs. Bush is a challenge,” said Bachus. “It’s difficult to come up with something unique and meaningful.”

Amy Pirkle creates a gift box for First Lady Laura Bush

Deciding on Southern culture as the luncheon theme since she and Bush are both Southerners, with the hospitality, warmth and family often associated with the term, Bachus talked with friends and other Congressional spouses about fitting gift ideas. She discovered that a study of Bush’s maternal genealogical history had been done, but not one of her father’s side of the family.

She commissioned Elizabeth Wells, coordinator of the special collection department of the Samford University Library, with tracing the Welch family history.

Bachus then called on Steve Miller, associate professor and coordinator of the book arts graduate program at UA, to design and build a book, family history tree and a presentation box.

Miller designed and Amy Pirkle, a graduate student in the program, built two books – one for the First Lady and one for her mother.

“It was perfectly in taste and very attractive,” Bachus said. “Steve was just fabulous, even within a limited time. Everyone thought it was great. I received a note from Mrs. Bush that they (her family) were thrilled, thanks to Steve.” The clamshell design featured a mix of blues and greens, the First Lady’s favorite colors.

Students in the book arts graduate program build books the traditional way creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art, hence the name of the program. The program has a book bindery, type shop, hand papermaking mill and a papermaking plant fiber research garden on campus where students and faculty can grow their own materials. These resources help students develop truly unique books.

UA’s book arts graduate program, the oldest and one of only three in the United States, is housed in the School of Library and Information Studies in the College of Communication & Information Sciences. Only eight students can be admitted to the program each year, making admittance very competitive.

The College of Communication & Information Sciences at UA is among the largest and most prestigious communication colleges in the nation. C&IS consistently is ranked among the top 10 in number of doctoral degrees awarded and in many of its research programs. C&IS graduates have won four of the six Pulitzer Prizes awarded to UA alumni, and the forensics and debate squad, housed within the College, has garnered 14 national championships.