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Carol Schwartzott, A Brief History of the Fan, Lilliput Press, c2003.

Lovers of books, art, art books, and book art should check out Art Under Cover, an exhibition of "books as sculpture" which opens today at the Toronto Reference Library (TRL). The show features a selection of rarely-seen pieces from the TRL's special collections.

Artists' books have been an integral part of 20th century art practice, from the Dada and surrealist movements to the foundation of book art as a discipline in many art colleges. These unique works belong to neither the realm of high art or literature. Unlike traditional art forms, artists' books are highly portable and interactive; they also challenge conventional perceptions of how books should be made and read.

On Thursday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m., the TRL will be hosting a panel discussion to explore the metamorphosis between books and art with OCAD professors George Walker and Peter Sramek, and book artist Lise Melhorn-Boe. Also in conjunction with Art Under Cover, book artist and teacher Mira Coviensky will be giving a lecture on contemporary artists' books in the Beeton Auditorium on Thursday, March 6 from 2–3 p.m.

See more photos from the exhibition inside.