The Virginia Arts of the Book Center (VABC)

I remember being drawn, almost beyond my control, into a room that smelled of thick ink and well-seasoned wood; a place where large type drawers held tiny metal letters, and a background whir and whistle left me to believe something special was taking place. Various book-related elements — paper, ink, bindings, cover boards, woodblocks, and cutting utensils — were strewn about the room, and eye-catching examples of printed fonts and picture images were propped up against the baseboards. I had stumbled into the McGuffy Arts of the Book Center in downtown Charlottesville, and the hub of activity left me wishing I could extend my day trip.