CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON 

Nineteenth-century pamphlets are often hard to find today. Their short print runs and modest format mean many haven’t survived—so they’ve often been overlooked in historical research. Yet these pamphlets played a vital role in public discourse at the time. Unlike mainstream books or newspapers, they were frequently produced by individuals, political groups, or campaigners eager to voice strong opinions.

The University of Southampton has digitised more than 23,000 of these pamphlets from seven major UK research collections. To support and promote this large-scale technical project, a range of graphic design materials was created to engage researchers, students, and the general public.

A 40-page, full-colour brochure was produced, highlighting key historical periods and showcasing selected examples from the vast collection. With such a wide range of material to choose from, curating the imagery was a detailed and thoughtful process—aimed at capturing both the diversity and the historical value of the archive.