May 27, 2026 We Recommend — Designing Deseret Symposium
Dear Rare Reader,
You might remember from our last chat that we recently installed an exhibition on the fourth floor of the Marriott Library about the Deseret Alphabet, a late nineteenth-century typographic pet project of Brigham Young’s. Since then, we have been busy promoting both the physical and digital exhibition, and we are excited to share some of the press coverage it has received:
SLUG MAGAZINE: “The Lost and Found Utah Alphabet”
PBS CONTACT: “Designing Deseret Symposium: Exploring the Deseret Alphabet”
AT THE U: “Designing Deseret: Phonetics and Faith in the American West”
But, if you know us, you know we couldn’t stop with the exhibition alone. The more we learned about the alphabet, the more we learned how relevant it is — even today. The Deseret Alphabet, though a short-lived project, has had a lasting impression on Utah’s culture, dialect, and art scene. From independent filmmaker Trent Harris’s Plan 10 from Outer Space to the upcoming release of the University of Illinois’ The Deseret Alphabet: A Fixed and Unalterable Sound, to local folk artist Bob Moss’s paintings and sculptures, it became clear that this weird, niche, and (mostly) forgotten piece of Utah history is still very much alive and eager to be explored.
That’s why we decided to host a day-long symposium highlighting all aspects of the Deseret Alphabet. Hosted on June 1 in collaboration with the Utah Bibliographic Society, Utah State University, Brigham Young University, and The Church History Library, the event seeks not only to teach people about why and how the Deseret Alphabet came to be, but also to encourage its revival. By holding space for artists, scholars, librarians, and students to discuss, learn, and analyze the Alphabet from a variety of perspectives, we hope to once again reignite the alphabet’s afterlife.
If you are interested in joining us this upcoming Monday, registration is open until Friday, with student scholarships still available. Registration and additional information about the symposium and its accompanying exhibition are available here.
The Rare Books Team
P.S. Keep reading to find out about the details of Monday’s upcoming schedule and what we have planned.
—
9:00–10:00 AM | REGISTRATION & COFFEE – Gould Auditorium (Level 1)
10:00 AM–12:30 PM | MORNING LECTURES – Gould Auditorium (Level 1)
Introductory Remarks by Lyuba Basin
“Assailing Mists of Tradition: The Deseret Alphabet Experience” by Greg Seppi
In 1854, Brigham Young championed the creation of a new phonetic writing system rather than adopting an existing alternative alphabet. The result was the Deseret Alphabet, an ambitious experiment in language reform and cultural identity. Today, the alphabet remains a fascinating artifact of Mormon exceptionalism while also serving as a valuable resource for linguists studying the historical development of English in Utah. Artists, scholars, and computer scientists have likewise found renewed interest in the script, culminating in its adoption into Unicode in 2001. This presentation explores the origins, evolution, and enduring legacy of the Deseret Alphabet.
Greg Seppi is the curator of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century Americana Collection in L. Tom Perry Special Collections. He holds a BA in History from BYU, an MA in the History of Medicine from Oxford Brookes University, and an MLIS from San Jose State University. His interests include the history of printing in the American West, Church history, and the history of bias in the American West.
“The Design of Communication” by Amy Thompson
Typography shapes how we read, interpret, and engage with written language. Designed with many of the same goals as modern typography—clarity, legibility, and accessibility—the Deseret Alphabet nevertheless failed to gain widespread adoption. Why? This presentation considers the Deseret Alphabet within the broader history of typographic design, examining how centuries of evolution produced the familiar English writing system and why the Deseret experiment struggled in an increasingly interconnected world. Along the way, it asks a central question: was the alphabet simply too difficult to read?
Amy Thompson is an Associate Librarian, Designer and Instructor for the Book Arts Program and the Red Butte Press in the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah. She has owned and operated Paper Boat Studios, a letterpress and design studio specializing in fine art prints and artist’s books since 2008. Amy’s work has been shown nationally and internationally, and her work is held in multiple institutional collections.
“When Cultures Collide (or Merge)” by Edward Bateman
What might Utah’s visual culture look like if the Deseret Alphabet had succeeded? Even in an alternate typographic landscape, consumer culture, advertising, and outside influence would still shape communication and design. Drawing on a lifelong fascination with typography and the rise of digital design tools in the 1980s, Ed Bateman imagines how the Deseret Alphabet might have evolved alongside modern visual culture and graphic design.
Bateman is an artist and Professor in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of Utah, where he is the head of the Photography and Digital Imaging area. Bateman’s work has been shown internationally and is included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, The Victoria & Albert Museum, Getty Research, the Pforzheimer Collection of the New York Public Library, Cornell University, Brown University, and others.
“From Lemon Juice to the Plaque of Kolob” by Trent Harris
Filmmaker Trent Harris reflects on his decision to incorporate the Deseret Alphabet into his cult classic Plan 10 from Outer Space. Through stories, film clips, and personal anecdotes, Harris will discuss the creative inspiration behind the project and the role the alphabet played in shaping the film’s uniquely Utah identity. The presentation will conclude with a special giveaway: a Deseret Alphabet poster for one lucky attendee.
Independent Film & Video Magazine called Trent Harris, “One of America’s premiere cult directors.” In 2001 The Los Angeles Critics Association awarded Harris Best Independent Experimental Film for his feature, Beaver Trilogy. Harris has taught screenwriting at the University of Utah one semester a year for nearly two decades. His papers and films are held at the Marriott Library Special Collections, University of Utah.
12:30–2:00 PM | LUNCH – Gould Auditorium (Level 1)
2:00–5:00 PM | EXPERIENTIAL SESSIONS – Special Collections (Level 4)
Making History with Sara Luz Jensen | Book Arts Studio
Facilitated by Sara Luz Jensen, participants in this session will be able to print their own Deseret keepsake on the presses in the Book Arts Studio.
Sara Luz Jensen is an Assistant Librarian, Studio Manager, and Instructor for the Book Arts Program and lead printer for the Red Butte Press. Under the small-press imprint Fingertips Press, she designs and produces artist book publications and printed matter, many of which are collaborations with writers and visual artists.
Holding History with Theadora Soter | Rare Books Classroom
Facilitated by Theadora Soter, this session offers participants an opportunity to directly engage with textual materials produced in and about the Utah Territory during the period in which the Deseret Alphabet flourished.
Theadora Soter is the Assistant Curator of Rare Books at the J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah. Born and raised in the Salt Lake Valley, she is endlessly interested in advancing the lesser-known histories of the many cultures, languages, and peoples who have made these mountains her home.
Learning History with Lyuba Basin | Special Collections Classroom
Facilitated by Lyuba Basin, participants will be provided with period primers and other instructional materials to learn how to read and write in Deseret Alphabet.
Lyuba Basin is the Rare Books Librarian at the J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah. In her personal and professional life, she pursues the connections found within languages and literature. More specifically, Lyuba is interested in the history and materiality of the book and its relationship to historical, political, and cultural contexts.
Contributed by Theadora Soter, Rare Books Assistant Curator
###
No Comments