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21st Century Typewriters Club, Gery Deer, greene county public library, Typewriter Collecting, typewriter revolution, typewriters, Writing, xenia community library, xenia ohio

21st Century Typewriters Club inaugural meeting August 22nd

In Local News, Technology, Uncategorized on August 18, 2026 at 3:12 pm

XENIA, OHIO — The familiar click and clack of typewriter keys will have a new home in Greene County beginning Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., when the 21st Century Typewriters Club holds its first monthly gathering at the Xenia Community Library, 76 E. Market Street. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.

Anyone interested in typewriters will enjoy this program. Whether they are longtime collectors, writers who still use the machines regularly, people who have recently rediscovered an old family typewriter, or those who simply want to learn more about them.

The idea behind the 21st Century Typewriters Club is not simply to look backward at typewriters as antiques, but to explore why people continue to use, collect and enjoy them well into the digital age.

Participants are encouraged to bring a typewriter if they have one, along with questions, stories and an interest in exploring the history, continued use and future of the machines in an increasingly digital world. Owning a typewriter is not required to attend.

The new club is being organized by local writer, journalist and longtime typewriter enthusiast Gery L. Deer, who has presented several typewriter-related programs through the Greene County Public Library.

“Typewriters have certainly become collectible, but they’re not just museum pieces,” Deer said. “People, like me, are still writing with them, restoring them, learning about them and, in many cases, discovering them for the first time. This club will provide somewhere local to get together and share that interest.”

“Faster isn’t always better,” Deer is fond of saying, and he’s not alone. The so-called “typewriter revolution” inspired a dedicated subculture of typewriter enthusiasts numbering in the tens of thousands worldwide, including prominent celebrities such as actor Tom Hanks.

The first hour of Saturday’s inaugural meeting will be devoted to an informal discussion about the club itself, including what participants would like to see from future gatherings and how the organization might develop over time. Each monthly meeting is also expected to include discussion of a topic related to typewriter history, use, collecting, writing or preservation.

During the second hour, participants will turn from talking about typewriters to actually using them with a mini “type-in.” Type-ins are informal gatherings where people bring manual and electric typewriters, set them up together and spend time writing, trying different machines and comparing the sometimes dramatically different feel and personality of various models.

Unlike a computer or smartphone, a typewriter offers no notifications, automatic corrections or electronic distractions. For many modern users, that limitation is part of the appeal.

The club is intended to provide a place for experienced collectors and complete newcomers alike. Participants can compare machines, ask questions about operation and maintenance, share information about typewriter history, and learn from others in the group.

Future meetings will continue to combine conversation and hands-on activities, with the club’s direction shaped in part by those who participate. The inaugural meeting of the 21st Century Typewriters Club will be held Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Xenia Community Library. Attendance is free.

Those attending are welcome to bring their own typewriters, but a machine is not necessary to participate. Anyone with an interest in the history, mechanics, writing experience or future of typewriters is welcome.

Additional information about the program is available through the Greene County Public Library event calendar. The official library listing is here: 21st Century Typewriters Club with Gery Deer.

The event is sponsored by GLD Communications.

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computers, dayton, Deer In Headlines, Gery L. Deer, greene county, history, Jamestown, Ohio, tb writers plus, typewriter, typewriter insurgency, typewriter revolution, typewriters, Writing

The Carriage Returns

In Business, Local News, News Media, Opinion, Technology on April 20, 2024 at 1:22 pm

Deer In Headlines II
By Gery Deer

You may not believe it, but I’m writing this week’s edition of “Deer In Headlines” on an antique manual typewriter. Remember the typewriter? The truth is, I just bought this machine a few days ago at TB Writers Plus, a startup typewriter shop in Dayton, Ohio.

(Check out the Bonus Video and the Deer In Headlines Podcast episode that accompanies this piece!)

I have three manuals, but this is a sleek 1945 Smith-Corona Clipper, matte black, with a textured chassis and gold-lettered, enameled keys. It sounds like I’m describing a classic car, doesn’t it? That’s exactly how some people see it.

Your next question is obvious, and I’ve heard it a dozen times already – why? I’m a technically savvy person with a significant digital presence. So why would I sit down to write on an old typewriter? That’s a great question. I’ll try to answer as we go. Let me first say I’m not alone.

Over the last twenty years or so, interest in typewriters has been on the rise. That sharp, rhythmic clickety-clack has charmed a whole new generation of writers, collectors, and nostalgics. It’s commonly known that actor, author, and director Tom Hanks is a long-time typewriter collector. Whole communities of typewriter enthusiasts share photos and samples from their beloved machines online and in person.

Many attend type-ins, where people gather at typewriter shops, homes, libraries, or anywhere else to, well, type. I often refer to them as cruise-ins for typewriter enthusiasts. There’s even an activity called type-casting, where you create something on a typewriter, scan it as an image, and post it online. (Learn more about the so-called “Typewriter Insurgency” here.)

As a Gen Xer who hit high school during the 1980s, modern office tech was still coming of age. We barely had reliable copy machines. Most schools and businesses had a mix of PCs and typewriters (mostly electric), so I learned both almost simultaneously. I’m comfortable with either.

*In the background, Gery’s 1964 Royal Safari.* (Photo by Hue12 Studios, Dayton, OH)

I bought my first manual typewriter while I was in college, mostly for its portability. A good bit of my earliest writing was done on that machine. It was—or rather is—a 1964 Royal Safari, light blue with off-white keys and accents. It still sounds like I’m describing a ‘57 Chevy. And yes, I still have it.

Aside from nostalgia and mechanical admiration, I think digital overstimulation may have contributed to some people’s leaving the computer behind. I can relate. I’m so immersed in the continuous urgency of the digital environment that I just want—no, need—the quiet of the old ways.

I know the typewriter can be noisy, but I wasn’t referring to “quiet” in that sense. When those keys snap against the paper, I am fully engaged and undistracted from my writing. The slower pace allows me to choose my words more carefully, and there are no pop-ups, email messages, or social media nonsense. It’s kind of freeing.

I’ve also heard some people turn to the typewriter out of paranoia. Privacy has become a real concern in the digital world, and viruses can’t infiltrate typewriters, nor can your printed pages be hacked. You’re most definitely off-grid. But there’s a price to pay for that: time.

You will probably still have to transfer whatever you type into a digital file. Since my column is delivered to the publisher electronically, what you’re reading now was scanned and cleaned up in digital form before being emailed to my editor. All told, it probably added an extra two hours to my process. Plus, I can’t type as fast on a manual as I can on a laptop – yet. That said, I highly recommend hand-strengthening exercises.

There is also something to be said for durability and workmanship. These machines were built to last. This old Clipper, made at the end of World War II, was clearly well-cared for and properly serviced by its last seller. It still works beautifully. How many laptops make it even five years, let alone 80? None.

Unfortunately, however, unless some manufacturer starts cranking out new parts or whole typewriters, once the remaining machines are used up, they’re gone. That really will be the end of an era. No backspace, no return. Just silence.

Until then, you’ll find this reporter parked behind my Safari or the old Clipper, banging out the next great works by Yours Truly.

(See the gallery for photos of the typewriters mentioned in this piece and more.)