"A seriously detailed, intricate, and thorough history of the library."
A fascinating in-depth history of the library, this book weaves its way through time and is overflowing with tidbits and facts. The Library calls itself a: “fragile history”, and as beleaguered as our public libraries are today, you can see their past suffering too. This isn’t a light and breezy offering, it is serious, and seriously epic in its scope.
I took my time, and soaked up the information, from learning about the gathering of baked clay tablets in Mesopotamia, how Popes, Kings, and Monasteries affected Libraries, the arrival of vertical shelving rather than trunks, all the way through and past the Second World War. I have always supported the idea of the library, but never before really thought about how they came into being, how books are selected, the discrimination and censorship that has taken place.
Libraries should be a safe welcoming place for everyone, but that of course depends on a huge range of factors, all of which are detailed here. Arthur der Weduwen and Andrew Pettegree have spent time in over 300 libraries and archives, their acknowledgements and research material is listed. If you are interested in a detailed thought-provoking look into the history of the library, then The Library will answer your call. Chosen as a Liz Robinson Pick of the Month.
Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes or filled with bean bags and children's drawings - the history of the library is rich, varied and stuffed full of incident.
| Primary Genre | History |
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Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes or filled with bean bags and children's drawings - the history of the library is rich, varied and stuffed full of incident. In this, the first major history of its kind, Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen explore the contested and dramatic history of the library, from the famous collections of the ancient world to the embattled public resources we cherish today.
The Library features in the following genres: History, Liz Robinson's Picks of the Month, Recommendations, Gift Books, Language: history and general works, Library, archive and information management, Antiques, vintage and collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera and printed matter, European history: Renaissance, Society and culture: general, History and Archaeology, Stationery and miscellaneous items, Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure, Language: reference and general, Language and Linguistics, Library and information sciences / Museology, Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary subjects, Antiques, vintage and collectables, European history, Society and Social Sciences
Hardback. Not Available.
The Library was written by Arthur der Weduwen, Andrew Pettegree and published by Profile Books Ltd
The Library has 528 pages
