Libraries and the Book Trade: The Formation of Collections from the Sixteenth to the Twentieth Century

by Robin Myers (Editor), Michael Harris (Editor), Giles Mandelbrote (Editor)

The close relationship between the book trade and the growth of libraries is the focus of this collection of essays. Contributions include Leslie Morris on the complex affiliations between collector, librarian and bookseller, among others.

Hardcover

First published December 31, 2000

Reviews

[Vicky P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in search of inspiration for a topic for an upcoming graduate project, and it fascinated in most ways - interestingly, I felt the most excitement in discovering new tidbits I hadn't heard or considered before in the introduction. Some of the essays are rather dreary to read beginning to end without skimming; many overview sections which are prose lists of publishers/printers/binders/librarians/collectors make for some dull reading. However, there is a wealth of meticulous research behind each essay, as many times it is difficult to really get firm footing doing research on book collectors/collections in any era. And sometimes descriptive bibliography can only get you so far in tracking some editions of notable early modern printed works. This is a fabulous read for anyone interested in the topic, would highly recommend.