The Case for Books; Past Present and Future

I am back in Melbourne now and normal viewing will resume once when I find my feet.

In the mean time, here is a new book from the cultural historian, Robert Darnton who has recently taken up the post as Librarian at Harvard University.

“In The Case for Books, Robert Darnton offers an in-depth examination of the book from its earliest beginnings to its shifting role today in popular culture, commerce, and the academy. In a lasting collection drawn from previously published and new work alike, Robert Darnton lends unique authority to the life and role of the book in society. The resulting book is a wise work of scholarship – one that requires readers to carefully consider how the digital revolution will broadly affect the marketplace of ideas.”–BOOK JACKET.
Full contents Google and the future of books — The information landscape — The future of libraries — Lost and found in cyberspace — E-books and old books — Gutenberg-e — Open access — A paean to paper — The importance of being bibliographical — The mysteries of reading — The history of book (link to library catalogue)