History of the Book

Overview

Subject area

HIST

Catalog Number

722

Course Title

History of the Book

Department(s)

Description

New technologies have introduced unprecedented possibilities for distributing and sharing information, which bypass physical media such as books and newspapers. These innovations appear revolutionary but, as this course will show, the book itself is an object that has undergone radical transformations over time. This class will introduce students to the history of the book as a material object by investigating the ways in which form and technology influence the production, control, and distribution of knowledge. After an exploration of the changing formats of books over the centuries, we will focus on the early modern transition from manuscript to print, the emergence of the author figure, the relationship between books and readers, the book trade, and ways in which knowledge was stored and organized in the past. We will conclude with a reflection on the future of the physical book and of libraries.

Typically Offered

Fall, Spring

Academic Career

Graduate

Liberal Arts

Yes

Credits

Minimum Units

3

Maximum Units

3

Academic Progress Units

3

Repeat For Credit

No

Components

Name

Lecture

Hours

3

Course Schedule