Topics considered include authorship, formats of publication, visual appearance of books, bookmaking technologies, distribution, and readership. Aesthetics of the book and the development of letter forms are discussed but do not receive primary emphasis. An examination of American book publishing in the twentieth century. The publisher's functions are identified, and the role of the publisher in cultural life is traced from the late nineteenth century to the present. Attention is paid to authorship, methods of bookmaking, book distribution, and contemporary commercial and technological trends affecting publishing.
Emphasis is on the examination and historical analysis of books as physical objects.
The course is primarily for students interested in the history of books, special collections, rare book cataloging, and humanities reference work. The course provides an introduction to the forensic examination of manuscripts and books as artifacts, and acquaints students with their materials and structures, manufacturing technology, and historical development as media. The evolution and structure of the profession, and properties and theories of information, are covered. The course emphasizes database design and searching at the advanced level, selective dissemination of information, and the evaluation of information systems. Traditional and computerized approaches to indexing, abstracting, and thesaurus construction and maintenance are examined.