University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

Prof. Pettegree shares my approach to writing about the history of books, libraries, and information service; he ties it to the cultural, economic, and political history of the era. This scholarly survey has implications for the development of international trade, the study of religious conflict, the growth of the middle class, and the shift from Latin to vernacular languages in public discourse.

A book is more than a text; it's also a cultural artifact with a cross-disciplinary mission to teach, record, and preserve.