History of Books Printing and Publishing

Knowledge of the book, printing and publishing is central to the work of the information professional. Students preparing for entry into the information profession are generally well grounded in knowledge of books in their physical aspect, but rarely have knowledge of books as artistic output of the culture of the time and the part of the world in which they were produced. This course will give students a survey of historical bibliography from the earliest time through the present day as seen in relation to cultural history.

Competencies Expected: By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Trace the development of the alphabet, writing and early writing materials.

2. Describe the manuscript book.

3. Explain the events surrounding the invention of typography.

4. Outline the beginning of printing and trace its spread.

5. Sequence the development of printing, publishing and book selling from the seventeenth century through the first half of the twentieth century.

6. Identify important printers and publishers and their contributions to the field.

7. Explain the importance of electronic publishing to information management.