The Library: A Fragile History

The “engaging” and “ambitious” (Washington Post) history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age.? 

The history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of?incident.?In?The?Library, historians Andrew?Pettegree?and Arthur der?Weduwen?introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world’s great collections, trace the?rise?and fall of?literary?tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts.?In doing so, they reveal that while?collections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruin?within a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient?as each generation makes—and remakes—the?institution anew.