History of the Book

Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing, or SHARP. is an international organization devoted to global book history and print culture.

The American Printing History Association (APHA) is a membership organization that encourages the study of the history of printing and related arts and crafts, including calligraphy, typefounding, typography, papermaking, bookbinding, illustration, and publishing.

The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). RBMS strives to represent and promote the interests of librarians who work with rare books, manuscripts, and other types of special collections.

Founded in New York in 1971 as an affiliate of the UK William Morris Society, the William Morris Society in the United States strives to publicize the life and work of William Morris and his associates.

Rare Book School (RBS) provides continuing-education opportunities for students from all disciplines and levels to study the history of written, printed, and born digital materials with leading scholars and professionals in the field.

The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) is the oldest scholarly society in North America dedicated to the study of books and manuscripts as physical objects. It was organized in 1904 and incorporated in 1927 with the principal objectives of promoting bibliographical research and issuing bibliographical publications.

A list of helpful links dealing with the history of printing and the book.

A chronological timetable of developments in printing and bookmaking.

An overview of the major developments in the history of the book. Part of a larger history of graphic design web presentation.

An online exhibit from the University of North Texas Libraries.

This exhibition traces the history of the medieval book from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Drawn from the holdings of Cornell Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, the exhibition presents a rich variety of medieval manuscripts and printed books.

This gallery highlights three portable medieval manuscripts from the collections of Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, in celebration of the Medieval Academy of America’s meeting in New Haven, Connecticut, March 18-20, 2010.

A companion to the University of Florida, Department of Arts class, featuring holdings in the rare book section of the Department of Special Collections. Illustrated changes in typography from the 15th Century to the 20th Century.

An online version of the exhibition curated by Scott Husby from Princeton University Library's Department of Rare Books and Special Collections. Website includes special magnifier for close inspection of bindings.

A Heavenly Craft: The Woodcut in Early Printed Books is a Library of Congress exhibition that presents for the first time all the woodcut-illustrated books purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald at the Dyson Perrins sale, now part of the legendary Rosenwald Collection at the Library of Congress. These books were printed within the first century after Gutenberg mastered the art of printing with moveable type.

This exhibit examines the life and vision of inspirational firebrand William Morris (1834-1896), focusing on his written works, political activism and artistic endeavors. Featuring The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer printed by Kelmscott Press in 1896, How We Might Live also showcases rare books, pamphlets and ephemera from Special Collections at the University of Maryland Libraries.

An online exhibit from the Getty featuring illuminated book produced in Flanders between 1470 and 1560.

An online exhibit from the National Diet Library, Japan.

An exhibition from Special Collections at the University of Maryland Libraries in honor of the 75th anniversary of Nancy Drew with highlights from the Rose and Joseph Pagnini Collection

An extensive list of online exhibits and blogs featuring aspects of the history of printing and bookmaking. Compiles by the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing.

This Book of Hours, referred to as the Black Hours, is one of a small handful of manuscripts written and illuminated on vellum that is stained or painted black. The Morgan Library & Museum provides a digital facsimile of every page.

The Gutenberg Bible, the first substantial book printed with movable type, is one of the greatest treasures in the Ransom Center's collections. It was printed at Johann Gutenberg's shop in Mainz, Germany and completed in 1454 or 1455. The Center's Bible was acquired in 1978 and is one of only five complete examples in the United States.

An online exhibit and digital facsimile from the Morgan Library & Museum featuring digital images of the Old Testament copy along with commentary on its history and significance.

An online exhibit featuring digitized pages from the Nuremberg Chronicle at Morse Library at Beloit College.

An online exhibit from Special Collections at the University of Maryland highlighting the book design, illustrations, artists, and printing embodied by the Nuremberg Chronicle.

An exhibit from the Rare Books Collection at University of Maryland Libraries celebrating the many facets of cloth book binding by American publishers in the nineteenth century. Includes an accompanying Flicker gallery.

An online exhibit from the University of North Texas.

An online version of the exhibition curated by Rebecca Davidson from Princeton University Library's Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.

This web exhibition of "William Morris and His Circle" incorporates selected images derived from the 1996 Ransom Center exhibition which contained over seventy-five items, including manuscripts of William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, D.G. Rossetti, examples of the Kelmscott Press's work, and four pastels by Rossetti.