bibliographic utility
"Perhaps we should think of Google Books as another finding aid, rather
than as a collection. What it has done for me is to narrow considerably the actual books and
periodicals I need to look at. In doing local history research one often
deals with strange publications that are held in few (and unlikely)
repositories and have not been indexed. The ability to do a name search
on
Google Books, even if one gets only a snippet, tells you where more can
(or
can't) be found. And while not having something on Google doesn't mean
it
doesn't exist, it helps you rule out quite a bit without travel or
effort. Finding which libraries actually have the thing means that I can
often get a copy of the relevant page or pages from a distant library,
because librarians are extremely helpful." Beth Luey
"In general I am of the opinion that Google is a present from heaven for those who know and a disaster from hell for those who do not. When you start to study a subject as a student there is much to be said for having to search i.e. dig for information, evaluating your finds, looking at the books you have found and read the introductions to see what the authors are like (boors, interesting, geniuses etc)." Paul Dijstelberge
great adventure
Priscilla and Don have moved to T or C (Truth or Consequences) New Mexico. Take
a look at the magnificent bindery and museum to be.
flickering printing
There is a flickering of the Atlas top page of the
Early Printing site, but scout the other resources for the moment.
who is the marginalia?
" The print book may have some life left in it yet, but it now functions within a larger networked commons. To deny this could prove fatal for publishers in the long run. Print books today need dynamic windows into the Web and publishers need to start experimenting with the different forms those windows could take or else retreat further into marginality."
Ben Vershbow
The assumption that print is doomed but for the salvation of networked review, collaborative authorship, blog promotion and on-line revision is loony. Networked germination of print publication is neither a method unknown in history or an agenda for future displacement of print publication. The exemplar from history is the transition from manuscript to print, long known as an interactive and collaborative phase of publication. Going forward the on-line mediations extend to powerful search and research functions, but never quite dissolve or displace print. On-line resources, including facsimile print, are bibliographic utilities and not books themselves.
Network publication advocates dismiss the print publisher as intent on commoditization of conceptual works. Well, what exactly is wrong with that? We have long conveyed conceptual works via physical objects and the day may come that we see a paper Wiki. (The Star Trek entry has been suggested). When this occurs we will have marked a full cycle of interaction between screen and print. The result will be fulfillment of network publication in print.
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