A person’s memory may only last a lifetime, but the collective human memory has endured for eons. The stories of those who came before us are told to us through their books, art and language. Though the value of these lasting works is undeniable, their very existence in the present day must lead the inquisitive reader to wonder: “How did this book, so far from its original place of production and reception, reach me in the present?” This is the very question posed by Stanford professor, Jennifer Summit, in her new book, Memory’s Library, which explores the origins of the modern library.

Tagged: history, libraries, Humanities & Sciences