Böcker av Karen Attar

A chronological account of the depiction of books, libraries, and reading in fiction from the medieval period to the present. Books and libraries appear in fiction from the earliest times onwards, in works for all age groups, in canonical literature, and in books that form part of popular culture. Fiction enables writers to teach readers how to read, but it can also portray subversive acts of reading that engage with contemporary cultural anxieties or moral debates. The reading material of fictional personae is part of their characterization; we are often reading readers. Drawing on approaches from literary studies, book history, library history, and theories and histories of reading, Books, Readers and Libraries in Fiction examines what fictional representations of reading tell us about changing cultural attitudes to different reading practices, and the use (and abuse) of books beyond actual reading, both in the context of specific works and about the reception of books more widely. Through detailed case studies from primarily British fiction that address common themes such as gender, genre, and the relation between reading and writing itself, this collection catalogs the ways in which authors of fiction mediate and interpret books, libraries, and the act of reading to their own readers.

The Directory is the only publication to bring together rare book and special collections from all kinds of libraries across the British Isles and is an essential research tool for researchers and librarians throughout the world. Fully updated since the second edition was published in 1997, this comprehensive and up-to-date guide encompasses collections held in national libraries, academic libraries, public libraries, subscription libraries, clergy libraries, libraries for other professions, school libraries, companies, London clubs, museums and archives, and libraries in stately homes. Consulting the Directory is an essential first step in a research project and it can answer question such as, "e;Where can I best research the reception of Jane Austen's novels?"e;; "e;Can I find Civil War tracts in a library near me?"e;; "e;Is Thomas Carlyle's library intact and in the public sphere?"e;; "e;Does Britain have the resources to study Nazi school textbooks?"e;; "e;How do I arrange my research trip to study Tauchnitz publications?"e; The Directory: Provides a national, cross-sectoral overview of rare book and special collections Provides a quick and easy summary of individual libraries' holdings Directs researchers to the libraries most relevant for them Assists libraries to evaluate their special collections according to a 'unique and distinctive' model Enables libraries to make informed decisions about special collections acquisition and collaboration Helps booksellers and donors to target offers Entries in the Directory provide full contact details, and descriptions of rare book and named special collections including quantities, particular subject and language strengths, and information about salient features such as provenance. Readership: Researchers, book historians, book collectors, special collections librarians, reference librarians, academic liaison librarians, library managers, booksellers, and other heritage professionals.