Indiana State Library

Written by Dr. Steven K. Galbraith, curator of the Rochester Institute of Technology's Melbert B. Cary Jr. Graphic Arts Collection, A Brief History of the Book: From Tablet to Tablet chronicles the history of books from the ancient clay tablets of the past to the modern electronic tablets of today and includes photographs of items in the institute's collection. Galbraith's work joins other titles published in the 2000s on book history including Studying Early Printed Books, 1450–1800: A Practical Guide by Sarah Werner and A Social History of Books and Libraries from Cuneiform to Bytes by Patrick M. Valentine. Although all three titles cover the same subject, there are similarities and differences. For example, Werner focuses on the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, while Galbraith offers a broader history, starting from 4000 BCE to the twenty-first century. Where the two volumes are similar is the discussion of printing presses, illumination, chain lines, and incunabula.When comparing Galbraith to Valentine, Valentine covers the history of libraries in addition to the history of books; Galbraith, however, does not focus on the history of libraries although libraries are mentioned. The similarities between Galbraith's and Valentine's works are that both authors cover roughly the same time periods and share the histories of the materials and instruments used in the making of books during those periods. Both authors share how people of the past used papyrus, clay, animal skin, and stone as mediums on which to write the printed word. Also, like Valentine, Galbraith chronicles the development of writing and printing, by exploring the creation of the stylus, the printing press, and the QWERTY keyboard.However, what makes Galbraith's work really stand apart from both Werner's and Valentine's is that readers are provided with more than just reading material; they are given exercises to augment their learning. For example, in the first chapter Galbraith shares the history of clay and wax tablets, and then assigns readers the task of making the tablets, providing them with instructions on how to do so. In another chapter Galbraith discusses the history of printing presses and movable type, and then tasks readers with learning the skill of setting and proofing, by either visiting a print shop or museum with a printing press or by purchasing the needed supplies online. In doing these assignments, readers gain a tactile and visual sense of what some early book formats looked and felt like, and an appreciation of the time, labor, and skill involved in their production.Reading through each chapter, we see Galbraith showing connections and similarities between ancient and modern books and how the ancient formats served as blueprints for their modern counterparts. According to Galbraith, the ancient tablet served as the model for modern handheld devices like the smartphone, the Palm Pilot, and the electronic tablet (e.g., iPad). Also, the design of both the ancient and modern tablet provide portability and ease of use due to the rectangular shape, moderate size, and light weight, allowing the user/reader to write or read text while standing up or sitting down. In addition, text can be erased from each tablet to allow for reuse. Furthermore, both the ancient and contemporary tablets are easily stored and transported.Galbraith also explains how means of accessing material within older books are still present in their modern successors. An example of this is with the codex (book) and the scroll. Galbraith points out that unlike the scroll, the codex allows readers to easily access text at any part of the volume by turning the leaves or pages. Scrolls, on the other hand, required readers to scroll through reams of material affixed to a roll in order to locate a specific passage of text. Though the codex eventually replaced the scroll, Galbraith points out that the act of scrolling itself is not obsolete. Scrolling has survived as a means of accessing information as demonstrated by readers scrolling through reams of virtual material to read passages of text on computers, laptops, and smartphones. Another example is with the codex and the e-reader. Although the e-reader hasn't replaced the codex (yet), it mimics the codex's page-turning technology. The only difference is that the pages are electronic instead of paper.As with any venture, there are costs. Galbraith talks of the expense that went into making and distributing books. Although some materials were locally sourced, other items required importation, thereby increasing costs. For example, in the first chapter the author speaks of how papyrus was inexpensive for the Egyptians since it was grown locally. However, for countries where the plant could not be harvested, it was costly to acquire because of importation. In the chapters that follow, readers learn that expenses weren't (and still aren't) limited to just materials; expenses included facilities, workers, production, and distribution. Later, as technology advanced, materials and manufacturing became less expensive, thereby enabling mass production, the need for fewer workers, and the achievement of wider distribution.Although Galbraith's book is well written and rich with history, its illustrations and photographs are black and white, and not always clear, making the items described hard to see. For example, in one chapter Galbraith describes the hieroglyphic, Roman, Greek, and Hebrew characters inscribed on the underside of a 2007 Amazon Kindle. However, when looking at the accompanying photograph, the characters are very hard to make out and readers may have trouble discerning if what they're seeing are characters or squiggles. In another chapter Galbraith discusses the illumination of medieval manuscripts and the elaborate colored inks used in their design. However, because the pictures aren't in color, readers can't see what the illuminations and inks truly look like. It would have been better to have clear, color pictures, allowing readers to really see and appreciate the artistry employed by the scribes and illustrators. In addition, it would have been helpful if the book-making exercises included more photographs in a step-by-step fashion instead of just a picture of the finished product. Including step-by-step photographs would guide readers in ensuring they are following instructions at each stage of the exercises correctly. Hopefully, the author will take these suggestions into consideration should another edition of A Brief History of the Book: From Tablet to Tablet be published.Overall, Galbraith's A Brief History of the Book: From Tablet to Tablet is a thoroughly remarkable and excellent study of books and their history. Readers are wise to make use of the volume's extensive bibliography and suggested online resources. A Brief History of the Book: From Tablet to Tablet should appeal to librarians, archivists, historians, and others with an interest in the history of the book.

Virginia Claypool Meredith's role in directly managing the affairs of a large and prosperous farm in east-central Indiana opened doors that were often closed to women in late nineteenth century America. Her status allowed her to campaign for the education of women, in general, and rural women, in particular. While striving to change society's expectations for women, she also gave voice to the important role of women in the home. A lifetime of dedication made Virginia Meredith "the most remarkable woman in Indiana" and the "Queen of American Agriculture." Meredith was also an integral part of the history of Purdue University. She was the first woman appointed to serve on the university's board of trustees, had a residence hall named in her honor, and worked with her adopted daughter, Mary L. Matthews, in creating the School of Home Economics, the predecessor of today's College of Consumer and Family Sciences.

Demographers, researchers and US Census data users can join the ranks of the do‐it‐yourselfers and create customised demographic tabulations and research data, using three new Census Bureau CDROM products now available from the Census Bureau: Public User Microdata Samples (PUMS), Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) and School District Data Book(SDDB). As a lead state agency for coordinating and distributing Census data, the Indiana State Data Center makes these products available to a variety of users including planners, legislators, state and local agencies, university research departments and area businesses.

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