---
product_id: 5549169
title: "The Library: A World History"
price: "$215"
currency: NZD
in_stock: false
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5549169-the-library-a-world-history
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# The Library: A World History

**Price:** $215
**Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock

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- **What is this?** The Library: A World History
- **How much does it cost?** $215 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Currently out of stock
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5549169-the-library-a-world-history)

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## Description

desertcart.com: The Library: A World History: 9780226092812: Campbell, James W. P., Pryce, Will: Books

Review: Meticulously researched and beautifully photographed book on the history of libraries - "The Library: A World History" by James W.P. Campbell is a beautiful book. At 328 pages long, there is much to appreciate within, and if you are a bibliophile like I am, you will find yourself mesmerized. I spent a good portion of this afternoon (about four hours) reading and perusing this wonderful book that stitches together a compelling narrative about the history of libraries throughout time. Almost every page contains a full color photograph that captures the beauty of various libraries found throughout the world. The author follows a chronological format in describing these libraries. The focus is not so much on the content of the libraries, although the photographs capture the tomes in all their glory, showcased in beautiful and majestic settings, but more on the history of the libraries and how they came into existence. As I am fascinated by history, I was particularly riveted by the chapter on the libraries of the ancient world, amazed at how the Library of Celsus (AD 135) in Ephesus, Turkey came to be; the ruins of the Library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh, Iraq, and also the chapter on libraries in the Middle Ages. The history behind each structure is compelling and spellbinding, and any booklover or student of architecture will find much to enjoy in this book. There are interesting nuggets of information alongside detailed descriptions of history and architecture. For example, can you imagine that the Shiba Ryotaro Museum in Osaka, Japan contains the entire book collection of the famed author himself, all 20,000 volumes? Or the fact that the second Earl Spencer was a bibliophile himself and was one of the earliest English aristocrats to amass a large private book collection which was housed in his country estate. He went on to found the Roxburghe Club, which was an exclusive club for book collectors, and he eventually donated his book collection to the British Museum. Here's the contents of the book for easy reference: Chapter One: Lost Beginnings - Libraries in the Ancient World Chapter Two: Cloisters, Codices, and Chests - Libraries in the Middle Ages Chapter Three: Cupboards, Chains, and Stalls - Libraries in the 16th Century Chapter Four: Walls, Domes, and Alcoves - Libraries in the 17th Century Chapter Five: Angels, Frescoes, and Secret Doors - Libraries in the 18th Century Chapter Six: Iron Stacks, Gaslights, and Card Catalogues - Libraries in the 19th Century Chapter Seven: Electricity, Concrete, and Steel - Libraries in the 20th Century Chapter Eight: The Future of Libraries in the Electronic Age There are comprehensive notes, a bibliographical essay, and an index at the back of the book. The photographs by Will Pryce make this book an aesthetic piece of art, and I would go as far as to say, this is a must-have for anyone who has enjoyed the beauty of a book and who loves spending time in a library.
Review: Beautiful and fascinating! - This is a beautiful tome. It's almost too pretty to believe it can contain truly novel and interesting content, yet it does. A great gift for any library or book lovers. And yes, it makes a great coffee table book, but only if you have a nice enough coffee table to surround this book. ;-)

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #535,112 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #179 in General Library & Information Sciences #4,484 in Photography & Video #11,986 in World History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars (234) |
| Dimensions  | 12.48 x 9.76 x 1.37 inches |
| Edition  | Illustrated |
| ISBN-10  | 022609281X |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0226092812 |
| Item Weight  | 5.2 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 320 pages |
| Publication date  | October 14, 2013 |
| Publisher  | University of Chicago Press |

## Images

![The Library: A World History - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81gnUK9MTUL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Meticulously researched and beautifully photographed book on the history of libraries
*by Z***S on November 30, 2014*

"The Library: A World History" by James W.P. Campbell is a beautiful book. At 328 pages long, there is much to appreciate within, and if you are a bibliophile like I am, you will find yourself mesmerized. I spent a good portion of this afternoon (about four hours) reading and perusing this wonderful book that stitches together a compelling narrative about the history of libraries throughout time. Almost every page contains a full color photograph that captures the beauty of various libraries found throughout the world. The author follows a chronological format in describing these libraries. The focus is not so much on the content of the libraries, although the photographs capture the tomes in all their glory, showcased in beautiful and majestic settings, but more on the history of the libraries and how they came into existence. As I am fascinated by history, I was particularly riveted by the chapter on the libraries of the ancient world, amazed at how the Library of Celsus (AD 135) in Ephesus, Turkey came to be; the ruins of the Library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh, Iraq, and also the chapter on libraries in the Middle Ages. The history behind each structure is compelling and spellbinding, and any booklover or student of architecture will find much to enjoy in this book. There are interesting nuggets of information alongside detailed descriptions of history and architecture. For example, can you imagine that the Shiba Ryotaro Museum in Osaka, Japan contains the entire book collection of the famed author himself, all 20,000 volumes? Or the fact that the second Earl Spencer was a bibliophile himself and was one of the earliest English aristocrats to amass a large private book collection which was housed in his country estate. He went on to found the Roxburghe Club, which was an exclusive club for book collectors, and he eventually donated his book collection to the British Museum. Here's the contents of the book for easy reference: Chapter One: Lost Beginnings - Libraries in the Ancient World Chapter Two: Cloisters, Codices, and Chests - Libraries in the Middle Ages Chapter Three: Cupboards, Chains, and Stalls - Libraries in the 16th Century Chapter Four: Walls, Domes, and Alcoves - Libraries in the 17th Century Chapter Five: Angels, Frescoes, and Secret Doors - Libraries in the 18th Century Chapter Six: Iron Stacks, Gaslights, and Card Catalogues - Libraries in the 19th Century Chapter Seven: Electricity, Concrete, and Steel - Libraries in the 20th Century Chapter Eight: The Future of Libraries in the Electronic Age There are comprehensive notes, a bibliographical essay, and an index at the back of the book. The photographs by Will Pryce make this book an aesthetic piece of art, and I would go as far as to say, this is a must-have for anyone who has enjoyed the beauty of a book and who loves spending time in a library.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful and fascinating!
*by D***. on March 5, 2025*

This is a beautiful tome. It's almost too pretty to believe it can contain truly novel and interesting content, yet it does. A great gift for any library or book lovers. And yes, it makes a great coffee table book, but only if you have a nice enough coffee table to surround this book. ;-)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a fantastically beautiful book, in photography, scholarship, and writing
*by C***S on October 1, 2023*

The Library, a World History, is a fascinating history of Libraries and Library architecture through the ages. The photography is outstanding, the excellent scholarship is evident, and the writing is engaging. It follows the history of libraries in chronological fashion, reviewing the architecture, functionality, and the effects of technology and politics on library design through the ages. The photography is exquisite.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Library: A World History
- Massimo Listri: The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries

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*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-02-17*