The Care of Books

"The Care of Books" by John Willis Clark is a historical study that explores the journey of libraries and their fixtures from ancient civilizations to the end of the 1700s. Written in the 20th century, the book looks closely at how different cultures, especially in ancient times, arranged and took care of their book collections. The main idea is about how library buildings, their furniture, and book care changed over time, helping people understand how important libraries have been throughout history. The book starts by explaining that Clark wants to study how people in the past kept books safe and made them easy to use. He talks about where libraries came from, starting with places in Assyria where records were kept, and then moves on to important changes in ancient Greece and Rome. Clark shows how architecture, society, and how books were handled were all connected, giving a full picture of how these old places of knowledge were built and used.