By Felan Parker
It seems fitting to meet Carleton history professor Paul Nelles in the MacOdrum Library.
He is writing a book entitled The Invention of the Renaissance Library that discusses the history of books and the institutions they are held in. Libraries have always been important spaces in the production of knowledge, and according to Nelles, they underwent a significant change in the Renaissance period.
In the Middle Ages, libraries were generally located in monasteries, which (although public buildings) often offered limited access to books, and were focused on religious texts.
During the Renaissance, libraries in Florence, Venice, Rome and Paris started to include public reading rooms in which visitors could read and do research. With the advent of the printing press and better paper, many more books were being stored. Other objects, such as maps, globes and skulls also became commonplace in libraries during this time.
Nelles is interested in the social and cultural aspects of the development of the library. How did people use these spaces? Were they showcases for books, or for more practical purposes? Nelles’ book will examine libraries as artifacts in order to tell the story of intellectual life in the Renaissance.
With similar changes taking place now, as we make the transition to an increasingly digital modern world, Nelles’ historical research has a great deal of contemporary significance.