Tour De Force: Publication and Review. Landmark Library History Covers 1500 Years (The Cambridge History of Libraries in Britain and Ireland, 3 Vols.) (Book Review‪)‬

Hoare, Peter, gen ed The Cambridge history of libraries in Britain and Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 3 vols. A$899 hard cover ISBN 13:9780521858083 (Vol 1: to 1640, ed E Leedham-Green and T Webber, 688p; Vol 2: 1640-1850, ed G Mandelbrote and KA Manley, 575p; Vol 3: 1850-2000, ed A Black and P Hoare, 737p) The Cambridge history of libraries in Britain and Ireland is a monumental achievement. It declares itself to be 'the first detailed scholarly history of libraries in Britain and Ireland', covering libraries of all types (institutional and private), and their user communities. The three volumes are supplemented by extensive bibliographies and indexes.