An Exploration into the Changing Cultural Value of the Book: What Value Do We Place in the Book and How is Its Role Changing As We Move into an Increasingly Digital Future?

To fully understand the role of the book in today?s culture, I will also be looking at the context into which the printed book was born. Described, as ?more than a triumph of technological ingenuity? the implications of the book throughout history are huge, ?[the book] was one of the most potent agents at the disposal of western civilisation in bringing together the scattered ideas of representative thinkers.? (Febvre and Martin, 1976, pg.10). The implications of the printed book throughout history are evident through the evolution of the spreading of knowledge. I plan to investigate how much further the book?s reach goes, examining it as a social object, and an agent of change. In an ever-changing world, examining the role of the book when digital media has allowed information to be more accessible than ever before will provide us with a chance to view the book in its changing form.