Abstractions of Evidence in the Study of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books

In this book, Joseph Dane critiques the use of material evidence in studies of manuscript and printed books by delving into accepted notions about the study of print culture. He questions the institutional and ideological presuppositions that govern medieval studies, descriptive bibliography, and library science. This volume is an important contribution to debates about the nature of bibliography and the critical institutions that have shaped its current practice.