Yale University Library Research Guides: History of the Bible &amp; the Book: Home

Introduction

This subject guide is designed for the study of the history of the Bible and printed religious texts.

Here you will find:

- Encyclopedias to begin research on the history of the Bible and books more broadly.

- Select monographs on the history of the Bible during antiquity up until the modern era.

- Links to digitized Bibles and manuscripts available online and in Yale Special Collections.

Institutes and Organizations

Book History Workshop (Texas A&M) A five-day workshop that provides an intensive, hands-on introduction to the history of books and printing. The workshop is intended for librarians, archivists, students, teachers, collectors, and private individuals who have an interest in the first three and a half centuries of the printed book.
California Rare Book School A non-degree education program dedicated to providing the knowledge and skills required by collectors and professionals working in all aspects of the library, special collection, archives, museums, and rare book community.
Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture Promotes the interdisciplinary study of text, technology, and culture through lectures and colloquia, biennial conferences, short-term research and long-term postdoctoral fellowships.
Centre for the Study of the Book (Oxford) The Centre for the Study of the Book fosters the study of book arts through the Bodleian Bibliographical Press and through programmes for universities and the public.
Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar Held annually at Colorado College, Colorado Springs. Specialists share their expertise and experience with booksellers, librarians, and collectors in this comprehensive survey of the out-of-print, antiquarian, rare and used book markets.
History of the Book in American Culture (American Antiquarian Society) In providing intellectual leadership of this field, the History of the Book Program has sponsored conferences, publications, seminars, and research fellowships.
Institut d'histoire du Livre Aims to promote Lyons' cultural heritage on an international level, notably through training in the conservation and study of heritage collections in the field of print culture and the development of on-line resources aimed at bringing the collections of the city's museums and libraries to the attention of a broad public.
London Rare Books School Located at the Institute of English Studies, University of London, this school runs a series of intensive courses on a variety of book-related subjects taught in and around Senate House and online.
Rare Book School (UVA) A non-profit organization based at the University of Virginia. It supports the study of the history of books, manuscripts, and related objects.
Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (ALA) The official website of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). RBMS strives to represent and promote the interests of librarians who work with rare books, manuscripts, and other types of special collections
Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing A global scholarly group dedicated to the appreciation, development, and challenges of the social roles of print and other forms of communication throughout history. Includes a journal and newsletter.

Getting Started

The New Cambridge History of the Bible (4 vols.) by Euan Cameron (Editor) 4 volume that chart the Bible's progress from beginning to the present. Each volume focuses on a particular era. Volume 1: From the beginnings to 600. Volume 2: From 600 to 1450. Volume 3: From 1450 to 1750. Volume 4: From 1750 to the present.
Companion to the History of the Book (2 vols.)-Online by Jonathan Rose (Editor); Simon Eliot (Editor) The revised and updated edition of The Companion to the History of the Book offers a global survey of the book's history, through print and electronic text.
The Oxford Companion to the Book (2 vols.) by Michael Suarez SJ (General Editor); H. R. Woudhuysen (General Editor) Nineteen of the essays provide generic histories of the subject ranging from writing systems, the ancient and the medieval book, through central aspects of book production, to theories of text, editorial theory and textual criticism, the economics of print, and the sacred book. These are complemented by 29 surveys of the history of the book around the world, including the Muslim world, Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Call Number: BEINECKE, Reference, Z4 O89 2010 (LC)
The Book: A History of the Bible by Christopher De Hamel This title presents a connected narrative account of the Bible as a book and as an artefact, from the earliest fragments found in the Egytian desert to the plethora of modern editions and translations.
The Making of the Bible: From the First Fragments to Sacred Scripture by Konrad Schmid; Jens Schröter; Peter Lewis (Translator) A new biography of the Bible reconstructing Jewish and Christian scriptural histories, as well as the under-appreciated contest between them, from which the Bible arose.

Iconic Books Project Bibliography (Online) A project sponsored by Syracuse University that includes articles and books on various topics related to he history of books.