Over the centuries societies, groups and individuals have tried to define what is good literature, what kind on books people should or should not read, and how libraries should be built and how they should operate to fulfill their mission.

This volume contains a rich spectrum of articles on these issues. At the same time it reflects the versatility of research in the history of the book, libraries and reading that is done in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

This is the second book produced by the network HIBOLIRE (Nordic-Baltic Research Network on the History of the Book, Libraries and Reading).