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Dissertation Information for Philip A. Metzger

NAME:
- Philip A. Metzger

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Texas, Austin (USA) (1984)

ADVISORS:
- Donald G. Davis Jr.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- William B. Todd
- Sam G. Whitten
- L. Tuffly Ellis
- Alan D. Gribben

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: PUBLISHING AND THE BOOK TRADE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, 1870-1920

Abstract: From its foundation in 1839 until after the Civil War, Austin, Texas was an isolated frontier town. With the arrival of the railroad in 1871, Austin, and its publishing and book trade activities, began to develop rapidly. Bookstores in the city during the period 1870 to 1900 tended to have short lives, and often sold other goods besides books. As transportation developed, booksellers and publishers in the city were able to obtain stock and ship to markets more effectively. Until the 1890s, local authors for the most part published and sold their own works. During this decade, H. P. N. Gammel, a Danish immigrant, began to publish law books and Texana systematically, the most prominent of which were his Bilbiography of Texas (1896), and the ten volume Laws of Texas (1898). Other publishing figures of this period or slightly earlier include S. H. Dixon, L. E. Daniell, and G. B. Halsted's Neomonic society. Shortly after the turn of the century, Gammel contracted with the State of Texas to publish all law compilations and court reports. The complexities of this contract led to the formation of the Gammel-Stateman Publishing Company in 1902. This was the most ambitious publishing venture in Austin to that time, but difficulties with the contract caused the State to abrogate it in 1905. Gammel returned to his previous independent business of publishing and selling law texts and Texana. A few other small publishing ventures occurred after 1900, but constituted nothing of great significance. Bookselling underwent a hectic expansion during World War I, selling books to soldiers in training in Austin, but returned quickly to normal after the War. The most significant bookselling development during the latter period was the formation of the University Co-operative Society in 1896. During the period 1870 to 1920 Austin developed a strong regional publishing and bookselling activity, but the ease of transportation provided by further development of the railroad prevented the city from assuming a wider responsibility. Overall, the city's position in the book trade, especially regarding the publishing of law books, was based on its role as the State capital, and also on the presence of one or two energetic entrepreneurs, in particular H. P. N. Gammel.

MPACT Scores for Philip A. Metzger

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:25:21

Advisors and Advisees Graph

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Students under Philip A. Metzger

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None