Dissertation Information for Frank Leopold Schick NAME: - Frank Leopold Schick
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science
SCHOOL:
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA) (1957)
ADVISORS: - None COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - Rudolph H. Gjelsness - Raymond L. Kilgour - Russell E. Bidlack - Robert F. Haugh
MPACT Status: Incomplete - Inspected
Title: The paperbound book in America : the history of paperbacks and their European background
Abstract: It is the purpose of this study to describe the history of paperbound books published in America from the beginning of printing to 1955, to indicate the foreign influences which provided significant directions, and to explain the growth of a branch of the publishing industry which has found over 100,000 outlets for its products on the North American continent.
The topic was chosen because it was felt that a format which permits the simultaneous release of average editions of 150,000 to 200,000 copies has far reaching effects on the reading habits of the population. Writers and researchers in the field have paid scant attention to the background of this development because they have concentrated primarily on the beautifully bound and illustrated book or on the contents of publications, One can easily gain the impression that inexpensive paperbound books appeared rather suddenly on the American scene and had their beginnings in the nineteenth century. Examination of early American almanacs, sermons, tracts, and chapbooks indicates that inexpensive original and reprint publications in paperbound format have been produced in considerable quantity since the first days of colonial printing. While production techniques changed and the contents of the books were adapted to the varying demands of the times, the basic appearance of these publications has remained surprisingly similar over three hundred years.
This study is presented in two sections. Part I is an account of the history of paperbacks in Europe and America from the incunabula period to the 1930's. Examination of early publication specimens found among the holdings of the New York Public Library and Columbia University, and a survey of the available literature provided the data for this part. Part II presents a picture of the current phase of the paperback development from 1939 to 1955. Information was obtained through personal interviews and correspondence with the executive personnel of paperback publishers, and examination of promotional materials provided by them. A total of forty-three firms was covered. The interviews were arranged through the cooperation of the American Book Publishers council and took place in April, 1954, and between September of the same year and May, 1955.
Two approaches were used to present a clear picture of the current performance of the paperback industry. (1) The histories of the individual firms and survey of their literary productions were presented and grouped under the following headings; exclusive paperback publishers, Paperback Lines of Magazine and Pulp Publishers, Paperback Lines of Regular Trade Publishers, Scholarly Paperbacks, and Religious Paperback. (2) A chronological picture of the year by year progress of the entire industry was given, and separate sections were devoted to problems of technical production, literary output, the relationship between authors and publishers, censorship, and patterns of distribution.
The study led to the conclusion that the history of American paperbacks is not merely the account of a technical revolution, but an unfolding of cultural significance. Improvements in production techniques and modern methods of promotion and distribution have brought book ownership within the reach of every American. Outside the United States, paperbacks are the only books foreign countries can afford to buy in quantity. Consequently, they are an important factor in the evaluation of our cultural and literary standards abroad. Paperbacks may soon change our established methods of publishing and have started to influence the acquisition policies of our libraries. Since culturally valuable titles are finding a growing market, paperbacks are doing their share to provide educational and recreational facilities in the best tradition of the mass media. While their format makes them impermanent, some of the thoughts they convey may outlast them for generations to come.
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MPACT Scores for Frank Leopold Schick A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-04-25 17:40:01
Advisors and Advisees Graph
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