“The rare books are something of an extension of that. His French-speaking colleagues have come up with a more apt description, he says, “archaeology of the printed book”. Owners of rare books are wary of publicising what they have. He is, instead, a donor: he has given so many rare books to the State Library Victoria that there is an entire collection named after him. “These modern forms only continue to be in existence and usable if the hardware continues … Whereas the printed book is still here.

Source: The Guardian March 22, 2026 19:17 UTC