From Papyrus to Hypertext: Toward the Universal Digital Library

In this study, Christian Vandendorpe examines how digital media and the Internet have changed the process of reading and writing, significantly altering our approaches toward research and reading, our assumptions about audience and response, and our theories of memory, legibility, and context. Reflecting on the full history of the written word, Vandendorpe provides a clear overview of how materiality makes a difference in the creation and interpretation of texts. Looking to the future, reading and writing will continue to evolve based on the current, contested trends of universal digitization and accessibility.