A Journey Around the World Mind

Abstract

Browsing among the stacks of Cambridge University Library has been described as ‘walking around the world mind’ – this is one of the great libraries of the world. Our collections range in age from 3,000-year-old handwritten texts to current electronic articles, and in material from bone, papyrus, animal skin and palm leaf to paper and plastic. They are written in over 2,000 languages and originate from every continent on the planet. In this book we can give only a flavour of the variety of materials collected, preserved and made available to readers who themselves come from all parts of the globe.