Technology and Books for All

About this book

Marie Lebert’s Technology and Books for All is a compact chronicle that maps the evolution of digital reading from the birth of ASCII in 1968 through the emergence of the Encyclopedia of Life in 2007. The opening pages lay out a clear structure: 38 milestones, each introduced with a brief overview and followed by a deeper description, all anchored by quotations from pioneers such as Michael Hart, Tim Berners‑Lee and John Mark Ockerbloom. The author, a researcher‑journalist who also penned Les mutations du livre, weaves together interview excerpts, statistical data and technical details, offering a factual yet accessible tour of how electronic formats, internet protocols, and online libraries reshaped the book world.

The work reads like a scholarly yet conversational guide, reflecting Lebert’s academic background and her fluency in both French and English. Its tone is informative without being dry, punctuated by direct voices from the field. Readers interested in the history of digital publishing, library science students, or anyone curious about the technical underpinnings of today’s e‑books will find the book’s clear chronology and interview‑driven narrative especially engaging.