Jessica Gössl

So, this was another motivation for producing books, particularly religious ones.

Indeed, the oldest surviving printed book is a Buddhist text.

This version of the Diamond Sutra, now in the collection of the British Library, was written by a Chinese scribe in the 9th century.

As well as being a very influential spiritual text, the Diamond Sutra has a unique place in book history for a couple of reasons.

Not only is it the oldest printed book that we know of, but it also includes a clear statement of intent regarding distribution.

The book ends with a declaration by the scribe, reverently made for universal free distribution.

According to some interpretations, this makes the Diamond Sutra the world's first public domain text.

While the concept of public domain might seem a little anachronistic in terms of 9th century China, it gives us something to think about.

Books are meant to be shared.

Their benefits, whether spiritual or intellectual, should be enjoyed by all.

Paper didn't reach Europe until the 11th or 12th century.

For most of the Middle Ages, books were produced in codex format, with pages made from parchment.

Parchment was usually made from sheepskin, while vellum, a higher quality material, used calfskin.

The printing press had not yet been invented, so books were meticulously written and copied by hand.

During this period of history, monasteries were the main centers of learning in Europe.

Many manuscripts were produced by monks.

They were the preservers and disseminators, not just of religious knowledge, but also fields such as botany, astronomy and medicine.

Later, however, manuscript production became a more commercial enterprise.

In 13th century Paris, there were enough wealthy book lovers to support the manuscript industry.

However, it's worth keeping in mind that for the average person in Europe, books were not yet that accessible.