What is the name of oldest public libraries in all of the different continents of the world? In what year was the first CD-ROM book released? In what years were the first books printed in French, Thai, Japanese, Arabic and Turkish printed? What are the name of the oldest extant texts or inscriptions written in Chinese, English, Russian, and Spanish? When was the first major computer database used in libraries? What is the title of the largest and smallest and most expensive books ever published? Where in the world is the world's busiest public library? Which famous horror fiction writer worked in a library? What are the names of the very first three books to contain photographs? Where are the tallest bookstores and library buildings in the world?
This updated and expanded edition provides over 500 fascinating facts about libraries, periodicals, books and reference databases. The new book is not just a book about library and book comparisons, it is a remarkable story of libraries and books from the earliest times to the present. It is best described as a Guinness Book of Records for libraries and books.
Industry Reviews
"It is a Guinness Book of World Records for the bibliophile and lover of libraries.... The work is a tremendous resource for researchers and authors wishing to incorporate library facts and statistics into their work.... recommended."-Choice; "Guinness has nothing on this compendium of library records"-Library Journal; "consistently fascinating, informative, and entertaining...an indispensable reference work that provides hundreds of fascinating facts about libraries, books, periodicals, reference databases, specialty archives, bookstores, catalogs, technology, information science organizations and library buildings...unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended"-Midwest Book Review; "this resource is more than just a book about libraries and book comparisons, it is a journey through humankind's history of the written word...both informative and interesting. A resource for anyone who is in need of learning not only about libraries and their history, but that of the written word as well...valuable"-ARBA; "Reviews of previous editions: "intriguing...easy, enjoyable browsing"-Library Journal; "this ready-reference work is fun to browse...this is an entertaining book that gathers unique information in one volume...this book should surely whet your intellectual appetite...a wide variety of interesting and unusual facts...fascinating...diligent research...will certainly enlighten and entertain"-Booklist; "an international indispensable reference work on fascinating superlatives covering libraries and books around the world...fascinating...with surprising facts for everyone, this work will certainly enlighten and entertain librarians about the enduring and remarkable history of our institutions."-Panlibus Magazine; "librarians will enjoy dipping in to [this book]"-Australian Library Journal; "this fascinating second edition of Library World Records...celebrates all aspects of library life, and lists the various world records in an orderly index that only a librarian could create...more than simply a comprehensive list of records: it is woven together with a strong and poignant sense of library history"-London Clip; "contains everything anyone would want to know about world records related to libraries, reference databases, books and periodicals. The amount of information gathered here is astounding"-Emerald Journal; "informative entries...strongly recommended"-Dawn; "fascinating facts and figures"-IPMatters; "features all the facts that one could possibly need or want to know about libraries...useful"-Reference Reviews; "a book to dip into...surprising facts for everyone...good"-World Patent Information.
