Introduction. Beyond metaphor: a personal view of historical networks in the book trade / John Hinks -- Book trade networks and community contexts / John Feather -- Revealing and mapping networks: potential opportunities and pitfalls for book trade history / Steve Conway -- History, histories...

"This book sets out to show how new markets were cultivated by printers in the period 1476-1550. It argues that while print and manuscript reading continued alongside each other, developments in the marketing of printed texts began to change what readers read, the ways they read and the place of...

The commercial network of The Company of Venice -- The development of commercial networks -- Press runs -- Warehouses -- Marks and branches -- The book privilege system -- Distribution -- Fairs -- Retail sales : distribution inside and outside of bookshops -- Shop inventories -- Managing a bookshop