Le Projet Gutenberg (1971-2009)

by Marie Lebert

"Le Projet Gutenberg (1971-2009)" by Marie Lebert is a historical account written in the early 21st century. This book chronicles the evolution of the Project Gutenberg, which began as a vision to create electronic versions of literary works for global dissemination. It compares the modern digital initiative to Gutenberg's revolutionary invention of the printing press in the 15th century, highlighting the impact of technology on the accessibility of knowledge. The book delves into the inception of the Project Gutenberg, initiated by Michael Hart in 1971 with the digitization of public domain texts. It describes the growth and challenges faced by the project over the decades, including technological advancements, legal battles related to copyright, and expanding volunteer efforts for digitization. By 2009, the Project had exponentially increased its collection from a few texts to over 25,000 ebooks, demonstrating a commitment to making literature universally accessible. Lebert emphasizes the significance of this initiative in promoting free access to literature and its influence on the development of digital libraries, while also grappling with the complexities of copyright in a rapidly changing digital landscape.