It’s easy for library patrons to forget that each and every item they use has been handled by many other humans. Librarians have worked to organize, process, describe, and prepare this item for use. This piece in the American Scholar is a good reminder of the work it takes to secure and preserve knowledge.

“In our digital age of e-readers and same-day delivery, it’s worth remembering how much blood and sweat used to go into the distribution of the written word.” Read the rest here.