The Gutenberg Project

Marie LebertProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 38K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.El Proyecto Gutenberg (1971-2009) by Marie LebertAuthor: Lebert, Marie,Language: Spanish, Class: Z: Bibliography, Library science, Release Date: Mar 13, 2010

Editor's review

This is the Spanish-language edition of Marie Lebert's brief history of Project Gutenberg. It centers on Michael Hart's idea of free electronic books, launched in 1971, and traces the project's development from 1971 to 2009. Spanish-language readers can follow the early course of eBooks from concept to practice, and see where Project Gutenberg stands in building public reading resources. The narrative is concise rather than theoretical, making it better suited as an introductory read on the history of digital publishing. Its value lies in presenting, in a short space, an often overlooked industry starting point, and in giving Spanish-language readers access to the record without relying on English materials. Read it as a guide, alongside actual use of the Project Gutenberg website, to see how free eBooks gradually entered everyday reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Spanish-language readers interested in the history of eBooks
Library and information management students in Spanish-speaking countries
Spanish-speaking advocates of open knowledge and public reading resources
General Spanish-language readers who want background on Project Gutenberg

Not a good fit for

Readers unfamiliar with Spanish who have no need for a parallel text
Readers expecting systematic academic research or in-depth theoretical analysis
Those seeking a practical technical guide to producing eBooks

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the timeline, then revisit the key project milestones by year.
Visit the Project Gutenberg website while reading to experience free eBooks alongside the text.
Note the key ideas in the development of eBooks for later reference.
Read alongside other Spanish-language digital publishing materials to broaden your view of the field.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How does this book differ from the English edition?

The subject is the same: a brief account of Project Gutenberg's development from 1971 to 2009. The main difference is that this book is written in Spanish, so Spanish-language readers can read it directly without relying on the English original.

Which Spanish-language readers is this book for?

It suits those interested in the origins of eBooks, the history of digital publishing, and public reading resources, as well as library and information management students reading for background. No specialist knowledge is required.

Can it be used as a reference for academic research?

It is a concise historical overview, useful as a lead-in to understanding Project Gutenberg. For academic writing, treat it as background and verify more authoritative sources and data separately.

Do I need to know about Project Gutenberg before reading?

No. The book explains the project's basic origins and figures, so readers starting from zero can follow the narrative; browsing the Project Gutenberg website beforehand makes the reading more immersive.

Comments

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About the author

Marie Lebert Author · French

Marie Lebert is a French translator and researcher of books and digital publishing. She holds a doctorate in linguistics from the Sorbonne and has worked in translation and library roles at international organizations in several countries; she now lives in Australia. Her research focuses on multilingualism online, e-books and the history of translation, and her writing for general readers traces how books have moved from print to digital form. Representative works include La Jérusalem médiévale, Del libro impreso al libro digital, Le Projet Gutenberg and Le Livre 010101: Enquête, and 47 of her titles are held in the collection. Her e-books and writings on Project Gutenberg are distributed free of charge through the University of Toronto's NEF and Project Gutenberg, making them easy to access online. Public information about her is limited, and her works centre on digital publishing and changing reading practices.