Ernest Albert Savage’s Old English Libraries traces the history of libraries and book collecting in England during the Middle Ages, from the monastic libraries that preserved learning to the early collections of cathedrals, colleges, and private scholars. Savage examines how books were made, stored, and used in an age before printing.
The book illuminates the conditions of medieval scholarship, the work of scribes and librarians, and the gradual accumulation of knowledge in institutional collections. Savage writes as a librarian with a deep appreciation for his subject, drawing on historical evidence to reconstruct a lost world of learning. For readers interested in the history of books, libraries, and medieval education, it offers an informative and engaging survey.