Added: 12/10/2005 |
Bookselling involves acquiring, selling and trading antique books. The early poets and orators recited their works in public to encourage their audience to possess written copies of their poems or orations.
The introduction of printing was the beginning of the modern system of bookselling. The earliest printers were also editors and booksellers. . The first king's printer was granted to Thomas Berthelet by Henry VIII in 1529, but only licensed books were to be printed. In 1556 the Company of Stationers was established in order to repress books considered a threat to society. In the following reigns the Star Chamber exercised a certain censorship; but, in spite of all precautions, a great amount of polemic books were printed abroad and clandestinely introduced into England. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth and her successor, James, bookselling flourished.
It is necessary to make a gradual distinction between booksellers, whose career consists of selling books, either by retail or wholesale, and publishers, whose business is the production of the books from the author's manuscripts. Publishers are the intermediaries between author and bookseller, whereas booksellers are intermediaries between the author and publisher and the public.
In the 19th century the distinction between publisher and bookseller--literary promoter and shopkeeper--became fundamental. The booksellers, as such, were engaged in wholesale and retail bookselling of old and second-hand books and periodicals.
A London booksellers' society was established in 1890. Its aim was the restriction of discounts of 25%, and also regulated prices and establish trade control. The society a few years afterwards widened so as to include the whole process of bookselling in the United Kingdom. Since that time it's been called "The Associated Booksellers of Great Britain and Ireland."
The trade in old or second-hand books is a higher class of business requiring knowledge of bibliography and Heffers booksellers surfaced as one of the best of such high class bookshops. Heffers booksellers have been based in Cambridge, England and since 1876 offers quality books and products for all age groups. Heffers booksellers provides a modern service based upon traditional service values: including recommendations, a book search facility, antiquarian and second-hand books and an online booksellers service.
Heffers booksellers have been the main players in Cambridge bookselling for over 100 years, and thanks to their online booksellers service their shop still offers all the elements that make for a good bookshop and more: nice atmosphere, experienced staff, and most importantly a wide range of books covering all subject fields. Not only an excellent range of academic literature, but also a great variety of how-to volumes covering diverse topics like cookery, travel, maps, popular fiction and biography. Undoubtedly Heffers booksellers are the first choice for book shopping in Cambridge.
Those in the know "know" that books are far from becoming an obscure item. And Heffers booksellers shop is doing it's best to maintain the tradition of bookselling in an age of modern technology.
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