ABSTRACT
Understanding the scope and scale of publishing will help place subsequent discussions into context. Publishing at its simplest is a process that orders, designs and disseminates intellectual property. Three main functions support this enterprise—editing, production and sales. The fields of study encompassing text, books, readers and print culture originate in the study of the dissemination of written language. As an emerging discipline, contributions from various authors offer perspectives on what constitutes this field and its relationship to other culturally animated areas of print. In an adjunct to the form and associated functions of museum books, D. Finkelstein and A. McCleery recognise that the authority of books emerges from acknowledged authorship. A synergy between museums and books is apparent in the construction of knowledge in both the arts and sciences. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
