Introduction + Visualization Inspiration

Reading has been a constant through many generations and societies throughout history. The desire to tell a story, and to consume them, has yet to leave us today in the modern day of reading. There is always a debate about what true reading is: “Ebooks aren’t as good as physical books” or “Audiobooks aren’t considered actual books so it’s not reading” (which is ableist). I have always been a reader, and will continue to be, no matter what way I read. Regardless, my curiosity grew. There are so many modes and formats that I wondered about how/why they were created, and how they contribute to the accessible means of reading and knowledge. 

I first came across this timeline visualization by Matt Peters that presents storytelling in a visually appealing way. This visualization, although simple, allows for a comprehension of what would be a vast amount of data in a digestible way, and categorizes it into three main ideas. Using this existing timeline helped me narrow down my scope, as this visualization was a very general look into an expanse of information. I realized I wanted to focus more on the reading consumption side of storytelling rather than the overall concept of storytelling, which meant not diving into research about film and cinema (something I was tempted to do).

Datasets/Tools

The first three steps of visualization involve the collection and storage of data, pre-processing it into something we can understand, and processing that information through a system to produce an image, or in this case, a timeline. I conducted my research and gathered all the relevant sources using Google. I realized while conducting my research that I couldn’t use a dataset from one singular source, so I had to do a lot of cross referencing and confirming accuracy. I wrote everything down in the GoodNotes app, as this was the simplest way for me to take note of the general events I wanted to present. I took my data and notes and put them into a Google Spreadsheet connected to TimelineJS, an open-source tool by Knight Lab, that allows for an easy transformation of data and media to produce visualizations of time and events.

Methods + Process

The fourth step of visualization is human perception and cognition; the trust that the research and presentation is objective. In my attempts to remain as objective to the history that I’m following as possible, my biggest concern was to ensure that the information I was going to use was accurate enough, which means the sources had to be accurate. As I mentioned before, I ensured that accuracy by cross referencing dates and information to make sure there was consistency. I found sources that I deemed credible like PBS and Yale Library, which aided in verifying information from sources that seemed relatively accurate, but still wanted to make sure for the sake of accuracy. I then had to narrow down the dataset to be concise enough for this report. After some editing, I was able to reduce the dataset to 10 events, plus an additional event that performs as a conclusion to the timeline. I paired them with images that I felt would connect with the information presented from various sources that are cited in the timeline.

Results + Findings

I was pleasantly surprised to find how early the move for accessible readership started. Based on my timeline, the creation of the first book recordings by The American Foundation for the Blind was an event that solidified a need for accessible content in whatever form it may be. From then on, movements towards accessibility only started to increase. Although I examine a growth in format over centuries, there was also a growth in accessibility in terms of reaching an audience. From the moment the Gutenberg Press was invented, mass production started to elevate, and reading became less of a luxury. Going from clay tablets to mass paperback, audio, and e-books not only allowed more and more people to afford books to read, but also allowed for quicker production for writers and publishers.

It is also notable that prior to 1971, reading formats were primarily physical changes. These physical changes were for the most part drastic as well. However, from 1971 onward, all of the major changes that are presented are in digital form. The amount of changes also becomes denser within the last century compared to the last several centuries due to the rapid speed of technological advancement. Although the physical changes of digital innovations have changed and evolved (going from Audible MobilePlayer to the Audible App), the fact remains the same: the digital space is what is changing more in modern day reading than the production of physical books.

Reflections

The shift that I noticed about the physical to digital format changes makes me intrigued on if there will always continue to be digital shifts, or if there will ever be a drastic change in physical format in the future like there was for so long. I also have an inclination to look for earlier audiobook recordings. I was pleasantly surprised to know that the first book recording was earlier on in history than I thought, and by an association that was meant to aid blind people, who normally wouldn’t have access to the conventional reading format because of their disability. 

I found it surprisingly easy to use TimelineJS for this lab. This tool portrayed the evolution of reading formats clearly and the visualization at the bottom of the page where it shows time progressing is also a helpful tool to have when covering history that spans centuries. Conducting my research was more time consuming than I wished due to the process of verifying that the information was correct. I don’t regret doing this though, because going through that method allowed me to feel more confident in the information I was presenting.

Sources

Peters, M. “The History of Storytelling in 10 Minutes.” , 25 Oct. 2018, www.meetcortex.com/blog/the-history-of-storytelling-in-10-minutes.

Butlin, J. “A Brief History of Book Formats.” Fairlight Books, 26 May 2020, www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-book-formats.

https://sfbook.com/the-evolution-of-the-book.htm. Accessed 28 Jan. 2023.

“Brief History of the Book Format” – Book Art Resources – Yale University Library Research Guides at Yale University, 3 Jan. 2023, guides.library.yale.edu/c.php?g=295819&p=1972528.

Hardy, James, et al. “A History of eBooks.” History Cooperative, 15 Sept. 2016, historycooperative.org/the-history-of-e-books.

“The History of eBooks From 1930’s ‘Readies’ to Today’s GPO eBook Services.” Government Book Talk, 10 Mar. 2014, govbooktalk.gpo.gov/2014/03/10/the-history-of-ebooks-from-1930s-readies-to-todays-gpo-ebook-services.

“A Short History of the Audiobook, 20 Years After the First Portable Digital Audio Device.” PBS NewsHour, 22 Nov. 2017, www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/a-short-history-of-the-audiobook-20-years-after-the-first-portable-digital-audio-device.

Peeti, Yashvi. “What Was the First Audiobook? Let’s Dig Deep to Find Out!” BOOK RIOT, 6 Nov. 2020, bookriot.com/what-was-the-first-audiobook.