The Printers’ Devices database of the University of Barcelona. A resource for the study of printers' devices

Abstract

The paper is divided into four main parts. The first one explains the context of the Printers’ Devices database, that is the Rare Book and Manuscripts CRAI Library of the University of Barcelona. The second part has an explanation of the database, its structure and its main drawback. The third section shows some results of the use of printers’ devices in books from the 16th to the 18th centuries obtained from the catalogue of the University of Barcelona. The study covers the main European and Spanish cities and their evolution throughout these centuries. The last section lists different potential studies regarding printers’ devices.