History of the Book in Canada/Histoire du livre et de l'imprimé au Canada

Developed by a team of historians, literary scholars, librarians, and information specialists, History of the Book in Canada/Histoire du livre et de l'imprimé au Canada defines Canada's place within the international network of book history studies.1 These volumes are the product of a multidisciplinary project to publish six volumes (three in English, three in French) in conjunction with the University of Toronto Press and Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal and to develop five databases of electronic resources chronicling the history of print culture in Canada.2 Through this project the goal of Canadian book historians was to become part of the international network of scholars involved in "writing national histories of the book to define a field of study, to set goals for further investigation, and to provide foundations for international exchange." Crucial to creating a sense of identity during the post-World War II period was the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, whose report of 1951 led to the establishment of influential cultural institutions such as the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Library of Canada, and the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec.