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This article traces the history of the relationship of papermaking and paper to libraries over time. Paper was first made in China and is traditionally considered one of that nation's four greatest inventions, along with gun powder, printing, and the compass. Papermaking was often associated with archives in its early development in China, as well as when it was introduced to Japan, where it came to be a part of some Shinto and Buddhist temples, and later governmental agencies. Under Islam, the availability of paper was linked to increased literacy and growth of libraries. In early modern Europe, before the widespread use of wood in the papermaking process, libraries and archives were part of an "economy of paper" with paper at times being in short supply. In the modern era, the world of papermaking did not intersect much with the world of the library, which made progress with the problem of brittle books, one of its greatest challenges, slow, though recent efforts of government, industry, scientists, and representatives of the library have produced positive results. The damage caused by wood-based paper in libraries was mirrored by the environmental damage caused by wood-based papermaking in communities. The history of papermaking and libraries demonstrates the importance of understanding the technologies which support the library, while also advocating effectively to the representatives of all its sources of support in ways which promote the values of the library and its associated community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of books and libraries in China, from the formation of the first dynasties until the fall of the Empire, at the beginning of the 20th century. Their status and roll were placed in the context of social, political and cultural changes, especially those which had the profound impact on their further development. The invention of paper and xylography as an initial stage in the development of printing techniques were of immense importance throughout the world at that time. Both inventions have contributed to the increase in printing and publishing production, not only within the territory of China but also in other parts of the world. In this paper, they were considered within Chinese society which was their source. Also, the paper considers different types of libraries. Special attention is given to their work in the period of stability which resulted in faster development of cultural institutions. The Imperial Library, as well as the other state libraries, was especially active during the rule of the Song dynasty. Other types of libraries developed mostly during the rule of the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In spite of the fact that Chinese libraries were not open to the public (they were more depository then rental institutions) they had strong impact, especially on groups closely related to the emperor. Exceptions were monastic libraries, since their rules obliged the monks to write and read books in the silence of the temples. The first part of the paper describes printing production which contributed to the increase in the types and number of publications in all libraries of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]