Gutenberg Bible Makes Online DebutOne content revolution has finally met another, as the University of Texas' Ransom Center has launched the first online access to images of the 15th century Gutenberg Bible, the first widely distributed printed book in Western history.
The online version provides full-page images that allow fairly careful examination of both the printed text and the many illustrations and illuminations that were drawn into its pages over the years.
The Daily Texan reports that the book, valued at somewhere between USD $10 and $20 million, has been used by only one researcher in the past twelve years due to the high levels of security required to control access. Online access has allowed the book to escape art object status and return to its original purpose - making valuable content available to the people who value it most in a widely accessible venue. Even precious content becomes worthless as content without meaningful access.
