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The Melbourne expert who has spent a lifetime uncovering ‘the archaeology of the printed book’
Prof Wallace Kirsop, 92, is one of Australia’s foremost experts in rare books – not just their contents but their makers, buyers and readers, and the stories they tell beyond the page
TL;DR
- Professor Wallace Kirsop, 92, is a leading expert in bibliography, studying books as historical artifacts.
- He co-founded the Bibliographical Society of Australia and New Zealand and was instrumental in establishing rare book studies in Australia.
- Kirsop criticizes the decline of bibliography education and the trend of libraries prioritizing digital media over physical collections.
- He emphasizes the continued relevance of printed books, arguing they are more enduring than digital formats.
- Kirsop has donated a significant collection of rare books to the State Library Victoria, where a collection is named after him.