Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966
In the mid-1950s, the Gothenburg-based photographer Andrej Gavrjusjov constructed a microfilm reading device called Biblioscope, intended for hospital patients with physical impairments. Throughout the following years, reading devices and microfilmed books were distributed to hospital libraries acro...
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| Language: | English |
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Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Tijdschrift voor Mediageschiedenis |
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| Online Access: | https://account.tmgonline.nl/index.php/up-j-tmgjmh/article/view/890 |
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| _version_ | 1841556139988221952 |
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| author | Erik Florin Persson |
| author_facet | Erik Florin Persson |
| author_sort | Erik Florin Persson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the mid-1950s, the Gothenburg-based photographer Andrej Gavrjusjov constructed a microfilm reading device called Biblioscope, intended for hospital patients with physical impairments. Throughout the following years, reading devices and microfilmed books were distributed to hospital libraries across Sweden, but in the mid-1960s, the Biblioscope was taken out of distribution. By analysing this now largely forgotten technology, the article makes several contributions to the field of disability media studies. With a focus on material and economic factors, and intermedial relations, the article analyses the construction and institutionalisation of the Biblioscope. Although the Biblioscope was mainly aimed at hospital patients with physical impairments, the article highlights speculations about its future potential for a wider set of users, anticipating today’s reading of digital books on portable screens. In conclusion, the analysis shows how media technologies, which today seem self-evident, often have forerunners that were developed for individuals with disabilities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-194bd33076ac4f0e99a8b0cf0d674c9e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2213-7653 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tijdschrift voor Mediageschiedenis |
| spelling | doaj-art-194bd33076ac4f0e99a8b0cf0d674c9e2025-01-07T13:20:33ZengNetherlands Institute for Sound and VisionTijdschrift voor Mediageschiedenis2213-76532024-12-0127212310.18146/tmg.890751Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966Erik Florin Persson0Linnaeus UniversityIn the mid-1950s, the Gothenburg-based photographer Andrej Gavrjusjov constructed a microfilm reading device called Biblioscope, intended for hospital patients with physical impairments. Throughout the following years, reading devices and microfilmed books were distributed to hospital libraries across Sweden, but in the mid-1960s, the Biblioscope was taken out of distribution. By analysing this now largely forgotten technology, the article makes several contributions to the field of disability media studies. With a focus on material and economic factors, and intermedial relations, the article analyses the construction and institutionalisation of the Biblioscope. Although the Biblioscope was mainly aimed at hospital patients with physical impairments, the article highlights speculations about its future potential for a wider set of users, anticipating today’s reading of digital books on portable screens. In conclusion, the analysis shows how media technologies, which today seem self-evident, often have forerunners that were developed for individuals with disabilities.https://account.tmgonline.nl/index.php/up-j-tmgjmh/article/view/890reading devicebiblioscopehospital librariesdisability media historymicrofilm |
| spellingShingle | Erik Florin Persson Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 Tijdschrift voor Mediageschiedenis reading device biblioscope hospital libraries disability media history microfilm |
| title | Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 |
| title_full | Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 |
| title_fullStr | Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 |
| title_short | Biblioscope and the Variety of Disability Media: The Construction and Institutionalisation of a Swedish Reading Device for People with Physical Impairments, 1954–1966 |
| title_sort | biblioscope and the variety of disability media the construction and institutionalisation of a swedish reading device for people with physical impairments 1954 ndash 1966 |
| topic | reading device biblioscope hospital libraries disability media history microfilm |
| url | https://account.tmgonline.nl/index.php/up-j-tmgjmh/article/view/890 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT erikflorinpersson biblioscopeandthevarietyofdisabilitymediatheconstructionandinstitutionalisationofaswedishreadingdeviceforpeoplewithphysicalimpairments1954ndash1966 |