Exploring the History, Allure, and Research Impact of Tiny Books
Sponsored by Gale, part of Cengage Group
Recorded on 01/14/2026
Posted in The Authority File
Episode 455
In the second episode of this four-part series with Eleanor Leese, Acquisitions Editor for Gale Primary Sources, we turn our attention to a big topic: tiny books. A key archival format in Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) Part III, miniature books emerged in the 17th century as collectible items often in the form of almanacs, historical works, or religious pieces. In the episode, Eleanor recounts their history, exploring how their size—for example, holding the entire history of Britain in your palm—revealed their impracticality and allure as a symbol of knowledge and art piece. In addition, we chat with Eleanor about what makes tiny books “invisible” in the archives and the benefits of digitizing these small but mighty works.
Learn more about ECCO Part III and request trial access for your library.
About the guest:
Eleanor Leese
Acquisitions Editor
Gale Primary Sources
Eleanor Leese is an Acquisitions Editor for Gale Primary Sources, where she develops new archival projects that expand research access to rare and understudied historical materials. Before joining Gale, she worked as a freelance editor supporting trade and academic authors, particularly in history and narrative non-fiction. She brings a background in historical research and editorial development to her work, with a focus on identifying collections that illuminate everyday lived experience and lesser-heard voices in the historical record.
Enjoy the conversation? Listen to the rest of the series:
- Looking Back at Eighteenth Century Collections Online—and Introducing Part III
- From Texts to Objects: The Digitization Process of Tiny Books
- Talking Metadata Challenges and Surprising Discoveries in ECCO Part III
Check out our previous series with Gale:
– How Librarians Are Helping to Build the Connected, Global Scholarly Community
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