The World of Printing and the Importance of Reading

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My Systems Of Knowledge Project entitled, ‘The World of Printing and the Importance of Reading’ ponders round the timeline of printing - how this industry began and how it developed throughout the years to become what it is now. In order to gain such information, I went to Velprint, a printing press which is established in Zabbar. One of my aims was to see the printing process of some materials, some of which were books and leaflets. Furthermore, I came across the idea of a technological breakthrough; a quantum leap which made huge repercussion in this industry. Conjointly, I inquired into the concept of reading. Reading is considered as an important tool, since it exercises our brains, improves our concentration, further develops our imagination, so to evoke the author’s vision, along with a sense of empathy. Moreover it is considered as a vital skill that can help find a well-paying job, considering that all jobs require reading as part of employment performance. Without any doubts, technological progress connected with reading has made the printing industry take a step back. To further investigate this idea, I went to my local library in Zabbar, where I interviewed the librarian. The main point of this interview was to see why people nowadays make less use of library than before. Additionally, I gave out a questionnaire to several people of different age groups, so to see what their opinion about this matter is. The answer derived was that people find it more comfortable and less time consuming to download books rather than going out and but them. Ergo the main aim of my project was to see how progress along with the avant-garde methods have effected the concept of reading and the printing press industry.

Unequivocally, science and technology affected several areas in the printing industry. One of the most noticable changes is that in the guillotine. The one used before was similar to the one operated in the French Revolution, infact when this machinery is mentioned many depict the images of bloody executions. Incontestably this is not the case. The old paper-cutting guillotine has a long, curved steel blade, often referred to as a knife, attached to the base at one corner. Larger versions have a strong compression coil spring as part of the attachment mechanism that pulls the knife against the stationary edge as the knife is drawn down to cut the paper.

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