Importance

Many books have had important impacts in the past and present. They influence what we know, how we think, how we continue to think in the future, or even our perception of the past. With that in mind, books that are historically significant are considered rare and must be treated with extra care.

When considering the importance or significance of a book, here are some factors to consider:

• Has the book had a measurable impact on human knowledge?
  
  
• Is the book a seminal work? [sem•i•nal: (of a work, event, moment, or figure)]
  
  
• Is the book a first edition? How to determine whether it is a first edition?
  
  • Compare the date on the title page with the copyright date; if the dates are the same, there is a good chance that the book is the first edition.
    
    
• Does the book have any local importance?
  
  
• Would it be difficult to replace the book?