FutureBooks:
Archaeology of Printed Knowledge
& Written Cultural Heritage
for a Sustainable Future
Abstract
- FutureBooks explores the cultural, cognitive, and material dimensions of printed knowledge from the perspective of “archaeology” — not as the excavation of objects, but as the uncovering of ways of thinking, communicating, and preserving cultural memory.
- It connects Foucault’s Archaeology of Knowledge (1972) with Book History and Print Culture Studies, proposing a sustainable approach to reading print as a knowledge ecosystem.
- The project includes educational workshops and activities for students and educators, promoting active reading, creative documentation, and the digital revitalization of written cultural heritage. In this way, printed knowledge is transformed from a “static object” into a tool for cultivating cultural sustainability.
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Objectives
- To map the history and material practices of printed knowledge, emphasizing sustainability and intergenerational transmission of cultural memory.
- To develop an interdisciplinary theoretical framework linking the archaeology of knowledge with contemporary book, communication, and cultural sustainability studies.
- To create an educational package, FutureBooks Labs, for schools, libraries, and cultural centers.
- To enhance critical literacy and the aesthetic understanding of written cultural heritage as a form of sustainable education.
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Philosophy
Michel Foucault’s The Archaeology of Knowledge, at the end of the 20th century, marked a radical shift: it analyzes the discourses, institutions, and mechanisms that govern how knowledge is produced and circulated. At the same time, Marshall McLuhan, in Media: The Extensions of Man, highlights media not merely as message carriers, but as forms of meaning shaping human culture.
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Humanity faced new methodologies to understand knowledge and discourse — a challenge that in today’s digital era has become even more complex. The Internet and new communication forms disrupt traditional modes of writing, reading, and comprehension, requiring continuous re-education and reflection.
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Concepts such as critical thinking, critical literacy, metacognition, and cultural reframing are now essential tools, though not easily integrated into education.
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Within this context, books and printed material acquire a renewed role, existing between decay and regeneration. FutureBooks focuses precisely on this space, recovering old books and printed artifacts of our literary culture that often fall into obscurity or recycling.
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By asking why once-valuable knowledge objects now seem useless — and whether they might regain value — we may discover not only the future of the book, but also the present of our knowledge.
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Methodology
- Material and archival analysis: study of selected books, school textbooks, journals, and local publications.
- Bibliographic and theoretical mapping of print culture.
- Digital documentation: photography, metadata creation, and narrative development.
- Pilot educational workshops in schools, libraries, and museums.
- Co-creation of micro-exhibitions (physical or digital) involving students and educators.
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FutureBooks Labs
Under Development
Results
Under Development
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Knowledge Base
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The Archaeology of Knowledge
Michel Foucault’s The Archaeology of Knowledge, at the end of the 20th century, marked a radical shift in thought: it analyzes the discourses, institutions, and mechanisms that govern how knowledge is produced and circulated. At the same time, Marshall McLuhan, in Media: The Extensions of Man, highlights media not merely as carriers of messages, but as forms of meaning that actively shape human culture.
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Humanity was then confronted with new methodologies for understanding knowledge and discourse — a challenge that, in today’s digital era, has become even more complex. The Internet and emerging forms of communication disrupt traditional modes of writing, reading, and comprehension, demanding continuous re-education and reflection.
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Concepts such as critical thinking, critical literacy, metacognition, and cultural reframing have become essential tools, though they are not easily integrated organically into education.
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Within this transitional space, books and printed material acquire a renewed role, existing between decay and regeneration. The FutureBooks project focuses precisely on this area — the archaeology of printed knowledge — by recovering old books and artifacts of our written culture that often fall into obscurity or recycling.
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By questioning why once-valuable objects of knowledge now seem obsolete — and whether they might regain value — we may discover not only the future of the book, but also the present of our knowledge itself.
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Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man is a foundational text in media theory that reshaped how we think about communication, technology, and culture. McLuhan argues that media are not merely neutral channels for conveying information; they are extensions of human senses and faculties, fundamentally transforming the way we perceive, think, and interact with the world. Each medium, whether print, radio, television, or later digital media, restructures human experience and social organization, often more profoundly than the content it carries.
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One of McLuhan’s central insights is the distinction between “hot” and “cool” media, referring to the level of audience participation required. Hot media, like print or film, provide abundant information and demand less engagement, while cool media, like television, require active interpretation. This framework helps us understand how different forms of communication shape cognition, social behavior, and cultural dynamics.
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McLuhan’s work is particularly valuable in understanding contemporary culture, where digital and social media continuously reshape attention, memory, and interpersonal relationships. His perspective encourages critical awareness of how technological forms influence society, highlighting the interplay between medium, message, and human perception. By examining media as active agents of change, McLuhan provides tools to analyze cultural evolution, anticipate social consequences, and foster media literacy in an increasingly complex world.
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The Museum Value of a Book’s Content
A book, beyond its functional role as a medium for knowledge transmission, possesses significant museum value, serving as a testament to the culture, thought, and aesthetics of its era. Every edition, page, and typographical feature conveys information about the social, technological, and cultural conditions in which it was created. Books are not merely repositories of knowledge; they are monuments of written heritage, reflecting the evolution of ideas, language, and communication.
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Museum-based reading of a book goes beyond its material form, encompassing its content, narrative, and the ideas it embodies. In this perspective, a book becomes a carrier of historical, educational, and aesthetic significance, and its preservation in museums or special collections allows scholars and the public to study the social and cultural mindsets of the past.
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Including books in museum contexts enables audiences to recognize the importance of the printed word not only as a tool for knowledge, but as a living part of cultural memory. This approach also provides opportunities for critical thinking, reflection, and inspiration for the future of written culture. By engaging with books as museum objects, we appreciate both their tangible and intangible dimensions, understanding how the artifacts of print continue to shape intellectual, cultural, and aesthetic discourse across generations.