David Pearson

David Pearson is a SAS Distinguished Senior Fellow and tutor for the History of the Book MA Course at the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London. He retired from a long career in libraries and archives in 2017 and now focuses on book history, running the freely accessible Book Owners Online database.

His research centers on book provenance, ownership patterns, and binding techniques from 1450-1800, with significant contributions to understanding Stuart England's book culture and material bibliography. He examines how books functioned socially and physically across historical contexts, emphasizing hands-on analysis of physical artifacts.

Recent publications like Cambridge Bookbinding 1450-1770 (2023) and Book Ownership in Stuart England (2021) reveal his dual focus on technical book production and socio-historical reading practices, establishing him as a leading authority in material book history.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Past Presidency of the Bibliographical Society
• Lyell Reader in Bibliography at Oxford University (2018)
• Sandars Reader in Bibliography at Cambridge University (2023)

As an educator, he teaches the History of the Book MA program and conducts workshops at Rare Books Schools globally, while Book Owners Online serves as a critical open-access resource for international provenance research, demonstrating his commitment to practical scholarly infrastructure.