Projected Books for Disabled Veterans and Civilians after World War II

This article traces the history of “projected books,” an adaptive technology developed shortly after World War II for the use of disabled veterans and civilians who found it difficult to read print in the conventional way. The device was relatively simple: a vertical projector displaying microfilmed images of books on the ceiling for the entertainment and edification of patients confined to hospital beds. The forgotten history of projected books illustrates how the concept of “the book” came to encompass a range of forms, formats, and functions during the twentieth century in recognition of constituencies with very different capabilities. Drawing on extensive archival research among the holdings of Projected Books Inc. along with the testimonies of disabled readers themselves, this account documents the invention, reception, and legacy of the projected book in order to evaluate its significance as both a potential rival to the printed book and a precursor to today’s screen reading.