shops were places where books were bound, copied, and published. These shops often rented books to students at nearby universities. The books were loaned out in sections, allowing students to study or copy them, and the only way to get the next section was to return the previous one.

In some cases, stationers' shops became the preferred choice for scholars seeking books, rather than university libraries, because they offered a wider selection. The Stationers' Company formerly held a monopoly