Teaching book history as the story of its development as an artifact is undoubtedly important. However, placing that history more prominently within the social contexts of reading and libraries seems crucial to one's understanding of book history, since books are both the continuing means of social practices (such as reading), and since they comprise larger social institutions (such as libraries) intrinsic to such practices. In the course of this essay, the author will examine how studying the history of the book within these contextual frameworks allows one to gain a greater understanding of the book not only as an artifact, but also as a form of technology that continues to evolve and to influence both the social practice of reading and the social institution of the library. This approach to book history pedagogy also reveals the ways in which the book's social histories inform its present status and its importance for the future.