This volume investigates the foundational origins and early institutional development of the Oxford University Press from its inception through the year 1780. Harry Graham Carter, a noted authority on typography and printing history, utilizes extensive archival records and primary source documentation to reconstruct the press's evolution. The work argues that the institution's growth was inextricably linked to the broader academic and political climate of the University of Oxford during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Scholars and historians of the book frequently cite this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the institutional history of academic printing. Readers often note the high level of technical detail regarding printing practices, making it a standard text for those interested in the history of the press.