The Amsterdam ring of canals is a much beloved location for Dutch book
publishers. An exposition of the meaning of this urban environment for
publishers adds to the existing knowledge on book publishers and their
business locations. It also contributes to our understanding of the role
of urban place in cultural production by looking at cultural production
from a relatively unexplored angle - that of the cultural intermediary -
and by conceptualizing place as a dynamic concept.
Publishers function as cultural intermediaries by bringing together the
creation of cultural value and the selling of cultural products. An
exploration of the meaning of urban place for cultural intermediaries in
building reputation and trust in their personal networks with authors,
booksellers, colleagues and the press, shows that place is more than
geographical proximity and is not a static condition for knowledge
spill-overs: it is a process, one that is interdependent on social
networks.