You decide to approach a smaller bookshelf, filled with blue books and paper rolls. You notice most of the books deal with subjects such as anthropology, social sciences, and culture. While the documents are stored in actual books, some appear to contain extracts from exterior sources, such as official documents, testimonies, and news articles. A small explanatory note is nailed to the bookshelf:
It is known with certainty that the Cylinder has existed for more than five thousand years. Over that long history, the world got populated with all kinds of peoples of numerous intelligent species. This encyclopedia aims at giving a relatively unbiased overview of these peoples, and cultures, as they are currently organised.
Third edition, written in 5539 by Inkwood Bluebottom. Inspiration taken from the 4701 AR edition of the Encyclopedia of men, found in a deep history gallery by Humina Woodstock in 5527 AR. Based on sociological surveys in Merinos by Cloudy Fastwalker as well as on some expeditions led by Booky Soncroucher.