diff --git a/collects/scribble/html-render.ss b/collects/scribble/html-render.ss
index b2362a04..e2103098 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/html-render.ss
+++ b/collects/scribble/html-render.ss
@@ -202,11 +202,11 @@
                   (itemization-flows t)))))
 
       (define/override (render-other i part ht)
-        (list (cond
-               [(string? i) i]
-               [(eq? i 'mdash) `(span " " ndash " ")]
-               [(symbol? i) i]
-               [else (format "~s" i)])))
+        (cond
+         [(string? i) (list i)]
+         [(eq? i 'mdash) `(" " ndash " ")]
+         [(symbol? i) (list i)]
+         [else (list (format "~s" i))]))
       
       ;; ----------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/collects/scribble/scheme.ss b/collects/scribble/scheme.ss
index 847ca7cf..453a1964 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/scheme.ss
+++ b/collects/scribble/scheme.ss
@@ -123,6 +123,16 @@
                                                       c)
                                 (loop (cdr l)
                                       (cons (car l) prev))))]))))))
+      (define (literalize-spaces i)
+        (let ([m (regexp-match-positions #rx"  +" i)])
+          (if m
+              (make-element
+               #f
+               (list (literalize-spaces (substring i 0 (caar m)))
+                     (make-element 'hspace
+                                   (list (substring i (caar m) (cdar m))))
+                     (literalize-spaces (substring i (cdar m)))))
+              i)))
       (define (loop init-line! quote-depth)
         (lambda (c)
           (cond
@@ -258,7 +268,7 @@
                                   [vd
                                    (make-link-element "schemevaluelink" (list s) vtag)]
                                   [else s])))))
-                           s)
+                           (literalize-spaces s))
                        (cond
                         [(positive? quote-depth) value-color]
                         [(or (number? (syntax-e c))
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/reader.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/reader.scrbl
index da0bab39..2221a917 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/reader.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/reader.scrbl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 @title[#:tag "reader"]{Scribble Reader}
 
-The Scribble @|at|-reader is designed to be a convenient facility for
+The  Scribble @|at|-reader is designed to be a convenient facility for
 using free-form text in Scheme code, where ``@at'' is chosen as one of
 the least-used characters in Scheme code.
 
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ have special meanings, but only in a few contexts.  As described
 above, the text turns to a sequence of string arguments for the
 resulting form.  Spaces at the beginning of lines are discarded (but
 see the information about indentation below), and newlines turn to
-individual @scheme["\n"] strings.  (Spcaces are preserved on a
+individual @scheme["\n"] strings.  (Spaces are preserved on a
 single-line text.)  As part of trying to do the ``right thing,'' an
 empty line at the beginning and at the end are discarded, so:
 
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/struct.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/struct.scrbl
index 4a22cb21..5f209b9a 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/struct.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/struct.scrbl
@@ -45,7 +45,14 @@ A single document is reprsented as a @defterm{part}:
                    @itemize{
 
                    @item{A string element is included in the result
-                         document verbatim.}
+                         document verbatim, except for space, and
+                         unless the element's style is
+                         @scheme['hspace]. In a style other than
+                         @scheme['hspace], consecutive spaces in the
+                         output may be collapsed togther or replaced
+                         with a line break. In the style
+                         @scheme['hspace], all text is converted to
+                         uncollapsable spaces.}
 
                    @item{A symbol element is either @scheme['mdash],
                          @scheme['ndash], @scheme['ldquo],