environment, involved in its production, distribution, conservation, and description. Of course, the ideal of a complete coverage is nearly impossible to attain. However, it is the policy of this publication to include missing items as much as possible in the forthcoming volumes. The same applies to countries newly added to the bibliography. Excluded are books and articles on modern technical processes. The history of techniques not primarily connected with book production is only admitted if the publication in question has a bearing on the history of the book, e.g. engraving is only admitted in its book-illustration context. Only items of a scholarly nature are recorded. Of course, there may be good reasons for including a minor paper on a less well-known person or item; however, the Members of the Editorial Board are requested to avoid reporting a mass of ephemeral and popular literature on the great names of the profession, which adds nothing to our knowledge of the subject. Moreover the subject is limited in time. The terminus a quo is the date of birth of the printed book (Korea, Gutenberg), in the first half of the fif teenth century. Studies on manuscripts, papermaking, bookbinding, etc., prior to that date are not reported. They remain the subject for other bibliographies, such as the Bulletin codicologique, published in Scriptorium. An exception is made in favour of early blockprinting in the Far East and of palaeographical material of importance for the history of type design.