This seventeenth volume of ABHB (Annual bibliography of the history of the printed book and libraries) contains 4239 records, selected from some 2000 periodicals, the list of which follows this introduction. They have
been compiled by the National Committees of the following countries: Arab countries Latin America Luxembourg Australia Austria The Netherlands Norway Belgium Bulgaria Poland Portugal Canada Denmark Rumania South Africa Finland
France Spain German Democratic Republic Sweden German Federal Republic Switzerland Great Britain Turkey Hungary USA Iran USSR Ireland (Republic of) Yugoslavia Italy Latin America, the Arab and Near-Eastern countries are being
covered through the good offices of American colleagues. Benevolent readers are requested to signal the names of bibliographers and historians from countries not mentioned above, who would be willing of international
bibliographic collaboration. to co-operate to this scheme The editor will greatly appreciate any communication on this 11" tt.er. Subject As has been said in the introduction to the previous volumes, this bibliography aims at
recording all books and articles of scholarly value which relate to the history of the printed book, to the history of the arts, crafts, techniques and equipment, and of the economic, social and cultural VIII INTRODUCTION
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.