Bøger af Belgium) H.D.L. Vervliet (Antwerp University

This third volume of our Annual bibliography of the history of the printed books and libraries contains about 2800 entries and added entries, i.e. some two hundred more than the preceding volume. They have been selected and recorded by the National Committees of the following countries: Austria Ireland (Republic of) Belgium Luxembourg Bulgaria The Netherlands Denmark Norway Finland Poland France Rumania German Democratic Republic South Africa German Federal Republic Switzerland Great Britain USSR Hungary The editor deplores that despite frequent personal and epistolary contact, a number of other countries have up to now failed to join this scheme of international bibliographic collaboration. It should be obvious that their very absence has impaired the coverage of the present bibliography. To infer, however, that it should therefore not be published would imply an underestimation of the domain already covered by the collaborating National Committees. It would also indicate a rather premature pessimism and a certain lack of belief in the possibility of international collaboration. On the contrary, the collaboration of Portugal, Yugoslavia, and of the United States from the next volume onwards, would seem VIII INTRODUCTION to justify the expectation of a gradual enlargement of the geographical coverage of this pUblication. Benevolent readers are requested to signal the names of bibliographers and historians from countries not mentioned above, who would be willing to co-operate. The editor will greatly appreciate any communication on this matter.