As soon as man began to record information, he faced two questions: how to find material that was durable enough to preserve his message, and how to find material that was easy to handle, could be drawn on quickly and could be carried with ease. Stone seemed to be the least perishable substance, but while it was ideal for monuments in honor of gods or rulers, it certainly was not practical for business transactions or scholarly pursuits. Thus, from the beginning of writing to our day, those who have been concerned with communication - publishers, librarians and all who write or use books - have been concerned with these two issues: durability and mobility
