The volume documents the findings of many years of research on the production, acquisition, and dissemination of the Greek handwritten book (codex) from the 12th to the 20th century in the Greek territory (Crete, Southern Ionian, Epirus, Kastoria). The six studies contribute to the research and study of medieval Greek education and its survival through the post-Byzantine and modern periods.

The first study traces the presence and work of a dozen refugee and migrant scribes in Venetian-ruled Crete from the 14th to the 16th century. Related to the Southern Ionian area are the topics of the next two studies: the history of the bibliographical workshop of the little-known Monastery of Strophades and St. Dionysius of Zakynthos (15th–18th centuries) and the book-loving activities of the almost unknown abbot of the Monastery of Saint George Kremnos in Zakynthos, Hierotheos Mousouras (first half of the 17th century).

The fourth study investigates the origin of the codices acquired in the mid-19th century by the little-known Ioannina antiquarian Konstantinos Tsimouris, while the fifth defines the criteria to be used for compiling a catalog of medieval continental codices, based on findings from recent research, the publication of which responds to a mature scientific desideratum.

Finally, an outline is attempted of the history of research on the manuscripts of the Kastoria libraries in the 20th century and a first presentation of the ancient Byzantine codices preserved in Kastoria.

O Dimitrios S. Georgakopoulos is an associate professor of Byzantine and post-Byzantine philology at the Department of Philology of the University of Ioannina.