...It is ironical that our current problems, arising from an influx of technical resources, are not, as might reasonably be expected, offset by technical advances in the process of reproducing the written word. True, photolithography has been a great help, but this and related techniques have failed to bridge the all too familiar gap between income and expenditure. New and radical methods are, of course, available, but the adoption of any of them, be they microfiches, 'floppy discs' or videotapes, imply a change of attitude so fundamental that we can only contemplate it with extreme caution at the present time. We note, for example, that the sound recording industry has been stimulated, rather than exterminated by the advent of radio and television, while libraries have never been so popular. So, while making every effort to control costs, we shall continue our self-appointed task of acting as the principal medium for the propagation ofthe history of Essex. We appeal especially for authors capable and willing to master and distil the varied elements of our county's story without sacrifice of proportion or truth, while we shall continue to provide a place where individual studies can be properly presented.
