Details of the Scottish Year of the Printed Word were announced on Tuesday at the National Library of Scotland.

Patrick Mark, chairman of the Scottish Printing Archival Trust, and Jim Raeburn, director of the Scottish Print Employers Federation, have been developing events for the quincentenary since 2003.

"Our aim is to facilitate the celebration of the anniversary, and we cant do that by ourselves," said Mark. "We want to encourage people around the country to recognise the opportunity it represents."

A website launched this week, http://www.500yearsofprinting.org/, will outline the projects aims, as well as contacts, and what it is hoped will be an expanding list of exhibitions.

"Weve been talking to lots of organisations, academics and local museums," Mark said. "The response has been very enthusiastic, but we welcome more support from companies wishing to get involved in the festivities."

The National Library has already started work on a website that will feature digital copies of the earliest books printed in Scotland.

Events Planned
- 4 April 2008 event marking the first printed book
- Summer exhibition at National Library of Scotland illustrating Scottish printing over 500 years
- Exhibitions and events in libraries and museums
- An Edinburgh printing trail relating to printing
- Open days by Scottish printing companies