To begin the work it was necessary to peg out the overall territory the subject matter sits within. This includes the history and contemporary place of print as it applies to industry and culture; and, because the research stems from a fine arts institution, establish its place and linkages to art and design practice (and vice versa). We have a working document to this effect outlining the history of print culture as it relates to society and to the sub-category of art and design. It is intended as a set of notes to help establish positions, rather than an endeavour to interpret, evaluate or appraise the information – although it may be of assistance in the future in such cases. It is an attempt to condense and sequence some of the information of this formidable topic for the purposes of providing a context for a rudimentary exploration of local histories at an intersection with print culture in New Zealand.