Tiitellehte

Tiitellehte is a page placed at the front of a book or document that presents the work’s bibliographic information and serves as the first formal page of the text. In Estonian practice the term tiitelleht is common, though many catalogs also use pealkirja leht (title page) to refer to the same element. The exact usage can vary by tradition and institution.

A tiitelleht typically lists the main title and any subtitle, the author or compiler, and, if relevant, editors or translators. It may also include edition statements, the place of publication, the publisher, and the year of publication. More modern works sometimes add the series title, volume number, and identifiers such as ISBN or DOI. Optional elements can include the author’s affiliation, a dedication, and a motto, depending on genre and publisher preferences.

Design and layout emphasize the title, which is usually the most prominent element, with author names beneath or beside it. In many printing traditions a separate half-title page precedes the tiitelleht, and a copyright or imprint page follows either on the verso of the tiitelleht or shortly after.

Variations exist in terminology and order across languages and publishing practices. In libraries and catalogs, the information from a tiitelleht is often captured as bibliographic metadata rather than reproduced as a visually distinct page, especially in digital editions. The concept persists in e-books, where metadata mirrors the information formerly found on the title page.

See also: Front matter, title page, half-title page, copyright page, imprint.