It?s a modest, cramped space for a literary press with such a storied history, associated with such names as Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje. Coach House Books is giving book-lovers a Magical Mystery Tour of one of its two small Annex buildings ? the one with the printing operations.

?The books we publish range from poetry to architecture,? says Rick Simon, Coach House?s designer. ?We print 15 or 16 books a year here; we?re one of three publishers in Canada that do their own printing.?

Visitors can see all of the offices? past and present printing equipment, including: a 1917 Linotype machine that the press used until 1975; two 1965 Heidelberg presses still in operation; and folding, binding and cutting machines. ?There?s a Gordon Press that?s a hundred years old,? Simon adds.

There?s also a bookstore on the top floor, featuring Coach House publications by Christian B?k, Angela Rawlings, Jason McBride and other acclaimed authors. And a short poem by bpNichol is engraved on the back lane behind the buildings.

One of the press? current titles — Jeramy Dodd?s Crabwise to the Hounds - is nominated for this year?s Griffin Poetry Prize. Among Coach House?s latest offerings is My Winnipeg, featuring Guy Maddin?s notes on his acclaimed film.