This is a book on holomorphic operator functions of a single variable and their - plications,whichisfocussedontherelationsbetweenlocalandglobaltheories.Itis based on methods and technics of Complex analysis of scalar and matrix functions of several variables. The applications concern: interpolation, holomorphic families of subspaces and frames, spectral theory of polynomials with operator coe?cients, holomorphic equivalence and diagonalization, and Plemelj-Muschelishvili fact- ization. The book also contains a theory of Wiener-Hopf integral equations with operator-valued kernels and a theory of in?nite Toplitz .. matrices with operator entries. We started to work on these topics long ago when one of us was a Ph.D. s- dent of the other in Kishinev (now Cisinau) University. Then our main interests were in problems of factorization of operator-valued functions and singular in- gral operators. Working in this area, we realized from the beginning that di?erent methods and tools from Complex analysis of several variables and their modi?- tions are very useful in obtaining results on factorization for matrix and operator functions. We have in mind di?erent methods and results concerning connections between local and global properties of holomorphic functions. The ?rst period was very fruitful and during it we obtained the basic results presented in this book.

This volume of the EMS contains four survey articles on analytic spaces. They are excellent introductions to each respective area. Starting from basic principles in several complex variables each article stretches out to current trends in research. Graduate students and researchers will find a useful addition in the extensive bibliography at the end of each article.