front matter
The first section of a book, containing introductory and reference information.
Items that are typically part of the front matter are the title page and publication details, table of contents, dedication, epigraph and acknowledgements.
Items that may be part of either the front matter or body matter include the foreword (or introduction) and the prologue.
A colophon may be part of either the front matter or back matter.
Also see: body matter, back matter.