The outermost sheet of a stack of overlapping sheets in a magazine is partially separated from the neighboring sheet of the stack by the peripheral projection of a singularizing roller which is adjacent to the rear edge face of the outermost sheet. The projection engages and moves the rear edge face forwardly while the outermost sheet is biased against an abutment in the region of its front edge face. The bias upon the outermost sheet is relaxed or terminated when the rear portion of the outermost sheet is flexed away from the neighboring sheet so that the outermost sheet can be withdrawn from the magazine, either forwardly or rearwardly, by advancing rolls which are installed in close proximity of the singularizing roller, in the interior of the roller, or close to the front edge face of the outermost sheet of the stack. The bias upon the outermost sheet is terminated in automatic response to rotation of the singularizing roller through an angle which suffices to insure separation of the rear portion of such outermost sheet from the neighboring sheet. If the stack is held in upright position, the outermost sheet can be allowed to leave the magazine by gravity by descending through a slot in the singularizing roller. If the slot constitutes a pocket, the singularizing roller can be used to reorient successive outermost sheets and to deposit the reoriented sheets onto a belt conveyor.