1996

AP-96-4 -- Information Science, Archives, Libraries, Museums


96-4-408

World Directory of National Parliamentary Libraries: Including Multi-National Parliamentary Libraries = Répertoire mondial des bibliothèques parlementaires nationales. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Comp. and ed. by Ernst Kohl. Bonn: Deutscher Bundestag, Wissenschaftliche Dienste. 21 cm. ISSN 1012-7690. (Deutscher Bundestag, Verwaltungsbibliothek, Görresstr. 15, D-53113 Bonn)

6th ed. 1995 (1996). 2 vols. xxii, 693 p. ISBN 3-89372-014-6: DM 49.80

Ernst Kohl produced this newest edition of the World Directory of National Parliamentary Libraries just in time for the IFLA Conference in Beijing, 25-31 August 1996. It lists 258 parliaments and 181 libraries in 191 countries; a new feature is the inclusion of e-mail addresses. Also, for the first time the questionnaire was mailed in Arabic in addition to the official IFLA languages. The arrangement of the entries (basic information about the parliaments, data on libraries, a select bibliography of literature by and about the libraries, and parliamentary imprints) has not departed from that of earlier editions, such as the 4th edition which appeared in 1992. The indexing is identical to that of its sister publication, World Directory of Parliamentary Libraries of Federated States and Autonomous Territories--cf. IFB 94-2-203. In a review found elsewhere in this issue (see RREO 96-4-507), a comparison is drawn between Kohl's latest directory and a similar publication, Parliaments, A World Directory, and Kohl's work comes out on top in many regards. [sah/tk]

96-4-409

Legal Deposit of Non-Print Material: An International Overview, September-October 1995. Peter Hoare. Boston Spa: British Library Research and Development Department, 1996. v, 179 p. 30 cm. (British Library R&D report, 6245). £17.00, £6.00 (microfiche). (British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, fax 44 1937 546286)

In 1993, the British Library created a working group which was to prepare suggestions for the inclusion of non-print media in depository commitments within the framework of the Copyright Act of 1911. At the end of 1995, relevant information as contained in the non-print depository policies of several countries was gathered for ideas to inform these suggestions, specifically Australia, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and the United States. The results are summarized in this report, in which the policies of each country are presented in an English-language summary, which is subsequently illustrated by extensive texts, some in English and some in the original language. The summary table on page 9 reveals the great differences in the practices of the various countries. These differences are especially striking in the case of networked and digitized publications and the approach to problems in archiving which these publications present. [sh/tk]

96-4-410

Cogito-Verzeichnis der Informationsvermittlungsstellen in Deutschland [Cogito Directory of Information Brokers in Germany]. Darmstadt: Hoppenstedt. 30 cm.

1996. 39 p. DM 50.00

Cogito-Verzeichnis . . . is the fourth title of this work by Hoppenstedt. Although the third edition (1994), then called Handbuch der Informationswirtschaft, had been expanded to include information centers collecting data on firms, products, and services, this fourth edition has been reduced in scope to include only "public and commercial" information services which offer online reference service in databases. The CD-ROM version announced as imminent in the third edition has not yet been produced. Many of the shortcomings and defects of the third edition pointed out in IFB 94-3/4-384, such as the lack of uniformity in the main entries, have been corrected in this fourth edition, which includes 499 reference services and centers. A subject index with 146 topics is included, as well as a geographic index. The reduction in size of this edition is an improvement over the third edition, but the arbitrary selection of entries, a result of overreliance on questionnaires for information gathering (criticized in the earlier IFB review), continues to mar this new edtion. [sah/tk]

96-4-411

Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland [Special Libraries in Germany]. Ed. Petra Hauke with Gisela Bartz. Bad Honnef: Bock and Herchen. 25 cm.

Vol. 1. Medizin: Verzeichnis medizinischer Fachbibliotheken und Bibliotheken mit wichtigen Beständen der Human- und Veterinärmedizin und ihrer Grenzgebiete in Institutionen der Forschung und Lehre, in Behörden, Krankenhäusern und Firmen [Medicine: Listing of Medical Libraries and Libraries with Significant Collections in the Areas of Human and Veterinary Medicine as well as Their Neighboring Disciplines in Institutions of Research and Higher Education, in Government Agencies, Hospitals, and Corporations]. In collaboration with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Medizinisches Bibliothekswesen. 1996. x, 188 p. ISBN 3-88347-185-2: DM 56.00

Vol. 2. Kunst, Kultur, Museen: Verzeichnis der Bibliotheken in Museen, in Stätten der Forschung und Lehre, in Behörden und Dokumentationseinrichtungen der Bildenden und Darstellenden Künste sowie der Kultur [Art, Culture, Museums: Directory of Libraries in Museums, in Research and Educational Institutions, in Government Agencies and Documentation Centers of the Fine Arts, Performing Arts, and Culture]. With suppl.: Deutsche und deutschsprachige Bibliotheken im Ausland [German and German-language Libraries Abroad]. In collaboration with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Kunst- und Museumsbibliotheken. 1996. xii, 229 p. ISBN 3-88347-189-5: DM 56.00 [96-4-411]

Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland marks the appearance in 1996 of a new series of directories for special libraries in Germany. The directories are arranged in alphabetical order by location and each entry includes the following data: name of the institution, library code, address (including email and internet addresses), information about circulation, cataloging, staff, and special collections as well as publications by and about the institution in question. An attempt has been made by the editors to include listings for "one-person libraries." Most of the libraries listed in these volumes have non-circulating collections, and in many cases are for in-house users only. Both the comprehensive indexes and the introductory essays indicate that the primary audiences for these volumes are generally the same as those targeted for inclusion in the series, and are of only minimal interest to other libraries. [sah/erh]

96-4-412

Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände in Deutschland [Handbook of Historical Book Collections in Germany]. Ed. Bernhard Fabian with Karen Kloth. Hildesheim [et al.] Olms-Weidmann. 30 cm

Vol. 10. Bayern: München. Ed. Eberhard Dünninger. Rev. Irmela Holtmeier. With the collaboration of Birgit Schaefer. Index by Karen Kloth. 1996. 380 p. ISBN 3-487-09584-X: DM 198.00, DM 148.00 (in the set)

Vol. 16. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rev. Gerhard Heitz. Brandenburg. Rev. Ina-Maria Treuter. Index by Karen Kloth. Ed. Friedhilde Krause. 1996. 465 p. ISBN 3-487-09590-4: DM 198.00, DM 148.00 (in the set)

Recent progress on this handbook of historical book collections in Germany was last reported in RREO 96-1-012. Volume 10 deals only with Munich and includes a separate index which will later become part of the comprehensive index for the four volumes on Bavaria. Given the particularly large number of special historic collections in Munich, the editors have wisely chosen to devote a separate volume to Munich libraries. Not surprisingly, a large part of this volume is devoted to the holdings of the Bavarian State Library and includes listings of catalogs published in both print and electronic formats. The historic collections of the University Library (and of 28 affiliated institutes) are described as are the holdings of 76 further smaller libraries in the city.

While volumes 14 and 15 cataloged historical collections in Berlin, volume 16 is the first of the series to describe the holdings of one of the new German states, formerly part of the German Democratic Republic. Introductory essays explain why small private libraries have not been included: these did not survive the process of collectivization after 1945. In many cases, the current location of former private libraries cannot be determined, and one cannot discount that some of these holdings are still to be found in Russia. The major part of this catalog is devoted to the holdings of the University libraries of Greifswald and Rostock; smaller libraries in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have only modest holdings of historic materials. Further volumes in this excellent series are eagerly anticipated. Plans are also being made for a series on historical book collections in Europe. [sh/erh]

96-4-413

Wolfenbütteler Bibliographie zur Geschichte des Buchwesens im deutschen Sprachgebiet 1840-1980 (WBB) [Wolfenbüttel Bibliography of the History of the Book in the German-Speaking Countries, 1840-1980]. Ed. Erdmann Weyrauch and Cornelia Fricke. Herzog-August-Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel. München [et al.]: Saur. 30 cm. ISBN 3-598-30323-8 : DM 1480.00 (complete set)

Vol. 5. Bibliothekswesen [Libraries] Pt. 1: 63888-79006. 1996. xxii, 487 p. ISBN 3-598-30328-9: DM 316.00

Vol. 6. Bibliothekswesen [Libraries] Pt. 2: 79007-94236. 1996. xvi, 473 . ISBN 3-598-30329-7: DM 316.00 [96-4-413]

Volumes 1-4 of this ambitious bibliographic series were reviewed in IFB 94-3/4-416; volumes 5 and 6 include about 30,000 entries for the field of library science in the German-speaking countries, although the number of actual titles cited is less, due to cross references and duplication. Previous reviews of this series have questioned and criticized the lack of explanations for selection criteria; these questions have still not been addressed in volumes 5 and 6. It is unfortunate that the editors have chosen to include the histories of medieval libraries, but not the histories of manuscripts and their cataloging. This 2-volume section is divided into the following categories: librarians, epochs, regions, library types, administration, and use. It is not always clear why certain titles appear in the various categories; organization and presentation of this monumental project remain unconvincing. [sh/erh]

96-4-414

Dokumentationsdienst Bibliothekswesen [Library Science Document Service] [Database]: DOBI. Hrsg.: Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut, Berlin, Die Deutsche Bibliothek, Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig. Diskette ed. with FREITEXT retrieval program. Berlin: Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut.

Cumulation 1993-1996, 1/2. 5 diskettes - User's manual. DM 100.00 (per annum, 4 issues)

This review focuses primarily on the capabilities of the disk version of DOBI, and does not repeat the many criticisms and suggestions for improvement of DOBI (see RREO 95-2-191) that have apparently not been incorporated into this release.

The disk version of DOBI includes some 10,400 titles and 1400 cross references on 5 diskettes, cumulating titles published in DOBI from 1993 to 1996,2, and requires approximately 18 MB of hard disk space. Quarterly updates to the electronic version as well as the print version are planned (each with about 800 additional titles requiring 1.5 MB of disk space).

The accompanying 76-page documentation provides all the relevant installation information, as well as search strategies, a list of indexed periodicals, list of abbreviations used, and stop-words. Searching the database with the FREITEXT retrieval software proves user-friendly and allows for both free-text searching over a number of fields and field-specific searches. Results can be displayed, printed, or downloaded in two formats. Users can modify the order in which search results are displayed. In contrast to Zeitschriftendienst on CD-ROM, users can "page backwards" while searching DOBI.

As a CD-ROM version of DOBI is in the works, one wonders why both a disk and CD-ROM version have been planned. However, the greater cost of the CD-ROM version (double that of the disk version), makes the inconveniences of the disk version much more tolerable. In comparison with the print version of DOBI, the disk version provides great advantages to both searching and manipulating data--and a 20 DM savings in the annual subscription price. [sah/msc]

96-4-418

The European Book World. Pt. 2: Libraries. Cambridge: Anderson Rand. 30 cm. (Anderson Rand Ltd., Scotts Bindery, Russell Court, Cambridge CB2 1HL, United Kingdom)

1996. 4 vols. ISBN 1-873539-10-X (set): £320.00

96-4-419

The European Book World [Database]. Cambridge: Anderson Rand, 1996. 1 CD-ROM - User manual. Contains the data from Pt. 1. Publishing and Pt. 2. Libraries. £570.00 (Anderson Rand Ltd., Scotts Bindery, Russell Court, Cambridge CB2 1HL, United Kingdom)

Part I of The European Book World, subtitled Publishers and Related Organizations (EBW1), appeared in late 1993 to overall positive reviews (cf. IFB 94-2-241). The original plan was to produce a CD-ROM version of each part after publication of the print version; the plan has changed, however, and the present CD-ROM contains the contents of Parts 1-2. The print version Part 3 (which will contain information on European booksellers and the British book trade) should appear in Spring 1997. Since the content of Pt. 1 has been discussed, this review focuses on the print version of Pt. 2 as well as the CD-ROM covering Pts. 1-2.

Coverage is thorough, and this product contains many more entries on German libraries and associations, for example, than comparable works, including the World Guide to Libraries. Information was gathered by questionnaire, with the usual uneven results. For the library organizations, the CD-ROM is searchable by organization name, location, postal code, contact person, and more. The depth of information on each library in the library section is impressive--the CD-ROM contains 22 searchable fields--and lists contact information, including e-mail and home page, name of head librarians, number of monographs and periodicals, special collections, catalog type, new acquisitions annually, and interlibrary services. The print version does not index library type, so on this count the CD-ROM is recommended. The print index also does not subdivide entries such as Economics, which runs for four columns.

The CD-ROM interface (all function keys, no mouse clicks or menu options) is not user-friendly and should be brought up to date. The main menu is divided into various sections: a) European publishers, b) European book trade organizations, etc.; each search must start from this menu, and a direct change to another section is not possible. Searches require a multi-level approach; the standard search uses "or"; for "and" or "not" the user has to call up a different screen. Search results may be modified using "relevance feedback" when a large number of hits are retrieved, and a function key command pulls up an additional "query expansion" page where the search may be modified by key word, publication type, etc. It is not possible to download the data to manipulate it further, and results are lost after the session is ended. The accompanying documentation to the CD-ROM and the online help option make no reference to the contents of the EBW but only provide instructuins for using the electronic version, and in this regard is less than user-friendly. The discrepancy between the high quality of the contents of the EBW and the present form of the CD-ROM should be remedied as soon as possible. [sah/sd]

96-4-420

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Basilicata [Directory of Italian Libraries. Basilicata]. Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari e le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Regione Basilicata, Dipartimento Cultura e Formazione, Ufficio Archivi, Biblioteche e Musei. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (for the complete set)

1996. x, 104 p. ISBN 88-7107-061-5: Lit. 22,000

96-4-421

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Lazio [Directory of Italian Libraries. Latium]. Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari e le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Regione Lazio, Assessorato Politiche per la Promozione della Cultura, dello Spettacolo e del Turismo, Soprintendenza ai Beni Librari. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (for the complete set)

1996. 3 vols. x, 892 p. ISBN 88-7107-060-7: Lit. 110,000

96-4-422

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Sardegna [Directory of Italian Libraries. Sardinia]. Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari e le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Assessorato Pubblica Istruzione, Beni Culturali, Informazione, Spettacolo e Sport. Roma: ICCU, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (for the complete set)

1996. x, 401 p. ISBN 88-7107-062-3: Lit. 50,000

The three volumes under review are part of an Italian library directory which started appearing in 1993 and is to cover all 20 of Italy's regions. After a relatively slow start, 8 regional volumes are now available. Format and coverage remain unchanged from the volumes covered in earlier RRE/IFBA issues (see, for example, RREO 94-3/4-406 and 407) In addition to addresses, the Catalogo provides information about the year of founding, library hours, special services, holdings, catalogs, participation in cataloging projects, and publications by and about the library. One would hope that future volumes will appear in a more timely fashion. [sh/rs]

96-4-423

Bibliografia italiana delle biblioteche, del libro e dell'informazione [Italian Bibliography of Libraries, Books, and Information Resources] [Database]: BIB. Roma: Associazione Italiana Biblioteche. (Bollettino AIB, . . . ). Printed version: "Letteratura professionale italiana," in: Bollettino AIB

Release 0. 1993-94 (1995). 1 diskette. (. . . , 35 (1995), 3, insert). Included in journal subscription price

Release 1. 1995 (1996). 1 diskette. (. . . , 36 (1996), 1, insert). Included in journal subscription price

This is the current bibliography of library and information science in Italy, which is contained in each issue of Bollettino AIB, the Italian library association's publication. It lists an average of 800 to 900 pertinent titles per year, and is now available in two separate cumulations on diskette for the years 1993/94 and 1995, respectively. While the search and printing capabilities of this electronic product are limited, it should serve as a reminder of the importance of the bibliography itself, which is not only of interest to those concerned with current library issues in Italy. Given the unreliability of the Bibliografia nazionale italiana, especially when it comes to grey literature and items published outside of the book trade, it is also of great value for acquisitions purposes: many, often substantial, bibliographies published by Italian libraries, for example, never make it into the national bibliography or are announced there only with considerable delay. However, because of the detailed division into categories and subcategories (which is retained in the diskette version and make it a bit cumbersome to use), the printed version actually serves the acquisitions purpose better. While these diskettes themselves, as indicated, are of limited practical value, an eventual CD-ROM compilation going back to the beginnings of the bibliography in 1975 would be a desideratum. [sah/rs]

96-4-424

Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände in Österreich [Handbook of Historical Book Collections in Austria]. A publication of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. Ed. Helmut W. Lang. In collaboration with the Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände in Deutschland. Hildesheim [et al.]: Olms-Weidmann. 30 cm

Vol. 3. Burgenland, Kärnten, Niederösterreich, Oberösterreich, Salzburg. Comp. Wilma Buchinger and Konstanze Mittendorfer. Ed. Helmut W. Lang. 1996. 337 p. ISBN 3-487-09907-1: DM 198.00, DM 148.00 (when purchasing the set)

Volume 3 of this "Guide to historical library collections in Austria" was published in early 1996. (See RREO 95-2-206 for the review of volumes 1 and 2 on Viennese collections.) The guide includes an overview of the Austrian library setting, followed by sections discussing the following Austrian states: Burgenland (with 6 libraries included); Carinthia (14); Lower Austria (42); Upper Austria (22); and Salzburg (18). A large number of the libraries discussed are, of course, the rich monastery collections. The fourth and final volume should include the remaining Austrian states and a comprehensive index.[sh/msc]

96-4-425

Museums-Fahrplan: ein Streifzug durch die deutsche Museumslandschaft [Museum Timetable: A Tour through the German Museum Landscape] [Database]. Thomas Schulte im Walde. Troisdorf: CED CD-ROM-Verlag. (CED CD-ROM-Verlag, Postfach 1157, 53821 Troisdorf, fax 02241/9477-19, E-mail: cd-romverlag@t-online.de)

1st ed. [1996]. 1 CD-ROM. ISBN 3-932045-00-9: DM 98.00

A nine-page questionnaire served as the basis for this CD-ROM museum guide--which is at the same time the source of its most obvious weakness: the amount of information given for each museum varies greatly. The CD-ROM's contents clearly received insufficient editorial attention. The length of an entry bears no relationship to the importance of the institution it describes; sometimes only an address is listed. The guide covers 4,200 museums of all kinds, compared to only 3,059 German museums in the 1995 edition of Museums of the World. Entries usually include, but are not limited to, information on the scope, size, and history of the collection; on publications of the museum; special facilities such as library, tours, restaurant, museum shop; opening hours; parking and availability of public transportation. A number of illustrations and video clips are provided, but their quality is poor. Online help is confined mainly to an explanation of the Folio VIEWS program, which is not specific to this database, nor does the accompanying brochure provide instructions for users. One hopes that this deficiency is due to growing pains and will be rectified in the second edition, as well as in one planned for Austrian museums. On the positive side, the CD-ROM offers a number of search and selection capabilities, and it includes smaller institutions seldom found in other guides. System requirements are an IBM-compatible computer (368 or higher), Windows 3.1, 4 MB RAM, and a VGA card; a mouse is indispensible. Installation is relatively easy. Whether the CD-ROM format is appropriate, especially for private users, remains questionable, as this guide cannot easily be carried along on a trip. [sah/nb]

96-4-426

Firmenmuseen in Deutschland: von Automobilen bis Zuckerdosen [Corporate Museums in Germany: From Automobiles to Sugar Bowls]. Anne Mikus and Renate Schwärzel. A publication of the Vereinigung Deutscher Wirtschaftsarchivare e.V. [Association of German Corporate Archivists]. 1st ed. Bremen: Bogenschütz-Verlag, 1996. 204 p. ill. 21 cm. ISBN 3-927485-12-8: DM 29.80

This volume is a guide to 160 German industrial museums. To be listed here, the museum must have a permanent collection and exhibit as well as a corporate sponsor. Each museum receives a single page, complete with a (sometimes very small) black and white illustration. The main listing is under Land (federal state), then alphabetically by place name. Data for each museum, gathered by questionnaire, includes corporate sponsor, address, hours of operation, admission fees, handicapped access, and more. Indexes include company name, subject category, postal code (of questionable value), and place name. This carefully compiled and well-structured but somewhat drab guide (it's all in gray!) will prove useful for travelers interested in the history of German industry and technology. [sah/hh]


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