AE - Government Publications

1997

AE -- Government Publications

97-3/4-282

I libri e le carte: catalogo delle pubblicazioni [Books and Documents: Catalog of Publications]. Ed. G. Castoldi . . . for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Archivistici; Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari e le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria. Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 21 cm.

1990-96 (1997). x, 227 p. ISBN 88-7075-471-5: Lit. 30,000

97-3/4-283

Le arti documentate: catalogo delle pubblicazioni [Government Documents: Catalog of Publications]. Ed. Stefania Segarelli for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Archeologici, Architettonici, Artistici e Storici. Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 21 cm.

1990-96 (1997). xii, 495 p. ISBN 88-7075-472-3: Lit. 45,000

In comparison with Anglo-American countries, bibliographic control of Italian official publications is not the best, though again, not quite as poor as in most of the countries of continental Europe, including Germany. Both of these new bibliographies cover publications issued by the ministries of the Italian cultural sector in the years 1990-1997, and both are of extraordinary interest. They undoubtedly contain publications that are not listed in the Italian national bibliography (Bibliografia nazionale italiana), yet which would be of interest to foreign libraries with collection interests in these areas.

The first volume contains over a thousand detailed and reliable bibliographic entries. It includes print and audiovisual materials published by archives and libraries from the national level to the regional and provincial level. There are numbered and unnumbered series as well as monographic titles, with notes indicating availability and price. The second part contains unnumbered periodicals and periodical-like publications issued during the same period. Supplementary information includes a list of ministries and central institutions along with a description of their charge, the contact address of the publishing unit; addresses of commercial publishers represented in this catalog; as well as author-title indexes. There is no keyword index.

The second, lengthier volume describes publications released at the central and regional level (here without notes as to availability and price). Indexes are by personal and corporate or conference name, keyword (including location and name of monument), museums and exhibitions by place, restored works, and by journal and periodical title. Unfortunately there is no indication as to how these publications may be obtained. Despite their internal organizational differences, both bibliographies are easy to use and represent substantial progress in the bibliographic control of official Italian publications. We can only hope for a continuation of this effort, as well as for the similar production of retrospective bibliographic tools. [sh/sd]

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