AP - Archives, Libraries, Museums

1999

AP -- Archives, Libraries, Museums

International Bibliography of Bibliographies in Library and Information Science and Related Fields. Henryk Sawoniak, with the collaboration of Maria Witt. München: Saur. 25 cm. [99-1/4-058]

Vol. 2. 1979/90 (1999). Parts 1-3. liii, 1,208 p. ISBN 3-598-11145-2: DM 798.00

The previous edition of this work carried parallel Polish and English titles and covered the years 1945-1978. This new edition is substantially larger and includes bibliographies from a very wide area of fields related to library and information science. It includes separately published bibliographies as well as major bibliographical components of other publications. All European languages are covered; the coverage of eastern and southern Europe is particularly strong. Individual entries are annotated, but the information in the annotations varies; some reviews are listed. There are five different indexes, but regrettably the name indexes do not include the names of reviewers. This is a valuable piece of scholarship, and it provides information that could not be found using electronic resources alone. [sh/ldl]
"Beutekunst": Bibliographie des internationalen Schrifttums über das Schicksal des im Zweiten Weltkrieg von der Roten Armee in Deutschland erbeuteten Kulturgutes (Museums-, Archiv- und Bibliotheksbestände); 1990-1999 = Trofejnoe iskusstvo = Looted Art [: Bibliography of International Publications Concerning the Fate of Cultural Property Looted by the Red Army in Germany during the Second World War (Museum, Archive and Library Holdings), 1990-1999]. Ed. Peter Bruhn. 2d substantially expanded and rev. ed. Berlin: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Osteuropa-Abteilung, 1999. x, 247 p. 30 cm. (Veröffentlichungen der Osteuropa-Abteilung, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-Preußischer Kulturbesitz, 24) (Literaturnachweise zu aktuellen Russland-Themen, 1) ISBN 3-88053-078-5 (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Allgemeine Verwaltung, Publikationen, D-10102 Berlin) [99-1/4-060] This revised edition of a bibliography that first appeared in 1997 includes over 1,600 new entries and testifies to the intense interest in this topic. The compiler has also chosen to include excerpts, both in Russian and in translation, from Russian documents pertaining to the subject, which makes this bibliography even more useful. [wk/ldl]
Die Kreisarchive in Baden-Württemberg: Aufgaben und Bestände [Administrative District Archives in Baden-Württemberg: Responsibilities and Holdings]. Ed. Jörg Kreutz for the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Kreisarchive beim Landkreistag Baden-Württemberg. Ubstadt-Weiher: Verlag Regionalkultur, 1998. 112p. ill. 24cm. ISBN 3-929366-84-3: DM 24.00 [99-1/4-063] Prior to January 1, 1973 there were sixty-three "Landkreise," or administrative districts, in Baden-Wurttemberg; as a result of a "district reform" program, their number was reduced to thirty-five. The archives of these new districts are listed within this volume with the following information: name and contact information, hours of operation, collections and associated community archives or libraries, finding aids, size of collections, publications, historical information, accompanying secondary literature, etc. An index of the previous districts allows the user or researcher to trace the dispersal of holdings among the various archives that exist today. The introduction by Christoph J. Drüppel is particularly valuable. It describes the role of the "Kreisarchiv" (district archive) in relation to the larger "Staatsarchiv" (state archive) on the one hand and the "Kommunalarchiv" (municipal archive) on the other. It would have been desirable for this work to have included the municipal archives along with the district archives in order to have a common guide for all the archives under the larger state archive system. [sh/sd]
Bibliotheken in der Euregio Maas-Rhein : Adressen, Bestände, Öffnungszeiten, Dienstleistungen [Libraries in the Euregio Maas-Rhine : Addresses, Collections, Hours of Operation and Services] = Bibliotheken in de Euregio Maas-Rijn = Bibliothèques dans l'Euregio Meuse-Rhin. Ed. Bernd Küppers. Jülich: Zentralbibliothek des Forschungszentrums Jülich, 1998. xvii, 283 p. 24 cm. (Parallel titel: Euregio 1998) ISBN 3-00-003106-5: DM 8.00 (Zentralbibliothek ..., D-52425 Jülich, fax [49 2461] 61-6103) [99-1/4-066] Transborder associations of institutions are nothing new. The Euregio Maas-Rhein Union, founded in 1976 in the area around the "lower," or northern, course of the Rhine River, is an example of such an association, as is the much more recently established European Confederation of Upper Rhine Universities (EU-COR). The library directory under review includes 221 publicly accessible libraries of all types whose holdings comprise a minimum of 10,000 items. The information given in the directory's indexes was compiled from questionnaires. The guide is organized by four types of libraries: academic, technical schools, special, and public. These groupings are then organized in alphabetical order by location, without regard to national borders. A map helps provide an overview, as does an index by region.

This directory will serve primarily the users of the regions included. Others may be satisfied to consult the index via the Internet at <http://www.kfa-juelich.de. [sh/msc]

Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland [Special Libraries in Germany]. Ed. Petra Hauke. Bad Honnef: Bock und Herchen. 25 cm. [99-1/4-067]

Vol. 4. Geschichte, historische Hilfswissenschaften: Verzeichnis der Bibliotheken in Stätten der Forschung und Lehre, in Archiven, Museen und Gedenkstätten sowie in historischen Vereinen und Gesellschaften; mit einem Anhang: Deutsche Bibliotheken im Ausland [History and Related Subjects: Index of Libraries at Research and Educational Institutions, in Archives, Museums and Memorial Places, and in Historical Associations and Societies; with an Appendix: German Libraries in Other Countries]. Ed. Petra Hauke. 1999. xx, 258 p. ISBN 3-88347-203-4: DM 78.00

In continuation of earlier volumes, this most recent publication lists 1,073 continuously numbered libraries, organized alphabetically by location. Regardless of their collection or staff size, all have a collection focus on literature concerning history in all its facets. That many libraries with historical collections are not included is understandable, because this series, Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland, by its nature does not cover university library collections, even when they contain more about the topic than those libraries included in the directory. The data were obtained by survey in 1998 (a copy of the questionnaire is included) and supplemented by other sources (library directories and Internet sources of all types); unfortunately, the unclear arrangement and faulty index make this section unusable. The data included in the directory are relatively detailed and mention everything noteworthy about the library and its publications. The library's personnel are listed, and the director's name is provided. The number of one-person libraries is considerable. The indexes refer to the continuously numbered entries and include: library names (with location in parenthesis); personnel names; one-person libraries with a full-time administration; computer systems utilized; membership in consortia and library organizations; and subject terms. This work, like other volumes of Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland, will be useful primarily for further contacts among libraries. Earlier volumes were Medizin [Medicine] (Vol. 1, 1996) and Kunst, Kultur, Museen [Art, Culture, Museums] (Vol. 2, 1996), both reviewed in RRE 2:56; and Parlamente, Behörden, öffentliche Verwaltung [Parlaments, Agencies, Public Administration] (Vol. 3., 1997), reviewed in RRE 4:66. [sh/msc]
Handbuch der historischen Buchbestände in Deutschland [Handbook of Historical Book Collections in Germany]. Ed. Bernhard Fabian and Karen Kloth. Hildesheim [et al.]: Olms Weidmann. 30cm. [99-1/4-070]

Vol. 2, part 2: Niedersachsen: H-Z [Lower Saxony: H-Z]. Ed. Paul Raabe and Alwin Müller-Jerina. 1998. 358p. ISBN 3-487-09576-9: DM 248; DM 198 (subscription)

Vol. 19: Thüringen: A-G [Thuringia: A-G]. Ed. Friedhilde Krause and Felicitas Marwinski. 1998. 315p. ISBN 3-487-10776-7: DM 248; DM 198 (subscription)

Vol. 20: Thüringen: H-R [Thuringia: H-R]. Ed. Friedhilde Krause and Felicitas Marwinski. 1999. 334p. ISBN 3-487-10777-5: DM 248; DM 198 (subscription)

Vol. 21: Thüringen: S-Z [Thuringia: S-Z]. Ed. Friedhilde Krause and Felicitas Marwinski. 1999. 298p. paper. ISBN 3-487-10778-3: DM 248; DM 198 (subscription)

Reviews of earlier volumes of this large-scale undertaking can be found in RREA 1:103, 2:48, and 4:57. This second volume on collections in Lower Saxony describes the remaining forty-two libraries and contains an index for the entire region. Of particular interest is the Herzog August Bibliothek (HAB) in Wolfenbüttel. Detailed information is given on its special collections, including those pertaining to the twentieth century, but even more space is devoted to catalogs and finding aids than to the actual descriptions of its holdings.

As was the case with Lower Saxony, the planned coverage for Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt grew in scope, and now fills volumes 19-21 for Thuringia alone. Volume 22 will focus on Saxony-Anhalt, and volumes 23-26 will contain the index to the entire set (according to the October 1999 publisher's brochure). The introductory essay on Thuringia by Felicitas Marwinski outlines the library scene there. The state is home to some 156, mostly small, libraries, historically due in part to its large number of minor princedoms. University libraries are few, but the number of libraries connected with museums, archives, and churches is surprisingly high. The libraries of Erfurt, Gotha, and Jena are represented by longer articles, as are the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar and the Historical Library in Rudolstadt. The variety and richness of historical collections in Thuringia is remarkable. Unfortunately, the future of some institutions may be at risk due to financial exigencies. [sh/sd]

Handbuch deutscher historischer Buchbestände in Europa: eine Übersicht über Sammlungen in ausgewählten Bibliotheken [Handbook of German Historical Book Collections in Europe: A Survey of Collections in Selected Libraries]. Ed. Bernhard Fabian. Hildesheim [et al.]: Olms Weidmann. 30 cm. [99-1/4-071]

Vol. 3: Tschechische Republik. Böhmen [Czech Republic. Bohemia]. Ed. Vincenc Streit, Vlasta Faltysová and Pavel Pohlei. Mähren [Moravia]. Ed. Jaroslav Vobr. 1998. 328 p. ISBN 3-487-10356-7: DM 298.00, DM 248.00 (subscription)

Vol. 6. Polen [Poland]. Ed. Marzena Zacharska. Bulgarien [Bulgaria]. Ed. Todorka Nikolova. 1999. 327 p. ISBN 3-487-10359-1: DM 298.00, DM 248.00 (subscription)

Vol. 7,1. Dänemark [Denmark]. Ed. Jakob H. Gronbaek. Schweden [Sweden]. Ed. Wolfgang Undorf. 1998. 328 p. ISBN 3-487-10360-5: DM 298.00, DM 248.00 (subscription)

Vol. 7,2. Finnland [Finland]. Ed. Cornelius Hasselblatt. Estland [Estonia]. Ed. Simoné Okaj Braun. Lettland [Latvia]. Ed. Karen Kloth. Litauen [Lithuania]. Ed. Simoné Okaj-Braun 1998. 336 p. ISBN 3-487-10361-3: DM 298.00, DM 248.00 (subscription)

The publication of this series began in 1997 with volume 2, on Prague, and was followed the next year with volume 5, on Hungary (both reviewed in RREA 4:59). Subsequent volumes continue to appear out of numerical sequence as soon as they are complete. Volume 3 on Bohemia and Moravia, with thirty-seven and twenty-nine entries respectively, covers a wide range of libraries, including those of government agencies, museums and archives, as well as those of churches and monasteries, but only one university library (in Brünn). Most of the generally brief entries are from mid-1998; when possible, older ones have been brought up to date. Each section begins with an introductory essay that speaks well for the quality of the series.

Volume 6 contains information on twenty-seven libraries in seventeen Polish cities. Of particular interest are the University Library in Warsaw, the Danzig Library of the Polish Academy of Science, the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, the University Library in Posen, and the University Library in Wroclaw. The articles on the holdings of four libraries in two Bulgarian cities are disappointing in terms of German historical collections.

Volume 7,1 covers Denmark and Sweden, but unfortunately does not include Norway. Volume 7,2 contains just one entry for Finland, on the University Library of Helsinki, but includes numerous collections in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Each volume, like those already published, contains an introductory essay on library history in the country covered. Selective geographical bibliographies are usually found at the end of a volume, which is not especially practical for the user. Indexes vary in format. While volumes 7,1-2 each have a single index, volume 6 contains separate indexes for Poland and Bulgaria.

The description of German historical holdings in Europe is inseparable from the histories of libraries in the European countries. This series serves to further the overall knowledge of national and institutional library history in Europe (and in countries whose languages are not generally well-known), and occasional deficiencies in coverage can be accepted. [sh/sd]

Aslib Directory of Information Sources in the United Kingdom. Association for Information Management; Information Management International. London: Aslib, The Association for Information Management. 30 cm. [99-1/4-077]

10th ed. (1998). xi, 1,505 p. ISBN 0-85142-409-0: £ 295.00, £ 236.00 00 (member's price); ISBN 0-85142-418-X (with CD-ROM): £ 360.00, £ 288.00 00 (member price)

This directory, which appears every two years, was last reviewed in 1992 for its seventh edition (1992), when it was called the "most useful directory for libraries in Great Britain." This assessment pertains as well to the tenth edition, with its 11,574 entries. This figure does not reflect an identical number of institutions (among which are also companies and small organizations with very specialized, but less comprehensive collections), since larger institutions, such as the British Library, are represented with multiple entries for various departments, allowing for a much improved overview. Information concerning the institutions is comprehensive and, thanks to limited use of abbreviations, easily readable. Included are: name, address, acronym, type or institutional affiliation, usage rules and hours of operation, collection strengths, special collections, publications (sometimes in detail), and Internet addresses. The names of administrators and sizes of collections are not included; since personnel names change, it is understandable to omit this information, but the inclusion of collection sizes would be most welcome.

The particular value of this directory lies in its enumeration of collections, ranging from broad descriptions such as "EC official publications since 1973" or "conference proceedings (over 370,000)" in the British Library Document Supply Centre to very specialized characterizations such as "Jacobite movement" (referring to the holdings of the 1745 Association), and in the access provided by an excellent subject index. The detailed analysis of collections provided by this directory is without rival; a comparison with the directory Spezialbibliotheken in Deutschland (see RREA 5:50) suffices to illustrate the differences.

Even though the directory has long been compiled using a database, it is now also being offered for the first time on a CD-ROM, which was not available for this review. According to the preface of the print edition, the content of both formats is identical, but the CD-ROM version features additional search options. For the high price of an additional £65 and the limited need for additional searching features, the case for buying the CD-ROM is not compelling. As it is, only a limited number of libraries can afford to purchase each volume of this excellent directory which, together with the Directory of Rare Book and Special Collections in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland (London: Library Association, 1997; reviewed in IFB 98-1/2-057), covers the large and small treasures in the libraries and other institutions of Great Britain in exemplary fashion. [sh/msc]

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Alto Adige = Südtirol [Directory of Italian Libraries. Alto Adige = Southern Tyrol]. Published for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari, le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano-Alto Adige, Scuola e Cultura Italiana, Tedesca e Ladina. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (complete set) [99-1/4-079]

1998. x, 190 p. ISBN 88-7107-086-0: Lit. 25,000

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Trentino [Directory of Italian Libraries. Trentino]. Published for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari, le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Servizio Attività Culturali, Ufficio per il Sistema Bibliotecario Trentino. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (complete set) [99-1/4-080]

1998. xii, 157 p. ISBN 88-7107-085-2: Lit. 25,000

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Veneto [Directory of Italian Libraries. Veneto]. Published for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari, le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Regione Veneto, Direzione Regionale Cultura, Informazione e Flussi Migratori, Servizio per i Beni Librari e Archivistici. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88-7107-030-5 (complete set) [99-1/4-081]

1998. 3 vols. x, 756 p. ISBN 88-7107-084-4: Lit. 110,000

Catalogo delle biblioteche d'Italia. Liguria [Directory of Italian Libraries. Liguria]. Published for the Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Librari, le Istituzioni Culturali e l'Editoria, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico delle Biblioteche Italiane e per le Informazioni Bibliografiche. Regione Liguria, Dipartimento Cultura, Turismo e Sport, Servizio Programmi e Strutture Culturali. Roma: ICCU; Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. ISBN 88 7107-030-5 (complete set) [99-1/4-082]

1999. x, 340 p. ISBN 88-7107-094-1: Lit. 50,000

This large-scale census of all Italian libraries in twenty regions (with the exception of school and parish libraries) published its first volume in 1993, in 1998 volumes for three more regions, and by mid-1999, two more. The project is making such good progress that the remaining four regions should be completed by the end of 2000. The volumes for Alto Adige, Trentino and Veneto cover libraries in the areas of northern and northwestern Italy that represent a wide range of library sizes and collection strengths. The number of libraries listed for each volume varies greatly: 218, 151 and 1,032 respectively. There are qualitative differences as well: Alto Adige and Trentino have the least number of entries, but they also contain fewer important historic collections when compared to the significant libraries in the university towns of Verona, Padua and Venice.

The volume for the region of Liguria contains 373 libraries, of which 227 are located in the province of Genoa. Public libraries comprise 144 compared to the ninety-two university libraries listed. Due to its rare collections and special strengths (Dante, Columbus), the research collection of the Genoa city library, the Biblioteca Civica Berio, is of special note; the library's catalog is available over the Internet at <http://www.comune.genova.it/biblio/griglia2.htm. For additional information, as well as a full description of the many appendices, references and indexes, consult earlier reviews in RREA 1:96-97, RREA 2:38-40, and RREA 4:52-54. [sh/msc]

I fondi speciali delle biblioteche lombarde: censimento descrittivo [Special Collections in Lombard Libraries: Descriptive Census]. Published for the Regione Lombardia, Direzione Generale Cultura, Servizio Biblioteche e Sistemi Culturali Integrati. Ed. Istituto Lombardo per la Storia della Resistenza e dell'Età Contemporanea. Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. 24 cm. (Corporate name in vol. 1: Regione Lombardia, Settore Cultura e Informazione, Servizio Biblioteche e Beni Librari e Documentari) [99-1/4-083]

Vol. 2. Province di Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese [Provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantua, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese]. 1998. xlv, 888 p. (Fonti e strumenti: Regione Lombardia, Direzione Generale Cultura, Servizio Biblioteche e Sistemi Culturali Integrati, 28) ISBN 88-7075-505-3: Lit 80,000

Lombardy is not only one of the most library-rich regions of Italy, but also one whose holdings in both public and private collections are among the most accessible, bibliographically speaking. This is the second volume describing special collections in the Lombard region. Volume 1 of this "census" (Milano e provincia, 1995, reviewed in RREO at <http://www.rre.casalini.com/1996/AP-96-23.html) dealt with collections in the city and province of Milan; volume 2 deals with 1,317 collections in other cities of the region. The bibliography is very comprehensive and includes collections of both books and non-book materials, provided that the collection is uniquely named, housed, or listed in a catalog, or at some point in the past took on the character of a special collection (either private or public). Signed articles cover the history of each collection, its size and contents, and finding aids, if they exist. There are two indexes, for the names of the collections and for persons named in the text, but unfortunately they are insufficient--the riches of this volume would manifest themselves most clearly in a comprehensive subject index. [sh/ldl]
Gesamtcatalog Museum: Museen, Kunsthallen, Archive, Bibliotheken, Vereine, Verbände, Kulturbehörden, Partner [Union catalog: Museums, Art Museums, Archives, Libraries, Associations, Organizations, Cultural Boards, and Partners]. Hans J. Heinrich. Berlin: IMD Cultur. 21 cm. Previous title: Artmemo. (IMD Cultur, Matternstr. 5, D-10249 Berlin, fax [49 30] 4265204) [99-1/4-084]

1996/98 (1998). 880 p. DM 89.00, DM 69.00 (subscription)

Kunstadressbuch: Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz = Art Directory [: Germany, Austria, Switzerland]. München [et al.]: Saur. 24 cm. (Until 1992/93 published by Art-Adress-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main) [99-1/4-085]

12th ed. 1999/2000 (1999). 625 p. ISBN 3-598-23080-X: DM 128.00

The Gesamtcatalog Museum, with its fashionable graphics, continues the edition of the directory that appeared under the title Artmemo from 1990 to 1994/95 (1994), the third edition of which was reviewed in IFB 94-1-045. The nerve-wracking and not error-free transition to a new database program (which is detailed in the preface) caused a break in the rhythm of this annual publication, to the disadvantage of the timeliness of its information. The edition under review contains data for about 11,500 institutions, which are recorded in six sections (the first five are arranged according to place and then by name in alphabetical order): (1) Museums, Exhibits; (2) Archives, Libraries; (3) Directorates, Administrations; (4) Cultural Agencies, Funding Authorities; (5) Organizations, Associations; (6) Museum Partners (e.g., companies). Access is provided by means of two indexes: (1) an index of subject terms in eleven sections, which are subdivided by museum and archive; the eleventh section is headed "General Libraries/Archives," followed by the subheading "Archives," in which mainly libraries are included (that is, up through the letter U, after which the rest of the alphabet is missing); (2) an index of institutions (which in the running title is erroneously called "Subject Index"). The data, collected by survey, are offered in varying levels of detail and length. E-mail and Internet addresses are missing. One hopes these will be added in the next edition. The layout is not user-friendly, due to its excessive use of abbreviations and icons that need to be deciphered by frequent consultation of the list of abbreviations (which, thankfully, was printed on a fold-out sheet). While it is true that many museums have different hours of operation during the winter and summer months, the decision to present this information in a chart that includes all institutions--even those without different hours--takes up unnecessary space.

Since the size of the volume has increased substantially, monuments are no longer included. These will now be listed in a separate directory, Gesamtcatalog Denkmal: Schlösser, Burgen, Klöster, Monumente ... [Directory to Historical Monuments: Palaces, Castles, Monasteries, Monuments...] scheduled for publication in late 1999. The publisher is also planning a directory in a subject area new for the company: Gesamtcatalog Theater: Schauspiel, Musik, Tanz, Kleinkunst, Film ... [Theater Directory: Drama, Music, Dance, Cabaret, Film...].

Volume 10 (1996/97) of the Kunstadressbuch was reviewed in RREA 3:171. It competes with the Gesamtcatalog Museum only in its first part ("Museums and Galleries," here, also, listed by location, then alphabetically by name) with largely the same selection. A comparison of the two directories shows how difficult it is to determine an official name. That both directories include institutions lacking in the other, is to be expected. In addition, the Kunstadressbuch (as an excerpt from the Internationales Kunst-Adressbuch) includes institutions in Austria and Switzerland (not just the German-speaking part), as well as eleven sections on other institutions and companies, (e.g., art and antique dealers, conservators, and some artists). It remains the primary directory for art and antique dealers and collectors. Libraries that do not own the Internationales Kunst-Adressbuch must have the Kunstadressbuch because of its wide coverage. Other advantages over the Gesamtcatalog Museum include more current information and e-mail and Internet addresses for many institutions. [sh/msc]

Le nouveau guide des musées de France [New Guide to the Museums of France]. Pierre Cabanne. Paris: Larousse, 1997. 997 p. 25 cm. Previous title: Guide des musées de France. ISBN 2-03-511401-2: FF 195.00 [99-1/4-087]

Guide des musées de France [Guide to Museums of France]. Aude Grouard de Tocqueville. Paris: France Loisirs, 1998. 640 p. ill. 28 cm. Licensed ed. from Minerva, Genève, 1997. ISBN 2-7441-1325-5: FF 228.00 [99-1/4-088]

Originally published by Bordas, but now under the imprint of Larousse, Pierre Cabanne's sixth edition of Le nouveau guide des musées de France has a publication history extending back to 1984. Updated editions of museum directories are particularly critical for France, due to the current decentralization of the French museum scene, which was previously concentrated in Paris. Since the 1980s and the efforts of legendary Cultural Minister Jack Lang, enormous changes have been made, evident in the construction of new museums and the modernization of others. This edition of the guide includes over 2,000 museums, arranged into twenty-four regions (in alphabetical order, with the overseas provinces and territories at the end). Each of the regional sections begins with an overview of the museum landscape and a map, followed by an alphabetical listing of "Départements," subdivided by cities. Entries are marked by star symbols according to their importance (with five of greatest significance). However, unlike the Michelin guides, there is no index of the four or five star rankings, requiring the reader to thumb through the volume to locate those museums that are "worth the trip" or "merit a detour." The entry for each museum includes its address and hours, the type of museum (indicated by an icon), as well as any special services. Descriptions vary in length, but on the whole are detailed, and include a description of the museum and a listing of significant collections or pieces. Excellent access to the information is provided by means of a variety of indexes, including location, name of the museum, names of mentioned artists or other famous persons, and collections.

The Guide des musées de France by Aude Grouard de Tocqueville is a quite different directory; the author presents a selection of museums with illustrations of their buildings and selected works of art. Here, as well, the organization follows an alphabetical listing of larger geographic areas, beginning with Paris and ending with overseas territories, accompanied by overview maps. The selection is purely personal, and one wonders why a museum such as the more curious than authentic Musée Pétrarque in Fontaine de Vaucluse rates a detailed description, while in the same location the interesting Musée d'Histoire 1939-1945, that deals with the daily life of occupied France, is not listed. The large number of museums covered (3,000) is attained by including many institutions at the end of each chapter with only brief entries. Unfortunately, the single index, listing locations and museums, is not adequate. For this reason, as well as for its more current listings, the first directory reviewed here is more highly recommended than the latter. [sh/msc]

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