bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
XIV. Observations on Ancient Painting in England. In a Letter from Gov. Pownall, to the Rev. Michael Lort, D.D. V.P.A.S.
Authors: Pownall T.
Published: July 2016

As I send you inclosed a drawing of some of the figures in the painted cieling of the Cathedral of Peterborough, which I sketched out, I will accompany my description of this cieling with some observations on the Art of Paintings as practised in early times of England.
XVI. Extracts from the Proceedings of Privy Council, from the Year 1545 to the Year 1558. Communicated by Henry Ellis, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary, in a Letter addressed to Samuel Lysons, Esq. V.P. F.R.S.
Authors: Ellis Henry
Published: July 2016

Among the Harleian Manuscripts in the British Museum are three Volumes which purport to contain Copies of the Council Books from the month of May 1545, the 37th year of King Henry the Eighth, to 1558, the first year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. From an entry at the end of the second volume it appears that they wereextracted, or rather abridged, by Ra. Starkey, about the year 1620.
XXIV. On the Topography of Ancient Babylon: suggested by the recent Observations and Discoveries of Claudius James Rich, Esq. By Major Rennell
Authors: Rennell
Published: July 2016

The very interesting Memoir of Mr. Claudius Rich, on the Remains of Ancient Babylon, having a tendency, as well from the facts set forth, in it, concerning the present State of the Site of that City, as from his Reasonings on them, to occasion doubts respecting the established opinions that have been entertained, on the authority of the Ancient Historians; it appeared to be almost a required duty from myself to the Publick, as having already written on the subject, to vindicate the consistency and truth of Ancient History; (as well as that of my own Statement, which was conformable to it:) for if all the Remains of Ancient Babylon, are found on one and the same side of the Euphrates, as Mr. Rich reports them to be; either that River must have altered its course, in that particular place, or the Statements of the Ancients must be wrong.
XLIV. Observations on the Bayeux Tapestry, by Hudson Gurney, Esq. M.P. F.S.A. in a Letter to Henry Ellis, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary
Authors: Gurney Hudson
Published: July 2016

I am sorry to say in answer to your note, that I am unable to send you the Remarks, with which I had proposed to trouble the Society concerning the Bayeux Tapestry, in as perfect a form as I could have wished; but as I understand from our noble President, that we are to expect a fac simile of this document, so very curious as giving in picture a continuous, and nearly contemporary History of the Events represented, from that excellent and most accurate artist, Mr. Stothard, junr. I shall venture in the mean time, to commit them to you, just as they are.
XLV. The Engraved Gems, brought from Babylon to England by Abraham Lockett, Esq. Secretary to the Council of the College of Fort William in Bengal, considered with reference to early Scriptural History. By John Landseer, Esq. F.S.A. Engraver to his Majesty, and Member of the London Royal Academy of Arts, in a Letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G.C.B. P.R.S. &c. &c.
Authors: Landseer John
Published: July 2016

The following Observations, tending to shew that the Signets of the nations which anciently inhabited the banks of the Euphrates were, at least in some instances, of a cylindrical form, may perhaps not be unworthy of your attention, and that of the Society of Antiquaries.

The observations were suggested chiefly by the contemplation of a considerable number of engraved Gems of this kind which are in my possession, and which have been recently dug up at Babylon, and brought to England by that persevering Oriental traveller and scholar, Capt. Abraham Lockett.
XLVI. An Account of the Ancient Constitution, Discipline, and Usages of the Cathedral Church of Exeter: by John Jones, Esq. F.S.A. in a Letter to Charles Baratty, Esq. F.S.A.
Authors: Jones John
Published: July 2016

I send you my papers relating to the Ancient Constitution, Discipline, and Usages of the Cathedral Church of Exeter; requesting you to submit them to the Society of Antiquaries: and, as I am not aware that the public is possessed of any information on such a subject, except the meagre account in Dugdale's History of St. Paul's, and some few passages in Archdeacon Reynolds's Tract on Church Government, and in Archdeacon Churton's Life of Dean Nowell, I think it probable that the Society may find them not undeserving their notice.
III. Observations on an Antient Symbol of Macedon, in a Letter from Taylor Combe, Esq. F. A. S. to Charles Townley, Esq. F. R. S. and F. A. S.
Authors: Combe Taylor
Published: July 2016

I had lately an opportunity of procuring an antient bronze figure of a goat with one horn, which was the old symbol of Macedon. As figures, representing the types of antient countries, are extremely rare, and as neither bronze nor marble symbol of Macedon has been hitherto noticed, I beg leave to trouble you with the few following observations, which, if you should think them worthy of that honour, you will much oblige me by presenting to the Society of Antiquaries.
XIV. Account of Antiquities found in Somersetshire, by Charles Joseph Harford, Esq. F.A.S. in a Letter to the Rev. John Brand, Secretary
Authors: Harford Charles Joseph
Published: July 2016

I have taken the liberty of sending you three boxes, containing various antiquities, which were discovered in Somersetshire last year, and which, I presume, are not unworthy the notice of the Society. If the enclosed short account of them is at all satisfactory, it is very much at their service.
XXXIV. Copy of an Original Manuscript, containing Orders made by Henry Prince of Wales, respecting his Household, in 1610; communicated by Francis Douce, Esq. F.A.S.
Authors: Douce Francis
Published: July 2016

Especiall Ordinances for the advancement of my Service, and ordering of my Houshold affaires, given the 16 of October 1610, at Richmond.
Art decadence and a small press
Authors: Keeble Brian
Published: July 2016

The booklet publications of the Golgonooza Press, which takes its name and sign from the work of William Blake, aim to combat art decadence and the vested interests of mass-art-publishing. One end of the ‘main axis of thought’ on which the Press’s editorial initiative turns, reaches to cultures other than that of the modern West. The other ‘rightfully belongs in the hearts and hands’ of creative artists for whom art remains ‘a channel of Grace’.
Selected recent Exhibition Catalogues
Authors: Houghton Beth , Burton Anthony
Published: July 2016

As the first of what is intended to be a regular column devoted to recently published exhibition catalogues, the present list includes catalogues of exhibitions which closed some months ago. Future editions will aim at greater currency (in as far as a deadline two months prior to publication will allow), and will at least give priority to catalogues appearing in the three months between issues.

The primary aim of the column is to draw attention to catalogues which might otherwise escape notice, and to provide a brief description of those catalogues which are less accessible, and difficult to assess before purchasing. Consequently many important catalogues from major exhibiting organisations will be omitted, and the bias inevitably will be towards catalogues from foreign sources.

If, however, you the reader feel that there is a need for evaluative reviewing of certain more readily accessible catalogues as an aid to selection, please make your views known. In addition, the compiler would be very pleased to be notified of catalogues for inclusion in this column, particularly those of provincial exhibitions which sometimes escape national notice, and of which the art librarian on the spot is likely to be aware.
Selected New Books: The Decorative Arts. Part 1
Authors: Smith Gaye
Published: July 2016

The literature of art traditionally concentrates on the fine arts and, to a lesser extent, the applied and decorative arts. There is a vast amount of spadework to be done in researching the history of design (especially 20th century design). Often, periodical articles or exhibition catalogues are the only source of published documentation. Since exhibitions are dealt with in another section of the journal, here I shall look at some recent books. I have further limited this selection to exclude architecture and the graphic arts. I have chosen books which are visually stimulating and of use to the practical designer as well as works of a more academic approach.
Subject indexing in the visual arts
Authors: Fawcett Trevor
Published: July 2016

There remain theoretical and practical difficulties in the subject analysis of visual arts documents and the assignment of appropriate index terms. Visual arts indexing would be aided by an internationally agreed, controlled vocabulary with rules of usage. In devising such a language, subject knowledge and experience of the literature are as necessary as an understanding of indexing theory. Examples of current indexing practice are cited, notably PRECIS, Library of Congress, RILA, and the Répertoire d’Art et d’Archéologie.
Source materials for the study of Scottish architectural history
Authors: Dunbar John G.
Published: July 2016

This paper is a revised version of that published by the Scottish Georgian Society under the same title in 1969. As before, I have endeavoured to list the main documentary and printed sources available for the study of Scottish architectural history without in any way attempting to compile a complete bibliography of Scottish architecture. The arrangement of the text follows that adopted by H. M. Colvin in his Guide to the Sources of English Architectural History (Pinhoms, 1967) to which reference should also be made. I should again like to acknowledge the assistance given to me in the preparation of this guide by various friends and colleagues, and in particular by Dr A.L. Murray, of the Scottish Record Office.
A study tour of art libraries in Germany during September 1979. Part 1
Authors: Burton Anthony
Published: July 2016

The first part of this two-part article reporting on visits made by the author to art libraries in West Germany in September 1979, concentrates on the Kunstbibliothek and the Museumsbibliothek der Staatlichen Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin, the Bibliothek des Germanischen Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, and the Kunst- und Museumsbibliothek der Stadt Köln. The scope and organisation of these libraries is described and general topics such as the exchange of publications between museums, and co-operation between libraries are raised. (To be concluded in the next issue).
The National Portrait Gallery Archive and Library, London
Authors: Vaughan Valerie
Published: July 2016

The Archive and Library’s move to Carlton House Terrace, the areas of material held by the Archive, and its organisation are described. The role and scope of the Library complements that of the Archive. The Archive and Library are research tools for both staff and other researchers. The move has presented the opportunity to re-organise the Library so that it is more accessible. Through several publishing ventures information in the Archive has become more widely available.
Computer-aided indexing in the arts: the case for a thesaurus of art terms
Authors: Petersen Toni
Published: July 2016

Although many levels of computer-aided indexing exist, most art indexers use the computer at a rudimentary level, to perform little more than alphabetising services. This problem is compounded by the lack of standardised vocabulary or thesaurus. Each indexing project has developed its own subject list. Even those which attempt some co-ordination with a standard source like Library of Congress Subject Headings find themselves modifying existing terms and adding new ones. The National Endowment for the Humanities and the Council on Library Resources funded a project to establish the need for a comprehensive art and architecture thesaurus and, as the first phase of a projected three-stage plan, to construct an architecture thesaurus.

This paper is written from the point of view of the indexer. Its intent is to describe how subject indexing activities in art are being aided by the use of computers. This discussion notes the current state of disarray among art subject indexing systems and suggests that the availability of a standardised vocabulary for art will provide an important adjunct to computerised indexing. This paper was delivered to the ARLIS/NA conference at San Francisco on 22 February 1981.
How art students use libraries ~ if they do
Authors: Pacey Philip
Published: July 2016

A typical morning in a typical art college library is described. Ways in which art students use libraries, and the materials they require, are summarised. The fact that art students can get by without using libraries is noted in discussion of advantages and disadvantages of decentralised art libraries and of the centralisation of art library resources in libraries of wider scope. This paper was delivered to the course on ‘The Literature of Art and Architecture’, organised by ARLIS with the Library Association, in London on 6th December 1979.
Image collections: librarians, users and their needs
Authors: Sutherland John
Published: July 2016

This paper outlines some of the practical problems facing those involved with image collections, and the financial implications of the retrieval complexities allied to the scale of such collections, when computer-aided systems are considered. Projects carried out since the early 1970s are described, and existing classification systems such as ‘Iconclass’ are assessed, with emphasis on the need for compatibility. A realistic approach to making basic information readily accessible in a relatively cheap system which may later be expanded given the non-economically viable nature of this field, is recommended.
Modern pattern recognition and the classification of works of art
Authors: Aleksander Igor
Published: July 2016

Identification of a visual image by computer may be achieved by ‘training’ the system to recognise examples within determined classification categories. Certain methods of achieving this have been made more feasible (particularly financially) by the advancement of silicon chip technology. This paper explains the underlying principles, with particular reference to the WISARD system developed at Brunei University, and proposes some possible applications to the classification and retrieval of art images.
New technologies for data and image storage and their application to the history of art
Authors: Greenhalgh Michael
Published: July 2016

In general terms, this paper is about the possibilities newly available to art historians, because of the new cheapness, of computing, and the problems which still exist in the areas of data and image storage, retrieval and display. First it tries to assess the technology from a layman’s point of view, then ventures into the contentious matter of how many art historians (in these days of reduced funding) are either able or willing to take advantage (if there are advantages) of new technology. Threading throughout the paper are doubts about whether the use of computers can or will advance the study of the subject (as opposed to making that study easier), and about whether the finance for some of the hardware mentioned could ever be raised by any non-scientific department.
The tyranny of distance: art libraries in Canada
Authors: Williamson Mary F.
Published: July 2016

The history of art libraries in Canada, in the context of the development of the study of Canadian art history is explained. A brief description of the background and scope of important libraries in the categories public, university, architecture, art school, and art gallery and museum libraries is provided. This paper was delivered to the Section of Art Libraries at the 1982 IFLA Council in Montreal.
The Witt Library Getty project
Authors: Sunderland John
Published: July 2016

An outline of the project for a computerised index to the Witt Library in the Courtauld Institute of Art, this article is substantially a written version of the paper delivered at the ARLIS / UK Conference, Brighton, 1983.
Iconclass: an iconographic classification system
Authors: Couprie L.D.
Published: July 2016

Iconclass is a classification of subjects, themes and motifs in Western art. It was developed and published in Holland, at the University of Leiden, with financial aid from both the Netherlands Organisation for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z. W.O.) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Iconclass is used in a growing number of projects, whether computerised or not. One of these projects could be the Witt Library pilot project, discussed elsewhere in this issue of the Art Libraries Journal (pp. 27-31).

In this paper the classification as such is briefly explained, mainly with the help of two examples: scenes from the stories of St. Antony Abbot and Hercules. Information on the alphabetical index to the classification is given, mainly because this extensive part of Iconclass is something more than the usual index to a publication.

Applications of the classification are dealt with in diagrammatic form; one application, the Iconclass bibliography, is discussed in greater detail.
Information technology and visual images: two case studies
Authors: Purcell Patrick , Okun Henry
Published: July 2016

Information technology has until quite recently tended to favor alphanumerics as the medium of communication. This emphasis on text militated against those application areas in which the visual image was a crucial factor. Recently, technical developments in two related fields have created a fresh potential for incorporating the visual image into large-scale information systems, namely linking computer databases with optical videodiscs. As a consequence, design, architecture, and both the fine and the graphic arts have become state-of-the-art application topics in the area of large-scale data storage and retrieval technology. This paper reports on two case studies one based in modern architecture (ARCHFILE), and one based on the work of a particular artist. (PICAS-SOFILE). It was first delivered to the IFLA Section of Art Libraries, Munich, 1983.
The development, management and preservation of art and architectural microform collections
Authors: Chiarmonte Paula
Published: July 2016

Anticipated educational changes and their effects on libraries include increased emphasis upon independent study and consideration of economic priorities. These changes taking place in the eighties will force the issue of cost effective information systems for teaching and research. Economical advantages of the microformat include: compact storage, lower operational costs and economical text or image transfer onto paper or videodisc. Without overcoming the following impediments, however, microforms will not reach their full and remarkable potential as a research tool in the art and architectural reference library, 1) Lack of a systems approach, especially regarding technical standards; 2) Insufficient education of micrographics specialists, and; 3) Inadequate legal and copyright procedures.

This paper addresses the lack of a systems approach in the body of this paper and provides specific recommendations for establishment and maintenance of art and architectural microform collections with emphasis placed upon three key issues:

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Development

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selection of art and architectural microform software programs and the technology appropriate for their viewing, projecting and copying

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Management

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administration of a microforms collection including staffing patterns and bibliographic instruction

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bibliographic control methods and projects

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circulation

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Preservation

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facilities planning covering the issues of centralisation versus decentralisation and environmental factors

The use of microforms represents a critical link in the information transfer chain in art and architectural libraries. Promotional attitudes on the part of librarians as well as technical standards generated from the profession insures the success of a microform collection development program utilising the systems approach.

This paper was originally delivered to the section of Art Libraries at the 1983 IFLA Council.
Acquisition of exhibition catalogues
Authors: Houghton Beth
Published: July 2016

The problems of tracing and acquiring exhibition catalogues are described and some practical solutions suggested. Further areas requiring action are identified. This article is a revised version of a paper delivered to the 1984 ARLIS/UK Conference in Oxford.
The creation of a specialist subject department at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow
Authors: Garrett Wilma
Published: July 2016

The article, after an introduction giving an outline history of the Mitchell Library, looks at the creation of a specialist arts department within an established collection, makes comparisons between the service in the past and the present, and tries to identify any changes, particularly in patterns of use and readership.
From the history of decorative arts to the history of design: some problems of documentation
Authors: Margolin Victor
Published: July 2016

This paper traces the development of the study of the history of design, from problems of definition to the organisations and publications which have appeared to support this area of study. This is a revised version of a paper delivered to the IFLA Section of Art Libraries Preconference in Chicago, August 1985.
ARLIS/ANZ and art libraries in the Antipodes
Authors: Richards Valerie
Published: July 2016

ARLIS/ANZ Art Libraries Society, Australia New Zealand was formed in August 1976. Since then, ARLIS/ANZ has arranged a number of seminars and workshops for art librarians in both countries; found finance to bring three noted art librarians to the antipodes to give talks and workshops which stimulated both members and other interested professionals; and has published thirteen issues of ARLIS/ANZ News. ARLIS has served as a valuable support for art librarians working in isolation, at great distance from international centres of publishing and art activity. Distance between ARLIS/ANZ centres led to the formation of local interest groups and cooperation between art libraries in art galleries and museums, universities, schools of art, and national resource libraries.
Dutch art bibliographies
Authors: Schmidt Victor
Published: July 2016

The most important bibliography for Dutch art is the Bibliography of the Netherlands Institute for Art History (Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie). This bibliography, first published in 1943, is in fact a continuation in another form of H. van Hall, Repertorium voor de geschiedenis der Nederlandsche schilder - en graveerkunst sedert het begin van de 12de eeuw tot het eind van 1932 (Repertory for the history of Dutch painting and engraving since the beginning of the 12th century up till the end of 1932), The Hague 1936 (Vol.2: 1933-1946 appeared in 1949). The last volume published, Vol.16, Part 1: Old Art, comprises the years 1971-1972; Vol.17, Part 1: Old Art, for the years 1973-1974, is in the course of publication. The material for the years after 1974, however, is put on fiches, and can be consulted at the Institute. The last volume published that included material on Dutch 19th-20th century art was Vol. 9 (1957-1958). Material for the years thereafter also can be consulted at the Institute. Address: Prins Willem Alexanderhof 5 (entrance at the fifth floor of the Royal Library), 2595 BE The Hague; tel. 070-471514. Postal address: Post box 90418, 2509 LK The Hague.
Information services in the fields of art and architecture
Authors: Hamersveld Ineke van
Published: July 2016

In addition to Dutch academic and museum libraries, a number of art libraries and relevant document and information centres are attached to government and other institutions. These include the Netherlands Institute for Art History at The Hague (the parent institution of DIAL, an iconographical classification of Dutch art); the Stichting MARDOC at Rotterdam, which is evolving thesauri to facilitate automated access to museum collections; and the Netherlands Office for Fine Art, responsible for coordinating and promoting Dutch art collections. Other institutions are concerned with contemporary Dutch art, photography, architecture, the role of art in society, art education, and museology. Some of these, with some other institutions, are linked by the network Culturele Pool (CUPO) which coordinates and indexes current literature on the art in the broadest sense.
Artists’ books
Authors: Ruhé Harry
Published: July 2016

Artists’ books have been exhibited several times in the Netherlands since the late 1970s, notably at the Van Reekummuseum at Apeldoorn. They can be purchased from Galerie A in Amsterdam, and collections can be found in several Dutch museums including the Stedelijk Museum, the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, and the Groninger Museum, although problems associated with storage and conservation tend to inhibit access.
Artotheks in Norway
Authors: Markussen Åse
Published: July 2016

Artotheks, collections of works of art whose sole purpose is to be lent to the public, have existed in Norway since 1958/60. 7-8% of Norwegian public libraries developed rather small scale artothek-collections during the 60’s and early 70’s. After a period of decline and stagnation the activity was revitalized in 1983, through a pilot project based on the central organisation of acquisition, distribution, and circulation of original prints to six public libraries and hospital libraries, relieving them of all tasks except the actual lending routines. The culmination of this pilot project was the foundation of the Artothek Centre (Stiftelsen Artoteksentralen) in 1986. The Artothek Centre circulates small collections of prints to libraries throughout the country on a subscription basis, and has so far been a success. The prints are lent to the public free of charge.
National art libraries: monoliths or artels?
Authors: Phillpot Clive
Published: July 2016

The ideal of a single, national art library is no more practicable than that of a single national library. The alternative is to regard all of a nation’s art libraries as comprising the national art library, taking advantage of their diversity and of their provision of a range of access points and policies. This requires effective co-ordination, preferably combining maximum co-operation with a minimum of centralisation, and including the rotation of specific responsibilities among participating libraries. An example of such a confederation of art libraries is represented by the network of art libraries within the Research Libraries Group (RLG) in the USA. A new RLG plan for achieving efficient co-operative cataloguing of exhibition catalogues demonstrates how a confederation of libraries can work together to act as a national art library, more effectively than would be possible for a single ‘monolithic’ library.
Documenting art in Finland
Authors: Isomäki Irmeli
Published: July 2016

Literature on Finnish art can be sought via the national bibliography and periodicals indexes and a bibliography of Finnish history; these bibliographies are available as databases as well as in printed form and on microfiche. A working party on art libraries is looking into ways of widening bibliographical control of art literature. The publications themselves, and unpublished information, can be found in libraries and archives of several kinds, from the Library of Helsinki University to the libraries and archives of colleges of art and architecture, museums, and artists’ associations. Many of these organisations are active in gathering and publishing information. The Fine Arts Academy of Finland administers the Art Musum of the Ateneum, Finland’s national gallery, and maintains extensive collections of visual resources, exhibition catalogues, periodicals, and press clippings.
Beyond art and architecture: broadening the visual resources collection to serve the entire college
Authors: Quigley Suzanne
Published: July 2016

Visual materials can fulfill many purposes and enhance many disciplines. Their potential is illustrated by the way in which visual resource collections in colleges can be organised and extended to serve the college as a whole.

An expansion project to serve disciplines other than art history must begin with an assessment of the existing collection and of pockets of materials that exist elsewhere on campus. Thorough knowledge of the availability of materials, coupled with an understanding of what areas can be enhanced by the use of visual materials, can enable the visual resources librarian to devise plans and to budget for broader collection development. Ease of access should be the guiding principle in the integration of new materials in the collection. Promoting use can be accomplished by publicizing new holdings and by conducting information literacy presentations. Good record-keeping, and the response of teaching staff in the college, are the two most important factors in evaluating the success of a new program.
The international fashion video library: documenting the globalization of fashion for the future
Authors: Garrett Maryhelen , Hale Kaycee
Published: July 2016

Fashion has been categorized as a global means of non-verbal communication, television has been classified as the medium with a global communications message, and videotapes are becoming a primary documentary format for both. The International Fashion Video Library (IFVL), located in Los Angeles and a division of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Museum and Library Foundation, is the world’s only fashion video library open to students, educators, scholars, industry, and the general public. Its purpose is to collect, organize, and preserve archival, contemporary, and futuristic videotapes which document the various facets of the fashion industry.
Databases: artful reference tools or convenient alibis?
Authors: Deiss Kathryn
Published: July 2016

As compared to card catalogs, the content and extent of the online database is not apparent; parts of it become visible only in response to appropriate search strategies. When searches are conducted by librarians on behalf of researchers, the researcher is dependent on the librarian’s expertise and on his or her interpretation of the researcher’s requirements. Remote from the data, and at a remove from the search process, the researcher cannot be certain that the results (if any) are the product of an adequate search. Only first class performance, enabled by subject knowledge as well as technical proficiency, involving imagination and serendipity, and facilitated and sustained by sympathetic management, will inspire confidence in online reference services.
‘Third Text’
Authors: Brett Guy
Published: July 2016

Third Text, subtitled “Third World perspectives on contemporary art and culture”, is a new journal which has been launched to fill a gap in the literature of contemporary art. It aims to promote wider discussion and a deeper understanding of the work of Third World and black artists than can be provided from an exclusively Eurocentric or “Western” viewpoint. Its scope and purpose, as demonstrated by the contents of early issues, is explained by Guy Brett, writing on behalf of the editors and at the invitation of the Art Libraries Journal; readers must judge its success for themselves.
Australian art books and the international marketplace
Authors: Drury Nevill
Published: July 2016

Art book publishers in countries remote from the main world markets have to overcome formidable problems if they are to succeed in publishing books on the art and artists of their own countries. Quality cannot be sacrificed, but the books must be economically viable. Co-publishing offers the best strategy for increasing sales of appropriate publications overseas; co-editions, featuring well known artists, may do well enough to subsidise other books which have an important contribution to make to the documentation of the nation’s art but which are less likely to sell abroad.
Archival resources in the Victoria and Albert Museum
Authors: Wateren J. F. van der
Published: July 2016

The Victoria and Albert Museum, itself an archive of material culture, houses several collections of archival records. The Museum’s Registered Papers are divided between the Museum itself, which holds those papers relating to objects in the Museum, and the Public Record Office, where papers relating to Museum buildings and administration can be found; all papers produced since 1984 are to be housed together in a newly established V & A Archive. The quality of the archive of Registered Papers is uneven due to the lack of a controlling and unifying policy; this, and questions of conservation and administration, are being addressed as part of the current restructuring of the Museum. For the same reason the archives of the different Departments, though important, vary considerably not only in content but also in their organisation. The National Art Library, part of the V & A, includes archival collections of ephemera, comprising examples of printing and graphic design, and of manuscripts, including artists’ papers; it also includes the Archive of Art and Design, founded in 1978 to avoid the splitting up of significant archives between the Museum’s Departments.
L’Union Française des Arts du Costume, le Centre de Documentation, le Vidéodisque
Authors: Poix Marie-Hélène
Published: July 2016

The Union Française des Arts du Costume, founded in 1948, has been housed since 1986 in the new Musée des Arts de la Mode, and comprises collections of garments and accessories and of complementary documentation. Its Centre de Documentation, open to all, includes a library and archival collections of drawings, prints, photographs, and publicity material; a Centre de Consultation du vidéodisque facilitates access to both garments and documents while removing the need for rare and fragile materials to be handled. A videodisc on 20th century fashion has been available since 1987; a second videodisc is devoted to the 18th and 19th centuries. The thousands of images on videodisc are complemented by a database on BRS software.
La bibliotheque d’art, tresor d’aujourd’hui
Authors: Bergeon Ségolène
Published: July 2016

Art libraries are cultural treasure-houses, responsible for the preservation and organisation of materials which document art in all its variety. Art librarians should be able to adopt a broad view, capable of appreciating different cultural traditions and able to stand aside from current fashions; at the same time, those responsible for specialised libraries should commit themselves with enthusiasm and dedication to the particular traditions represented by their collections. Cooperation and networking is essential to link art libraries and their representation of different aspects of human culture, nationally and worldwide. While art libraries enable research, they also have a much wider educational role and should ideally be accessible to all. However, the provision of access to the library’s cultural wealth, which (legal considerations permitting) can be facilitated by such new technologies as videodiscs, has financial implications which may suggest that some services should be charged for or that libraries must seek sponsorship.
Museums to libraries: a family of collecting institutions
Authors: Homulos Peter
Published: July 2016

Museums, archives and libraries comprise a spectrum of collecting institutions whose interests range from unique objects to published information. Libraries have pioneered the application of both co-operative and automated systems to their collections; museums are following their example, and are innovating in the provision of interactive information technology. Dialogue between museum and library professionals is to be encouraged, not least at an international level.
Patrimoine et vidéodisque: situation actuelle
Authors: David Hélène
Published: July 2016

In the last decade, some 60 videodiscs have been produced on aspects of the French cultural heritage. These represent nearly one-third of the total of videodiscs recorded in a national survey published in 1988. All types of collection, and every historical period, are represented. Videodiscs have been employed for the sake of their administrative benefits and to conserve visual material, but also to exploit that material more effectively and to make it more accessible to the public. Thus some videodiscs are available to the public while others are not. The requirements for producing a videodisc vary with the purpose which it is to serve; although there are several different methods of transferring images to videodisc, the quality of the image depends above all on the quality of the original; similarly, there are various ways of linking images to the supporting documentation without which a videodisc is as good as useless. Initiatives to date have explored the potential of this new technology in an innovative spirit; in so doing they have demonstrated, but have scarcely begun to fulfil, the variety of needs which, in this visual age, videodiscs have the capacity to meet.
Los repertorios bibliograficos Españoles sobre las artes plasticas
Authors: Melero José E. Garcia , López Virtudes Azorín , Rojo Angela Sorli
Published: July 2016

A bibliography of bibliographies relevant to the study of the fine arts in Spain. For the majority of entries, the presence of a copy of the work in question in either the Biblioteca Nacional or the Instituto de Información y Documentación en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades (ISOC), both in Madrid, is indicated; for items in the Biblioteca Nacional a shelf number is also provided.
Reise nach Lissabon: Bericht
Authors: Musidlak-Schlott Gabriele
Published: July 2016

Following an earlier visit to Madrid which was described in the pages of the Art Libraries Journal, the author travelled to Lisbon in April 1989, once again visiting art libraries, museums, and bookdealers. Several German libraries participate in exchanging publications with the Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa.
Arts and disability: the European information network
Authors: Dade Penny
Published: July 2016

Since the mid-1980s, a number of initiatives in Europe and the United Kingdom have sought to promote the participation of the disabled in artistic activities. A focal point for a European network linking organisations and individuals throughout Europe is provided by a European Resource Centre, based at Hertfordshire College of Art and Design in the United Kingdom, which publishes the journal Atria and which maintains the European Arts and Disability Database. Some other organisations publish their own newsletters, while certain other databases can provide relevant information.
A bibliography and its languages: the ‘Bibliography of the History of Art
Authors: Rinehart Michael
Published: July 2016

The use of a rigorous and consistent indexing language is essential if a bibliography (whether manual or computerised) is to be used effectively; the adoption of a common language and indexing policy is a necessary prerequisite of co-operation and pooling of data between bibliographies. BHA, the successor to RILA and the Répertoire d’art et d’archéologie, has sought to develop and to apply such a language and policy in the environment of a bilingual database and publication, using English and French as befits a joint Franco-American project.
Design Kommunizieren/To communicate design
Authors: Aszmoneit Helge
Published: July 2016

All librarians come face to face with design every day in their interaction with a library building, its furniture, and its equipment. Librarians in design libraries are in addition concerned with information, about and for designing. The library of the German Design Council constitutes the most comprehensive collection of design information available to the public in the former Federal Republic, and is complemented by a photo and slide archive, including company literature and a newly-established video collection. Although no use is made of modern information technology, user-friendly information services, including a periodicals indexing service in the form of cards which are also available to external subscribers, are provided. However, the dissemination of design information further afield is constrained by three factors. In the first place, designers themselves do not fully appreciate how libraries can help them. Secondly, there is little co-ordination in Germany of design libraries of different kinds and in different regions and administrative units. Thirdly, most German design libraries are insufficiently resourced to allow them to do more than fulfil a specific function within the context of an institution or a locale. Nonetheless, librarians of German design libraries have formed an action group and have taken the first steps towards working together, while the German Design Council’s publication Design Bericht (1989) has provided a directory of design institutions. Design Bericht will appear every two years; a similar publication encompassing the whole of Europe is envisaged. (A full English version follows the original text in German. Please note that this paper was written before the unification of Germany).
Connections and collections: Britain’s National Art Library and the former USSR
Authors: Wateren Jan van der
Published: July 2016

The National Art Library’s coverage of Russian and Soviet art is extensive if uneven, comprising some 20,000 titles. These include approximately 100 serials from the former USSR, a small number of manuscripts, some significant livres d’artistes, illustrated and illustrated childrens’ books, and many exhibition catalogues. The important Larionov/Gontcharova collection was begun when the Museum purchased certain items from an exhibition it organised itself in 1926; many more items (including part of the artists’ library) were acquired in 1961, and yet more have been added since. The Library’s collections of printed ephemera include work by El Lissitsky and Rodchenko. The collections in the Library, which are being developed partly through exchange, are complemented by examples of Russian fine and decorative arts in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum - the home of the National Art Library.
Art book publishing in italy: The 1990s
Authors: Bianchi Carla
Published: July 2016

Changes taking place in Italian publishing include the decline of old family firms and the amalgamating of publishing in a relatively few, large companies with interests in other fields of activity. Art publishing is largely monopolised by a small number of big publishing groups based in Milan, although some smaller firms produce art publications, generally of local interest, elsewhere, and a number of medium-sized family or specialised businesses remain active in this field. Another, perhaps unique, feature of Italian art publishing is the production of art books financed by banks and used by them for promotional purposes. Initially hard to get hold of, these publications — sometimes in the form of a second, public, edition – are becoming more available, and are now the subject of a bibliography.
Collection development and the acquisition of art materials at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
Authors: Gakhar A. P.
Published: July 2016

Collection development plays a pivotal role in all libraries, and should be guided by a library’s purpose and the needs of its users. The Reference Library at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts aims to provide material on all the arts, within a broad context, and acquires material in several formats and in many languages. Materials acquired include rare books, the collections of private scholars, journals, microfilm of mss, visual resources, videos, and sound recordings. It is hoped that some of the problems that have been encountered can be resolved by means of contact and cooperation with other art libraries in Southern and South-East Asia.
ARLIS-L: networked communication for art information professionals
Authors: Molinaro Mary
Published: July 2016

Electronic mail makes it possible to exchange ideas and texts, and to seek answers to problems or to reference queries, immediately and easily. BITNET, a network for e-mail communication between academic bodies, originated in the USA in 1981 and now links 49 countries. Within BITNET, a mail distribution service, LISTSERV, facilitates specialised networking including ARLIS-L, a network for art librarians initiated by ARLIS/NA and hosted by the University of Kentucky. ARLIS-L was launched in 1990 and currently connects some 650 subscribers in 14 countries, not all of whom are members of ARLIS/NA. Anyone with a modem, a phone line, a personal computer and an e-mail address can access ARLIS-L; for those affiliated with academic institutions, access to e-mail networks is likely to be already catered for and free of charge. Existing subscribers are very enthusiastic about the ARLIS-L service. [A complementary network, VRA-L, is in place for those specifically interested in visual collections. Editor.]
The Internet and the virtual architecture library
Authors: Brown Jeanne M.
Published: July 2016

The Internet affords the librarian many opportunities to enhance reference services. Online reference tools such as library catalogs, specialized indexes, directories, dictionaries, etc. provide access to bibliographic information, organizational information, and information about the net itself. In addition to the information resources available on the net, its communications power facilitates exchange of information and efficient use of expertise. Although finding specific information on the net can sometimes be a problem, due to the quantity of data and the net’s rapid expansion, search tools are being developed to mine the riches of the Internet. (This article is based on a paper presented at the 22nd annual ARLIS/NA Conference at Providence, Rhode Island, 15th February 1994).
The museum art library as a bridge between the artist and society, with special reference to the South African National Gallery
Authors: Andersen Josephine
Published: July 2016

Art museums can help to promote art in society, but not all artists have their work selected for permanent collections or temporary exhibitions, and museums may be isolated from society. In Europe and North America, the primary function of museum libraries is to serve the parent institution, thereby serving the wider community only indirectly. In South Africa, where there are comparatively fewer museums, libraries, and publications concerned with the visual arts, and where there are so many disadvantaged people, it is vital that special collections such as the South Africa National Gallery (SANG) Library collection are made accessible in the widest possible sense and that museum library information programmes should be directed externally, as well as internally to the museum staff.
Creative co-operation between librarian and artists in the Russian State Arts Library
Authors: Kolganova Ida
Published: July 2016

The Russian State Arts Library, formerly the library of the Malyi Theatre and then the Russian State Theatre Library, is used by a variety of artists and designers who may be given considerable help by the Library staff especially when undertaking historical research, for instance, for set or costume designs for the theatre. The Library also arranges exhibitions of the work of artists and designers.