bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selected new architectural books
Authors: Elwall Robert , Kamen Ruth , Kavanagh Sue
Published: July 2016

This is the first of a regular series on new architectural books. To avoid passing over some important works the list is more retrospective than we hope future issues will be. Nothing published before 1975, however, is included. The list contains only books seen at first hand in the British Architectural Library and thus there will always be a delay between publication date and appearance in this column. Where possible prices are given in the currency of the country of origin. Otherwise prices given represent those paid by British Architectural Library.
Selected recent Exhibition Catalogues
Authors: Houghton Beth , Cieskowski Krzysztof Z.
Published: July 2016

An exhibition of American folk painting: selections from the collection of Mr. &Mrs. William E. Wiltshire III, was shown at THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM RICHMOND, Virginia (29 November 1977-8 January 1978). The 110p. catalogue is notable for the fact that all 51 exhibits are illustrated in colour, and provided with notes, provenances, list of places exhibited, and bibliographic references if appropriate.

An exhibition of European landscape painting, mainly from Western museums, was held at THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART, TOKYO (14 September - 26 October 1978), accompanied by a 220p. catalogue, with Japanese text. However the catalogue contains 120 illustrations of which 24 are in colour, which may make its acquisition worthwhile.

The MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS exhibition of James Tissot prints (25 May — 16 July 1978) was accompanied by a publication declared to be ‘the first complete catalogue raisonné of Tissot’s prints’ as well as catalogue of the exhibition. 88 credited works are documented in the 356p. catalogue, with 200 illustrations. The author is Michael Justin Wentworth.
Art library resources in Scotland
Authors: Macandrew Hugh
Published: July 2016

The general survey I am about to treat you to is almost entirely based on the information supplied by librarians, teachers and curators of museums and galleries. May I say now how grateful I am to those who have been so generous with their time in telling me most of what I know about the subject. I regard my role this evening as essentially one of disseminating the knowledge of others which in this field does not always circulate as freely as it might.

What has rather surprised me while preparing this talk is how quite important material in one centre is unknown in another. My talk will serve some use, therefore, if it helps to rectify this situation.
Selected new books: design and design history
Authors: Coulson Anthony J.
Published: July 2016

The recent exhibition at the Mappin Art Gallery Sheffield, Homespun to Highspeed. A century of British Design 1880-1980, provides a useful cue for a look at some of the developments in design and design history publishing over the past year. Even though the Sheffield exhibition was probably the largest single exhibition to survey the history of British design of this period so far staged, there are still many aspects of this period that cry out for exhibition and further study. Until this happens the documentation of this exhibition will provide a succinct but very selective personal introduction. The catalogue (£1.30 post free from Sheffield City Art Galleries) provides a brief illustrated summary by movements and decades whilst the enclosed exhibits list might help lead to examples nearer home. A photographic survey on slides is being compiled and I hope that the means may be found to make this more widely available as a study/teaching resource as the exhibition has now closed and will not be travelling elsewhere.
IFLA Congress, Copenhagen 1979. Art Libraries in the round
Authors: Proctor David V.
Published: July 2016

Describes a newcomer’s view of the world of international art librarianship, of the IFLA Congress in Copenhagen in general and the activities of the Art Libraries Round Table in particular. The need is stressed for participation and support of art librarians world-wide in the work of the Round Table.
IFLA work in progress: Directories of Art Libraries
Authors: Kaden Vera
Published: July 2016

An account of the beginnings, developments and achievements to date of the Working Party of the IFLA Art Libraries Round Table concerned with the Directories project. The next stages of the project are described and its importance is stressed as essential groundwork for the development of true international art library co-operation.
Conservation of photographs: some thoughts and references
Authors: Coulson Anthony J.
Published: July 2016

Relevant British Standards are cited, and advice on the establishment of priorities and programmes for the conservation of photographs is provided. Environmental hazards, mounting, storage and good ‘housekeeping’ practices are described.
Bare ruined quires: the binding problems of art libraries
Authors: DeCandido Robert
Published: July 2016

The basic structure of the codex book is described. The problems of large format and heavy volumes are discussed, and storage recommendations made. Inadequate adhesive bindings are analysed and a technique (double fan) is recommended. The need for, use and construction of protective containers is briefly examined. A method for securing loosely tipped-in plates is described, but tackling in-house repairs is discouraged.
The new art library at Brighton Polytechnic
Authors: Lavigueur Paul
Published: July 2016

A brief outline is given of events which in 1979 led to the Art and Design Library being moved out of the main faculty block at Grand Parade into an adjacent building. This is followed by a description and assessment of the improved facilities in the new library.

Acknowledgements are due to Leslie Willmot, site librarian from 1962-1977, for his help with information on the development of the Library. Photographs courtesy of Zul Mukhida.
A study tour of art libraries in Germany during September 1979. Part 2
Authors: Burton Anthony
Published: July 2016

In my previous article, published in the last issue of Art Libraries Journal, I described three large libraries which form parts of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Kunstbibliotheken: the Kunstbibliothek at Berlin, the library of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum at Nuremberg, and the Kunst- und Museumsbibliothek der Stadt Köln. I also wrote of the smaller Museumsbibliothek in Berlin, and I now go on to describe my visits to three other museum libraries.
La biennale di Venezia: a bibliographical note
Authors: Bury Stephen
Published: July 2016

The Biennale comprises a unique sequence of 20th century exhibitions of international (if uneven) coverage from 1895 onwards with only two breaks – between 1914-20 and 1942-48. It documents for the pre-Second World War period the non avant-garde in whom there is now increasing interest and since 1948 the activities of the avant-garde. It is a particularly useful source for Italian art and illustrates the metamorphosis of futurist art into fascist art. The Biennale has become part of art history: what has been shown has influenced what has subsequently been produced: the 1958 and 1960 Biennali, for example, were influential in the propagation of abstract-expressionism in Europe.
Ephemera and art libraries: archive or lucky dip?
Authors: Pacey Philip
Published: July 2016

Ephemera, the fleeting images of moments in time, are valuable for the historical perspectives, social insights and visual stimuli they can generate. The means of collecting are various and frequently cheap. Collections can be organised along simple or sophisticated lines depending on individual libraries’ resources.

These notes started life as a short paper, presented to audiences at Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart during a tour of Australia which the author made at the invitation of ARLIS/ANZ in September 1979; in this revised and extended form they were read to an inaugural meeting of an ARLIS North West of England group, at Preston Polytechnic on October 31st 1979.
The Tate Gallery Library
Authors: Symons Antony
Published: July 2016

The Library is a research library for the Gallery’s staff and subject coverage is related to the two collections, Historic British and Modem. Some indication of the categories of material in the Library is given. Stock selection is on a co-operative basis with the staff readership and an exchange scheme with other museums is operated. The Library provides a direct service to Gallery staff but restricts outside use owing to limitations of accommodation and staffing. New premises on the Millbank Hospital Site are needed before any national role could be undertaken. (Based on a paper submitted to the National Co-ordination of Art Library Resources Committee).
Printed ephemera and design history
Authors: Hudson Graham
Published: July 2016

Besides being visually interesting ephemera has a vital role to play in the teaching of the history of design and printing; indeed, many aspects cannot be taught without reference to it. Nor can the subject be covered in isolation, for the development of ephemeral printing is part of the greater whole within which are subsumed the history of book design and typefaces and broader cultural and historical concepts.
AACR 2 and “graphic materials”: use for a descriptive catalogue for the Science Museum
Authors: Sheridan Wendy
Published: July 2016

AACR2 encourages specialist and archival libraries to “use the rules as the basis of their cataloguing and augment their provisions as necessary.” Is this relevant to the needs of an image collection? What are the implications? The Science Museum has evolved a supplement to AACR2 to cope with visual materials of all kinds retained primarily for their documentary value, and the special needs of its users. A case study suggests how traditional descriptions of art works may metamorphese into computer-based systems such as those of the MDA and AACR2.

This article has developed from a contribution to the ARLIS/UK and LA course “The Image Library” at the Library Association on 20 February 1981. The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Science Museum.
A policy for the development of collections in museum art libraries in the United States
Authors: Schimansky Donya-Dobrila
Published: July 2016

This paper examines the problem of the formulation and implementation of a collection development policy in museum art libraries in the United States.

While there is literature on acquisition policy in academic and public libraries, there is nothing specific on museum art libraries. Because of the proliferation of art literature and budget restrictions it is of paramount importance for museum art libraries to formulate and follow a collection development policy. Once this is presented to the museum administration, the latter will better understand the library’s functions and will recognise its vital role both within the institution and outside.
Official publications and the art librarian
Authors: Bradfield Valerie J.
Published: July 2016

There is a wide range of publications available from the British Government which may be of interest to art librarians, and this article provides an outline, and a guide to the many sources for tracing and obtaining them. It goes on to indicate recent changes in the patterns of official publishing, and likely future developments in the eighties.
Computerised inventories, catalogues and indexes of museum collections
Authors: Roberts D. A.
Published: July 2016

The documentation problems faced by museums, and the organisations established to assist in tackling them are described along with an assessment of present progress at individual museum, and national and international co-ordination levels. The role which computers may play in this field is examined. However, systems analysis is the first priority, and automation is only one solution, and not appropriate in all cases.
The indivisibility of art librarianship
Authors: Freitag Wolfgang M.
Published: July 2016

As the range and sophistication of visual resources, and the size of collections available to the art historian and student have increased over the last century, so has the need for an appropriately qualified body of professionals to organise and develop them. This paper explains how and why those involved with visual resources have tended to have a background and training other than in librarianship, and how as a consequence, the two branches of the profession of art librarianship (textual and visual) have grown apart, with visual resources professionals allying themselves to art historical organisations. The author makes a case for the merging of the two professions, united in serving the same subject oriented clientele. This paper was first delivered to the Section of Art Libraries at the IFLA Council, in Montreal, August 1982.
Art librarianship in Canada
Authors: McKenzie Karen
Published: July 2016

The article provides an outline of the background and development of the profession of art librarianship in Canada, concentrating particularly on CARLIS and its forerunners. The activities, projects, publications and future plans of CARLIS are described. This paper was delivered to the Section of Art Libraries during the 1982 IFLA Council in Montreal.
The words about us
Authors: Jantjes Gavin
Published: July 2016

This article challenges the history and interpretation of the visual arts of Africa promulgated by much of the documentation on African art found in British art libraries — both that based on the colonial archaeological, ethnographic and anthropological approach, and that stemming from the influence of African arts on early twentieth century European art. Drawing parallels between the false picture of African history produced by colonial historians, and the perception of African art history by non-African art historians, the author draws attention to the need for Africans to document their own art, and to the lack of documentation on the contribution of Black artists to British cultural life.

The author is a South African artist and writer living in Britain, who will be exhibiting with the Midlands Art Group, Nottingham, January – February 1984. The article is a revised version of a paper delivered at the ARLIS/UK course ‘Visual art documentation for a multi-cultural society’, held on 11 November 1983 at the Commonwealth Institute, London.
The Golden Cockerel Press 1921~1961: a history, bibliography and index
Authors: Pike Nancy
Published: July 2016

This paper provides a history of the Golden Cockerel Press, an English private press active between 1921 and 1961. There were three major periods in the Press’s development. Under Harold Taylor the Press was an idealistic attempt to provide an opportunity for the publication of new writers not yet well-enough known for the larger publishing market. The second owner was Robert Gibbings who had helped found the Society of Wood-Engravers and used the Press as a showcase for his own and fellow engravers’ work. Finally, during the longest period in the Press’s history, Christopher Sandford continued both the innovative approach to text and the interest in wood engraving for illustrations. He produced 122 books, most on handmade paper in limited editions, and contrived to keep the cost within the price range of the average book collector by using mechanical typesetting at a commercial press while yet overseeing and revising the work at every stage of its design. Sandford sold the Press to Thomas Toseloff, an American, in 1959.

The work of the Press is exceptionally fine and contains a unique record of British wood engraving over a period of forty years. Following the history of the Press are three appendices: a chronological list of the Press books, an index to authors, and an index to illustrators.
CéCILE: une base de donnees de design au Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou
Authors: Mihailovic C.
Published: July 2016

The Centre de Création Industrielle of the Centre Georges Pompidou has created and made accessible a bibliographic research tool covering the fields of design, architecture and other elements of the everyday environment in the form of a database, CéCILE, which may be accessed through Telesystemes-Questel.

The article describes the background and setting-up of the database, along with details of its scope, and the structure of its entries and information retrieval elements.

This paper was originally delivered to the Section of Art Libraries at the 1983 IFLA Council. The English summary is abstracted from the translation by Ian Sheridan.
Botanical prints and drawings at the British Museum (Natural History)
Authors: Diment Judith A. , Newington Linda
Published: July 2016

This paper describes the botanical prints and drawings collection in the Botany Library, Department of Library Services, British Museum (Natural History). A short history of the collection is followed by details of acquisitions policy, curation, conservation and uses made of the collections. A selected bibliography of works, including those relating specifically to the Collections complete the paper.
The Sohm Archive from Markgröningen
Authors: Kellein Thomas
Published: July 2016

The Sohm Archive, until now mainly known only to specialists, a multisubject private collection of documents and art from recent decades, was purchased in 1981 for the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, and at their re-opening in Spring 1984 the Archive was for the first time made available to the public. Its present Curator here explains the origins of the collection.
Viewpoint
Authors: French Sonia
Published: July 2016

The articles in this issue of the Art Libraries Journal all relate to developments in fine art services in public libraries in the United Kingdom. Denmark and Germany.

Within the United Kingdom the City of Westminster’s Fine Art Library has been in existence for twenty years; the great Mitchell Library in Glasgow opened its Fine Arts Department in 1981; Essex County Library has an innovative and expanding Fine Arts service. Subject specialisation, it would seem, is alive, well and flourishing.
Subject departments: their rise and fall at Bradford Metropolitan Libraries
Authors: Duckett R.J.
Published: July 2016

Bradford had the first central library building in this country designed specifically on the subject departmentalised principle. Bradford is also the first to abandon it. The rise and fall of Bradford’s subject departments are charted and reasons are given why they were no longer felt to be appropriate in the 1980s. Some of the disadvantages of subject departments are noted.

The views expressed here are the author’s own and not necessarily those of the City Librarian or his Management Team.
The universal availability of art publications: a global context
Authors: Pacey Philip
Published: July 2016

‘Universal Availability of Publications’ (UAP) and the universal availability of art publications should be considered in the context of ‘one world’, a world in which we all share responsibility for our fellow human beings. In this context both librarianship and art, and thus art librarianship also, should be seen as services rendered to humankind at large. IFLA’s UAP programme has been conceived as a service, intended to supply genuine human needs, and art librarians, who are constantly frustrated in their efforts to serve users of art libraries by the limitations to the availability of art documentation, can readily identify a need for ‘Universal Availability of Art Publications’. Nevertheless, a worldwide programme of this nature is in danger, first, of being pursued for its own sake (or for the sake of ‘needs’ which are imagined, over-emphasised, or misconceived), and second, of reinforcing cultural imperialism. Safeguards include acceptance of the necessity to proceed step by step in pursuit of a success which can never be complete; the fact that UAP is founded on local collections developed to meet local needs; recognition of the imbalance in the production of publications in different parts of the world; and recognition of the importance of unpublished documentation and of ‘publications’ which do not as yet exist. A greater emphasis on increasing the availability, and generating the production, of publications from countries which publish relatively little, is proposed. A fourth safeguard ought to derive from the professional ethics and grass-roots experience of librarians, who serve and identify with library users, actual and potential. The pursuit of universal availability of art publications should be based on realistic assessment of what is feasible, and on local, regional, and national resources, with all possible encouragement being given to developing countries to document their own arts. Art librarians may be paying too little attention to the needs of users and, especially, of non-users of art libraries, and should be aware of the barriers to availability which can result from the prevalence of a narrow, elitist conception of ‘Art’ and from the provision of library services primarily for an elite. Without neglecting the service of scholarship, the art library profession should try to shift the balance of its commitment towards the provision of a service for everyone, everywhere, so that our interpretation and pursuit of the ‘Universal Availability of Art Publications’ truly reflects a vision of our whole world’s heritage and practice ‘of divers arts’.

This is the text of a paper presented to the Section of Art Libraries, at the 1985 IFLA Council in Chicago.
Compte rendu du Colloque: ‘A l’écoute de l’oeil’
Authors: Rouit Huguette
Published: July 2016

A report of the first European Conference of the IFLA Section of Art Libraries held in Geneva 13-16 March 1985. The theme ‘Iconographic collections and libraries’, was explored in some forty papers from speakers of seven nationalities: Teaching iconography; Iconographic collections; Users and means of access to documents.
Artists in Canada: Data Base
Authors: Engfield Roy H.
Published: July 2016

Describes the evolution of the Artists in Canada database, from a checklist of artists’ files in one library, to a manually compiled and then automated union list, and now, into an on-line retrieval service.
ARLIS/Norge: art librarianship in Norway and the literature of Norwegian art
Authors: Rabben Anne Lise , Bonafede Cecilie W.
Published: July 2016

A brief introduction to Norwegian art libraries and an account of the founding and early history of ARLIS/Norge precede an annotated survey of bibliographies which include or are devoted to Norwegian art.
Design in Developing Countries 1950 – 1985: a summing-up
Authors: Papanek Victor
Published: July 2016

Since 1950, and increasingly through the 1960s, designers from developed countries tried to help with the design problems of developing societies. They were usually more successful when they lived in the country in question for an extended period and worked closely with local people. During the 1970s developing countries became more independent and able to design for themselves. Little has been written about design in the Third World other than official and conference reports. A seminar in 1975 demonstrated that cooperation between countries, leading to self-help, should replace reliance on ‘international experts’. The most urgent need now is for a breakthrough in alternative energy technology, and this is most likely to come from the Third World.
Authors: Arikha Avigdor
Published: July 2016

Painting, true painting, is an act of revelation. Therefore it is contradictory to learning. The creative act cannot come forth without an unlearning. It is a process from within to without, contrary to reading. However, there cannot be an unlearning without previous learning. The accumulation of knowledge can be compared, if not to fuel, which it is also, at least to a guiding system: the practising artist cannot know how his work relates to historical time without this knowledge of all art and its dilemmas.

The peintre-savant such as emerged in the seventeenth century, incarnated by Poussin, Rubens, and most probably Velazquez, could not possibly have come into existence without the library - the list of Velazquez’ books in that respect is telling: it included all the books a seventeenth century humanist would have wished, but the bulk of it was about art theory. But strangely enough, art history was neglected by most leading modernist artists. Kandinsky preferred the occult “sciences” to the study of art-theory and would have been surprised to discover that Lomazzo formulated some of the ideas which he, Kandinsky, considered new and revolutionary. Mondrian would have been shocked to discover that Quatremère de Quincy and ultra-idealism preceded his own ideas. Klee would have been exhilarated with Arcimboldo’s clavicello cromatico by which he equated sound and colour.

Now, after the close of the modernist era, it seems as if we are left with a devastated land: the disconnection between eye and hand for the painter is followed by the one between feeling and judgement for the viewer. The decadence of art-training is followed by a growing confusion between cultural history and art history, which is the history of exceptions. But besides the devastation we have also inherited a graver sense of the limitations, which the peintres-savants of the past couldn’t have had: they still could believe in eternity. For us, eternity is lost.
Art information networks in Asia and the Pacific
Authors: Boaden Sue
Published: July 2016

As former colonial links and reliance on a technologically-developed ‘West’ recede into the past, Asian and Pacific countries, including Australia, are becoming increasingly aware of one another as neighbours. Circulation of exhibitions, artists’ visits, cultural festivals, government and UNESCO activities, and art publishing, provide a network for sharing art and art information between countries in this region. Among art libraries, those in Australia and New Zealand participate in the network represented by ARLIS/ANZ; the IFLA Section of Art Libraries and its global role offers scope for further developments. An Asian/Pacific ‘ARLIS’ is proposed.
Libraries of art museums
Authors: Vossen-Delbrück Else
Published: July 2016

With one exception Dutch art museum libraries date from the second half of the 19th century or later. In general, museum libraries reflect the scope of the museum they serve and exist primarily for the use of museum staff although the public are also admitted. Most now use the same cataloguing rules; manual catalogues are still commonplace but are likely to be displaced by the computer.
The Peters Collection and the Leliman Library of the University of Technology, Delft
Authors: Smeenk Chris
Published: July 2016

The Library of the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Technology at Delft includes two important private collections. The Peters Collection comprises material formerly owned by the Gothic Revival architect Cornelis Hendrick Peters and includes architectural and topographical drawings and prints as well as books. The Leliman Library comprises the library of the Classical architect J.H. Leliman, augmented by his son, Johannes Hendrik Willem Leliman, himself an architect who specialized in housing, an associate of the garden city movement and advocate for the preservation of old buildings.
Kunstverleih - Warum?
Authors: Dietze Horst
Published: July 2016

The loan and hire of contemporary original works of art has a long but littleresearched history. Its recent development, in and outside public libraries (particularly in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Israel) began essentially after 1945. Its nature and scope is strongly influenced by contemporary art. Art loans are worth promoting because art plays a lesser role in our cultural life compared to music and literature, because of the gulf between contemporary art and the public at large, as a means of securing and developing the role of the artist in society, and to foster discrimination and visual literacy in an age dominated by images of all kinds.
The community role of academic art libraries
Authors: Toyne Derek
Published: July 2016

Despite apparent reluctance amongst academic art libraries, the nature of art and of education justify an extension of their activities into the local community. Publication and the loan of work produced by the academy are two of many suitable techniques, but availability of a qualified subject specialist librarian is seen as crucial. Predicted increases in free time will lead to an increase in the study and practice of art. The academic art library should now aim to become a community art focus.
Co-operation between art libraries and the community in metropolitan Sydney
Authors: Love Frances
Published: July 2016

The art libraries in Sydney exist to provide a service for their immediate clients. However, there is considerable interest in meeting the needs of the art community and the teaching profession as well as the wider community. Sydney’s art libraries, including several academic libraries, co-operate with each other in a number of ways from the extremely structured through the membership of CLANN (Co-operative Library Activity Network, NSW) to ad hoc arrangements involving individual libraries and librarians.
Other disciplines and art: an overview based on oral evidence
Authors: Singer Loren
Published: July 2016

Researchers in other disciplines use art resources. Interviews with a variety of researchers in the fields of medicine, literature, history, psychotherapy, and archaeology provide some insights into when, why, and how scholars turn to the study of art. Through informal discussions about their research experiences, these researchers reveal their ways of thinking and pursuing research, the relationship of their own disciplines to art and the frustrations and rewards of pursuing inter- or multi-disciplinary research.
The information needs of the flea-market
Authors: Burton Anthony
Published: July 2016

In industrial societies even the poorest people acquire artefacts to embellish their surroundings; such ‘bric-à-brac’ may in some cases be the detritus of a previous age or a more affluent environment, and in some cases is destined to become ‘collectable’ in time to come. Thus, bric-à-brac is of interest to those concerned with popular art and material culture (presumably it will be of interest to archaeologists in the future), and to professional designers, as well as to collectors and dealers and people of all kinds. Expertise resides in people themselves, notably collectors, but is also shared through a range of journals and other publications, some of which are elusive or ephemeral, and which may not be provided, or preserved, in libraries. Price guides comprise an important source of information, as do reference books which are often mines of detailed information. More scholarly works which would readily find a place in the art library are less common, but libraries should think carefully before rejecting the ‘literature of the flea-market’, for which there may be popular demand and without which serious study will be handicapped.
The Pictorial Collection of the National Library of Australia
Authors: Perry Barbara
Published: July 2016

The National Library of Australia at Canberra includes a Pictorial Collection comprising paintings, drawings, prints and photographs which illustrate the history of Australia. The Collection is being actively developed, the ultimate goal being a comprehensive visual record of all aspects of Australian life. The Collection is open to the public, and is served by a photographic unit; a selection of pictures are always on display, and items are lent to exhibitions elsewhere. A publications programme is to culminate in the production of an illustrated catalogue. Data on selected items in the Collection is being entered into the Australian Bibliographic Network database.
The end-user and the art librarian
Authors: Boyles James C.
Published: July 2016

New technology is giving researchers greater independence in their use of bibliographic databases. Art librarians should promote ‘end-user services’ which provide library users with direct access to online databases, although there are a number of problems which are liable to detract from the efficiency and thoroughness associated with computer-assisted searching.
Evolutions in exhibition catalogues of African art
Authors: Mount Sigrid Docken
Published: July 2016

Since their appearance in the early 20th century, catalogues prepared for exhibitions of African art have undergone a gradual transformation. Beginning as mere checklists many of these publications have, in the 1970s and 80s, evolved into major scholarly works whose significance transcends their original purpose as guides to the exhibitions. Changes occurring over the years are traced through examination of the form and content of representative catalogues and by review of the reception by art historians of many of these works into the corpus of literature of African art. The growing importance of exhibition catalogues as important art historical documents is also demonstrated by a chronological analysis of bibliographic citations in the major scholarly journal of African art in the United States. Finally, scrutiny of sources and annotations included in an important bibliographic guide to the literature of African art indicates how firmly established the exhibition catalogue has become as one of the most important publication forms for the dissemination of scholarly writing on African art.

[This paper won the ARLIS/NA Gerd Muehsam Award for 1986. We hope to publish a sequel in a future issue, on exhibitions of African art in Africa and the development of catalogues written by Africans. Editor].
Catalogues of exhibitions in Florence 1977-1986
Authors:   Florence Committee of the IFLA Section of Art Libraries
Published: July 2016

A study undertaken by art librarians in Florence demonstrates that catalogues of exhibitions held in Florence during the decade culminating in the city’s designation as the European Capital of Culture offer clear evidence of the development of art exhibitions into a cultural phenomenon attracting considerable interest, supported by (and promoting the interests of) public and commercial bodies. In the same period, restoration has continued its rise to prominence, both as an added dimension to art exhibitions and as a subject of exhibitions in its own right; this trend reflects not only a high level of activity in the field of restoration but also an awakening of public interest in the process of restoration. Museums, sometimes in close collaboration with publishers, have learned how to use exhibitions and catalogues both to publicise and to further continuing study of their collections. The catalogue has become a substantial vehicle of art documentation and scholarship, an autonomous publication, no longer simply a guide to the exhibition.
Art archives: a common concern of archivists, librarians, and museum professionals
Authors: Lemke Antje B.
Published: July 2016

The preservation of artists’ papers and other art source material has steadily increased since the Second World War. Art archives include national repositories, archives attached to museums and libraries, archives devoted to a single person or institution, and ‘multiple collection archives’. Archival materials range from manuscript and photographic records to original works of art. Some archival materials have been published in microform formats; many others have not, and potential users depend on being able to locate them by means of various finding aids. Unless supported by public funds, the archives themselves depend on grants or sponsorship. Art archives may be staffed by archivists, museum curators, or librarians; future developments require not merely cooperation but also a ‘harmonization’ of these three professions, and a critical approach to the application of new technologies.
Bibliotecas de Arte de Madrid
Authors: Páez Elena Santiago
Published: July 2016

During the last three years, following the 2nd European Conference of the IFLA Section of Art Libraries at Amsterdam in 1986, art librarians in Madrid have been meeting together to discuss common problems and co-operative projects. At the very first meeting it was agreed to compile a directory of art libraries in Madrid as a first priority; a preliminary listing was produced in 1987, and a fuller version, scheduled for publication in July 1989, was in preparation at the time of writing. Also at the first meeting, the need for a union list of periodicals was identified; a provisional list, of current titles, was completed in June 1987, and was converted to computer-readable form by the Biblioteca y Centro de Documentación of the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia; holdings of non-current periodicals will now be incorporated as well. It is also hoped to devise a co-operative acquisitions scheme to ensure the best possible provision of Spanish art periodicals without putting too great a burden on any one library. During 1989, a series of visits is taking place as the best way of familiarising art librarians with the collections and services of the different art libraries.
Where is the border of Europe? Original works of art on this and that side of the river Lajta
Authors: Tószegi Zsuzsanna
Published: July 2016

From a cultural point of view as well as politically and geographically, Hungary is very much part of Eastern Europe; although the “Iron Curtain” appears less formidable than hitherto, opportunities for people to encounter works of art are relatively few. In these circumstances, public libraries have a vital role to play in organising art exhibitions; their exhibition activities have been surveyed, and could in future be coordinated, by the National Széchényi Library. With some notable exceptions, the scope of exhibitions has tended to be unadventurous, focussing especially on the graphic and book arts because of their obvious relevance in a library environment. There is a particular need for exhibitions for children which would encourage uninhibited experiences of works of art and design.
Inspiration and information: sources for the fashion designer and historian
Authors: Smith Gaye
Published: July 2016

A number of sources of inspiration and information, in addition to books on costume history, are invaluable to the fashion designer and the historian of fashion. They include predictions of style and market trends, visual sources of creative inspiration, and a variety of forms of historical evidence. Sources of information on style and market trends include forecasting services, trade magazines, newspapers, advertising material, and fashion magazines. Sources from which the designer can draw inspiration include paintings and visual imagery from the theatre, cinema, and popular culture. Historical evidence includes portrait paintings, fashion plates and magazines, photographs, literary sources, pattern books, and trade catalogues. Above all, magazines and serial-type publications are crucially important, for the sake of their currency, and later from a historical perspective; access to magazines is facilitated by indexing services.
Les Archives Marie-Alain Couturier à la Menil foundation
Authors: Billot Marcel
Published: July 2016

The Archives Marie-Alain Couturier is devoted to the work of one man and to his achievement in reconciling religious and Modern art. The Archives owes its existence to Père Régamey who was able to keep Père Couturier’s papers together after he died in 1954, and to the intervention of the Menil Foundation in 1975. The Archives has two aims: to publish the writings of Père Couturier together with related material, and to conserve a body of documentation which is indispensable for the study of 20th century art. The Archives comprise Père Couturier’s manuscripts and correspondence, and an extensive file, including correspondence with Matisse, documenting in detail the planning and building of the chapel at the convent at Vence.
La Documentation du Centre de Creation Industrielle et sa base de donnees
Authors: Piton Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2016

Founded in 1969, the CCI at the Pompidou Centre in Paris is devoted to the study of design, broadly defined as ranging ‘from town to teaspoon’, and within both an international and a cultural context. It hosts and organises exhibitions, conferences, and seminars, and produces publications; its documentation service supports the CCI’s own staff and activities, in addition to offering a service to external users. The collections include over 15,000 books, many journals, and files of press cuttings. From its inception the CCI has used a computer system to organise and provide access to its documentation; previously available online via Questel under the name CéCIle, the database is now known as CCIDOC and can only be searched on site. It comprises some 42,000 bibliographic citations, plus a directory of French designers; up to 4,000 new references are added each year. Access to CCIDOC records is provided via both an indexing language controlled by a thesaurus, and keywords (representing subjects, proper names, dates, and places) taken from the natural language of titles and abstracts. Related terms from both controlled and natural languages are brought together in a lexicon which indicates the frequency of use of particular terms. Searches can also be limited or made specific by means of identifiers, all of which can be combined using Boolean operators.
Demystifying design: the information needs of non-professional designers
Authors: Pacey Philip
Published: July 2016

Everybody is a designer, or at least has a right to be involved as an active participant in the design of the world around them. Information needed for successful design includes both ‘expertise’, and also, information from people themselves, about themselves and their localities. Professionals, who may regard expertise as their exclusive property, tend sometimes to neglect this second category of information; non-professionals who engage in design are familiar with their own requirements but may need more technical information than is readily available to them. Those professional designers who interpret their role as one of facilitating participation in design, will willingly share their expertise while at the same time appreciating the value of the information and skills which non-professionals can contribute. Libraries, and other information agencies, can also help to make both categories of information available to professionals and non-professionals alike. In a global context, there is a need for indigenous knowledge and traditions to be recognised and respected by ‘experts’ from those countries in which professional specialisms are highly developed, and by the growing design professions in developing countries themselves.
Registered designs as a history of design
Authors: Turner Matthew
Published: July 2016

Since 1839 a million or more designs have been lodged with the British Patent Office. Millions more have been registered in other jurisdictions, for example, in America (from 1842), India (from 1881), and Japan (from 1910). Registered designs are not confined to ‘Good Design’ (according to Modernist Western criteria) but neither do they provide a comprehensive record of design innovation: whether designs from a given country are or are not registered abroad may be less a measure of the country’s design activity, more an indication either of the refusal by an Imperial power to recognise indigenous design as ‘original’, or of whether it is advantageous to a developing country to respect international copyright. Nonetheless, registered designs, which are documented in great detail and may be accompanied by precise visual representations, constitute one of the most extensive series of primary source materials and statistics for an objective, world history of design. The fact that they have been overlooked by design historians can be partially explained by ignorance of their existence or whereabouts, and difficulties of access, but also reflects a limited, Eurocentric approach to design and its history.
International exchange of art publications: some points for discussion
Authors: Shaw J. Margaret
Published: July 2016

Art libraries are in many instances particularly well placed to operate international exchanges of publications, especially when (as in the case of museum libraries) they serve institutions which publish art documentation. It is nevertheless necessary to be aware of the hidden costs which can exist, and to examine the reasons for and the cost-effectiveness of exchange programmes. Guidelines for efficient and effective exchange are suggested.
[no title]
Authors: Clark Kenneth
Published: July 2016

Recently I was quite excited to run across a book illustrating Edward Gordon Craig’s “Black Figures”, a series of woodblock prints which this artist produced between 1907 and 1919. Because the book is somewhat rare I know that I never would have found Gordon Craig’s prints had I not been an art librarian. The unexpected discovery of an artist’s work or a new technique is, for me, one of the benefits of being a librarian/artist.
[no title]
Authors: Graham Anne
Published: July 2016

My inter-relationship with visual resources coordination and my artwork is one of symbiosis. An encyclopedic array of images repeatedly brought to attention influences my imaging. Since my ideas are constantly growing and altering, forgotten images are brought to the forefront and become useful historical references as well as new learning material.
[no title]
Authors: Gustafson Karen
Published: July 2016

My employment as a slide curator followed a fascination with the slide lectures given by my studio instructors that revealed what interested and inspired them. Working daily with a slide collection is rewarding in providing resources for those teaching and studying the history of art. It provides me in turn with an overview of how art changes and repeats itself both in content and style, as governments rise, fall and merge, and religious beliefs and social conditions change.
[no title]
Authors: Rita Chieo
Published: July 2016

I think it is necessary for librarians, artists and computer-niks to cooperate with each other to develop art documentation in Japan. As I am involved with the three fields; library science, fine arts and computer science, I would like to foster the growth of art documentation.
[no title]
Authors: Milliken Donald
Published: July 2016

OR is an artist’s multiple in pamphlet form, produced with inexpensive, readily-available materials and methods in editions of around one hundred. Operating outside of commercial galleries, there was never any intention of selling current issues of OR; however, back issues are now for sale and some are very expensive. One hundred and fifty editions have been produced since 1976.
[no title]
Authors: Murchie John
Published: July 2016

It has never particularly crossed my mind that there is any special relationship between my work as an art librarian and my work as an artist. Librarianship was more of a profession, a way of earning a living. Making art is usually more fun than watching television.
[no title]
Authors: Rusak Halina
Published: July 2016

My involvement as an artist and as an art librarian allows me to see a full spectrum of art history from its inception by an artist to its assessment by an art historian. It enables me to better understand the needs of faculty and students in the field of visual arts, as well as to interface effectively with faculty and scholars in art history. My gallery membership at SOHO 20 in New York City provides me with insight into art trends in the making. It demonstrates well a woman’s place in the contemporary art world, and a role of a critic in promoting or establishing an artist. I feel that this knowledge makes me a better librarian.
Art Collections of the Russian State Library
Authors: Artamonova Svetlana
Published: July 2016

The former Lenin State Library in Moscow, now the Russian State Library, holds extensive collections of graphic and photographic materials, Russian and foreign, dating from the 15th century to the present day. These include a collection of some 434,000 posters, of which film and political posters form the largest subsections; a smaller number of pre-Revolutionary posters is of special interest. The collection of engravings totals some 93,000 items, and includes both works of European masters and Russian popular prints. There are also collections of postcards, “albums”, and manuscripts.