236 I College & Research Libraries • May 1978 more profitably on something else.­ In Munich, a former Gestapo library con­ Cathleen Flanagan, University of Utah , Salt tains 10,000 volumes on Judaism, and an Lake City. archive in Koblenz has 2, 000 tape record­ ings from the Nazi period. There are still a Gebhardt, Walther, comp. Special Collec~ dozen Judaica collections in West Germany. tions in German Libraries. Federal Re­ Several libraries have more than 10,000 fu­ public of Germany incl. Berlin (West). By neral sermons each. One museum has 4,000 Commission of Deutsche Forschungsge­ volumes devoted to the history of bread; meinschaft. Berlin and New York: Walter another specializes in Till Eulenspiegel de Gruyter, 1977. 739p. $67.30. LC 77- books and memorabilia. And even German 22288. ISBN 3-11-005839-1. (Title page libraries are now beginning to collect comic also in German: Spezialst{mde in books. deutschen Bibliotheken. Bundesrepublik One need hardly detail the superb collec­ Deutschland einschl. Berlin (West). Im tions in philology, philosophy, and the natu­ Auftrag der Deutschen Forschungs­ ral sciences, which made Germany the gemeinschaft.) leader in Wissenschaft until 1933. Seminary Following the destruction and dislocation and cloister libraries still contain numerous of libraries during World War II, the need manuscripts and incunabula. for a catalog to the special collections in Gebhardt has not slighted the German East and West Germany has become im­ researcher looking for foreign collections. perative. Hans Praesent' s Die Bibliotheken Listed are depository collections of the (Deutsches Reich) published in the Minerva RAND Corporation, U.S. government pub­ Handbiicher series in 1929 is, of course, out lications, and UN reports. Similarly, the of date. Richard C. Lewanski' s Subject Col­ compiler identifies libraries having mi­ lections in European Libraries (1965) covers crofilms of early American imprints and .. 6,000 libraries and does not adequately those listed in the catalogs of Pollard and describe any one collection. Walther Redgrave and Wing. Gebhardt's work now fills the gap for the A few minor criticisms: the list of ab­ Federal Republic. breviations is inadequate. The price of the The 877 collections are arranged alpha­ volume puts it beyond t~e reach of re­ betically by city. In addition to informing searchers on a grant. One wonders about the reader about loan privileges and copying the publisher's motive in issuing the volume facilities, the compiler usually lists the ap­ with a German and an English title, when proximate size of the collections and their only the introduction is in EngJish. Never­ .... significant features. Gebhardt cites articles theless, this volume is vital in any reference and bibliographies when they are available. collection.-Kurt S. Maier, Leo Baeck Insti­ More than 200 pages are devoted to a con­ tute, New York. cordance and an· index. The concordance enables the researcher to scan subject head­ Davis, Cullom; Back, Kathryn; and Mac­ ings, names, and ,concepts and thus easily Lean, Kay. Oral History from Tape to find a particular field. For example, ninety Type. Chicago: American Library Assn., subject headings and names appear under 1977. 141p. $8.95. LC 77-4403. ISBN "military science." Generous listings are 0-8389-0330-8. available in other subject areas. Baum, Willa K. Transcribing and Editing In spite of the losses resulting from the Oral History. Nashville, Tenn.: American war, German libraries still contain vast re­ Association for State and Local History, sources. To cite only a sampling: The 1977. 127p. ( + 33 1/3. RPM record). $6.75 municipal library of Baden-Baden has 400 ($4.50 to AASLH members). LC 77-3340. volumes on hot springs and baths. In Berlin ISBN 0-910050-26-0. the researcher may consult more than 5, 000 Two recent additions to the literature of concert programs from the Gewandhaus in manuals on how to do oral history are tes­ Leipzig. One library lists an uncataloged timonials to the growing professionalism of collection dealing with the poet Wieland as this relatively new technique, which pre­ weighing "3 Zentner" (i.e., 330.75 pounds). serves for the future the memories of J Recent Publications I 237 participant/observers of events of historical to a transcriber could be a warm, sensitive import. human document, which evidences great Oral History from Tape to Type is the respect for the interviewer, the interviewee, more inclusive of the two books. It is de­ and indeed for the integrity of the project signed to be three things: (1) a textbook on itself? But Willa Baum' s directions are, in oral history, (2) an operating manual, and (3) fact, exactly that. a workbook. As a textbook on oral history, it Perhaps the major weakness of this man­ may be a bit thin. For instance, the disad­ ual is that it suggests far more editing than vantages of doing a subject oriented rather would appear to be wise, either in terms of than a biographical oral history are made an accurate rendition of the interview or in clear, but advantages are left to the reader's terms of making funds stretch as far as pos­ imagination. Moreover, a textbook should sible. A great deal of editing is costly and have some discussion of what, in fact, has time consuming and, finally and most im­ been contributed by oral history to his­ portantly, presents the researcher with a toriography. But it is an excellent manual, document that is a far cry from the original. and it could be recommended without any Before deciding on a program of editing, serious qualifications to anyone wishing to one could profitably consult the discussion begin or to improve an already established by Davis, Back, and MacLean, which pro­ oral history program. vides the rationale for editing merely in the The discussion on interview technique is interests of intelligibility and argues against especially wise and perceptive as well as full massive rearrangements and structural of practical hints. This book will be particu­ changes. larly useful to those teaching a course on Both of these books provide an excellent oral history. The exercises are designed to guide to any oral history project large or give the prospective oral historian realistic small and will make instructive reading for practice. This work is different from previ­ ous manuals in that it concentrates on re­ trieving, publishing, and publicizing oral history. For this reason, I think it will be Operating particularly valued by librarians and those who are involved in the maintenance and Budget Cuts? preservation of oral history tapes and tran­ Less staff for equal work? Save scripts. time and trouble, get the most for Transcribing and Editing is not intended your money with service designed as a complete manual. Rather it is a com­ to meet your needs. Reduce staff panion volume to the author's first work time in claim work and direct or­ Oral History for the Local Historical Soci­ dering - let us do the work. Any ety, an effort that has become recognized as book in print (U.S. and Canada) the most valuable, if not essential, aid to can be supplied with custom invoic­ the small oral history project. Transcribing ing and prompt, accurate reporting and Editing begins at the moment the tape of back ordered titles. Give us a recorder has been turned off at the conclu­ trial order and see what our "Con­ sion of a successful interview and covers cerned Service" can do for you! every step from the form in which notes Call 517-849-2117 Collect - taken during the interview can be most use­ ful to the transcriber to the ceremonial pre­ sentation of !he finished product to the nar­ the rator. BOOK Willa Baum has not chosen, however, to present a rigid explication of the one right HOlJSE way to process oral history tapes. Instead, SINCE 1962 she has set out various alternatives and JOBBERS SERVING LIBRARIES WITH ANY BOOK IN PRINT rationales for deciding among these alterna­ 208 WEST CHICAGO STREET tives. Who would imagine that instructions JONESVILLE. MICHIGAN 49250 238 I College & Research Libraries • May 1978 all who either contemplate or are already threatens to make much of the content heavily engaged in the stimulating but passe in short order. sometimes frustrating venture of attempting Three of the seven papers are largely fac­ to preserve "history warm." -Alice M. tual, informative, and nonprovocative Hoffman, Pennsylvania State University, state-of-the-art presentations. "Technological King of Prussia Graduate Center. Foundations for Bibliographic Control Sys­ tems," by Ronald L. Wigington and Charles Prospects for Change in Bibliographic Con­ N. Costakos, serves an important function trol. Proceedings of the Thirty-eighth for planners of bibliographic systems gener­ Annual Conference of the Graduate Li­ ally. The paper's scope-computer technol­ brary School, November 8-9, 1976. ogy, communications technology, reprog­ Edited by Abraham Bookstein, Herman raphy, and software-along with its lucid H. Fussier, and Helen F. Schmierer. The exposition and predictions of future trends University of Chicago Studies in Library makes it one of the most relevant and valu­ Science. Chicago: University of Chicago able pieces this reviewer has read for some Press, 1977. 138p. $7.50. LC 77-23767. time. (Another reason to read it: most of the ISBN 0-226-06365-8. news is good!) As usual, the annual conference of the Elaine Svenonius and Helen F. Schmier­ University of Chicago Graduate Library er write perceptively on recent work in the School results in a high-powered overview area of subject control within a neatly or­ of the chosen topic. The title of the thirty­ ganized framework encompassing univer­ eighth conference should serve as a caution­ sal schemes (LC and Dewey classification ary note: these proceedings should be read and LC subject headings), natural language without delay, since the pace of change indexing, indexing vocabulary convertibility,

Subscriptions... the professional way.

With costs increasing as library budgets shrink, modern librarians are called upon to use their pro­ fessional skills more than ever. That's why Faxon's fast, accurate, flexible subscription service makes sense for so many busy libraries. Fully computerized, yet fully personal, Faxon offers three renewal options and six ordering plans - and a complete range of other valuable subscription services. Ordering serials through [[N] Faxon helps to manage costs, and helps to free librarians for important management tasks. Write or call Faxon today for our Librarians' Guide F.W. FAXOn and Service Brochure. Find out how Faxon helps librarians order periodicals quickly and effi­ comPAnY, 1nc. ciently ... the professional way. Library Magazine Subscription Agency 15 Southwest Park Westwood, Massachusetts 02090 Ubrary business is our only business-since 1881. Tel: 800-225-7894 (toll-free) 617-329-3350 (collect in Mass. and Canada only)