Using a Canonical Literary Magazine as a Multi-disciplinary Collections Awareness Tool for Humanities and Social Sciences Librarians By: Jean-Pierre VJvl. Herubel cadernic librarians engaged in collec­ the world of literary and intellectual production, tions activity with the express charge not only in France, but internationally as well. of selection responsibility have vari­ Not only does this multipurpose monthly maga­ ous approaches and techniques, if not zine offer enlightening and in-depth articles on operative philosophies upon which they rely. Of­ various literary trends and writers, it offers major ten, these may take the guise of sifting and care­ pulse readings of the state of literature and atten­ fully using publishers' catalogues, reading and dant humanities and social sciences. This is espe­ evaluating and gleaning selections from reviews cially true when humanities and social sciences in­ in various venues, including Choice Magazine, tersect and appeal to the professional omnivorous or scholarly journals. Often scholarly journals reader. For librarians responsible for collection are preferred over more general organs, as they management in European literature and world lit­ represent highly vetted reviews in honed areas eratures, reading and using Le Magazine Litteraire of disciplinary specialization. To be sure, these to keep abreast of emerging trends and evaluative approaches are well-suited to selecting materials book reviews of recent and classical literatures, for both pedagogical and research purposes in all Le Magazine Litteraire assumes unique importance academic libraries. However, the purpose of this for professional library reading. For this reason, discussion is to introduce another tool that prom­ an examination of this useful collection tool offers ises critical in-depth, salient, and contextual infor­ academic librarians and specialist bibliographers mation for selecting foreign and foreign language another tool for collection as well as for reader's materials by using an international literary and advisory purposes. multidisciplinary magazine. For purposes of suc­ cessful book and other media selection, Le Maga­ Among various literary journals and magazines, Le zine Litteraire offers bibliographers per se as well Magazine Litteraire stands uniquely within its own librarians who may have some foreign language intellectual and cultural milieu. Unlike journals selection responsibility, an effective foreign lan­ and magazines that are intellectually and cultural­ guage bibliographic tool for informed and effec­ ly situated within and supportive of a disciplinary tive decision-making. orientation, the publication is open to a spectrum of disciplinary orientations. It not only supports Th multidisciplinary nature of a literary maga­ literary studies, but it entertains other humanities zine can provide useful information to the practic­ and even social sciences disciplines and their re­ ing librarian. Literary magazines that offer their spective intellectual and scholarly concerns. For readership news of the publishing world, includ­ this reason an introductory examination of Le ing valuable information concerning genres, writ­ Magazine Litteraire will offer the subject librarian ers' lives, and or offer state of the art trends in pub­ a useful entree into this magazine's critical impor­ lishing literary activities, are often best illustrated tance to humanities and social sciences disciplin­ by New York Tin1es Book Review or Times Literary ary culture and information. Whether the subject Supplen1ent (Lindhohn-Romantschuk, 1998; Pool, librarian is responsible for collections in literary, 1 2007) . This is especially true for Le Magazine Lit­ i.e. French or modern languages and literatures, terai1'e which purports to be an open window unto or other disciplinary venues, Le Magazine Litte- 6 Indiana Libraries, Vol. 28, Number 1 raire is a surprisingly useful tool for understand­ if not social, intellechtal, and artistic 1novements ing French and international publication trends as and concen1s. An1ong literary magazines and seri­ well as emerging intellectual soundings relevant als, it is indeed rather unorthodox, if not unique. to humanities and the social sciences. As a venue for broadly oriented discussion, Le Magazine Litteraire then1es offer both the general Founded in 1966, Le Magazine Litteraire, as a ca­ reader and specialized literary reader an unusual nonical magazine of record, represents sound and fare. Paralleling the New York TiJnes Book Review or penetrating analyses of literary culture and pub­ the Times Literary Supple1nent, Le Magazine Litteraire lishing. Covering both fiction and nonfiction, it is positioned as a literary organ well within the purports to entertain the most salient and au cou­ unique environment of French and international rant literary activities as well as provide useful reading culture. For this reason, a content exaini­ commentaries, reviews, and notices of newly ap­ na tion proves useful. pearing literary works. Additionally, Le Magazine Litteraire functions as venue in which serious in­ Methodology depth subjects are pursued in each issue; known Ascertaining subject and disciplinary orientation as dossier treatments, themes are pursued and required a sample fron1 each issue relevant to this given critical examination. Often, topics are thne­ study. Since each issue contained a dossier devot­ ly, or represent seasoned and nuanced perspec­ ed to a particular topic or set of subjects within a tives and scholarship, reflecting the latest literary given area, i.e. aesthetic or literary move1nents, or advances, schools of thought, if not philosophical a given problem in literary and intellechtal activ­ and methodological controversies. According to ity, dossiers were selected as the primary unit un­ the entry for Le Magazine Litteraire in Magazines der investigation. A content approach was utilized For Libraries, "Magazine Litteraire is famous for its to obtain a useful profile of Le Magazine Litteraire; in-depth coverage of particular authors, national the dossier section of each issue was selected and literatures, genres, of themes every month in its noted according to frequency and distribution. Dossier section." (LaGuardia, 2004)2 It is this sec­ Recurring themes, etc. were tabulated for analysis tion which reveals the true nature of Le Magazine and discussion. Any anomalies or unusual h·ends Litteraire's multidisciplinary intellectual and cul­ were investigated as well as general trends and tural orientation. Although certainly literary in or­ foci of interest or e1nphasis. igin and in emphasis, the publication also focuses on non-literary interests as well. Within its pur­ Results and Discussion view, librarians can learn of the latest soundings h1 order to ascertain the breadth and usefulness of of intellectual merit treating the fine arts, anthro­ Le Magazine Litteraire for purposes of establishing pology and sociology, music, philosophy, or even its multidisciplinary nature as a library awareness scientific endeavors, as reflected through a literary tool, the entire run of Le Magazine Litteraire was lens, or exercising literary possibilities. systematically exan1ined from 1966-2007 yield­ ing 470 issues. Each issue was further exa1nined Since Le Magazine Litteraire "is highly recommend­ for its general and specific then1atic content and ed to research libraries and large public libraries as themes, individuals; additional overarching ori­ a collection development tool and to permit users entations and perspectives were noted. Upon this to stay abreast of the contemporary French liter­ examination characteristics of Le Magazine Litterai­ 3 ary scene," (LaGuardia, 2004) . It would be a natu­ re emerged useful to academic librarians requiring ral organ to analyze for its bibliographic utility for information and knowledge of international and the academic librarian. Moreover, its intellectual European publishing in literary, intellectual, and range and focused approach to thematic presen­ cultural affairs. For purposes of this informational tations of individual authors, as well as literary discussion, only salient characteristics and preoc­ and intellectual and cultural movements makes cupations of Le Magazine Litteraire are broached. it a formidable serial for investigation of content and vision. A cursory perusal of Le Magazine Lit- A chronological listing of issues and respective teraire reveals that it includes writers and thinkers, major thematic approaches toLe Magazine Litteraire Indiana Libraries, Vol. 28, Number 1 7 provides a useful schematic of this journals intel­ Le Magazine Litteraire's tripartite structure offers lectual orientation and configurations of culhual the librarian an entree into compelling biblio­ 4 interest . As one peruses this list, literary studies graphic and integrative essays, where publishing and literary figures loom large; yet, themes cov­ assumes a centrality, not always seen elsewhere. ering such subjects and philosophy or contempo­ Within these thematic essays, librarians will find rary intellectual currents establish the journal's focused examination framing the most current commitment to surveying intellectual movements scholarship devoted to bringing readers the most within the humanities and social sciences at large. current infonnation and interpretations. National De visu examination of each thematic issue offer literatures are periodically surveyed, philosophical even greater nuanced characteristics of this