ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

New Publications

George M. Eberhαrt

The African Language and Literature Collection

(515 pages, May 1994), at In- diana University is one of the largest collections of African texts in the United States. It includes published materials housed in the Main Library in both cataloged and un- cataloged collections, and field recordings housed in the Archives of Traditional Music. A list of these materi- als has been compiled based on library cataloging records and the card file for uncataloged materials. More than 700 languages are included in the list, which is arranged by language and indexed by author, and covers materials received through early 1993. $20.00. Publications, African Stud- ies Program, 221 Woodburn Hall, Indiana Uni- versity, Bloomington, IN 47405.

American Homelessness: A Reference Handbook, by Mary Ellen Hombs (272 pages, 2d ed., October 1994), answers the most common questions on who the homeless are, how they become homeless, why they stay that way, and what various state and federal government agencies are doing to help alleviate the problem. Especially helpful are summaries of federal legislation and significant court cases on homelessness, the latter arranged by such topics as right to shelter, due process, preservation and displacement, and welfare. Other chapters provide bibliographies of print and nonprint resources, a glossary, and a directory of relevant organizations. $39.50. ABC-CLIO, 130 Cremona Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911. ISBN 0-87436-725-5.

Deciphering the Indus Script, by Asko Parpola (374 pages, October 1994), is a comprehensive update on the still-undeciphered writing system of the Indus Valley or Harappan culture, which flourished between 2500 and 1900 B.C.E. in and around modern Pakistan and collapsed before the earliest historical records of South Asia were composed. Nearly 4,000 samples of the writing survive, mainly on stamp seals and amulets. Parpola presents a decipherment of a small number of interlocking Indus signs and proposes a method that will permit further progress in decipher- ment. Parpola also argues that Indian astronomy was started by the Harappans and that the Indus religion was closely related to those of the ancient Near East and Hindu India. A work of high scholarship and interdiscipli- nary rigor. $95.00. Cam- bridge University Press, 40 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011-4211. ISBN 0-521- 43079-8.

Dewey Decimal Classification: A Practical Guide, by Lois Mai Chen, John P. Comaromi, and Mohinder P. Satija (211 pages, 1994), begins with a brief history of the classification system and discusses the key concepts and ideas governing its use. The guide explains the proper methods of applying the DDC schedules, locating and assigning the appropriate class number, and synthesizing a class number, if needed. Since notational synthesis is at the heart of the DDC, building numbers with notation from the schedules and the auxiliary tables is emphasized. The chapters dealing with the practical application of DDC principles include both exercises and answers. $40.00. OCLC Forest Press, 6565 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH 43017- 3395. ISBN 0-910608-49-0.

The Dictionary of East European History Since 1945, by Joseph Held (509 pages, November 1994), describes major events, personalities, and policies in the region of Eastern Europe on a country-by-country basis. Only states within the borders of the former Soviet empire (including East Germany but excluding the Baltic republics) are described. Each section offers basic information about the region, a map, and a chronology, followed by entries on people, places, political parties, and events that have shaped the country’s history since World War II. The multinational states of the south are incorporated into the former Yugoslavia for simplicity. Much of the information assembled here is from sources that are difficult to find outside of special East European collections. $59.95. Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881-5007. ISBN 0- 313-26519-4.

Index to Spαnish-Lαnguαge Short Stories in Anthologies, by Ivan E. Calimano (332 pages, 1994), analyzes the contents of more than 200 anthologies of Spanish-language short stories published in Spanish America, Spain, and the United States from 1979 to the present. It includes stories written from the Middle Ages through modern times. The most heavily represented countries of origin are Argentina, Mexico, and Spain, but readers will find many stories from other countries that would otherwise be very difficult to locate. $49.95 (plus $3.00 p&h). SALALM Secretariat, General Library, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466. ISBN 0-917617-41-X.

Museum Careers and Training: A Professional Guide, by Victor J. Danilov (546 pages, July 1994), presents a comprehensive guide to museum careers and training programs in the United States and 38 other countries. More than 700 courses, undergraduate and graduate programs, internships and fellowships, and midcareer training programs are described. Danilov discusses the nature and requirements of many different types of museum positions, including director, curator, educator, exhibit designer, registrar, conservator, and careers in business affairs, fundraising, public relations, marketing, membership, physical plant, security, and other aspects of museum operations. $79 50. Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881-5007. ISBN 0-313-28105-X.

Preservation Guide 7: Silver, by Maureen A. Donnelly (14 pages, August 1994), outlines procedures for the handling, polishing, storage, and maintenance of silver artifacts in library and museum collections. $3.95 (plus tax and handling). Historic New Orleans Collection, Publications, 521 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130. ISBN 0-917860-34-9.

Using Computers in Legal Research: A Guide to LEXIS and WESTLAW, by Christopher G. Wren and Jill Robinson Wren (816 pages, 1994), organizes essential information according to the steps legal database researchers take in carrying out a research project. The authors identify the fundamental characteristics that govern the use of LEXIS and WESTLAW, then discuss the preparations for and execution of specific online searches. Detailed examples, procedures, and tips for finding, reading, and updating the law are given for both online services. This is a comprehensive and practical guide to these two complicated computer services. $19.95. Adams & Ambrose Publishing, Dept. P, 1220 S. Park St., P.O. Box 9684, Madison, WI 53715-0684. ISBN 0-916951-21-9.