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.

The traditional subject category ‘visual arts’ is based on a value judgment, but aesthetic criteria no longer suffice to define this category. Art is increasingly permissive in its range. The subjects of art history, archaeology, social anthropology, and history of technology tend more and more to overlap. Almost any material artefact can now be viewed aesthetically, and any work of visual art may be considered as an artefact. Libraries should aim to bring together all the material culture of human societies, whether tools or works of art, in their bibliographic classifications instead of scattering it as at present.

(Slightly revised version of a paper given at the Art Libraries Round Table, 45th IFLA Congress, Copenhagen, 1979.)

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.

William Hunter’s bequest of 1783 forms the nucleus of the University of Glasgow’s Art Collections. It included a Rembrandt, a Koninck, three Chardins and three Stubbs. Hunter’s gift was unmatched in importance until this century which brought the gifts and bequest of 1935,1954 and 1958 respectively by Miss Rosalind Birnie Philip of the large part of James McNeill Whistler’s estate consisting of 80 oils, 100 pastels, c. 150 drawings and watercolours, 500 etchings and 140 lithographs, and the Davidson family gift and bequest of 1945 of work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh which included over 500 designs and watercolours and about 70 pieces of furniture. The general collection of c. 800 oils and 850 drawings and watercolours includes good holdings of 17th century Dutch and Flemish work, 18th century British portraits and 19th and 20th century French and Scottish painting. The print collection of over 15,000 items provides a representative selection from the late 15th century to the present day.

This list contains only those books held by the British Architectural Library. Where possible prices are given in the currency of the country of origin. Otherwise prices represent those paid by the British Architectural Library. Who better to begin with than the progenitor of modern architecture? Fondation Le Corbusier: Projets d’architecture de Le Corbusier (Paris: Fondation Le Corbusier, 1977. 36 pp. F22.20). At his death Le Corbusier left 32,000 architectural plans, drawings, and sketches and the Fondation inherited these. They have drawn up a complete inventory of the material and 25,000 have been microfilmed. This is a small printed catalogue to the riches they possess. The classification is by country and within each country by date. There is also an elementary subject index.

Who better to begin with than the progenitor of modern architecture? Fondation Le Corbusier: Projets d’architecture de Le Corbusier (Paris: Fondation Le Corbusier, 1977. 36 pp. F22.20). At his death Le Corbusier left 32,000 architectural plans, drawings, and sketches and the Fondation inherited these. They have drawn up a complete inventory of the material and 25,000 have been microfilmed. This is a small printed catalogue to the riches they possess. The classification is by country and within each country by date. There is also an elementary subject index.