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To mark its founding in 1558 by Albrecht V., Duke of Bavaria, the Bavarian State Library (BSB) has issued a splendid catalogue (358 pages) with many sumptuous full-page coloured plates, taken from 113 works which were in the Library during its formative period 1558-1599). These works include manuscripts, church and secular music and early printed books. Some works were commissioned by Duke Albrecht for his library which was soon recognised as rivaling other princely libraries of the day. Albrecht also collected paintings, coins and curios, many of which were placed together with the library holdings. The library thus served as a quasi-museum for a considerable period of its existence. The catalogue has scholarly articles offering a cornucopia of information on a wealth of material and is an indispensable aid for cultural and other historians. The vicissitudes of history had varying effects on the Bavarian State Library over the centuries, particularly during the 20th century. Although there is no standard history of the BSB, there is an extensive literature on aspects of its history and current activities. The present anniversary will surely lead to further writings, but the BSB has been remarkably lucky that Dr. Franz G. Kaltwasser, Director General from 1972 to 1992, has spent his retirement researching and documenting questions about the Library's contemporary role as well as its complex past. This note can do no more than mention the existence of these scholarly works and add that Dr. Kaltwasser is a forceful writer who does not shy away from controversial issues. His 2006 book, in particular, is of high topical relevance to most research libraries and deserves study beyond the German sphere. Kaltwasser touches, for instance, on the decades-old problems the BSB has experienced with sustained student use. The relationship between the BSB and its near neighbour, the University Library of Munich, is analysed frankly and realistically. (Contains 3 notes.)

Manuscript received August 2001 Baker, Nicholson: Double Fold: Libraries and the assault on paper. New York, Random House, 2001. xii, 371 p., illus. ISBN 0 375 50444 3. Price: $US25.95 [...]

Edited with an introduction by Chris Pond. Transcribed by Catherine Close (House of Commons Library Documents no 23) Westminster, pub. for the House of Commons Library by The Stationery Office [...]

The German librarian, scholar and teacher, Professor Horst Kunze, has just celebrated his ninetieth birthday and was honoured in a ceremony held on 2 October 1999 in the Staatsbibliothek zu [...]

Urbane solecisms Krummel, D W Fiat lux, fiat latebra: a celebration of historical library functions. Occasional papers, 209. Urbana-Champaign, IL: University of Illinois, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, [...]

Bucher, Menschen und Kulturen: Festschrift fur Hans-Peter Geh zum 65. Geburtstag Herausgegeben von Birgit Schneider land others] Munich Saur 1999 xxxii 432p illus (some in colour) ISBN 3598113994 Australian librarians [...]

ABSTRACT This article reviews the 1997 report prepared by three German library experts on the future organisation and role of the reunited State Libraries of the two former German states. [...]

Among Germany's postwar research library heads none has had a higher national and international profile than Paul Raabe. He first rose to notice through outstanding work he did at the [...]

Brophy, Peter The library in the twenty, first century: new services for the information age. London: Library Association Publishing, 2001. 219p 39.95 [pounds sterling] hard ISBN 1856043754 (available from James [...]