College and Research Libraries


188 College & Research Libraries 

each on bibliographic control and tech-
nology. Although most of the papers are 
about everyday problems and issues, the 
mix of approaches is eclectic, including 
case studies, empirical research, and 
politically focused presentations, as well 
as some theoretical papers. One would 
hope for more careful proofreading of 
future conference proceedings. (S. L.) 

Histoire des bibliotheques franfaises. IV: 
Les bibliotheques au XXe siecle, 1914-
1990. Ed. Martine Poulain. Paris: Cercle de 
Ia librarie-Promodis, 1992 793p. 850 FFr. 
(ISBN 2-7654-0510-7). 
With the publication of this volume on 

the twentieth century, a magnificent four-

volume history of French libraries is now 
complete. It is divided into large chrono-
logical sections, with separate chapters 
in each by over seventy writers (includ-
ing many librarians) on subjects such as 
the Bibliotheque Nationale, municipal li-
braries, academic libraries, library archi-
tecture, sociology of reading, and 
documentation centers. Other chapters 
address le choc of new technologies and 
European perspectives at the dawn of the 
twenty-first century. This also happens to 
be a beautiful book, impeccably de-
signed, with fascinating photographs, 
and other illustrative material. (S. L.) 

Contributed by Stephen Lehmann, Susanne 
F. Roberts, and Bob Walther.