International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts

Société Internationale des Bibliothèques et des Musées des Arts du Spectacle

Report on the Proceedings of the "Blue Book" Commission

Alfred S. Golding

The Theatre and Theatre Collections / Le théâtre et les collections de documents

International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts
16th International Congress, London, 9-13 September 1985
Proceedings of the Congress

Société Internationale des Bibliothèques et des Musées des arts du spectacle
16ème Congres Internationale, Londres, 9-13 september 1985
Procès-Verbal

London 1986, pp.111-112

On Thursday morning a session of the "Blue Book" Commission was held with President André Veinstein in the chair.

Thanks were extended to Professors Veinstein and Golding as editors of the Third Edition of Performing Arts Libraries and Museums of the World. With others, Professors Veinstein and Golding noted that serious problems in gathering information and in the process of publication had presented themselves which resulted in the delayed publication of the Edition. The editors remarked that they often had little control over the correspondents in the various collections and institutions of the performing arts who served as informants, as well as over the CNRS, the publishers of the "Blue Book". Indeed, it was only through Professor Veinstein's special efforts, and through monies from his own pocket, that the Third Edition was published, finally, in 1984.

Following a vigorous discussion (curtailed necessarily by the hour's time assigned for the meeting), of ways to expedite the next edition, members present elected Professor Golding as President of the "Blue Book" Commission and Professor Veinstein as Vice President.

In the short time remaining Professor Golding proceeded to develop a plan, utilising members' suggestions, to facilitate the information gathering and publication processes. With the permission of the members he divided the Commission into two active units, with each unit charged with the following responsibilities:

1) Assemblage unit.

a) Critical review of the questionnaire used to elicit information from performing arts libraries and museums, and

b) Critical review of the system hitherto used to elicit information.

c) Submission of a proposal for a more expeditous and  efficient method of collecting information, said proposal to be requested from each of the following Commission members asked to serve in this Assemblage unit: Wout Spies, Paul Emond, Berglyot Krohn Bucht, Lisbet Grandjean, Pirkko Koski.

 (One suggestion favourably looked upon by the Commission members at the meeting was that the gathering of information be broken down and placed under the supervision of Commission members representing the language groups - e.g., the "Nordic Group" representing the Scandinavian countries, the "French Group" for the French-speaking countries, etc.).

2) Publications Unit.

a) Critical review and presentation of a proposal for publication using traditional publication means and established publishers of reference books.       Member asked to serve in this area: André Veinstein

b) Critical review and presentation of a proposal for utilising computerized modes of publication. Members asked to serve in this area:Richard Buck, Thomas Siedhoff, Jonathan Vicker.

Names and Addresses of Participants in the "Blue Book" Commission.

At the meeting it was also agreed that:

1. The list of Commission members and their addresses would be distributed by the President of the Commission to all serving.
2. Members would make use of this list to circulate their proposals to all other members of the Commission. The President of the Commission now respectfully asks that these proposals be received before the end of January 1986. In this fashion all members can examine and comment on these proposals during the first months of 1986.

President Golding will attempt to find funding that will enable the Commission to meet at a central location to confirm our plans and to begin the work of producing the Fourth Edition of the "Blue Book".
[Minutes]

16th Congress

SIBMAS home page

URL: http://www.theatrelibrary.org/sibmas/congresses/sibmas85/london85_25.html
Last updated: 27.11.2002
Information about this page: Maria Teresa Iovinelli, General Secretary

Rules
Statuts

Executive Committee
Comité exécutif

Institutional Members
Membres institutionnels

Joining SIBMAS
Adhérer à la SIBMAS

International Directory
Répertoire international

Congresses
Congrès

National Collections
Collections nationales

Research Sites
Sites de recherche

Partner Organisations
Organisations soeurs

WHAT'S NEW
NOUVEAUTÉS

FORUM