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Art publishing this year has been as bountiful as ever, and the scholars who provide art reference sources have been even more creative than usual. While art librarians have at times been swamped by an embarrassment of riches, certain sources and some art publishers have been conspicuously consistent in providing the most systematic, most current reference works.

The greatest gains in art reference sources have been experienced this year in practical tools for the student and teacher of art history, especially at the undergraduate level. Next in line have been specialized encyclopedias for various periods of art history and bibliographies for highly specialized subject areas within both art history and applied arts. Some subject areas previously poor in reference tools of any kind have experienced enrichment this year, and some useful trends pointed out last year in this column, notably in the publication of reference sources for the decorative arts and crafts, and of indexes to reproductions of works of art, have continued to blossom. In addition, at least one new and very useful directory in the field of art education has appeared on the art reference scene this year.

It has been close to two years since the last survey of art reference materials in Reference Services Review. Consequently this column will cover as much as possible of the intervening period, roughly from the winter of 1979–1980 until early fall of 1981. It has been a relatively lean period in volume of material produced, but the art reference sources which have appeared are all of high quality and cover aspects of the field which are in need of coverage or of updating.

Art reference publishing has not been quite as voluminous this year as last year, but there is some evidence of greater selectivity and organization in the tools produced during the period of this survey. The continued publication of the Repertoire International de la Litterature de l'Art (RILA Abstracts), now complete through the 1977 volume, is helping to fill some of the vast gaps which previously existed in current bibliographical coverage of modern art and contemporary art historical research on an international basis. Retrospective bibliographical coverage is slowly but surely being filled in by the subject, country, and period bibliographies on which many scholars and several publishers have been concentrating in the past few years. Some excellent examples of these may be found in three established series of continuing value: the “Art and Architecture Information Guide Series” from Gale Research Company, “Art and Architecture Bibliographies,” published by Hennessey & Ingalls, and selected titles from the “Garland Reference Library of the Humanities.” In addition, there are outstanding titles to be found in some bibliographical series with broader subject bases, such as the “Information Resources Series” from ABC‐Clio.

This index accompanies the index that appeared in Reference Services Review 16:4 (1988). As noted in the introduction to that index, the articles in RSR that deal with specific reference titles can be grouped into two categories: those that review specific titles (to a maximum of three) and those that review titles pertinent to a specific subject or discipline. The index in RSR 16:4 covered the first category; it indexed, by title, all titles that had been reviewed in the “Reference Serials” and the “Landmarks of Reference” columns, as well as selected titles from the “Indexes and Indexers,” “Government Publications,” and “Special Feature” columns of the journal.

AT the very outset of this paper it is necessary to make clear that it is not an attempt to compile an exhaustive bibliography of literature relating to special librarianship. Neither space nor time permit this. In fact, the references given can only claim to be a sample of the wealth of material on the subject and this paper is submitted in the hope that it will stimulate others to more scholarly efforts. Reference numbers throughout this paper refer to items in the ‘Select list of references to the literature of special librarianship’, section 2 onwards.

WE publish this issue on the eve of the Brighton Conference and our hope is that this number of The Library World will assist the objects of that meeting. Everything connected with the Conference appears to have been well thought out. It is an excellent thing that an attempt has been made to get readers of papers to write them early in order that they might be printed beforehand. Their authors will speak to the subject of these papers and not read them. Only a highly‐trained speaker can “get over” a written paper—witness some of the fiascos we hear from the microphone, for which all papers that are broadcast have to be written. But an indifferent reader, when he is really master of his subject, can make likeable and intelligible remarks extemporarily about it. As we write somewhat before the Conference papers are out we do not know if the plan to preprint the papers has succeeded. We are sure that it ought to have done so. It is the only way in which adequate time for discussion can be secured.

THE summer is not a good time for writing editorials. In the first place it has been too warm, but more particularly, no matter how hot the topic at the time of writing, it will be cold as mutton before it eventually reaches its readers. Secondly our thoughts seem to have been devoted to anything except libraries: a little light reading perhaps, or a gentle discussion of next season's lecture programme? So now, not an editorial proper (or improper), but some editorial miscellany, beginning with the late but unregretted printing dispute. The LIBRARY WORLD has not been affected as much as some periodicals, and this issue makes its appearance only some three weeks later than planned. We have occasionally encountered comments which suggest that our journal is not anticipated each month with undue pleasure, and is quickly placed on the Chief Librarian's desk, from which honourable position its subsequent circulation is frequently delayed. Many libraries do not appear to have a professional journal circulation scheme, and this is a regrettable state of affairs. It is important that the younger members of the profession should be well informed about library affairs, and only the regular perusal of periodicals can achieve this. May we recommend that Chiefs institute and maintain a circulation programme in their libraries; we hear that it is much appreciated in those libraries which already do so.