College and Research Libraries


540 I College & Research Libraries • November 1977 

history of the book.-Susan G. Swartzburg, 
Rutgers University Library, New Bruns-
wick, New Jersey. 

Wright, H. Curtis. The Oral Antecedents 
of Greek Librarianship. Foreword by 
Jesse H. Shera. Afterword by H. J. de 
Vleeschauwer. Provo, Utah: Brigham 
Young Univ. Pr., 1977. 237p. $19.95. LC 
77-73645. ISBN 0-8425-0623~3. 
Librarians should not be deterred by the 

nondescript title, especially since so little 
scholarly research exists on the historical 
roots of the profession. The Oral Antece-
dents of Greek Librarianship seeks to fill 
a significant gap in the literature of librari-
anship. Wright attempts to deal with the 
antecedents of the Alexandrian library 
movement by focusing on the transition of 
classical civilization from an oral to a writ-
ten tradition. Here, the author believes, can 
be found the origins of the library. This 
hypothesis is intriguing and entitles Wright 
to take his reader on a historical journey 
that recounts the function of information 
in classical society from preliterate times 
to classical Greece. 

On the way, he introduces several un-
usual observations, some of which relate 
directly to his theme, others of which di-
gress from it. One strong observation com-
pares Homer to the librarian in terms of the 
information function of each within their 
societies-a unique argument that is well 
defended. Another observation of consid-
erable merit details the heavy influence 
Oriental bibliographic methodology had on 
the Greeks. A third observation, however, 
involves Wright's defense of the "invention-
ist" against the "evolutionist" theory of 
writing. This one makes for a nice story, 
but hardly worth the lengthy effort in terms 
of his theme. 

Of particular concern to this reviewer is 
Wright's heavy reliance on a few secondary 
sources, especially the works of S. H. 
Butcher, Rudolph Pfeiffer, and Chester G. 
Starr. It is obvious the author bought the 
ideas of all three, but his hopes that 
lengthy quotes from their works will serve 
to convince his own readers fall short of 
their mark. This is especially true for chap-
ter Four, where Pfeiffer is referred to or 
quoted in nearly half the 246 footnotes. 

The writing style is frequently burden-

some (especially in chapter One, "The 
Metaphysics of Information"), and the or-
ganization occasionally loose. Shera's Fore-
word is good, but de Vleeschauwer' s essay 
has already appeared in Towar.d a Theory 
of Librarianship: Papers in Honor of ]esse 
H auk Shera, edited by Conrad Rawski 
(Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1973). Taken 
together, the Foreword, Afterword, and text 
cover the subject; but a definitive study 
awaits the scholar who will put more stock 
in primary sources · and be less influenced 
by second-party interpretations.-Wayne A. 
Wiegand, College of Library Science, Uni-
versity of Kentucky. 

Kehr, Wolfgang; Neubauer, Karl Wilhelm; 
and Stoltzenburg, Joachim, eds. Zur 
Theorie und Praxis des modenum Bib~ 
liothekswesens. Miinchen: Verlag Doku-
mentation, 1976. 3v. DM 160. LC 77-
463478. 
German librarianship, like its counterpart 

in the United States, has undergone a dec-
ade and a half of rapid growth and change. 
This handbook represents an attempt to in-
form German librarians and educators of 
new theory and practice, organizational 
reforms, and new technology in the library 
profession. In translation its title reads On 
the Theory and Practice of Modern Librar-
ianship; and its three volumes treat social 
aspects, technological aspects, and adminis-
trative aspects. 

The editors, exercising the principle of 
"limited variety," have compiled three vol-
umes of essays on the state of the art-
recent developments, current problems, and 
future trends in German librarianship and, 
where appropriate, have included informa-
tion about librarianship in other countries 
as well. 

Written by noted German librarians and 
educators, these essays provide a wealth of 
current information on such topics as pub-
lic relations, research in library use, library 
instruction, professional image and educa-
tion, electronic data processing develop-
ments, automation of technical processes, 
audiovisual media, library building plan-
ning, cost-effectiveness studies, manage-
ment theory, personal leadership styles, and 
library statistics in German public and re-
search libraries. 

Though some unevenness of style and