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98 College & Research Libraries 

An authoritative and readable biogra­
phy, Shiflett has reintroduced Louis 
Shores to the library world. His ideas will 
continue to generate discussion in library 
schools and among library historians.— 
Anne Rothfeld, University of Maryland. 

Transforming Libraries and Educating Librar-
ians: Essays in Memory of Peter Harvard-
Williams. Ed. John Feather. London: 
Taylor Graham, 1997. 155p. $46 (ISBN 
0-94758-72-7). 

This is a collection of essays focused on a 
variety of topics in international librari­
anship dedicated to the memory of Peter 
Harvard-Williams, British librarian and 
library educator who had an impact on 
the profession far beyond the United 
Kingdom. Harvard-Williams worked at 
a number of institutions in Britain as well 
as in Canada, New Zealand, and 
Botswana. He carried out many consult­
ing assignments for UNESCO and the 
Council of Europe that had an impact on 
a much greater number of countries, par­
ticularly in Africa. His work in the Library 
Association and IFLA was wide-ranging, 
and he was especially instrumental in the 
IFLA translation service as it affected Af­
rica. In 1972, Harvard-Williams arrived at 
Loughborough University as the first 
head of the newly established Depart­
ment of Library and Information Studies, 
and remained there until his retirement 
in 1987. In retirement, Harvard-Williams 
served as professor of library and infor­
mation studies at the University of 
Botswana. 

There are nine essays in this work, a 
foreword, and a eulogy delivered at 
Harvard-Williams’s funeral in 1995. Of 
the essays, the majority focus on issues 
of librarianship and library education in 
Africa and Asia. The contributors are pri­
marily former students and colleagues at 
Loughborough. At Loughborough, a ma­
jor component of the library education 
program Harvard-Williams built focused 
on students from the third world. The 

January 1999 

goal was not only to prepare library and 
information professionals, but also library 
and information educators. During 
Harvard-Williams’s tenure as department 
head, 450 students came from 63 coun­
tries to pursue degrees and 350 disserta­
tions in library and information studies 
were completed. 

The first essay, by Ann Irving, gives an 
overview to Harvard-Williams’s educa­
tional philosophy as it was manifested 
throughout his career. Numerous quota­
tions from his writings clearly demon­
strate his focus. Among the most impor­
tant were a career-long emphasis on the 
library as a separate teaching entity 
within a broader academic institution and 
the education of library and information 
specialists in third-world countries. This 
essay makes a perfect introduction to the 
remaining contributions, each of which 
is a specific case study. It is in these case 
studies that one can see the impact 
Harvard-Williams had on the authors as 
they address topics that were of impor­
tance to Harvard-Williams. 

Two of the essays, by Michel Menou 
and K. J. Mchombu, look at issues from a 
broad African perspective. Three others 
focus on specific issues related to differ­
ent African countries, including Malawi 
by Paul Sturges, Ethiopia by David Baker, 
and Algeria by Behdja Bourmarifi. Other 
essays explore issues focused on Korea by 
Young Ai Um, Pakistan by Rafia Ahmad 
Sheikh, and France by Genevieve Patte. 

All the essays are in-depth studies. 
Most are very well documented and in­
clude citations that can lead the reader to 
additional resources. They range in focus 
from a review of the political economy of 
information over a thirty-year period in 
Malawi, to an overview of library educa­
tion in Korea, to a history of library de­
velopment in Algeria. This collection 
makes a unique and important contribu­
tion to the literature of international li­
brarianship.—David L. Easterbrook, North-
western University.