"...an indispensable multi-volume guide to tens of thousands of organizations..." - Yearbook review

 

Union of International Associations, ed. Yearbook of International Organizations 1990/91. 27th ed. (Vol. 1). 8th ed. (Vols 2-3). Munich: K. G. Saur, 1990. 3 vols. A$515 (Vols 1,2) a$460 (Vol. 3) cloth ISBN 3-598-22205-X (available from D. W. Thorpe).

 

Until 1983 the Yearbook of International Organizations was a single, relatively compact volume that many of us used as a major, but not indispensable, source of information. During the past decade, however, it has become an indispensable multi-volume guide to tens of thousands of organizations that are 'international' in the broad meaning of that term. Coverage ranges from the UN and its agencies to such esoteric bodies as the International Brotherhood of Old Bastards and the Inner Peace Movement.

 

Given the volume of information contained in the Yearbook, the arrangement, indexing and explanatory features must be of the highest standard. This is precisely what one finds. The 'Notes to the User' include a guide to use, abbrevieations and codes, sample entries. The all-important index (428 triple-column pages in Vol. 1) includes its own introductory comments and covers organization names in all working languages, organization abbreviations, subject keywords in organization names, country names, former names of organizations, names of chief executive officers. This is followed by seven descriptive sections, the core of the work, treating each organization under a series of very broad institutional categories (universial membership organizations, regionally defined membership organizations, etc.). The descriptive elements are so complete that they defy enumeration in a frief review; suffice it to say that they provide everything one would expect to find in a directory. Supplementary indexes cover defunct and newly proposed organizations, conferences, treaties, etc. Volume 1 is thus a straightforwrd continuation of the Yearbook as it has existed for many years.

 

Volumes 2 and 3 are the more recent innovations, the former being a geographic volume and the latter a subject volume. In the geographic volume there are two sections, one by country of membership, the other by country of secretariat. Here entries include only executive officer, address, and reference to Volume 1 entry number. Volume 3 is intended to group organizations by aims or activities; to do this it has two types of entries: title keyword index to Volume 1, subject category index. The latter, unfortunately, is an example of Gallic logic that more or less defies comprehension but is useful if one has a high frustration threshold. This volume is a valuable complement to the first, as it permits access via broad subject categories.

 

Volumes 1 and 3 belong in every library with an international focus; Volume 2 is a luxury that need be acquired only by libraries with an area studies focus. As my own library never has even an old edition of the Yearbook, I value very highly this review set, of which Volume 1 has consistent high usage.