"...long-established authoritative series..." - Yearbook review

 

 

Yearbook of international organizations 1985/86. Vol. 1: Organization descriptions and index. 22nd edn. Munich, London: Saur for Union of International Associations. 1985. 1609pp. DM 498,00. ISBN 3 598 21865 6.

 

Intergovernmental organization directory 1984/85. Munich, London: Saur for Union of International Associations. 1985. 753pp. DM 248,00. ISBN 0 86291 286 5.

 

THE NEW EDITION of the key volume in this long-established authoritative series includes entries for 1600 new bodies.

 

The descriptive sections provide extensive details of the structure, administration, aims, publications, membership and activities of those organizations of truly international aims or character. There is a separate listing for multinational enterprises, and another for religious orders, fraternities and secular institutes acting in a multiplicity of countries. Internationally oriented organizations grounded in a particular country, inactive or dissolved international organizations, recently reported or proposed international organizations and autonomous conference series appear only in the index, with a reference to the country volume in the series, where basic details will be given.

 

The index, which makes up one-third of the volume, gathers into one single alphabetical sequence organization names in all working languages of the organization, former names, abbreviations and initials of names of organizations (in all appropriate languages), former initials, subject keywords in the name of an organization, and extra keywords italicized in the descriptive text.

 

There is a foundation date index, and a checklist of organizations which number international organizations among their members.

 

Volumes two and three will supplement the series, to be completed by a fourth volume, entitled World problems and human potential (2nd edn.), and encyclopedia of issues and resources first published in 1976.

 

The first edition of the Intergovernmental organization directory 1984/85 is part of a related series - a concise, updated form of the 1984 (21st) edition of the Yearbook, generated from the main data base. It includes descriptive entries and a country, publication and foundation date index, as well as a general index for that category of bodies. This volume will be as useful to the personal user as to the reference librarian.

 

Chatham House Library
Nicole Gallimore