Russian Literature

S4960

Zalewski, Wojciech. Fundamentals of Russian Reference Work in the Humanities and Social Sciences. New York: Russica, 1985. 170 pp. Russica Bibliog. Ser. 5. Z2491.A1 Z3 016.016947.

———. Russian Reference Works. SULAIR (Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources). Leland Stanford Junior U, 27 June 2005. 12 Feb. 2013. <http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/hasrg/slavic/3refint.html>.

A guide to important reference works for the study of the humanities and social sciences in Russia. The essay overviews (interspersed with lists of works) are organized in two divisions: general works (with sections for publishing; theory and history of bibliography; libraries, archives, and museums; general bibliographies; other reference sources) and subject bibliographies (with sections for bibliographic institutions, history, literature, linguistics and languages, social sciences, law, and the humanities). Particularly helpful are the evaluations and comparisons of works, descriptions of Russian bibliographical networks, and suggestions for search strategies. Concludes with a list of numbered monographic series published in the West. Indexed by persons.

Russian Reference Works, which emphasizes post-1970 publications, updates the coverage of Fundamentals of Russian Reference Work but offers few evaluations or comparisons. Entries are organized in three sections: general bibliographies, nonbibliographic reference sources, and subject bibliographies (humanities and social sciences); the humanities subdivision includes sections for book history, history, language, literature, philosophy, religion, and the arts. Because each subdivision is a static Web page with hyperlinks to subheads, users cannot search the entire file. Although hampered by its lack of navigability, Russian Reference Works and Fundamentals are indispensable guides to the identification and effective use of reference sources for research in the humanities and social sciences in Russia.