By the late 1970’s many of the full members of the Research Libraries Group (RLG) were academic institutions with major art libraries. The possibilities of special membership afforded museum libraries the opportunity to contribute to the database as well. In 1979 the Art and Architecture Program Committee of RLG was formed and charged with advising the president of RLG on special requirements of art and architecture and the information needs of scholars and professionals in the field. Through its accomplishments in supporting cooperation among art librarians and launching art documentation projects the AAPC serves as an interesting model for art librarians networking on a national and international basis.

During the last fifteen years, Japanese museums and institutions, which previously kept art historical information very much to themselves, have begun to take steps to make information and research materials more accessible. In several cases, museums have founded their own research and information centres. At the same time, the use of computers has been introduced in the humanities, and the potential of the computer as a means of organising, exchanging, and providing access to art historical and bibliographical data is being explored. These “new trends” are being spearheaded by art historians and museums; art librarians are now contributing to the dialogue, and although the concept of the “art library” remains relatively undeveloped in Japan, the time is ripe for art librarianship to flourish.

Work is proceeding on the compilation of a database on Mexican art, comprising references to bibliographic and visual resources, and artist’s biographies, and representing the history of art in Mexico from the beginnings of Prehispanic civilisation to the present day. UNESCO’s Common Communication Format (CCF) has been adopted, as also has CDS/ISIS software. A thesaurus is in the process of being developed; terms are being drawn in many cases from existing indexes and other sources. MEXICOARTE has been initiated by the Art Section of the Mexican Library Association (AMBAC) in association with the National University (the host institution) and the Nation Institute of Fine Arts.

The All-Union State Library of Foreign Literature has been engaged, since 1976, in publishing a series of indexes to documentation on Soviet cultural relations with other countries. This material represents an important resource for research, and, a record of what has been achieved in the recent past, it is a springboard for fresh initiatives in the sharing of culture and the promotion of inter-cultural understanding.

Western Australia has the dual problem of a very large land area and a small population with its capital city, Perth, one of the most geographically isolated cities in the world. The art community is active; art organisations, collectors and academic institutions are increasingly aware of their role in the promotion of the local heritage while realising the importance of trying to overcome cultural isolation.

For librarians, isolation limits personal communication with eastern states colleagues, hinders access to larger interstate resources, and adversely affects the currency of their collections, but it also encourages a spirit of co-operation, communication and sharing of resources at the local level.

Since the 1970’s the international Exchange Programme at the Art Gallery of New South Wales has become more demanding. Consequently attention has been focussed on the strengths and weaknesses of various aspects of the programme. While some, though not all, of these weaknesses may be capable of being overcome, they are in any case outweighed by the benefits of exchange.

Art book publishers in countries remote from the main world markets have to overcome formidable problems if they are to succeed in publishing books on the art and artists of their own countries. Quality cannot be sacrificed, but the books must be economically viable. Co-publishing offers the best strategy for increasing sales of appropriate publications overseas; co-editions, featuring well known artists, may do well enough to subsidise other books which have an important contribution to make to the documentation of the nation’s art but which are less likely to sell abroad.

A book about Yena art and ceremony published in 1983 contained photographs of sculptures normally only seen by initiated Kwoma men. Art historical and anthropological publications which disregard cultural and ethical mores exploit the societies which they purport to study. Art librarians should protest against such practices, and may wish to boycott publications of this kind.