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--- Begin Forwarded Message --- Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 14:01:43 -0700 From: "Edward A. Jajko" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: for lis-middle-east Sender: "Edward A. Jajko" <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Reply-To: "Edward A. Jajko" <[log in to unmask]> Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> The Arabic-Info list has recently carried a discussion about the CD-rom version of the Encyclopaedia of Islam. The most recent posting was by one of the editors, Wolfhart Heinrichs, who has given me permission to copy his message to lis-middle-east and melanet, since it will likely be of interest to ME librarians. Ed Jajko Hoover Institution >Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:31:58 -0400 (EDT) >From: Wolfhart Heinrichs <[log in to unmask]> >To: "Edward A. Jajko" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: Encyclopedia of Islam > >Dear Dr. Jajko: >Please feel free to post my EI message on the lists you mentioned. >With best wishes, >Wolfhart Heinrichs > >Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 >From: Wolfhart Heinrichs <[log in to unmask]> >To: Peter Gran <[log in to unmask]> >cc: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Encyclopedia of Islam >Sender: [log in to unmask] > >Dear Professor Gran and dear all of you who participated in the >exchange of opinions concerning the EI: > >As one of the editors of the EI, and having just returned from an >editorial meeting in Leiden, I feel I can shed some light on the questions >raised: >1) The EI is indeed somewhat daunting and frustrating to use for the >non-expert. The three indices (proper names, subjects, technical terms) go >a long way to alleviate this situation, but there is no denying that a lot >of information is locked away and not easily accessible for the outsider >or the beginner. The indices are cumulative, i.e., they are up-dated after >each volume has appeared, which also means that the most recently >published fascicules are not covered (a vol. contains about nine [double] >fascicules). Many subscribers of the EI resent this costly way of >"unlocking" the EI and return the indices to the publisher. But it is >still a money-making device for Brill. >2) The CD-ROM of the existing EI, we were told by Brill, will now appear >in December of this year. There was some problem with the software >company. The CD-ROM will be a one-to-one replica of the paper version >(including the indices), but it will also have search capability, which >will greatly enhance its accessibility. The CD-ROM is Brill's baby; the >editors were not involved in the decision-making process, nor in the >actual supervision of the production. Nor did we want to be distracted >by this project, as the ongoing production of the paper version is quite >sufficient to keep us busy. We would have preferred a CD-ROM at the end of >the paper edition. However, since the Third Edition of the EI will in all >likelihood be published only on CD-ROM, not on paper, it also makes some >sense to start with the conversion early; the editors, therefore, did not >withhold their blessing from Brill's baby. >3) The present EI is proceeding smoothly, with three (double) fascicules >per year, in both the English and the French version (at present, there is >a slight backlog in the French). Our target date for its completion is the >end of the year 2003 (including the Supplement, of which three [double] >fascicules appeared in the early eighties and four more [double] >fascicules are anticipated, and including also the final indices, although >that may take us into 2004). >I would like to take this opportunity to point out that most of the money >in support of the EI comes from the National Endowment for the Humanities. >Since the EI is an international project, not a national project of the >US, we feel extremely lucky and grateful that NEH has not let us down for >all these years since 1978. >If there are any more questions, I'll be happy to answer them, if I can. >With kind regards, > >Wolfhart Heinrichs >James Richard Jewett Professor of Arabic, Harvard University >Project Director of the EI (vis-a-vis NEH) --- End Forwarded Message --- ---------------------- Paul Auchterlonie Librarian for Middle East Studies University of Exeter Old Library Prince of Wales Road Exeter EX4 4PX U.K. Tel.: 01392 264051 Fax.: 01392 263871 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%