Association of Jewish Libraries Publishing

Heller, Linda

Linda Heller, Upon Accepting the AJL Book Award 
for Best Jewish Children's Picture Book of 1982 
The Jewish Publication Society and I are very pleased and 
proud that you chose The Castle on Hester Street for your 
award; and that eighty years after my grandparents and many 
other Jews came to America in steerage, we are here on the 
Queen Mary. 
My grandparents died before I was born, 
But as a child I loved to hear about them -
How they came to America in steerage ... 
(Although, of course, I didn't love that!) 
How they waited anxtously on Ellis-Island ... 
(I recommend going there. It's very moving; 
Walking down the same corridors;' 
Sitting on the same benches; 
Then, leaving the building and seeing 
New York City.) 
I li_ked to hear about my grandfather having a pushcart -
And how he kept it in a garage .. . 
And then bought the garage .. . 
And many others ... 
And became successful. 
I liked to hear about my grandmother learning English 
From a tutor, 
And studying side by side 
With my mother. 
In Russia, my grandmother sewed for the Czarina! 
(People tell_ me that's impossible, 
But I believe it.) 
One day several years ago 
I wondered 
How would my grandparents tell me 
Their story? 
And wrote 
The Castle on Hester Street 
To find out. 
"-....... -----...... , 
One of the best things about writing and illustrating children's 
books is that you can follow your interests and learn so much. 
I have done five Jewish children's books and learned so much 
doing them, that I feel lucky to have had the chance. I also like 
the fact that I can transform my childhood experiences and 
memories into books for children I don't even know; and that 
they, too, can now know about my grandparents. Thank you. 
Books by Linda Heller 
Lily at the Table, Macmillan, 1979. 
Alexis and the Golden Ring, Macmillan, 1980. 
Horace Morris, Macmillan, 1980. 
Trouble at Goodewoode Manor, Macmillan, 1981. 
The Castle on Hester Street, Jewish Publication Society, 1982. 
Books illustrated by Linda Heller 
A Picture Book of Jewish Holidays, by Davi-cl A. Adler, Holiday House, 1981. 
A Picture Book of Passover, by David A. Adler, Holiday House, 1982. 
A Picture Book of Hanukkah, by David A. Adler, Holiday House, 1982. 
The Magic Stove, by Mirra Ginsburg, Coward-Mccann, 1983. 
Elijah's Violin & Other Jewish Fairy Tales, retold by Howard Schwartz, Harper & 
Row, 1983. 
Linda Heller was born in New York City, but grew up in Great 
Neck, Long Island. Always an avid reader who frequented 
both her school and public libraries, and usually read a book a 
day, Linda constantly drew pictures fueled by her imagination. 
When she was eleven, her father retired from business and 
brought home "boxes and boxes" of stationery which Linda 
promptly put to use making books and experimenting with 
bindings. Continuing her interest in art, Linda attended the 
Rhode /stand School of Design, where she studied illustration 
and made several animated films. Although she never met her 
grandparents, she knew that one day she would write a book 
about them. 
22 JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 1983 
WE EXPORT 
books, textbooks, periodicals and 
all printed matter in all languages, 
published in ISRAEL, to 
Universities, Libraries, Booksellers, 
Collectors, all over the world. 
Ask for our MONTHLY-LIST 
OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS, 
and for our CATALOGUE (free)! 
RUBIN MASS 
Bookseller & Publisher 
P.O. Box 990 
JERUSALEM 91.000 - Israel 


English

Upon Accepting the AJL Book Award for Best Jewish Children's Picture Book of 1982

Degani, Edith

HOUSES OF THE BOOK 
New Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America 
Edith Degan/ 
When the Seminary Library went up in 
flames over seventeen years ago, the 
general mood was one of despair. It 
seemed as though the Library would 
never again be fully functional. Seventy 
thousand books had been totally 
destroyed, one hundred twenty-five 
thousand more badly damaged, and the 
stacks ruined beyond repair. 
Yet today the Library not only thrives, but 
is entering into an exciting new period as 
it operates in its magnificent new 
building. Even before the fire the 
Seminary administration had recognized 
the need for providing expanded modern 
quarters for the Library. The fire provided 
the impetus to get the project underway. 
Several architects were invited to submit 
plans. The design offered by the 
distinguished firm of Gruzen Partnership 
was unanimously chosen by the 
selection committee. The final result has 
shown the wisdom of this choice. 
The new building, in effect, is a 
continuation of the original Seminary 
structure. It occupies space directly to 
the East of the old plant, connecting at 
each end with the old building. It is called 
a stepped building, because each floor is 
set back above the floor below. The 
setbacks are emphasized by attractive 
skylights. Outside each floor is a terrace 
on which greenery will be placed. The 
terraces, skylights, and large windows 
combine to give a light airy feeling in 
which outdoors and indoors blend in 
beautiful harmony. The courtyard 
enclosed within the buildings is being 
landscaped and will become an 
attractive, inviting area. 
The Library occupies four floors of the 
structure. The Technical Services staff, 
housed since the fire in a pre-fabricated 
building, is located on the first floor in 
spacious, well-lit quarters. The second 
and third floors are for Public Services. 
The second floor houses the reference 
department, periodical collection, and 
some of the circulating books. A 
Jewish Theological Seminary of AmeFiea 
Compact shelving. 
microform reading room will contain 
modern reader-printer equipment, as 
well as the Library's valuable collection of 
films and fiche. In addition, there will be a 
music room complete with discs, 
cassettes, listening devices and a 
32 JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 1983 
selection of cantorial scores and sheet 
music. An impressive two-story high 
lounge and exhibit area will feature 
displays on East European Jewry. The 
circulation and reference desks are of 
beautiful white oak cabinetry. The end 
panels of the stacks are in the sarne white 
oak, as are the card catalog cabinets. 
Timed light switches are on the end 
panels and should be a boost in energy 
conservation. 
The floor above, which is reached by a 
magnificent staircase, holds the 
circulating collection. All books are on 
open shelves, easily accessible to 
students, faculty and other library users. 
Also on this floor are high-density 
shelves for compact shelving arranged in 
an ingenious system so that entire ranges 
can be moved effortlessly to reach the 
area desired. Here are shelved books 
which were stored for many years in a 
warehouse some distance from the 
Seminary. Some of these books had 
remained in the cartons in which they had 
been packed after the fire. Now they are 
all on shelves and accessible for the first 
ti me in seventeen years. 
Both these floors feature three types of 
seating. There are standard tables and 
chairs, in four separate reading rooms, 
individual study carrels and lounge 
furniture. Both the seating capacity and 
the shelving capacity have been tripled in 
the new facility. The top floor has been 
designed to hold the very valuable and 
unique rare book and manuscript 
collectior:,. This material is being 
protected with the most modern climatic, 
security and fire suppressant systems. In 
addition to the stacks there is a 
comfortable reading room for the use of 
the patrons who will be doing research in 
this collection. Dr. Menahem Schmelzer, 
Seminary Librarian, and his research 
staff, have offices on this floor. Also 
located here is a small, amphitheater-
style auditorium. 
The Technical Services and Readers' 
Services sections are already fully 
operational in the new facility. The Rare 
Book and Manuscript area is not yet 
completed. The building is beautiful, 
functional and a joy in which to work. We 
are very proud of it and look forward to 
having the opportunity of showing it to 
our colleagues. 
Edith Degani, Assistant Librarian of the 
Jewish Theological Seminary of 
America in New York City, was 
intimately involved in all phases of the 
new library building - from the 
planning stage through its completion. 
Exterior view. 
Interior view. 
JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 1983 33 


New Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America

Hass Weinberg, Bella

IN THE BEGINNING ■ ■ ■ Bella Hass Weinberg Co-Editor 
With great pleasure and pride we present the inaugural issue of Judaica Librarianship. The field of 
Judalca Librarianship Is certainly not a new one, but several converging factors have stimulated the 
publication of a new journal for those concerned with the organization and management of Judalca 
and Hebralca collections, 
The first factor is the increasing professionalization of the field. Whereas in the past, Judaica librarians 
tended to be rabbis or scholars knowledgeable in the contents of Jewish sacred books and/ or the history 
of Jewish printing, today, those entering the field are usually graduates of library schools or of informal 
courses in Judaica librarianship, with subject background In Juda/ca, knowledge of Jewish languages, or 
both, This is not to minimize the need for the types of knowledge which the "old-time" Judalca librarian 
possessed. In certain branches of the field ( Rabblnlcs, rare books), this expertise is a sine qua non. But with 
the growth of Jewish publishing and of Jewish studies, many other specializations have emerged-by 
audience served (academics, children); by medium (serials, audiovisuals); and by area or coterritorial 
language group (Arabic, Slavic, or Romance languages). 
It would be interesting to debate which type of knowledge Is primary for the Judaica librarian-
professional, i.e., the principles of library science; subject, i.e., knowledge of Jewish history and literature; 
or linguistic, i.e.; familiarity with the languages of the Jews and of the countries In which they reside( d). 
What is clear Is that some combination of the three Is essential for effective service, Each Judaica librarian 
has different specialties and strengths, and we hope that you will share your expertise with us, 
The second phenomenon which necessitated a professional journal for Judaica librarians Is the 
increasing complexity of librarianship-new cataloging codes, revisions of classification schemes and 
bibliographic standards, but most important-automation, None of us can assimilate all of the general 
library literature being issued, nor is it the purpose of this journal to do so. Instead, where a new 
development in the general library world has an impact on Judaica librarianship, we plan to analyze It, 
react to it, or-when necessary-lobby for change, 
Closely related to the complexity of librarianship Is the increasing interdependence of libraries, as more 
and more of them join networks or engage In cooperative activities, In our forum, we plan to examine 
both the Impact of large networks on the handling of Judalca and Hebralca as well as to cover 
cooperative projects within the Judalca library community. The recent formation of organizations of 
Judalca libraries in the U.S. and Europe Is evidence for the interest in cooperation, 
Finally, the internationalization of the field has led to the need for a medium that can Inform Judaica 
librarians of developments in the U.S., Europe, Israel, and elsewhere regarding such topics as the 
publication of major Judaica reference works and the design of computer systems with Hebrew 
alphabet capability. By learning of each other's activities, we can avoid duplication of effort, maximize 
our resources, and enhance service to our user communities. 
Librarians have always been concerned with redundancy in publication, and we would therefore like to 
clarify the relationship between our journal and other serials of interest to the Judaica librarian. Ours is 
neither a bibliographic journal, a book reviewing medium, a printing history serial, nor the newsletter of 
the Association of Jewish Libraries-although elements of all these categories will be found In the pages 
of Judaica Librarianship. Excellent publications already exist with the primary purpose of providing these 
types of information. While the focus of most of them Is the book, we instead focus on the institution-the 
Judalca library of any size, In any setting, and with any subject, language, or media specialty, We would 
like Judaica Librarianship to be the journal of record for the field, thus eliminating the scctter of the 
literature which has existed to date-articles on Judaica acquisitions, cataloging, and reference sources 
published In a variety of general library science periodicals not seen by most Judaica librarians, 
We have assembled a very distinguished board of contributing editors who can write with authority on 
many facets of the profession, They would all prefer, however, to receive your contributions, letters, 
suggestions, and questions. The editors also welcome feedback on the design, content, and policies of 
the journal. 
This being a Jewish publication, It is appearing somewhat later than originally planned. The editorial 
board has put in countless hours to assure that every word In the journal is correct and that its format 
meets all bibliographic standards. As the Jewish proverb goes, "All beginnings are difficult," and now that 
we have passed that stage, we hope that future issues will appear as scheduled, and provide you with 
current, relevant information on the fascinating profession of Judaica librarianship. 
JUDAICALIBRARIANSHIP Vol.1 No.1 Fall 1983 3 


In the Beginning

Weinfeld Brody, Ziporah

New Serial Notes 
The Institute of Jewish Studies of the Heb-
rew University of Jerusalem has under-
taken the publication of a new English-
language journal in Jewish Studies entitled 
Judaica in Jerusalem. The purpose of this 
journal is to overcome the language barrier 
and enable scholars throughout the world 
in related fields such as history, philosophy, 
comparative religion, Bible, etc., to make 
use of the fruits of Israeli scholarship written 
in Hebrew. 
The journal is divided into three sections: 
The first section will be devoted to abstracts 
of doctoral dissertations which have been 
approved by Israeli universities in recent 
years. The second section will contain sum-
maries of the important articles relating to 
Jewish Studies which appear in Israeli 
scholarly journals in the Hebrew language. 
The third section will consist of abstracts 
and critical reviews of the major books in 
Jewish Studies published in Israel in 
Hebrew. 
A major goal of Judaica in Jerusalem is to 
present a true and balanced picture of 
Israeli scholarship, its interests and schools 
of thought. The first issue is scheduled to 
appear in fall-winter 1983-84. The journal is 
planned as a bi-annual publication. 
Ziporah Weinfeld Brody 
Institute of Jewish Studies 
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 
Evidence for the need for an English ab-
stract journal for Jewish Studies published 
in Hebrew is found in a recently published 
citatior:i analysis of Biblical Studies (Yit-
zhaky, 1982). The author found that Heb-
rew Biblical Studies account for about 4% 
of all studies in this field and for about 5% of 
all cited papers in the field. This led him to 
conclude that research published in Heb-
rew is used and cited primarily by those 
who are Hebrew speakers and who publish 
their own papers in Hebrew as well. Dis-
semination of information about Judaic Stu-
dies published in Israel in Hebrew to the 
international community of scholars in this 
field should increase the impact of this re-
search literature. 
-Ed. (B~H. W.) 
REFERENCE 
Yitzhaky, M. [oshe], "Bible Research in Hebrew 
in the 20th Century: a Bibliometric Study," Alei 
Sefer: a Journal for the Study of the Hebrew 
book, No. 10 (June 1982), pp. 143-152. (LC 
Romanization: 'Ale Sefer.) 
SERIALS 
CARLJS Periodicals Project: An Interim Report 
Charles Cutter 
Brandeis University 
Waltham, MA 
Current periodicals of Jewish interest num-
ber in the hundreds. As these title prolifer-
ate and as the funds available for new sub-
scriptions decrease, libraries have found it 
necessary to be more selective and to limit 
the number of new serial subscriptions 
which they order each year. Some institu-
tions have even been forced to cancel sub-
scriptions for titles to which they had sub-
scribed for many years. Librarians express-
ed need for sharing information regarding 
periodical holdings to enable them to make 
informed decisions about placing and can-
celling subscriptions. The Executive Com-
mittee of the Council of Archives and Re-
search Libraries in Jewish Studies 
(CARLJS) therefore appointed a commit-
tee to study the situation and make recom-
mendations. 
The Periodicals Committee, after consider-
able deliberation, concluded that the mem-
bership would benefit most from sharing 
information pertaining to periodicals that 
might be considered peripheral to the in-
terests of most member institutions or that 
were expensive and therefore not held 
widely. It was also the be.lief of the Commit-
tee that steps must t;>e taken to assure that 
at least one copy of every serial title of 
Jewish interest is preserved so that it can 
be made available to readers and scholars. 
In the course of the discussion it was noted 
that a union list of serials would be the best 
vehicle for the dissemination of the re-
quisite information. It was pointed out that 
both the Union List of Serials and New Se-
rial Titles were incomplete. The Committee 
felt, therefore, that the compilation of a un-
ion list of Judaica serials is a desideratum. 
In view of the fact that the funds and per-
sonnel required to see such a project to 
fruition were not available, the Committee 
recommended to the Council that it 
approve the compilation of a list of 
"esoteric" titles, i.e., titles reported held by 
no more than five member libraries. 
1!l0i1 '71!1 DJJ l j7Jl11 • iW.JlJ , 7 j7n~ 7 
7N1j7Jli1 ,~nJJl ·a,,1l)/i1 7JJN1lill 
11 , ,,unP'7l 7 l. n,n, J--D 7 11!1Yi1 i1N1ll 
,l 111ll!ln Tllln ,, n1lln ,190 7 '7Y 
. 152-143 1 )/ 
Following the Council's approval, the Com-
mittee set about compiling the list of 
"esoteric" titles. It sent members a photo-
copy of the current periodicals cardex of the 
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of 
Religion Klau Library in Cincinnati and re-
quested that each member note the titles 
that were currently being received. Addi-
tions to the Klau Library holdings were also 
noted. Twelve of the thirty-three member 
libraries, representing the major collectors 
of Judaica, responded to the survey. The 
Committee therefore considered the sur-
vey valid and proceeded to compile both 
Judaica and Hebraica lists of "esoteric" ti-
tles based on these responses. 
Procedures have been established and 
forms devised (see Figures 1-3) for report-
ing and disseminating information pertain-
ing to new serial titles and changes in the 
status of older serials. As a result, periodic 
reports have been sent to the membership. 
In addition, as a result of the information 
gathered, three supplements to the master 
list have been distributed. Procedures are 
now in place as well for the committee to 
monitor the holdings of periodical titles and 
to seek cooperation from member institu-
tions in continuing to receive and maintain 
titles not widely held. 
A word processor has now been made 
available for use by the committee and it 
plans to integrate and edit the master list 
and the supplementary lists during the 
coming year. In addition, the Committee will 
once more explore the feasibility of prepar-
ing a union list of serials. 
The Committee is confident that lists of 
"esoteric" titles and reports pertaining to 
new serial titles have been helpful in aiding 
librarians to make decisions pertaining to 
the acquisition and cancellation of serials. 
We are hopeful that a greater number of 
members will participate in this cooperative 
venture. 
Dr. Charles Cutter is Head, Judaic Depart-
ment, Brandeis University Libraries and 
President of the Research Division of the 
Association of Jewish Libraries. He is co-
author, with Micha Falk Oppenheim of Jew-
ish Reference Sources: A Selective, Anno-
tated Bibliographic Guide. (New York: Gar-
land Publishing, 1982j . 
42 JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 1983 


New Serial Notes

Lubetski, Edith

Catalogs of Israeli Book Exporters 
Meir Lubetski 
Baruch College 
New York, N. Y. 
l;<!lt/J Lubetski 
Stern College 
New York, N. Y. 
THE CHOSEN BOOK 
Identifying what has been published in the field of JudaicR in every 
country poses a formidable challenge to the librarian; however, 
there is one country where the task is easier. In Israel, book 
exporters publish lists, and, in aggregate, cover the majority of 
current Israeli publications. While there are other sources of in-
formation concerning such publications (see our Building a 
Judaica Library, Libraries Unlimited, 1983), the book exporters' 
catalogs comprise a prime resource. 
The dealers' catalogs filled the void that was left when the PL-480 
program was suspended. At the time of its existence (1964-1973) 
libraries could receive a monthly Accessions List from the Library 
of Congress which included all or almost all of Israeli publications. 
This list was extremely useful to acquisition librarians. Once the 
Accessions List was no longer available, various dealers attemp-
ted to provide libraries outside of Israel with current lists of mate-
rials available to them. 
The catalogs of the dealers vary in purpose and format. Some 
strive for comprehensiveness while others attempt to cover a more 
narrowly defined area. Some arrange the lists topically, others 
alphabetically. 
The "big three" in this area are Pinat Hasefer, Robinson and 
Weinberg. Each publishes a monthly list which attempts to include 
all publications of Jewish interest. This is interpreted very broadly 
and therefore includes anything related to Judaica. Ben Arza spe-
cializes in Rabbinic works, Ludwig Mayer in scholarly works in all 
languages, and Jerusalem Books in English publications. 
It should be noted that the catalogs do not necessarily reflect the 
services offered by a dealer. The dealer may provide other works 
not included on the list. For example, one could purchase The 
Canterbury Tales in Hebrew from Robinson, but he does not list 
this type of material since it is not Judaica. Similarly, Hanan Rivkin 
of Jerusalem Books will provide any book or periodical published in 
Israel, even though his catalog lists only English works. 
Not all the dealers will consent to put anyone on their mailing list. 
Some will provide a list only to regular customers; others might 
charge for the service. 
Prices vary from dealer to dealer. Some seem to be consistently 
higher or lower than others, while in many cases the prices charged 
by the dealers vary from book to book- one will charge more than 
the others for one title and less than others for another. 
Judaica acquisition librarians will find these lists extremely helpful. 
Some librarians might find one list sufficent for their needs; others 
will be interested in receiving more than one. 
Table 1 analyzes six catalogs of Israeli book exporters in terms of 
coverage and arrangement. All prices are in dollars. (Seep. 24.) 
Meir Lubetski is Associate Professor of Hebrew Language and 
Literature, Baruch College, City University of New York. Edith 
Lubetski is Assistant Professor of Library Administration and Head 
Librarian, Hedi Steinberg Library, Stern College for Women, Yeshi-
va University. They have just published Building a Judaica Library 
Collection: A Resource Guide. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 
1983. 
Recently Published 
Acquisition Tools 
This section will list new and recently pub-
lished materials that could be useful as ac-
quisition tools. If you are aware of anything 
that falls into this category, kindly send it to 
me: 
Prof. Edith Lubetski 
Hedi Steinberg Library 
Stern College for Women 
245 Lexington Avenue 
New York, NY 10016 
Jewish Book World, 1982- . New York: 
JWB Jewish Book Council, 1982- . 
Quarterly. Free. (15 East 26th Street, 
New York,_ NY 10010). 
A newsletter providing short descriptive 
annotations of approximately fifty books of 
Jewish interest, ranging from scholarly to 
juvenile. Items from the list are selected 
from those received at the JWB Jewish 
Book Council office. 
Combined Jewish Book Catalog, 1982-
New York: Association of Jewish 
Book Publishers, 1982- . Annual. 
Free. (838 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 
10021 ). 
Arranged by publisher, the list includes new 
and old works. Most entries are annotated. 
The books range in level from scholarly to 
juvenile. Each entry includes price but no 
date of publication. 
Israel Book News, 1983- . Tel Aviv: 
Book and Printing Center of the Israel 
Export ln$titute, 1983- . Quarterly. 
$5.00. (29 Hamered Street, P.O. Box 
5084, Tel Aviv, Israel). 
This is a continuation of both the Israel 
Book World which was published in the 
1970's and the literary supplement to the 
Jerusalem Post lnternationa/Edition of the 
1980's. One of the major features of this 
quarterly is the section "Publishers' Show-
case" devoted to short notices of new 
Israeli books. Various articles and columns 
providing information about Israeli pub-
lishing and printing are also included. 
JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No.1 Fall 1983 23 


Recently Published Acquisition Tools

Posner, Marcia

The Librarian's Role in Integrating Fiction into the Hebrew School Curriculum

Adler, Elhanan

Judaica Automation in Israel - an Overview 
Elhanan Adler 
Introduction 
The use of computers for the 
organization, retrieval and analysis of 
textual information is not new, and 
scientific and technological information 
services have been automated for many 
years. The use of computers in the 
humanities, however, has become 
widespread only very recently for a 
variety of reasons - among them the 
fact that scholars of the humanities have 
been among the last to become-
"computer-literate." Regardless of the 
reasons - the last few years have shown 
activity and interest in this field. 
In the area of Judaica much of the 
computer development has centered in 
Israel - both because Israel is the 
center of Judaica research today and 
because the hardware, software and 
personnel for dealing with Hebrew data 
are readily available. Many varied, 
sometimes overlapping, projects are 
underway. Some are well known; others 
are hardly known even in Israel. 
The purpose of this overview is to report 
on the various systems - both 
operational and under development -
which are found in Israel. It will not deal 
with library "housekeeping" functions 
such as circulation or acquisitions 
which have no unique Judaica aspects. 
Similarly, the library and information 
systems being used by the medical, 
scientific and technological libraries in 
Israel will be omitted as they are no 
different from such systems in other 
countries. 
In this report I will try to present an 
overview of Judaica automation in Israel 
with a brief description of some of the 
projects underway. In subsequent 
columns, more detailed information 
regarding specific projects will be given. 
In libraries where ALEPH is fully 
implemented (at this point only the 
Mount Scopus library) there is no card 
catalog and all user access is via 
terminals. The user has a choice of 
conducting his search with either 
Hebrew or English prompts. Biblio-
graphic data are either in Roman upper-
case or Hebrew letters, all other scripts 
being either "romanized" or "hebraized." 
As of Summer 1983, ALEPH includes the 
following functions: catalog search, 
cataloging (but not card production), 
authority file maintenance and circulation. 
University of Haifa 
Acquisitions and serials check-in are 
planned. 
ALEPH currently runs on a dedicated 
CDC 170-815 mainframe to which all 
terminals are connected. Network 
development plans envisage a de-
centralized framework with local mini or 
super-mini computers in each library 
capable of communicating with each 
other and/or with a central network 
computer. 
The University of Haifa 
The University of Haifa Library has 
developed systems for both automation 
of library management functions and 
general-purpose bibliographic process-
ing (see below). These systems are quite 
different from ALEPH, for reasons which 
are both professional-philosophic and 
economic. The Haifa system is based on 
a PDP 11/34 minicomputer and several 
microcomputers. 
The Haife approach has been to 
gradually automate individual library 
functions (at this point cataloging and 
circulation, with acquisitions under 
development) - leaving the online 
catalog with its extensive computer 
requirements for last. The cataloging 
system is therefore designed for the 
creation and storage of machine-
readable cataloging records as well as 
for card production and includes the 
following services: 
1. cataloging copy and card sets from 
LC MARC 
2. original cataloging and card produc-
tion (Roman and Hebrew) using local 
microcomputers as data entry 
stations 
3. retrospective conversion and creation 
of COM (Computer-Output-Microform) 
or book catalogs 
4. maintenance of archival files 
Four of the seven Israeli university 
libraries (Haifa, Ben-Gurion, Bar-llan 
and the Technion) make use of all or part 
of these services. This has created a de-
facto network, although no formal 
network framework exists (Adler, 1983). 
The relation between thi§,; system and 
the proposed ALEPH-based network is 
as yet unclear. The University of Haifa 
intends to continue developing its 
system with an eye towards its 
integration in the decentralized national 
model previously mentioned. 
Information Storage 
and Retrieval Systems 
Hob/ts 
HOBITS (Haifa Online Blbliographic 
Text System) is the University of Haifa's 
software package for the maintenance 
of bibliographic files and thesauri, 
creation of printed bibliographies and 
online searching. HOBITS is currently 
being used for some twenty different 
bibliographic projects, some in-house 
and some on behalf of various research 
institutes and scholars. Among these 
projects are: 
The Index to Hebrew Periodicals, 1977- : 
printed annual volumes and tri-annual 
microfiche cumulations. The Index data 
base of some 60,000 citations can be 
searched online using a thesaurus of 
over 10,000 terms and a state-of-the-art 
search program. Indexing is done by the 
University of Haifa Library. 
The Eretz Israel Data Bank: a retro-
spective data base containing books 
and articles in all languages dealing with 
the history, geography and archaeology 
of the Land of Israel. As of 1983 it 
contains over 5,000 items which are 
accessible via the above-mentioned 
thesaurus and online search program. 
Part of the data base will probably be 
published on microfiche in the near 
future. Indexing is done by the 
University of Haifa Library with financial 
support from Yad Ben-Zvi and several 
foundations. 
Index to 19th Century Eretz-lsrae/ 
Newspapers: As of 1983 it contains over 
7,000 articles from ha-Havatselet; input 
of material from ha-Magid is underway. 
Indexing is done by Yad Ben-Zvi. The 
index is searchable via printout at Yad 
Ben-Zvi or online at the University of 
Haifa. 
Other projects underway or completed 
include: Yiddish literary periodicals 
(published), Kibbutz bibliography (2 
vols. published), Psychological and 
medical effects of concentration camps 
(published), Jewish history in the 
Hellenistic and Roman periods (1976-
1980, published), Israeli-Hebrew 
monographs, 1948-1982 (Center for 
Public Libraries cataloging data, 
published). 
JUDAICALIBRARIANSHIP Vol.1 No.1 Fall 1983 9 
Projects beginning include: Index to the 
Israel Folktale Archives, Retrospective 
index to Judaica journals (Indexing by 
Bar-llan University Library) and an 
index to literature on Medieval poetry 
and Piyutim, based on the annual 
Schirmann bibliographies in Kiryat 
Sefer (a joint project of the libraries of 
Haifa and Ben-Gurion Universities). 
Responsa Project 
The Responsa Project at Bar-llan 
University is a full-text information 
retrieval system containing several 
hundred responsa monographs from 
the 8th century to the modern period. 
Unlike bibliographic retrieval systems, 
this system stores the entire text 
(40,000,000 words, as of August 1983) in 
the computer and the searcher can read 
the entire text of a responsum retrieved 
in reply to a query. Access is via a 
concordanc-,:::: of words appearing in the 
text rather than indexing terms. Much 
important research in Hebrew compu-
tational linguistics has been done as 
part of this project (Choueka, 1980). 
The project runs on the IBM 370/168 
computer at the Bar-llan computer 
center. Remote terminals exist for off-
campus access. 
Hardware and Software 
All major Judaica projects in Israel are 
based on hardware of American 
manufacture (primarily Control-Data, 
IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation). 
Peripheral devices are usually American 
also - terminals and printers being 
adapted in Israel to enable display of 
Hebrew characters according to the 
accepted Israeli standards (for details 
see Adler, 1982). 
Programming languages are also 
standard, most software being written in 
COBOL, PL/1 or BASIC. Most application 
software is locally developed -
adapting a foreign software package to 
handle processing and display of 
Hebrew data has been generally 
considered more difficult than original 
development. Standard system software, 
including data base management 
systems, are often retained. Programs 
are usually written in-house, within the 
institution operating the system. 
Library Automation Systems 
Library automation activity in Israel is 
centered in the university and special 
libraries. The public and school libraries 
have as yet shown little activity in this 
... adapting a foreign software package 
to handle processing and display of 
Hebrew data has been generally con-
sidered more difficult than original 
development. 
area, although this will change soon as 
inexpensive microcomputer-based 
systems come more and more into use. 
The two major library systems which 
were. planned to handle large quantities 
of Hebraica are found at the Hebrew 
University of Jerusalem and at the 
University of Haifa Library. 
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 
ALEPH (Automa-ced Library Expandable 
Program, Hebrew University) is an on-
line catalog and library management 
system able to support a network of 
libraries with a shared catalog or 
separate catalogs. At this point ALEPH 
primarily serves the Social Sciences and 
Humanities Library of the Hebrew 
University at Mount Scopus and is being 
gradually expanded to cover other 
Hebrew University libraries. The Jewish 
National and University Library 
(JNUL) enters its current cataloging into 
ALEPH while maintaining its manual 
cataloging apparatus. Reader access at 
JNUL is still via the card catalog. ALEPH 
has been chosen by the University 
Grants and Planning Committee of the 
Council on Higher Education to serve as 
the basis for a national inter-university 
bibliographic network. Implementation 
of this plan will be gradual for many 
reasons: professional, technical and 
economic. 
Diaspora Museum 
The Diaspora Museum in Tel-Aviv, as 
part of its audio-visual approach to 
Jewish history, has a full-text retrieval 
system which presents information on 
various Jewish communities. The data 
retrieved is primarily from the Encyclo-
pedia Judaica and therefore the system 
is, at this stage, more of a tourist 
attraction than a research tool. 
The software, which was written by an 
outside software house, is able to handle 
both Hebrew and English data and 
con.tains sophisticated features which 
are not being fully used because of the 
popular nature of the data processed to 
date. The system runs on the museum's 
PDP 11/70 minicomputer. 
Hebrew Paleography Project 
The Hebrew Paleography Project (of the 
Israel Academy of Sciences and 
Humanities in association with the 
Jewish National and University Library) 
uses a computerized system to record 
.codicological features of Medieval 
Hebrew manuscripts as well as data on 
date of writing, scribes, owners, script, 
place of writing, etc. An online retrieval 
program is being developed. 
Text Processing Systems 
In addition to the Bar-llan Responsa 
Project which stores and analyzes text for 
retrieval purposes, several other projects 
are underway which process Hebrew 
texts for a variety of o.ther research 
purposes. Two major ones are: 
The Historical Dictionary of the Hebrew 
Language 
The Academy of the Hebrew Language 
uses a computerized system to analyze 
Hebrew texts from various periods with 
the aim of establishing when a certain 
word was used, in what grammatical 
form, in what type of literature, etc. 
Critical Edition of the Mlshnah 
The Israel Academy of Sciences and 
Humanities sponsors a project to collect 
and process various manuscript texts of 
the Mishnah with the aim of preparing 
and typesetting the critical apparatus of 
variant readings via computer. 
Cooperation and Coordination 
All the above-mentioned projects came 
into being independently, with little 
formal or informal coordination. In March 
1983, the Israel Academy of Sciences and 
Humanities called ·a meeting of repre-
sentatives of the universities and the 
major Judaica automation projects, as 
well as individual scholars of Judaica 
doing computer-aided research. The 
consensus of this meeting was that there 
is a need for greater coordination, 
10 JUDAICALIBRARIANSHIP Vol.1 No.1 Fall 1983 
particularly to prevent duplication of effort in software 
development and in data entry (i.e., re-keying of major 
textual files). As a result of this meeting a questionnaire is 
being prepared which should lead to a detailed inventory of 
automated Judaica projects. Whether this will lead to real 
cooperation and coordination is yet to be seen. 
Conclusion 
Although a relatively recent development, the use of 
computers in Israel for Judaica and Hebraica applications 
has reached a significant level of achievement in the areas of 
library automation, bibliographic control, online searching, 
and textual analysis. The future will, we hope, see greater 
cooperation and coordination, both on national and 
international levels. 
References 
Adler, Elhanan, "Hebrew Cataloging and the Computer - the View from 
Israel," Information Technology and Libraries, vol. 1, no. 3 (Sept. 1982), pp. 
238-245. 
Adler, Elhanan, "A Minicomputer Based Cataloging Network," 
Proceedings of the International Conference on the Application of Mini- and 
Micro-computers in Information, Documentation and Libraries, Tel-Aviv, 
1983, pg. 729-735. 
Choueka, Yaakov, "Computerized Full-Text Retrieval Systems and 
Research in the Humanities: the Responsa Project," Computers and the 
Humanities, vol. 14, no. 4 (Nov. 1980), pp. 153-169. 
Elhanan Adler is Assistant Director of the University of Haifa 
Library, and has been involved in all its automation activities. 
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SEPHARDIC STUDIES 
A Research Bibliography 
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THE JEWS IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL 
A Bibliography 
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JEWISH AND HEBREW ONOMASTICS 
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THE HOLOCAUST 
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JUDAICA LIBRARIANSHIP Vol. 1 No. 1 Fall 1983 11 


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