International Encyclopedia Of Foundations

This new work, edited by Kiger, a specialist in foundation history, inlcudes 146 sketches of major foundations in 31 countries. Detailed entries written by foundation personnel or drawn from secondary sources describe the history, purpose, activities, financing, governance, and location of each foundation...This will be useful both as a reference source and a social history.

Library Journal This volume provides information on the history and operation of major foundations located outside the United States. Unlike statistical directories covering foreign foundations, this book treats the most important foundations in thirty-one different countries and provides historical essays often written by the respective officers themselves.

As one of the very few book-length accounts of international foundations in English, the volume offers not only essential data on individual organizations, but a platform for comparing the structure and function of various foundations as well. The book is made up of 146 historical sketches of the most significant foundations in thirty-one countries, categorized by type as independent, corporation-sponsored, community, or operating.

Approximately half of the sketches were provided by persons within the foundations, while the remaining ones were derived from histories and reports, correspondence, interviews, and other research. Each sketch contains basic information on the founding, purpose, activities, financing, governance, and location of a foundation, to the extent that it was available.

Also included are three appendices, which provide topical and chronological listings of the institutions. In addition, bibliographical references to sources utilized and references for further reading are supplied at the end of each sketch. The volume will be a valuable reference source for foundations throughout the world, government agencies and college and university administrators, and public and academic libraries.

It will also be relevant to courses in the history of philanthropy and intellectual and social history. Review: ?Includes information on 145 foundations in 31 countries, exclusive of the US. Criteria for inclusion are size of assets and amount of annual expenditures, varying by country; and age, nature, and scope of operations related to the foundation's role and significance in the country.

Most of the selected foundations are independent or corporate-sponsored, but also represented are community foundations and operating foundations (the latter being foundations whose money is used to operate on-going projects rather than given as grants). Information was solicited directly from the foundations; but if it was not forthcoming, secondary sources were used.

All entries contain bibliographic references or additional sources to consult for further information. The editor has been a scholar of foundations for over 35 years, and he states his belief that the encyclopedia provides enough brief histories of enough significant foundations, in enough countries, to enlarge the body of knowledge about worldwide foundations, their history, and their operations.' The encyclopedia provides more depth than The International Foundation Directory (4th ed., 1986; 1st ed., CH, May'75), and it should be considered by any library that serves international students and/or international studies.?-Choice