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This guide has as its focus scholarly bibliographies of studies about French and other francophone authors and their works. It includes both traditional printed sources and electronic sources.

The items listed in this guide are available in the Main Library on the Uptown Campus of the University at Albany, State University of New York. Reference materials, identified by the locational prefix REF, are found in the first floor Reference Area which occupies the south wing, east and west of the reference desk. The locational prefix PER before a call number indicates that the title is a periodical. Periodicals are housed on the lower level of the Main Library. Call numbers without either of these locational prefixes refer to books shelved in the stacks on the upper floors.

• International Medieval Bibliography. Leeds, UK: University of Leeds, 1967+. Semi-annual. Library has 1967+.
  REF D 111 I58X [yr.][pt.]
          Lists articles, notes, Festschriftin, conference proceedings, collected essays, and exhibition catalogs. A classified arrangement by literary genre (drama, prose, verse) is employed. Includes an author index and a general index. Provides a list of the periodicals and other publications searched.
• Manuel bibliographique de la littérature française du Moyen Age. Comp. Robert Bossuat. Melun: Librairie d'Argences, 1951 and supplements from 1955 and 1961.
  REF PQ 152 B7
          Consists of two parts, L'Ancien français and Le Moyen français, each of which is divided into chapters based on topics, such as le roman courtois, la poésie lyrique, or la littérature dramatique. Addenda include tables of authors' names, titles of their works, and publishers.
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• Bibliographie de la littérature française du seizième siècle. Comp. Alexandre Cioranescu. Paris: C. Klincksieck, 1959.
  Z 2172 C5
         Arranged in two parts: Généralités and Auteurs (A-Z). A general index concludes the work.
• Bibliographie internationale de l'Humanisme et de la Renaissance. Fédération internationale des sociétés et instituts pour l'étude de la Renaissance and International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies. Genève: Librairie Droz, 1965+. Annual. Library has 1965-1994.
  REF CB 361 B53X [yr.][pt.]
         Part I. Personnages et oeuvres anonymes displays names arranged in alphabetical order. Part II. Matières, is sub-divided into topics among which is Littérature. Provides author and historical indexes and lists of the periodicals and collections searched. Vol. 30, 1998, covers 1994 publications.
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• Bibliographie de la littérature française du dix-septième siècle. Comp. Alexandre Cioranescu. Paris: Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1965+. 3 Vols.
  Z 2172 C52 [vol.]
         Consists of two parts: Généralités and Auteurs (A-Z). Part 1 has twelve sections, several of which focus specifically on literature and literary history. Indexes, including authors and subjects, are found in Vol. 3.
• Bibliography of French Seventeenth Century Studies. Ed. J.D. Vedvik. Fort Collins: Colorado State University, 1952/53 - 1977. Annual. Library has Nos. 1-24, 1952/53 - 1976.
  REF PQ 241 Z999 M63X [no.]
          Also known as French III. An annual descriptive bibliography covering literature and other aspects of French studies, such as art, politics, society, and philosophy. Continued by French 17. REF PQ 241 Z999 M63X [no.].
• French 17; An Annual Descriptive Bibliography of French Seventeenth Century Studies. Ed. J.D. Vedvik. Fort Collins: Colorado State University for the Seventeenth Century French Division of Modern Language Association of America, No. 26, 1978+. Library has No. 27, 1979+.
  REF PQ 241 Z999 M63X [no.]
          Consists of six parts. Parts 1-3 cover French culture and civilization. Part 4 covers literary history and criticism. Parts 5 and 6 respectively cover reviews and research in progress. A name and subject index provides additional access points. Continues Bibliography of French Seventeenth Century Studies (1952/1953 - 1977), REF PQ 241 Z999 M63X [no.], also referred to as French III.
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• Bibliographie de la littérature française du dix-huitième siècle. Comp. Alexandre Cioranescu. Paris: Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1969. 3 Vols.
  Z 2172 C48 [vol.]
         Organized in two parts: Généralités and Auteurs (A-Z). Part 1 has ten sections, which focus on literature and literary history as well as on related topics. Indexes, including authors and subjects, are found in Vol. 3.
• The Eighteenth Century. Philadelphia: American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies, 1975+. Library has new series: Vol. 1+, 1975+.
  REF CB 411 Z999 E45X [ser.][vol.]
         A section, "Literary Studies," lists entries alphabetically by the last name of the author of the article. A name index at the end helps to locate entries mentioning the name of a person, e.g. Diderot or Voltaire. Multilingual in English, German, and widely known romance languages. Continues The Eighteenth Century: A Current Bibliography for ..., 1970-1974. Iowa City: University of Iowa, 1971-1975. Previously issued in Philological Quarterly, Oct. 1970-1974, PER P 1 P55.
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• Bibliographie du dix-neuvième siècle: lettres, arts, sciences, histoire - année 1998. Florence de Chalonge and Claude Duchet. "Publiée par la Société des études romantiques et dix-neuviémistes." Paris: Sedes, 1999.
  PQ 101 Z999 C43X 1999
        As the title indicates, this bibliography includes literature and other topics. Employs a general arrangement consisting of 5 sections: Editions de textes (new editions of works by 19th century authors), ouvrages non collectifs, ouvrages collectifs, revues et publications périodiques, and Internet sites. Also includes three indexes: thématique, XIXe siècle, and critique.
• French VI Bibliography: Critical and Bibliographical References for the Study of 19th Century French Literature. French Institute in the United States and the Modern Language Association of America. New York: French Institute-Alliance Française, 1956-1969. Annual. Library has Vol. 1, Nos. 1-3.
  REF PQ 1 Z999 F742 [vol.][no.]
        Material is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 includes general topics; Part 2 consists of an alphabetical array of author/subject entries.
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• Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1930-1939. Comps. S. Dreher and M. Rolli. Genève: Slatkine Reprints, 1976. Reprint of the 1948 Geneva edition.
  PQ 305 Z999 D74 1976A
         Presented alphabetically by author followed by a chronological arrangement of his or her books, critical articles, and reviews. Continues Bibliographie de la littérature française de 1800 à 1930 by Hugo Thieme, REF PQ 43 T39 [vol.]. Continued by Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1940-1949 by Marguerite L. Drevet, REF PQ 232 D73.
• Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1940-1949. Comp. Marguerite L. Drevet. Genève: Droz; Lille: Librairie Giard, 1954.
  REF PQ 232 D73
         Arranged in alphabetical order by last names of author/subjects. Provides a list of the titles of the periodicals searched and a list of abbreviations of publishers' names used in the bibliography. Continues: Bibliographie de la littérature française de 1800 à 1930 by Hugo Thieme, REF PQ 43 T39 [vol.], and Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1930-1939 by S. Dreher and M. Rolli, PQ 305 Z999 D74 1976A .
• Caribbean Women Novelists: An Annotated Critical Bibliography. Comps. Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert and Olga Torres-Seda with contributions from the Dutch by Hilda van Neck-Yoder. (Bibliographies and Indexes in World Literature, 36) Westport, CT; London: Greenwood Press, 1993.
  REF PN 849 C32 Z991 1993
         Entries include works by and about the subjects in alphabetical order by last names of author/subjects. Several indexes provide further points of access: authors by country, novels, critics, and themes and key words. Includes francophone authors and authors from other linguistic groups.
• French VII Bibliography: Critical and Biographical References for the Study of Contemporary French Literature. New York: French Institute-Alliance Française, 1949-1968. 5 Vols. Library has Vols. 1 - 4 and a separate index volume for Vols. 3-4.
  REF PQ 1 Z999 F74 [vol.][no.]
         Contents are divided into three parts. Part 1, General Subjects, includes bibliography, collected articles, literary genres, literary history, and several other categories. Part 2 consists of an alphabetical listing of the author/subjects. Part 3 covers cinema. Continued by French XX.
• French XX Bibliography; Critical and Bibliographical References for the Study of French Literature Since 1885. New York: French Institute-Alliance Française, 1969+. Annual. Library has 1969+.
  REF PQ 1 Z999 F74 [vol.][no.]
        Following the pattern set by its predecessor, French VII, the bibliography is divided into three parts. Part 1, General Subjects, which is sub-divided into various categories, such as literary genre; Part 2, author/subjects in alphabetical order, and Part 3, cinema. Continues French VII Bibliography: Critical and Biographical References for the Study of Contemporary French Literature, REF PQ 1 Z999 F74 [vol.][no.], entered above.
• Réception de la littérature africaine d'expression française jusqu'en 1970: essai de bibliographie. Amar Cherchari; avant-propos d'Albert Gérard. Liège: Séminaire de littérature africaine de l'Université de Liège, 1982.
  PQ 3980 Z999 C54X 1982
        Divided into four sections: Mélanges et généralités, Afrique du Nord, Afrique noire, and Madagascar. Sections 2-4 are sub-divided into general topics, literary genres, and names of individual countries. Within these subdivisions, the entries are arranged alphabetically by the last names of the author/subjects. Other Title: Bibliographie africaine.
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• Bibliographie de la littérature française de 1800 à 1930. Comp. Hugo P. Thieme. Paris: E. Droz, 1933. 3 Vols. in 2. Library has Volumes 1 and 2.
  REF PQ 43 T39 [vol.]
         Volumes 1 and 2 are arranged alphabetically by author followed by a chronological arrangement of his or her books, critical articles, and reviews. Vol. 3, La Civilisation, Part 2 of the second volume, is classified. This is a revised and enlarged edition of the author's Guide bibliographique de la littérature française de 1800 à 1906, Paris, 1907. Continued by Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1930-1939 by S. Dreher and M. Rolli, PQ 305 Z999 D74 1976A and Bibliographie de la littérature française, 1940-1949 by M. Drevet, REF PQ 232 D73 .
• Bibliographie de la littérature française du moyen âge à nos jours. Ed. René Rancoeur. Paris: Librairie A. Colin, 1966-1980.
  REF PQ 101 Z999 B54x [yr.]
            Unannotated bibliography listing books, articles, dissertations, and reviews. Part 1, Généralités, contains citations on general topics, such as works focused on more than one author or on a particular literary genre. Part 2 covers all chronological periods and presents the names of individual author/subjects in alphabetical order within each century. Continues Bibliographie littéraire, 1953-1961, and Bibliographie de la littérature française moderne (16e - 20e siècles), 1962-1965, PQ 101 Z999 B53X [yr.]. Ceased publication as a separate volume in 1980. Revived in 1986, it was published in Number 3, 4, or 5 of each volume of Revue d'histoire littéraire de la France PER PQ 2 R5 from 1986 - 2001. Since 2002, it has been published as a separate unnumbered issue (Hors Série) of the periodical.
• Bibliographie de la littérature française moderne (16e - 20e siècles). Comp. René Rancoeur. Publieé par la société d'Histoire littéraire de la France avec le concours du CNRS. Paris: Librarie A. Colin, 1962-1965. Library has 1962 and 1964.
  REF PQ 101 Z999 B53X [yr.]
         Contents are arranged in two categories: General and author/subjects in an alphabetical listing. A name index is appended for additional access points. Continued by Bibliographie de la littérature française du Moyen Age à nos jours (1966-1980) REF PQ 101 Z999 B54X [yr.]. Continues Bibliographie littéraire (1953-1961).
• Bibliographie der französischen Literaturwissenschaft. Comp. Otto Klapp. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: V. Klostermann, 1956+. Biennial 1956-1968; Annual 1969+. Library has Vol. 1, 1956+.
  REF PQ 1 Z999 B53 [vol.]
         Most of the material in the text is in French, including the table of contents and the chapter headings. Unannotated entries are arranged by literary period. Index Nominum lists the names of the authors of the entries; Index Rerum is a subject index. Other title: Bibliographie d'histoire littéraire française.
• Bibliographie des auteurs modernes de langue française, (1801-1975). Comps. Hector Talvart, Joseph Place, and (continued by) Georges Place. Paris: Editions de la Chronique des Lettres Françaises, 1928-1976. 22 Vols.
  Z 2171 T16 [vol.]
         Includes works by and about the author/subjects presented in alphabetical order from A - Morgan with brief biographical information. Volumes 16 and 17 consist of indexes of titles and authors of works indexed in Volumes 1-15 (A - Mirbeau). Volumes 20 and 21 incorporate title indexes into the individual volumes.
• A Critical Bibliography of French Literature. Gen. Eds. David C. Cabeen and Richard A. Brooks (Vol. 3-4 suppl., Vol. 6). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1947-1994. 6 Vols.
  REF Z 2171 C3 [v.] [pt.]
          Highly regarded by scholars, this selective bibliography is annotated by experts who have also provided evaluative information about the listed studies. Includes articles, books, and dissertations.
          V. 1. The Medieval Period / edited by Urban T. Holmes, Jr. (rev. 1952)
          V. 2. The Sixteenth Century / edited by Alexander H. Schutz. (rev. 1985)
          V. 3. The Seventeenth Century / edited by Nathan Edelman
          V. 3a, suppl. The Seventeenth Century / edited by H. Gaston Hall
          V. 4. The Eighteenth Century / edited by George R. Havens, Donald F. Bond
          V. 4, suppl. The Eighteenth Century / edited by Richard A. Brooks
          V. 5, pt. 1. The Nineteenth Century / edited by David Baguley
          V. 5, pt. 2. The Nineteenth Century / edited by David Baguley
          V. 6. The Twentieth Century / edited by Douglas W. Alden and Richard A. Brooks (3 vols.)
• French Literature: An Annotated Guide to Selected Bibliographies. Comp. Richard Kempton. (Selected Bibliographies in Language and Literature, 2) New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1981.
  REF PQ 103 Z999 K45X
        A very useful reference book with excellent annotations. Broad and deep coverage of bibliographies published before 1981. Includes subject and author/title indexes.
• Manuel de bibliographie littéraire pour 16e, 17e, et 18e siècles français. Comp. Jeanne Giraud. Paris: Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin, 1939+. 3 Vols. Library has Vols. 1-3.
  REF PQ 43 G4 [vol.]
          Vol. 1 covers literature published during 1921-1935, Vol. 2: 1936-1945, Vol. 3: 1946-1955. A section Ouvrages Généraux is followed by entries listed in three sections by century: 16th, 17th, and 18th. Within each section, the entries are further sub-divided into two parts: "general works" and "authors."
• MLA International Bibliography of Books and Articles on the Modern Languages and Literatures. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1921/25+. Library has 1921/25+.
  REF PB 1 Z999 M53 [yr][pt.]
         Available electronically MLA Bibliography (1963+). A selective bibliography, it offers bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, cinema, and folklore. It draws on scholarly research in more than 3,000 journals and series, covering relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies, and other formats. Published in two complementary parts: Part 1 includes a classified list arranged by language and subjects, a master list of periodicals searched, and a guide for users. Part 2 is a subject index to Part 1.

• Revue d'histoire littéraire de la France. Paris: A. Colin, 1894+. Library has 1894-1950, 1962+.
  PER PQ 2 R5 [yr.][no.]
         Since 1986, Bibliographie de la littérature française du Moyen Age à nos jours, compiled by René Rancoeur, has been published as part of this journal. The predecessors of this bibliography have been published by this journal most of the time since 1894. From 1966 - 1980, Bibliographie de la littérature française du moyen âge à nos jours was a separate publication. The call number is REF PQ 101 Z999 B54x [yr.]. For more information about this bibliography, see the entry above under the heading "Multiple Chronological Periods."
• Studi francesi. Torino: Società editrice internazionale, 1957+.
  PER PQ 5 S75 [vol.][no.][yr.]
         Each issue includes an annotated bibliography, Rassegna bibliografica. It is arranged in the following categories: chronological periods, extraeuropean francophone literature and linguistics, and general works. Most of the annotations are written in Italian.
• The Year's Work in Modern Language Studies. London: Modern Humanities Research Association, 1930+. Library has Vol. 1, 1930+.
  REF PB 1 Y45 [yr.]
          The category "Romance Languages" leads to "French Studies" which is classified by individual literary periods with separate headings for French Canadian Literature, Caribbean Literature, Africa and Maghreb, and Occitan Studies. Provides a list of abbreviations and a name index at the end.

To locate additional book-length bibliographies held by the libraries, such as those covering criticism of a single author, conduct a subject search in the online public access catalog, Minerva. Reference librarians can provide assistance with the selection of appropriate subject headings.

The library's subject page, French and Francophone Studies can provide access to additional bibliographies, either general or specifically focused on a single author. Select Internet Resources in French and Francophone Studies, then click on French and Francophone Literature -- Biography, History, and Criticism or Diverse Subject Collections.

Another useful Web resource is Brief Guide to Literary Resources and Criticism .

Periodical indexes and databases are an indispensable source of references to recent and retrospective journal articles about a literary topic or a given author's works. Please use Electronic Resources for French and Francophone Studies: How to Find Journal Articles for information and simplified access to a collection of useful electronic indexes and databases. Some indexes include articles in French language, but most of the articles cited in these indexes and databases are in English.

Access to an electronic index, such as the MLA International Bibliography, is also available through Databases & Indexes. Type the title of the index in the searchbox and click on the search button. For a list of indexes from which to choose, select French Studies from the menu on the lower left, then click on Indexes/Databases from the menu on the lower right, and click on the search button. Choose a title from the alphabetical display of indexes, then conduct a search by author/subject or other topic to create a bibliography of critical works based on your selected criteria.

If the index you choose isn't available, try again later, as the number of simultaneous users is usually limited by licensing agreements. NB: Most of the electronic databases and indexes are available to University at Albany users only.

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14 August 2008