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NOTES ON SAFEGUARDING AND CONSERVING CULTURAL MATERIAL IN THE FIELD                    4

Germany, but translated into several languages) are both reliable and succinct; and monuments which are starred or double-starred may justly be treated as of first importance.  Other well known guides are the [[underline]] Guides Bleus [[/underline]] (Blue Guides.  Usually in French; some translated into English), and [[underline]] Grieben's Guides [[/underline]] (German, some translated into other languages).  Local guides may also be found, but vary greatly in quality.  They are apt to be incomplete and inaccurate.

2.  Whatever the written source of information, it should be supplemented and corrected by local information.
(a) In some countries, there are organized services concerned with historic and artistic monuments, whose members are generally well informed and competent.  Information about such services is included in the lists of monuments mentioned above.
(b) Educated people of a locality, such as priests, [[ clergymen + schoolmasters are sometimes considerable ]] authorities on local monuments.

Get into touch with such people as soon as possible and seek their advice and cooperation.  In general, take the line that you are there to help them, rather than asking them to help you.  But remember also that local people may be ignorant, or infected by local rivalries, venality, hostility, or desire to please.  So, unless you are sure that local helpers are competent and disinterested, check their information from other sources.