Special Libraries, December 1925
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San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Special Libraries, 1925 Special Libraries, 1920s 12-1-1925 Special Libraries, December 1925 Special Libraries Association Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925 Part of the Cataloging and Metadata Commons, Collection Development and Management Commons, Information Literacy Commons, and the Scholarly Communication Commons Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, December 1925" (1925). Special Libraries, 1925. 10. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925/10 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Libraries, 1920s at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Special Libraries, 1925 by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vol. 16 December. 1925 No. 10 The Metropolitan Newspaper THE NEWSPAPER GROUP Echoes from the Oxford Conference Wext Issue CHICAGO A Special Library Center Edited by the Illinois Chapter Contents ARTICLES Echoes from the Oxford Conference ............................................... 398 Illinois Chapter Achieves Success. By Rebecca B. Rankin ... 408 The Metropolitan Newspaper. By Louis Wiley ........................ 395 The Newspaper Group. By William Akott ............................. 402 -NOTES DEPARTMENTS Bibliographic Work in the Associations. ............................ 4 1 4, Department of Agricul- ture ......................................... 4 1 9 Events and Publications 3...41 8 National Budget Bureau ... 4 1 3 Personal Notes ..................... 4 Safety Education .................. 409 1 7 Studv of American Mar- Research Activities ............ 407 kets ......................................... 401 Wachovia Reading Club. Science and Technology ... 4 1 0 By Gilbert T. Steven- We Do This ........................ 4 12 son .......................................... 397 Writings of Henry George 409 World of Business Print... 41 6 Published Monthly Except August and September by THE SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION Special Libraries Publishing office, 958 University Ave., New York Ciiy. Edi~orialoffice, Stale Library, Providence, R. I. Treasurer's office, 195 Broadway, New York City. All payments should be made to Miss Gertrude D. Peterkin, Treasurer, C/O American Telephone & Telegraph Co., New York City. Entered as ssco~~clclam matter Decembcr li. 1023 at rhe Post Olfloe, Xea Tark, S.Y., under the act of Muroh S. 1870. Drc,";;;~~celO~ mnUln# at epeclal rnce of uostnae provided ior in aeotlon 1103, ~ctof Octobcr 3. 1817. nuthorized nates. 14 00 a Year. Forelm 14.10: slnde coolea 50 oeuu. Special Libraries Vol. 16 December, 1925 No. 10 The Metropolitan Newspaper By Louis Wiley, Business Manager, New York Times T is a privilege to come before a group PROVIDESCURRENT INFORMATION I of special librarians ancl attempt to It is in supplying that need for current give information about thc newspaper. inforination that the newspaper which Although my point of vicw may not be PI-ints all the important news fills a sig- wholly unbiased, I think that your asso- nificant placc in the reference library. ciation is doing a wise tlhg in devoting Doubtless you librarians are familiar a meeting to a cliscussion of the ncws- with the wealth of infornmtion to be had paper. The right kind of newspaper, in the columns of the newspaper. The properly used, can bc a most valuable average layinan is not, even though he work of refercnce in any libraqr, con- is a faithful and intelligent reader. taining much informatior, not available The newspaper is the greatest single elsewhere. source of infornlation upon our business, A librarian should feel a real inspira- financial, economic, pohtical, intellectual tion in the thought that she or he helps and social life. The lmtorian acknowl- to unlock the treasure-house of books to edges his debt; if you will read that in- those who come seeking lcnowledge. The teresting and scholarly work of Lucy profession ranks with the noble calling of Maynard Sallilon, "The Newspaper and the teacher. I assume that your especial the Historian," you will understand task is to make available for the current clearly how the scholar who chronicles needs of a particular business the as- an era, though he may turn to official sistance of a selected library. From the iiles for ccstain Jocuinents, studies popu- letterhead of your association one learns lar opinion upon the great issues, cus- that your president is connected with a toms, the trend of business, through the leading financial and business statistical columns of the newspaper. The foot- organization; that other officers are with notes of that great work, Jamcs Ford a well known advertising agency, a great Rhodes' history of the United States life iilsurance company, and the Cham- from 1850 to 1877, ase filled with ref- ber of Comnicrce of the State of New erences to newspapers. And today our Yorlc. Probably that is a fair csoss- leading quastel-ly on foreign affairs de- section of the membersl~ip;it gives to an votes several pages to a list of sources outsider cot~vincingproof of how im- of current docuinents upon international portant and practical your labors mmt relations; at least half, ancl probably be. more, of these references are to the col- It is reasonable to assume that one of umns of ne~vspapers. your problcins in these special libraries is The newspapcrs of toclay are more to have at hand fos whoever asks for it worth the librarian's serlous attention the latest current information. Business than ever before. They are a more prac- deals primarily with current information. tical source of reliable current infol-ma- Tlm-e is much of profit to be learned tion than at any time in the history of from books of wl~ateverage; but business the prcss. The publishers of newspa- malces its decisions upon the day's or pers which appeal to the intelligent and week's ncws, ancl I am surc that thc latest thougl~tfuldo not regard their labors as reports of the Departinent of Commerce merely the assenlbling and printing of are more oftcn called for in your libra- casual, accidental news, which the sen- ries than Adam Smith or Jol~nStuart sation of the next day or the superseding Mill's political economy. edition will efface. Such publishers 1 At1 address before the New York Speclal Libraries Association, November 30, 192s. 396 Sl'ECIhL LIBRARIES December, Igag gather the news of perinanent value ; and frequently and thoroughly than in any they regard themselves as the day to clay other profession. historians of our world. An index of a daily newspaper is the best proof there is of the practical value Covens WORLD'SNEWS BETTE& of the information in its news columns. Metsopolitan newspapers today have For many years the old Tribzllze pub- available larger and better trained staffs lished an index, which it abandoned, I than those of any other generation; they believe, in 1906. The New York Times, bring into play mechanical means of com- under the publishership of Adolph S. munication which grow more inarvelous Ochs, whose conception of a newspaper daily, transmitting words and pictures by is that it should gather and print thc im- telegraph, cable and wireless; and they portant news so fully and accurately that put in type and print the great volume of its files constitute a grcat public record, news they gather with the aid of mar- began the publication of the quarterly velous machinery. But the most ex- New York Times Index in 1913. 1 shall traordinary part of their achievement is not attempt to dilate on this theme for not the physical, - the mechanical. The fear of talking too much about The true wonder of our great newspapers to- Times, a subject upon which I am hardly day lies in the ability with which the an unprejudiced witness. But an hour's editors organize and plan to assemble careful study of the columns of that the worth-while news, to have it reported Index will reveal more thoroughly than accurately and impartially. These edi- any words of mine what a wealth of ref- tors have their fingers upon the pulses erence material is in newspaper files. of great political, economic and social From the first page to the last the movements. W11en the unbiased history newspaper contains information of in- of the prohibition movement in this coun- terest and value-and what is especially try comes to be written, for example, to important-the latest i n f o r in a t i o n. what source will the chroniclers go for Speeches, doc,uments, statements, official the great body of information? Without announcements, statistics, inventions, dis- doubt to the newspapers. The record of coveries, scientific news, business news, the struggle for woman suffrage is told are in the day's news. best in the files of newspapers. Daily in the newspaper are records of indispensable value to business men : The reference value of newspapers is The stock, bond and other security shown in what is called the morgues of tables, of course ; reports of corporations' newspaper offices-envelopes of clippings earnings showing cusrent conditions in kept over a period of many years, filed any industry; commodity prices, indices under the names of persons concerned, of prices and trade. It would astonish or under subjects. If all of you are not you if you knew how Inany persons keep familiar with this feature of newspaper year in and year out their own records offices, I suggest that you investigate it. of the stock and bond averagcs which I am sure that Miss Welland would be The Tinzes compiles and prints daily. glad to arrange for a special inspection of this department of The Times, where ADVERTISEMENTSGIVE NEWS fourteen persons are occupied. I cannot The advertisements of today are also think of a business which would not find valuable for the information they con- use for a morgue in its library, even tain.