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Special Libraries, 1915 Special Libraries, 1910s

6-1-1915 Special Libraries, June 1915 Special Libraries Association

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Val. 6 JUNE, 1915 No. 8

PUBLISHED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION President, Vice-President, Secrctary-Treasurer, Monthly except July and August. Clarence B. Lester, Wisconsin Leglslatlve Ref- Editorial and Publication Offlce Indiana Bureau of Legislative Information, ~nhanepolis,Ind. errnce Llbrary ; Marlan R. Glenn, Amerlcan Subscriptions, 1101 ~remof~tBldg., Boston, Mass. Bankers' Association, New York City. Entercri a1 the Postofflce at Indianapolis, Ind., RIanaging Edltor of Special Libraries :-John A. as aecond-class mattcr. Lapp, Bureau of Leglslatlve InCorrnatlon, In- Subscription...... $2.00 a year (10 numbers) cllanapolis, Ind. Single copies ...... 25 cents Assistant Ed~tor,Elthe1 Cleland, Bureau of Isg- islatlve Information, Indianapolis, Ind. President ...... 13 H. Johnston 13ureau of Rallwny Economics, ?-Vasliington, CONTRIBUTING EDITORS D. C. Vicc-President ...... 4 Ilzabeth V. Dobbins I?. N. Morton, Uniled Gas Improvement Co., American Telephone andCTelegraph Co., New Pork City. Philadelphia. Secretary-Treasurer, ...... Guy E. Marlon 1-1. H B. Meyer, Library of Congress 11 01 Treclont Bldg., Doston, Mass D. N. Handy, Insurance Library Assoclatlon.

Papers Re-ad at the Annual Meeting of the Special Libraries Association, Berkeley, Cal., June 7-8, 191 5'

Specialization: Its Advantages and Disadvantages By Richard Holland Johnrton, Librarian, Bureau of Railway Economics, Washington, D. C.

Many things not thought of by our fore- which is being reflected among the Amer- fathers have resulted from the inversion of ican schools by the demands for the Bache- thought and action due to the spread of cle- lor's degree in arts as a requirement for mocmcy. Purely external aulhority, in go- matriculation into the ~rofessional~chools. litical life gave place to the consent of the %7itl1 this particular phase of the movement, governed, in religion grew into freedom of excepl as In a sense it relates to special col- thought and action, and education spread lections of hoolcs, we are not as much con- until there was no longer the isolated Plato, cerned as with the coordinated movement Socrates or Cicero standing far above the in manufactures, and distribution, which people of their time. have gone to such great lengths in-this coun- It may be said to be generally true, both try as compared with almost any other in England and on the continent, that, in country in the world. xnatters of education, professional training The specialization in which we, as an asso- is invariably superinduced upon a general clalion, are for tho most part interested is education in the humanities, a point of view the specialization made necesrary by the

*Other pspen and reporb praented at the Annual Meeting wdl appear in subequent numben. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

marvelous inventions that have character- Herbert Spencer defines evolution as "A ized the nineteenth century and which have change from an indefinite incoherent homo- cleaved former units of manufacture and or- geneity to a definite coherent heterogeneity ganization into groups of specialized nctivi- through continuous differentiations and in- ties. These inventions were, of course, one tegrations." Specialization is an inviolable of the fruits of the liberation of people from the trammels of external authority and have law of nature. No man can evade it in all naturally gone to their greatest lengths in particulars. our own country. The confines, not only of The natural result of this specialization knowledge but of practical service, have ex- is the problem of the preparation for and as- tended beyond the limits of capacity of the sistance in these diversified lines of endeav- former single man or organization of men. or. It is not long since President Butler, of Professions have sprung up and have di- Columbia University, startled the educa- vided and subdivided Tubal-Cain is not tional world by suggesting that tho general only the father of the blaclrsmitlis but of all college course should end with the second workers in brass and iron. year and that the two upper years should Prom the original rude club for ball play- be devoted to the tralning of the student for ers has been evolved the bat, the cricket what he expected to be in life. Were we club, the tennis racquet, the lacrosse stick, able to live several lives we could devote and the mysterious family of nihlics, cleelrs, one to a classical education, mother to t~ sci- drivers and putters, which are bagged in entific eclucatmn, and so on, but desirable as the game of golf. Ouly those trades which a four years' course in Greek or geology have been unaffected by inventions and in- mighl be in the process of edwation, how- novations have remained as they were for ever f2r a broad foundation may enable the any considerable length of time. A brick individual to exccll, it still remains true that wall, for instance, is made today nluch in the four ycars' course in Greelr will not fit the same way as it was made two hundred the engineer for building a bridge as well years ago. Some of us can still remember as four months of practical worlc in his when each town had its own artisans, each school of engineering. It is no1 long ago laboriously and witli wasted energy doing that the average college professor consid- those things which are now being done hy ered that the general college course oC Llme scores of producers in large corporations. days was the proper f~t.tingInr any vocation We cannot remember but we know that in I~fe,that the general training secured further back the individual family provided through the acquisition of any or all or tho for practically all its own necessities. course was the thing of value he would carly out witli him into the world. The It is not long since the manufacturer en- first change in the old pkemise of ecluca- deavored to add as many new branches as tion, that is, that the student would not ex- possible so that hls plant might cover a pect to make any practical use of the larger field, it beiug the idea that in case of knowl~dgelie acquired in college, came with a temporary falling off in demand for one the introduclion of specialization in modern \kind of production the establishment as a languages. And it is safe to say that the whole might be balanced by the demands once prevalent bel~ef in late specialization tor other products. But it soon became evi- on a broad educational foundal.ion must be dent that, with the rapid improvements, de- considerably qualified, at least until the signs became obsolete and fixtures and parts present specialization in life activities has represenling a large investment of money been redeemed from ll~edisproportionate lmd to be consigned to the scmp-heap The valuation of performance, or achievement in manufacturer now selects some one article supplying the means and social nlech~nism or product for which he sees a heavy or a of well being, as distinct from the fruition constalit demand and devotes his entire of human living and character into the more capital, energy and ability to this one pro- and more nearly perfect flower. For if one duction. Edison's first lamp was produced is to accomplish the most in life under the to sell at $3 00, the cost of nearly a dozen conditions imposed by the present emphasis much superior lamps as manufactured to- on production, at the expense of enjoyment day The dollar watch is abroad in the land and realization, specializalion must begin It is therefore clear that in mannfacturing early. Leonardo da Vinci has been spoken the secret of sncccss lies in specialization. of as the last European to take all lrnowl- But the tendency toward specialmition IS edge for his province As compared with not confined to manufacture. We see it in that what eminent musician, for instance, the passing of the family doctor; we see it has there been who did not begin his musical in the numerous lines into which the legal training in childhood? What if the great profession has been swept; we see it in the artists are pervaded by temperament? Is various branches of the engineering profes- not the artistic skill atlained at the ex- sion. Since the technical schooIs of agri- pense of other excellenc~esworth the cost culture have been established we And spe- to the world in general? Would the artist cialists in stock and even in particular have been more useful to the world had kinds of grain. part of his skill been exchanged for some SPECIAL LIBRARIES

Greek or geology? From the point of view sary to point out how far the general 11- of culture it would be desirable for the mer- brary falls short of this service. chant to send his boy through college before putting him at a desk in his business. But For example, the financial house is ap- iL is a question whether it is fair to the boy proached for the float~ngof a loan for a to delay his start in estabhshing himself in railway system. It is not sufficient for that those activities concerning which his gen- house to have placed before it the last print- eration will judge his success or failure. ed report and "all thc literature on the sub- It may, when the United States has mode- ject." It is neccssary that tile house should rated its rate of progress and is less in a lmow not only the financial condition given hurry, again become generally des~rable. at the last statement-it must be acquainted But, for the time being, it is questionable with present conditions, it must Iinow the heroics to hold back the individual from the company's standing wilh its territory, earliest practicable specialization. We would whether cordial or the reverse, whether the not atlempt to take the position that this natural resources of its territory give prom- condition of affairs is to be commended as ise of traffic ant1 if these resources are be- one that should remain permanent. It re- ing properly exploited. Again, the chemical mains true that in the long run what tends cxpert is cdled upon to pass judgment upon to the lnoral and cultural improvement of the qualities of a certain paper containing the individual is what is most desirable to alunl as bearing upon certain uses to which the nation as a whole, but so long as our the paper is to be pul. It is not sufficient people are dividing and subdividing the old- that boolrs pertaining to the manufacture of er established units of manufacture and pro- paper be placed before him. It may be pos-a fessional interest, so long as manufacturers sible for this executive to proceed to a large as a class are scrapping machinery and llhrary and by dint of digging for days se- methods almost daily the necessity stands cure the desired information. But that is for an early insight into, and acquaintance not his function. The research worker, the with, the problcnls of business upon the part so-called special librarian, has been at work of those people who expect to administer in his place and has in readiness the infor- affairs. In due time the more leisurely mation he requircs. methods will follow on the nalural reaction We can suppose, however, that one of our against the constanl alterations in our great libraries employed a staff of consnlt- met11o.d~-the manufacture of the bicycle be- ing experts, collcge professors, practical en- came standard after lnany years of experi- gineers, transportation experts, and SO mentation-and greater opportunities will forth. It can readily bc seen that with a be afforded for the securing of a broad cul- terriflc increase in the cost of maintaining tural basis before specjalization begins. the library, the financier, technical expert, or nlerchant could obtain without the cost Bul the specialization of industry, manu- of untold hour8 of investigation the particu- facture and transportation widens the lar information desired, without the inquirer sphere of lrnowledge and multiplies the having ever yeen or used a book. This need for ~pecialsources of information. It scheme, because of the possibilities lying in is now quite impossible for even the largest a coordinated staff referring one to the library to contain a11 books on all subjects other and so minimizing the dangers due to or to furnish full information on special differentiation in Irnowledge, would be ideal. subjects. There has sprung up, in associa- Rut because of its practical impos~il~ilityon tion with business houses, a form of service account of its cost, thcre have arisen the which, because of some ~imilarityto the li- finance library, the banking library, the in- brary movement in its use of books, has surance library, the railroad library. been termed for want of n better name spe- cial library servicc It lacks much of the In thc nature of things those who have scholnrliness, and es~~ecisllythe leisureli- tak.kon charge of these so-called libraries ness, of the ordinary use of books, but it have not generally been librarians. Their places great stress on current information, title is not always that of librarian. They using individual authorities and experts in are, on the contrary, men and womon who much the same way as the library uses liuvo grown up in the business and have de- printed information. Its main function is veloped an aptitude for getting together to secure at any gwen moment in compact quickly and accurately the information de- form the latest information on the most ired by the house. minute point required by the business in- tere~tand its problem is to find and adopt Accordingly, certain dangers enter into the means by which the end may he ob- the specialization of their work. Perhaps tained. It is not sufficient to place before the most striking is the isolation iq which the merchant or the factory expert the these specialists stand one to the other. books in which the information may be There is no clearing house for the exchange found. This information must be drafted of their expert knowledge. Much good work off, evaluated and in a sense the thinking is done between libraries of somewhat cor- done for the executive up to the point where related interests but it is desultory and hap- his action is necessary. It is hardly neces- hazard. Efforts have been made in certain 96 SPECIAL LIBRARIES

centers, notably in Boston, to establish a is distrusted. Because a man has been as- hnreau of exchange among specialists in dif- sociated with the b11s11zcss of transporta- ferent ficlds of knowledge. tion, his testimony bcfore a legislative com- But perhaps the most injurious eKect of nlittee is discounted as biased. If a man this isolt~tioillies in the lack of perspective has been associnted with big busin~ss,the with which a specialist in any line is liable fact tends to disqllalifg him as a witness. to view his own work. We all remember the How far this is due to the attitude of the fable of Aesop of the quarrel of the mem- specialist himself it is no1 for us to say. bers of thc body as io their relative import- Possibly the air of superiority assumed by ance, but the Ieet were uselcss without tlie some specialists provoltes the animosity of heacl. Many large corporations place a the laymarl. Rut the really grcat specialist practical checlc on tl~is ovcr-specialization is not only misc but humble, not only de- by the rolation of officials through a scries lightful in his own iield, but kindly in man- of offices, much as the farmers rotate their ner He is well aware that at best he knows crops This is due to organization, which but a fract,ion of 111s subject. To hiin truth unfortunately is lacking among the special- is a globe of ~vhichhe can see at best but a ized librar~ans. Over-specialization such as part. He lcnowfi that to those who follow given by the Greeks to art tends to the neg- him, many things that are dark mysteries to lect of otll~i*branches of human activity him mill be clear and plain as tlie mysteries wilkout 6onie knowledge of which the spe- of his forclatllcrs have become clcar and ciality runs to an unbalanced extreme. It p?ain to him. It is not the really great spe- creates a tendency to make an occupalion clalist who writes the pitiless renew, that routinc and the workers automatic ma- maltes the relentless criticism. It is the chines. We are also too prone to fall in lesser light who docs these things in order with the current mode of thought in lme~ to deflect attelllion to himself. oll1eiS than our own, like moles preoccupied Then, too, the sperialist sllould not clntm with our investigations, who lack the in- too great authority regarding subjects other spiring view of nature in 1t6 entity. We are than his own or even on the hearing of his familiar with the dentist, or tlie oculist, who own special subject. Plcrto illustrates this considers that nine-tenths of the ills of life point in the ill~~stmtionof thc pilot. To his are clue to defective teeth or to astignlatic statement that whcn onc wants to take s111p vision. for Delos it is necessary to hire not a shoe- The sr~bclivision of lluman activities is malrer or some other amiable citizen, but a necessary and inevitable because clue to the Pilot, the reply came to him: "ilIost true, practical recognition of the fact that no 0 Plato; forgive me if I suggest that it is I single linnian intelligcnce can compass the that am going to Dclos, and that the neces- entire iield of lmowledge. Human progress sity is thereby placed upon me to judge of has beer1 advanced largcly through this sub- the pilot's capacit,y to take me there; that divis~on,but in the process we musl watch I am therefore, by this necessity, constrained that in gaining depth we do no1 lose too to seek such evidence as may be convincing much in hrendth; as we delvc we must not to my own humble and limited intelhgence, lose the horizon. Concentration, of course, both, upon the one hand, as to wliether the implies neglect of things other than our pilot is a pilot in truth, and also, up011 the specialty. Those faculties which remain other, as to whether he intends to take me unused will in the nalure of things become to Dclos and to no other place. You mill, ntrophied. T-Vhile it is better for the indi- perl~ags, remembcr my cousin who took v~d~idto aim at modcrate excellence in ship, 1ndeec1, for Delos, but was landed in many lines, it is to the benefit of cverybody Crctc, and my aunt who, hnving made a else lhat lie shoulcl devote hiuself esclusive- similar arrangement, was never landed at ly to one. But while it is true that, In re- all. Forgive me, therefore, if, wit11 your search in the sciences, tho sciences them- kind permission, I ~nakea Tew trifling in- selves are enriclled while the individual in- quiries, such as in this matter seem to me vestigator is impoverisl~ed, those whose to he necessary, before I go aboard." work associates them with business affairs In that deliglltfal address on "Prestige" must be careful that their special relation at the Wasllington co~lferencea year ago does not get Illem out of iouch with colnmon from thc genial librarian of thc Newberry life. Specialization has, however, within library a sentence occurred wl~lchglves our itself thc germ which will mend these evils. assoclation causc for thought: "To the T11c vol~lnli~ryassoclation of men occupied college and unirersity libraries much has in similar interests nlreacly well begun will been given ia'lhe way of rich collectio~isof inevitably sprcad, first, to those interested literary and scicntific material, adI for one in subjects immediately collateral, until in tIitl11~we have the right to expect much frc~m the end we shall have tlic exchange bureau them in the way ot leadership in ficlds pe- between specialists. c111inrly theirs." The special librarian may One of illc results of democracy, especial- not have a rich collection. He may even be ly in ,public afrairs, clue to the democratic del~endent upon collcct~ons olher than his theory that one man's opinion is as good as own. Rut have wc not a right to expect another's, is that the opinion of the expert from his facility in the search for special in- SPECIAL LIBRARIES

formation something more .in the way of ing talks, but it is our hope that our friends leadership than the members of Our associa- On the Pacific coast will obtain some idea tion havc yet attained? Of the aims and aspirations of the members As a large number of our more active of the organization and that we may obtain members have found it impossible to attend from our Westelll friends some assistance in this conference onr program consists rath- the solution o'f the problems now confront- er of set papers than of discussion prompt- ing us.

Some Administrative Problems of Special Librarians By Andrew Linn Bostwick, Municipal Reference Librarian, St. Louis Public Library

It is an accepted fact, I believe, with all powerful influences. A municipal or legis- bf us that there are fundamental differences lative library 'has its part in forming the between the general and the special library. very laws that govern a city or a state. We know that the special library, with its There is nb doubt that the librarian should restricted scope and limited patronage, is be left free from all routine duties, that he called upon to work in a special way and may the more adequatcly and efllciently plan with tools which ad far as the gcneral li- investigations and attend to creative work. brary is conccrned, may be of little value. The dimculty seems to be that a special It naturally follows that in the actual ad- library by its very nature covers a limited, ministration of such a library certain spe- an intensive field of activity and caters cial problems are likely to confront us- therefore to a limited and special class of problems which are pecuIiar to our particu- patrons. It naturally follows that the special lar class of institution, and which may not library is generally small, as far as the ac- appear at all in general library administra- tual quantity of work performed is con- tion. I shall consider some of the most im- cerned-compared with the general library. portant of these problems today. What we do must be done with the greatest One situation with which I think most of care and with the utmost regard for detail- us have to contend is brought about by the but our small clientele hampers us when we fact that we are obliged to perform a great begin to have hopes of increasing our size deal of the purely routine work from which and our staff of assistants. In short, this the general librarian is relieved. In a spe- problem is purely one of size. We are likely cial library there is no well-deflned line of to remain small, and granting this, small demarcation between administrative and staffs make a combination of administrative routine duties. An underlying cause of this and rouline duties imperative. It is, of is the relalively small size, and small corps course, quite possible that the time will of assistants, in t,he case of the special li- come when augmented interest in, and use brary. The head of a Iarge public library of, special libraries, with a resultant increase necd not concern himself with anything but in financial support, will solve the question the larger problems connected with its work in many cases. and its general policy. He has a staff of as- The Municipal reference library of Mil- sistants to perform routine work. His onIy wuulcec, to which 'I shall make several refer- interest in routine work lies in its bearing ewes, has an organization of its staff that toward the bigger questions. The head of a seems to me excellent for a small ~pecial special library may have only two or three library. The hbrarian is the director of persons to help him; the result is that he policy, the link between Ilbrary and city must at times be ready to ,do a little of official; he has his own office, removed from everything, from outlining policies and the library proper. The first assistant is schemes of work, down to stamping en- the cataloger, who appears also to have velopes. In my own case, I may say that I direct charge of the library collection, and sonletimes have had'to do practlcalIy all the to perform work of investigation under the work on a report, from the compilation of librarian's direction. The second assistant the material down to the mailing out of the is the stenogmphcr, who also does the ele- completed copies. mentary routine work. This is an unfortunate state of affafrs, be- Special libraries are often branches of cause we all know that special libraries large public libraries. This arrangement cover important fields, and often exert very offers a partial solution of our problem, be- SPECIAL LIBRARIES cause the staff of the "parent," inslitution can on jitney data. S\'hcn thc dcmnnd comcs, perform such worlr as cataloging, gasting, hc is prepared. checliing of period~cals,solicillng donations, lcurlher than Lhis tho sl~ecinl 1lbr;irinn and the like Several nlunlcipal ref~PmX must go. He lu11s1know 111s local conrlilions librarics, Llie mosl recent cases being New tholo~ighly,and IJ~aware ol' till niorciilents Yorlc and Chicago, have taken this course, on foot lhat rclale to llicr worlc. In orcle~ato with apparenl increase 111 efficieilcy. do this lie must lrccll in toucil wiil~the A second dlfficnlty wllich confronls slle- classes ol ~eopleIllat intdce use of his rc- cial librarians lics in the selnoliuiL of mate- sources, and learn their wants and thc~r rial. I11 this case, also, linlited size and views. Mr. Tielci~lhalcr,of the BII~IYILIII~C limited fuuds play their part The specml hlunicl~alrefewnco l~lwars,lrlls me L~I~L library should have as one of its chief asscts he constaillly pursues t~ llolicy of lhis sorl. every ltrcility fur. up-to-date, quick service. I-Ie ~.egulrzrlyconsults his cily olllcials and In n~nnicipal reference \vorlr, the branch others inlereslacl in muiiicilml alfnirs. 111 wlth which I am most fanul~ar,data on a this way hc is en:~l)lod lo direct the selecl~on glvcn subject compiled in 1912 mill no1 do oC material 111 trn efllcicnl way. My own where a comyllation along the same lines es~criencehas 1)een similnr. A systenl of has been made in l1)J 5. M~~n~cil~alproblems personal relntionsliiy is csscntial. are developing too quiclrly for old inaterial I think all of us will agree Lhal the spc- to be of anything but historical iml)ortance. cia1 librarian has problems in con~~cctlol~ Then, in additloll lo this, the special Ilbrary with cataloging. 1'11~slmial library should must a1 all times fiubscrihe to a pol~cyof be equipped with :L catalog, in wluch allalp preparedness. We must anticignte 111e tical work has been ct~rrieclto tlic LI~II~OSL. wants of our patrons if we possibly ctm. We This 1s reasont~ble,because we work inten- must have at least something on a11 sub- slvely-we cove1 a IiliiiLcCl ground, bnt \VP jects williin the scope of our activity, ancl work over that ground tl~orougl~ly,wilh ref- if we are doing our work really well, we will erence even to 11s nlosl Iilinutc snbdivisionS. have everything. Quick fiervice is cssen- We must be pregared lo i'urnish inl'ormt~lioii, tial. On the other hand, wc callnot mainlain not only on the geueral nslmt of tt question, large reference libraries-size, space and but also on some pal-licular pliftse ol' it. The funds do not permit this. TVc nus st add to printed literature on such subjccls Is very our collections the things that count, and liliely to be sctrnly. 11. is plnin that n mOsL reject mnttcr lhat is hkely to clog our files exhaustive calaloging scheme is necessnry and burden our shelves. How are we to meet lu make BUC~material C~LRI~~avtlllal~le. this s~tnation? I-low shall our sm;rll col- On the ollier hand, as I have tricd lo bring lections be maintained at the h~ghestpoint out, special library collcclions, rclateil an of efficiency? llley are to llve, clcvelol>ing qucsllons, arc As has been stated before, special l~braries 111 constanl neecl 01' revision. A great deal cover live, developing fields of endeavor. of our mnlerial is e~hcmeral,because it 1s State and munici~~allegislation, bus~nessand from time to tlmc rel~lnccdby so~nctl~lng Annnce, pul)i~cu~~i~tles-questions relaling else or esaclly the s~rnicnature Illat is more to these subjects are quest~onsof today and up-lo-dale. This 1s es])cciorlly true in tho tomorrow. The successful merchant, in pur- case ol' clippings fro111 nc\vsl~al~ersnnfl 111:rg- chasing his stock, lr~egsalways in Lour11 mines. In evolvii~gn systen~ol' calala~ing with present condllions affecting 1118 busi- for a sl)ec~alllbrnry, we 11i1.v~ Lo Itec]) thi8 ness, and particularly local condiilons. He fRcL in mind. In ndifitioii to lhls Ilm libra- learns that circmnstances make it lilrcly tlial rian lnust decide what lo cnlnloji 1w1 whaL certain articles will soon bc in uiuversal cle- 1101 to cixtalog. SE all l)a~nl~hleLsancl cllg- mand, and, rnorc to the point, that this de- l)ings, ~ncludlng cl)l~enicri~lmnlcrial, are mand mill almost surely arise in his own cataloged, the above mei~lionedprof)lcm be- town, with cerlain local modifications He comes acute; ir such material in not c;ltn- learns this hecnuse hc has kept in touch loged, it may not thoroughly ficrw ils ~111~- w~thaffairs 111 111s sphere ot acllvlty. He Pose. \'irhntever 1s the syslein atlol~led,il is enabled to prepare himself for the Loture. should be tliorough, nnd at. lhc same time The special librarian should follow pre- Ilesible-there should bc ~)rovisionlor ctwy cisely the same procedure. Consider again miihrlrawal of n1atcrial that 1s 110 lon~crof a s~lr~pleexami)io from my omxi field, thal value. of municilml reterence. I lnny say llerc thal I Sccl lilllc? cl~~alilied No question has risen more rapidly to inl- to chscuss illis qucslion, 11ecilusc 1 I~r~veno1 Portance in municipal affairs than lllc regti- solved the ~roblemn~ysclC. kly own 1iI)r~ry lation of the jitney ownibus. The municipal is slllall, mlcl the lack of n complctc ctitalog librarian, if he keeps tliorougllly posled 011 of the sort I ha~enlcntionecl is no1 so scri- current clty ~roblems,through regular per- nus a thing as it mould be i'or somc of us. usal of the daily prcss, inunicil~al geriodi- It scelns to ine that tlicre should Iw n thor- cals, and so on, quiclrly real~zesthat his o\vn ough c~lscuss~onof this sulfjcct, Lo supllle- city is destined to have its jitney problenl. meill lhorie lhnt haw talrcn pltrce in the pt~sl. If lie is alert enough he will have come to To me, it 1s a very imporlant mattcr. this conclusion at the very inceglion of the Anotller proble~uthat vcxcs us is ihal of jitney movement. I-Ie begins to s1)ecialize service. In illy opinion, there is no Illore SPECIAL LIBRARIES

fundamental difference between the special use of our collecLions. As I haye stated be- and the general library than in the lnethods fore, we should keep in touch with these by which these two classes of libraries are People, learn what they want now, and what obliged to serve the public, and in the rela. tlW' are likely to want In the future-with tions which they must maintain with their Lhe view of belling ourselves prepared and patrons. Two years ago, I tried to bring our libraries eWcient, ~f for no other p~lr- out one aspecl of this, bcfore this Associa- Pose. In municl~alreference work I know tion, by showlng the necessity of close per that thk Personal relalionshi~~i necessary sonal relations between municipal relerence for another reason. Cily officials, especially librarian and legislator. legi~lators,need lo be reminded constantly Our problem in service IS twofold. In the that we are here to assist then~. Then, in first place, In the actual work me do for the my own moflr, and 1 daresay in other public, our methods are far more complex branches of special library work, these per- than those of the general library. The sonal relationships must be maintailled with worker in the general reference room is tact, for the susp~cioriis ever likely to arise given tlie material relating to his subject, Ihat we are trying to advocate some particu- and draws theretrom the information he lar measure or h11e 01 activity A few weeks seeks. He reads periodical articles, chap- ago, some civic oiganixation in St. Louis ters in books, and perhaps takes out for was pointing out fhe need for legislation home use some general work on the topic on a certain subject, and requested me to he 1s studying. The duty of the general ref- prepare a brief reporl on oxisting laws in erence assistant ends with the furnishing of other cities. When the report was finished, the original sources of information. We all this organization asked me to send a copy to know that the special library cannot slop thc clty ofncial under whose general juris- there. We ourselves are obliged in most d~clionthe matter would lie I did this, with cases to perform for our patrons the morlr a letler to the effect that I was doing it at that is left to the public, in a general library. the request of such-and-such an organization. We ourselves nluvl take these books and Shortly afterward I rece~veda courteous let- this miscellaneous material, extract the de- ter of acknowledgment from the offlc~al(he sired information, and submit a concise sum- happened not to be located in Lhe city hall), mary or report. advising me that the matter was under con. This is largely due lo the fact that our sideration, but that he did not lmow whether clientele is con~posednlainly of busy people St. Louis had better adopt such legislrttlon. -specialists. I1 is also due to the fact, men- His lelter plainly showed lne that he thought t~onedpreviously, that our inqmrles often I mas "on the sti~n~p,"so to speak, for these relate to subjects on wh~chinformation is measures. Tlns part~cularoff~cial has not scattered through numerous boolm, reports. been in omce long, but this incident shows etc.-a little bit in each. Take an example what sometimes nlay happen We luust once more from my own work; if I am re- maintain close relations wit11 our clientele, quesled for inlornlation concerning ordi- but we must appear under our true colors- nances on a ccrtain subjecl in ten cities, how the colors of the neutral. staggering it will be for my inquirer if I Of course, there are a great many mays present him with ten 1)ullry city codes! We in which this relationship can be kept up. I must, Lhen, be prepared to draw off the in- l~ersonallyattend lneetings of tlie Board of formation desired from the various origlnal aldermen, lrcep lhe board and officials sup- sources, and put it into the hands of the plied with material I think will be of interest, puhlic in the forin most convenient to thcm. and keep in touch wlth geople through such Experience derived from personal relation organixal.ions as the C~tyclub, lhe Civic will enable us to do this efficiently. Thc league, and YO On. special librarian who expects his patrons to 1 belleve all special librar~ansliave more do this sort of morlr themselves will find or less of a prol~lcmin connection mlth their lhat he is sadly mistaken, and Lhe only users board of directors or their firm-their em- of his collection will be trained students. ployer. A public library 1s justlfled on gen- The matter of personal rclation belween eral grounds. Nobody would seriously deny librarian and patron constitutes the second t]le gcnel.al utility of a gul~liclibrary. Pub- part of our prohlem of service. I have lic 111n-aries are accepted city lnslitutions spoken of lhis in an earlier part 01 Lhis everywhere. Sonletinles a short-sighted 111U- paper. Mr. Tiefenthaler, of Mllwaulree, says nlclpal policy causes reductions in income, in this connection in a recent letter: "The never abolilion. The case wllh the spe- big problem with us 1s to bc at hand when- cl~llil)i*ary is different. There are some ever and wherever those facilities which wc instances, in which there is nothing like an have Lo offer may he of advantage. This cic- acute problem in this connection, yet, after mands that we be in personal touch with the all, there is always soae denland on the aldermen and tho various city officials. This part of those In power that the special li- requires time and conslderal~letact." This brary justify its existence-that il show js a clear expression of t,he situation, and some sort of concrete, tangible imfit, even should apply to all sgec~allibraries and their ill terms of clollars and cents. This 1s only morlr. We have a relatively small clientele, natural, especially in the case of busiue~s. and most of our patrons are regular in their libraries established by men, whose ~olic~ SPECIAL, LIBRARIES is to indulge only in such branches of activ- brary justifies its existence, there should be ~tyas pay. little dificulty in convincing the mosl hard In my own case, the problem is a small one, headed employer. comparat~vely,because mine is a branch In connection with board problenis, I mnst library, and the same broad policy that gov- not forget to mention the epecial problems erns the publlc library governs its bmnches, with which a leglslalive or munic~l~slrefer- also. I mean to say that, in my case, there ence libl~manmay have to contend. . Li- LS not the insistent demand that may exist brnrles of this sort, if they are directly sub- in some other mstances. If 1 can show that ject to the c~tyor state authorities, are in the Municigal relerence library is doing good conslant danger. The consc~entiouslihra- work and discharging the functions for rlan may at any time be beset with troubles, which it was designed, that it is frequently for reasons most obvious. It seems to me use&-that is sufficient I should, however, that the best solut~onof this matter is to feel rather uncomforlable if I could not sllo~v have the library controlled byr,a special cases in whlch iny library had at least in- board of a non-political nature. I his is the directly ssved the taxpayers money. actual pract~cein many cases. In recent How are we to demonstrate the Pact Lhaf. years, one lnunicipal refe~cncc1il)rary has our libraries are paying investments? We been abohshed for polit~calreasons, and one have to boar in mind that the f~nancinlbene- of our leadmg state bureaus has barely flts due to us are indirect. A business 11- escaped a similar fate, even though its rela- brary may increase the efllciency of em- tlon to the slate government appeared to ployes to s large degree; a clty planning be of such a character as to make ~t fairly library may have its part toward the health, safe fronl attacks. comfort and financial betterment of thou- In conclusion, let me say that I feel that sands of citizens; a loglslative library may my relnarlrs contaln little that IS new. I have its part toward the fralmng of laws have endeavored to sun1 up a few Of Our that will result in thousands of dollars sav- most important problems, and in so doing ing to the people of a conmlonwcalth. have tried to show that these problems arlse We have got to show our employers, our out of the difference bctween s~ecia-1and boards, that while the results of our worli general libraries. Most of my exalllples ag- result in financmL or other benefit, this bene- ply to lnun~cigal reference work, because fit is of an indirect sort. It should not be that is the particular branch of specit11 li- hard to do this in an age when cily plan- brary activity with which I am famiIlar. ning, social welfare and siin~larmovements The special library movemenl has Increased are being looked upon with so much favor so rapidly in size and importance, and there by municipalities and by the public in gen- are so many of us entering the field for the eral. Such moveinents result in llcneflts first time, that it may not have been amiss that nre indirect; people are beginning to to revlew old questions, and l~rinciplesthat realize Lhat economies of this sort are not to the veteran are no doubt accepted as to be regarded lightly. If then, we bear in axioms. mind the exact way in wh~cha special li-

Suggestions for Making a Business Library Praaical By W. S. Cifford, Statistician of American Telephone and Telegraph Company, New York

The specialized buslness library is essen- The demand of the business man for sci- tially a product of thc twentieth century. entific lnfornlation h~vingthus become at The rapid growth of large scale production lemst pnrtialiy sat~nfied,he was confronted and operation and the developnlent of busi. with the groblem of devising ways and ness into more and more of a science has means for extracting and assinlilating what- created a vigorous clemand tor what may be ever there might be of value to his particn- termed "business test boolcs." 4s a result lar needs in this mass of (lala. In seeking' of this demand the present generation has a solut~onof this problem, he found that the seen the rise of a vol~~~m~nousscientific "lit- esisting medium for the circulation of erature," which includes thousancls of books, printed intelligence-Lhe public library-was by trained students and experts, on every not adapted to his purllose, inasmuch as the phase of the theory, the practice, and the public library is properly deslgnecl and con- ex1)erience of modern commerce ancl in- ducted to meet wliat the public librarian con- dustry. siders to be the requirements of the com- SPECIAL LIBRARIES munitY as a Whole. In short, he found that, tailed work of a business library can be set although the public library serves its pup up. Special libraries, to be practical, must pose admirably, jusllce to the commullity as be speclal, not only as to substance, but also a whole (in the matter of expense, for ex- as to the details of organ~zationand of work- ample) Prevents il even from securillg all Ing nlelliods. I therefore find myself con- the b00ks-to Say nolhing of cataloging and fined to generalil~es,and generalities whlcti indexing those boolrs-necessary to fill 111s are usually so self-evident that 1 hesitate to special WalltS. Moreover, the public library present them, and do so only with the con- necessarily places restrictions upon the use viction that they conslitute a foundation of its volumes, while its inere physical loca- upon wluch a superstructure of dettlil may tion has geneWlly proved an insurmount- safely rest. able obstacle lo ils utilization by the busi- ness man. Finding the public library inher- Now, asking you to bear in mlnd the [act ently unsuiled to his requirements, there. tht~ltllesc generalities arc subject to the forc, the busine8u man has rccourse to the llmitat~onsand deficiencies of all gcnerali- alternative-the establishiuenl of his own ties, I shall proceed to outline my sugges- means of collecling and preserving the tions. books, ~a~nplilelsand peiiod~calswhich he 1. The first considerat~onin connection considers liel~fulin increasing the efhiency with a business library is the deternlinalion and publ~cvalue of h~sbusiness ancl in pro- of its ScOPC; i. e., the field of inlormation nlotlng the wellare of his employes. Which it is to cover. At iwst sight it would I1 is easily conceivable that the method seem that this cluestion 1s a relatively sim- of reaching this "consu~nmationdevoutly to Plc one-that the special llbrary of any be wished" may logically vary in accordance business concern should include all inlorma- will1 the size, the complexity and the par- tion pertaining to Lhe line of business of that ticular requiremciits of the individual or- concern, and should esclude all other in- ganizalion or inslitution. In certain cases, formalion. But a DroDer solution of the the best resulls might be secured by entrust- question involves a caretul consideration of ing the library function to R filing depart. a nuinber oC other tactors. For ~nstancc,it ~nentresponsible for the preservation ot all may be dishnctly advantageous to cover in- records of the particular business, or to an forlnation gerlnining to allied lines of husi- infornintion deparlment, thc duty of which ness, while a certa~namount of general in- is to collect all internal and external in- forni;.~tion as to the development of our lormation bearing upon the coilduct of the greatesl industr~esis nowadays considered business. Bat in an organization of any practically cssentitil to a business educa- size, such n subordination of the library tion; and it ib certa~rithat any business or- funclion is gencrally iiupract~cable,for il ganizat~onmay draw prolitable lessons from is soon found that a cl~iferentiationbetween the experience of other organ~zations. More- 111e vanous kinds of infonnation 1s neces- over, the probable f~lturetrend and clevelo1~- sary and that the library function is of s~lfti- ment of the business is a vitally lnlgorttknt clent importance to be indellendent of all faclor to be talcen into considerntion; In- influences which might. prejiid~ceits effect- deed, I can easily imagine sudden business lvcness. Hence, the specialized business li- emergencies, or even business crises, which brary has generally retained a distinct iden- could be met or averted only by the avail- tity in our coinlncrcial and industrial life. ability of the proper data as a result of an I fccl that I must offer an a1)ology for accurate Porec:isL of future needs Finally, this excceclingly elementary outl~ncof the considera1)le thought n~ustbe given to a ralson d'etre of the bus~nceslibrary. I glvG cleclsion as to how far the library should in- it only because I think that it w111 serve, not clude boolrs of a theoretical nature on busi- only lo emphasize the fundamenlal clistinc- ness adln~nistratioilor on business practice, Lion between the public or general libfilry as well as books solcly for the business, or and the business or specialized library, but even the general, educal~onof the employe. also to indicde thc meaning which I attach Kow, in any complex business organiza- to the terln "practical." The business li- t~onthe detcrminnlion of the scope of the brary was created to meet special needs, lib~aryshould not, iind indeed cannot, be and its utility must necessarily depend upor1 left lo tllc sole judgnlei~tof the librarian. the degree of ils success in meeting Lhose No one person can be familiar with the se- special needs; ~ndced,I hc business library quirements of any considerable number of is "praclical" only in so far as it meets Such deptlrtnlents or l~mnclies On the contrary, needs, and the snggestionu in this Paper are ~t will be well worth while if the oflcers or offere(1 as possibly a shght contribution the department heads of thc organization towards the solution of the ~lrotllenlof ~nal[- glve serious thonght to a Proper solution ing a business library "practical" ill this of this really intricate question. 111 SW- SI2114~. gesting changcs 111 thc scope of the library First, liowever, I must call specin1 atten- to conform to the rcquiremellts of the de- tion 10 the fact that since there is a wide velopnlent of ihe business, the librarian mill divergence between the recluirements OT (11f- probably have to take the initiative, and, for ferent ljusiness concerns, obviously no unl- illis purpose, will have to ltcep in touch- versa1 standard method of handling the de- tllrougll periodical conferences or otherwise SPECIAL LIBRARIES

--with the pcrsons most familiar wlth llle to such queshonnble inaterial should be work of each clegart~nentor branch. nlade by the officers or department hends 2. The scope of the library having been interesled who should co-olwatc with Ihe determined, the question of the physlcal lo- librarian in this respect While the lihra- cation of the library and its lnforniat~onde- rlan IS tll~lslelleved of some responsibility, rn;uld consideration. Should all library ma- ye1 he should still be hcld responsible for terlal be centrahzed in one spot, or IS 11 seeing Lhal this queslionable material is grefcmble to establish departmental Ilbra- ~assedon to 111e groper offlcer for final cle- ~les?The solutim of this quesl~on-l~keLhe cision. Incidentally, the librarian should solution of pract~callyevery question-is de- also be responsible for calling the allention pendent upon the speclal c~rculr~sLances111 of his superior ofllcer Lo any divergence from each case. For example, there are cases, the general scope of the l~braryresultmg in wh~chono branch of an orgnnization- froin the clecision 01 department heads or say the manui%acturlngbranch-1s no1 in the olhers as to the info~mal~onsubmitted to same ciLy, or even thc sanlc state, as an- them. Hut, after all, the nleasuie of re- ot.11er branch-say Lhe fielllng branch. sponsibility vested in the librarian will natu- Should all library material be concentrated rally vary accordmg to the complexily of at headquarters In such cases? Uncloubtedly the organization. no. Hut even if all branches of a business 4. The next point 1.0 be considered is the xre under one roof, it is often quostionable methocl of cataloging and lndexlng the ma. if best results can be secured by centraliza- terial which properly bclongs witll~n the tion, for one or more of the branches will scope of the library. I need not dwell upon often requlre distmct individual library ma- the iml~ortanceof this po~nt,for il~s~gnifi- terial which will have to be locatcd so as cance IS u~im~stalcal)le-lndeed, it is prob- to he the most readily accessible. Thus, the ably the pivotal point upon which the suc- legal department may demand the custody cess or failure of the library turns; cer- of a11 legal documents, while the engineer- tamly it IS the rock of which the pilot of ing department may similarly demand its the library nus1 constantly beware, for to own special library of tech~iicnl books. run afoul of it spells chsaster. Moreover, the further questlon arises as to As far as mere cataloging, (1, e., except whether or not, or to what degree, the cat,aloging by subjecl, w111ch I term "index- branch libraries should be subordinated to ing") is concerned, no especial dimcultles a central library. Should the ultimate re- are involved. The necessity for a separate sponsibility for the branch libraries be record of at least the tltle, the author (or vested in the cenlral libranan? In how far, the publisher) and the library number Of if at all, should the inaterhl in the branch each boolr or pitmphlel is, of course, no1 libraries be calaloged and Indexed in lhe olIen to serious question, A minor dimculty central library? Although no hard and fast arises in the case of titles beginniy w~th rule can be established, 1 belleve that it 1s such words as "a," "an" and "lhe. This usually inadvisable in this nlatter to lapse difficulty, however, is naturally inherent to inlo any condition in wh~chthe rig111 hand general afi well a3 lo ~gecinllibraries, and docs not know what the lett hand is doing. may therefore be clisl~osedof in accordance 3. To fulfill its funclions adequately, the with slandtird lil~rarypractice. I ment~onil library must recelve all new information merely lo suggest, that the layman should which comes within its scope as soon as Illis not fail to be adviscd, possibly by n ylaci~rd inforination 1)ecolnes availahle. To borrow nolice, of the praclice adopted. a current military phrase, the llbrarlan must The question of cataloging by sul)jecl', or establish lines of conlmunication; and the indexing, however, is extlemely delicate. It nlaintenance of proper lines of communica- IS no1 sufficient for the Iibrar~anor the li- Lion is well-nigh as essential to supplying brary staff lo bc able to locate read~lyspe- a library as to supplying an army, for other- cific Items of information. The library must wise the vllal~tyof the lil~mryis seriously, be more than a mere fillng department, perhaps fatally, sapped. TO see Ihst Ll~e where all infornlation is called for, either proper sources of snpply art? reached is, by telephone or by messenger. A consid- thcrefol.e, one of the chief dubs of the li- erable par1 of the value of the 11brary con- hrarian. On thc other hand, to rela~nper- sists in its utility for purposes of personal mancntly library material, wh~chis of no r~fcrence;and in devising a syslem which real value to the particular business in ques- will permit ready refe~enceby any ollicer tlon, IS almost as serio~~sa, dcfecl as lo fail or employe of thc organization, it nlust con- to secure infonnalion of value, for in this stanlly be borne In mind that the peoplc way the lillrary l~ecomescumbersonle, and who mlll consult the library will not he to that cxtent impractical Bul the clecis~on lruined students, accustomed to library work as to whal mater~al~lho~ild be reta~ncdand and Panilliar with standard library practice, what should be rejected rcquircs a higl~de- but mill generally be business men, who cree of ji~dgnlent Frcquenlly very fine (11s- have no1 heen in~lialedinto the mysteries tinctions nlust be drawn, requiring an inti- of c~talogsand indiccs. Therefore, lo be mate lrnowledge of the busincss wlnch the ynctical, it is absolutely essential that the librarian necessarily cannol possess. '01- mdex be arrsngacl to niaet the needs of the best results, ~t is clear that the decision as layman, and no systenl that does not ller- SPECIAL LIBRARIES

mit intelli~entuse by the layman, as well I should lilce to call attention to one point. as by the librarian, sbuld be tolerated. To Index a boolc from every polnt of view The 6'realcsl care should ]je exerci~edto is a large undertak~ng;In hct, an under. provide all index which will mest the lleeds taking so large as to be impracticable. of the buslllcss fully-always wit11 due regard lherelore, warn the librarian against at-1, io probable future needs. On the otller. tempung loo much. Instead of altemnt- hand, llowever, equal care should be exer- ing to cover all polnts of view wh& c~sedto see tllal no unnecessary indexing is originally indexing each book, I believe t.ha done, for cach unnecessary index is just so it wlll prove hlghly econonucal to cover much clend weigh1 added to the index as a orig~nally,merely those points of view, whjc; whole, increasing its cuinbersomelless and in the best judgment are demanded by pre~. decreasing its eiliclency. For exainple, sup- ent or future needs, and later to reindex to pose that a book on a subject such as cover ally originally incidental point or "Wages in the Lextile iiidbslry in weslern poiljts which niny assume unfareseeu Impor- Australia" comes within tlic scope of a 11- tance as llw business develops. The labor brav and 18 lo Be indexed for reference involved in any such reindexing will be purposes. Shall it be indexed under the minimized if the origlnal sub~ectheadings general heading of "Wages" or "Textile 111- are so broad that the later head~ngs re. dust.r~" 01' "Australitt" or "Western Aus- awed will really be subheadings of original tralia" or "Austmlia, Weslern"? The an- beadings, for In this case only the books swer to lhis very elementary question is ob- under the original headings will have to he vious: If lhe particular business in ques- reindexed, and not all the books in the li- tion is following, or is particularly mlerested bmry. For example, assuming lhat the li. in, I~~Porlnt~lionon the textile industry, but brary was originally indexed from the point wilhout regard to the location of the indus. of view of wages in general, if the subject try or the wages paid therein, the book will of wages in the textile illdu~trysuddenly be indexed only under "Textile industry"; becomes unexpectedly important, necessitat- similarly, it thc business is particularly in- ing reindexing froln that point of view, the terested in information on wages, without work of reindexing will involve merely the regard to industry or place, the book will be consideration of the boolrs already ~ndexed indexed only ui~der"Wt~ges," and so on. If under Lhe general heading of "Wages." In the iilformation on both wages and the tex- olher words, the subject index should be tile industry are of specla1 inieretit to the what I term "flexlhle." business, then there shoulcl be a separate However, the indexing problem is, as I reference to the voluine under "\VagesV and have said, a varying quantity, and the prac- under "Toxtile induslry," and so on. Pos- tically undivided respons~bility for its sibly the business is interested in none of proper solution rests upon tlie librarian. the subjects mentioned in the title of lhe 5. A consideration to which but minor book, but is parlicularly interested in the ilttention 1s often given IS the. arrangement question of transportation and the book con- of llie I~oolrson the stacks. I11 inany cases, tains a chapter on "The effect of railway by direct reference to the stacks, the lay- rates on the development of the textile in- nlan will be ablc to find a desired book much dustry." The book will then be indexed only lnore spccdily Llian bs consulting the sub- under llle proper transporlation index. The ject index, wherens looking briefly through same procedure would hold true if the item the pages ot lhe books on the shelves is or items of valuable informalion in the book often more sa11sCactory than consulling any were no1 definilely referred to either in the poasible subject catalog. Therefore, not title of the book or in the .title of its chap- only should the subject catalog indicate, ters, and even if the inforlnation of Interest wilh as lnuch 1)recision as possible, the lo- conatitnted but a single pamgraph in a vol- cation of the books on tlie staclrs, but the ume of t~ thousand pages. The special inter- books should be arranged on the shelves esL of the parlicu1:~r business in question by subject (as far as possible) and this ar- lnust be the sole determining factor in ill- rangement should be clearly shown, by pla- dosing inforintilion in a business library. cards or otherwise, Of course, a dlHicu?ty The lhoroughncss with which the indexing arises when a single volume contains In- is done; lhat is, the number of headings and form~tionoc value on two or more of the sub-headlngs in ihe subject catalog, will vary subjecla shown in the stacks. To meet this in degree according lo the size, the comples- difficulty, I suggest the adoption of some ity and Ihe particular needs of the particular such scheme as this: The placard stating organization. In any case, though, the final the subject headlng should include the decision on this poinl will remain lWVlY words, "For other information on this sub- with ilia lib~~arian,since the amount of in- ject, consult subject catalog"; then, un- dexing work alone will prevent him from der each subject heading in the sub- scelrlng advice except in a cornparativeb' ject catalog, the references to the books small ~roportionof cases. The librarian, which are on the stacks under the therefore, must not only exercise a high de- corresgond~ng headings nilght even be gree of judgment, but he must possess an segregated so as to eljniinate the neces- intimate Irnowledge of the important details sity of an examination of referelices to of the business. In this general connection, books which have already been exanlillcd on SPECIAL LIBRARIES the shelves. Moreover, I suggest ll~atcon- slep farther. Inasmuch a8 the librarian can- sideration be given to solue means of shom- not know positively exactly what persons ing that a book has been taken from the would be Interested in the information re- stacks, so that allyone consull~ni:the stacks ceived, and since there will be numerous direclly will not be lnisled into believing general and educational boolrs of general in- that he has seen all the books. 1~'inally. 1 terest, some nlelhod musl be provided by think it is well worth considering whether which all employes (or as many employe8 pamphlets, and even short magnzinc arllcles, as desired) may be advised ol: the accessions should no1 be bound 111 some lnexpenslve to the library. This may be done by a form and put on the staclcs with the boolts, periodical (e, g., monthly) circulation of R. for, after all, it is the inforinnl~onitself list showing the accessions (luring the which is the controllmg factor, and not the period covered, possil~lyclassifled by sub- physical shapo in which thc inlormation ap- ject, while in many ct~scsthe irriportance pears. of a book may justify the inclusion of a brief G. My closing suggestiohs deal with qth- digest. ods for extending the influence of the busi- Laslly, the library staft nust be prepared ness library. It seems to me that the con- to assist and advise employes at all times, stant lendency of the library is to lapse inlo while the employe musl not hesitate to a more or less quiescent slate. As a matter avail himself of the advice and assistance of fact, there is no reason why the library, of the librarian. In matters of research and if conducl.ed under the proper auspices, can- invesligation, for instance, the librarian can not be luade to bo a potj~tiveforce in the relieve the employe of lrluch wasted effort business, for II the library is "pracLica1" 111 in fru~tlesssearch. Moreover, the library Lhe sense I ham indicated, it must inevi- should consciously and unco~isciouslyinVite tably convince wen the most skeptical that. the employe to take advtmtage of the facili- il deserves a not inconsiderable place in Lhe ties offered. To this end thn library sl~ould modern business orgnnizalion. be sufllciently spacious, to allow sufficient In Lhe Erst place, the lil~rariansl~oulcl be tables and chairs for the accommodation of In closc touch milh each departlxenl and employes using 11, while bolh the slaclrs ttnd each branch of the organization. Best re- the reading tables should be arranged' so as sults may perha1)s be secured ~f one suilable to give the proper light effects. employe in each deparlnlent be designaled to cooperate with the librarian, the employe des~gnaledbeing held strictly responsible These, then, are my suggestions. Owing for the satisfactory performance of his duty. to the impossibility of making general rulcs Possibly it would be more Peas11)le lor the to govern the special and varying charac- clept~rlmenthcads themselves to constitute teristics and conditions of specific cases, a comn~illeefor the guidance of the libra- such suggeslions are necessarily olelnenlary rian. The most pract~cablemethod of giv- and mpcrficial. Moreover, whatever merit mg ihc librarian the necessary advice and they possess 1s solely due to the fact that nssistiuw ~1111,of course, vary according to thcy represent tho vicwpo~nt,no1 of the the conullexily of Lhe org~nization. Hour- trained lll)rarian, bul of lhe layman, for ~t ever, I must wtwn against the adopt~onof is the v~ewpointof the laynlan whicl~must any n~eihodwhich sesulls in a division of dominate the conduct of Ihe huslness li- rcxlxms~bility or deludes the librarian into brary. Since in Lhe final analysis the libra- the belief thal the ultimate lesponsibility rian nlust bear the responsibility for the resls on other hands. success or the failure of the library as a Aluch of the library ~natcrinlwill be se- business proposilion, it is obviously essen- cured at I he direct rcquest of onicers or em- tial that the librarian should posses8 an open ployes, ant1 this matorial, when securecl, will mind and should be able to adapt himself naturally be passed on to the person re- to the special cond~lionsimposed upon him. questing il. But there is also much valu- Re should dillgently study the special needs able information secured without individual oC the particular businem and the special solicitation, whlle l~oolcssecured lly special needs of the employe. A dcsire and an requcsl olten contam information or interest cfforl to meet these special needs should to others besides the person requesting dominate and control 111s every action. The them. An iinportnnt function of the lihm- consideration of standafd library plsaclice rlan is to see that all infoimtttion of interest should be subordinated; sl.andarcl library reaches all the pcrsons ~nterested. Dy the practice should merely guide "special library proper esercise of this function the library practice" into the proper cl~annels. If a will exert an invaluable positive influence. business library fails to meet adequately Every officer of the orgamzalion should feel the s~eclalneeds for which it was crealed, that the library slaff are assiduously wxlch- it is inlpractical, no matter how tcclmically ing tho book lnarlret for material of inlerest perfect it may be. On the olher hnnci, how- to every departnlent of the busincss, and ever, ~f by intelligenl study, guided by cotn- every employe should feel that he can rely mon sense, these ~peclalneccls are fully met on the librarian to call his attention to all in some such way as I have suggested, then information received by the l~brarypertain- the library is no1 only practical, but is a ~ngto his special duties. posilive and ind~sgensable assel Lo the This process should wen be carried a business. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

The Library as an Efficiency Tool By D. C. Buell, Director, Railway Educational Bureau, Omaha, Neb.

The invilalion to prepare a paper to be Third: Railroadmg covers such a wide read before Lhe convcnlion of the Special fleld Of ~ariedactivities as to make the libraries associnlion was an honor wh~ch problem of furnishing lnfornlation for all was received by the writer with great classes of employes a very complicated one. pleasure. TO interest the rank and iile of employes It is only fair to this association to state in increasing their knowledge and efficiency at the outsel Lhtlt the writer is nierely a Certain fundamental governing principles practical railroad man, with little or no are indicated. knowledge of library work or methods. How- mst: The scheme must be absolutely ever, the use of a l~braryas an efficiency fair for all. There should be the same op. tool in railroading as worked out under prac- portunlty for the seclion Inan at some desert tical cond~lionamay, it is hoped, be of some Station, as for the clerk in the president's interesl to the members of this association. office. In the educational worlc organized on the Second: The schenie must be co.opela Harrili~anlines, the library has become an t,ive. That Is, while the eompany benefits emciency loo1 through the necessities of the from the increased efficiency of the man, problems thal had to be met, not because of the man must lilrewise be benefited as a a predelermined effort to use a library as result of h8issludles. such a tool. Third: The opportuni~ymust be pre- Some six years ago, the late Mr. E. H. sented in such a way that it will appeal to 'Iarriman, who was one of the closest stu- the men. It must not be compulsory upon dents of railroading the world has yet pro- them to take un the worlc, bul the work must duced, called lhe attention of his execulive be so attractively presented as to compel omcers to the facl lhat the railroads were their respect and attention, if results are to not giving proper attention to the devclop- he obtained. ment of their eniployes. There was no as- After a very careful analysis of the entire surance that there wo~~ldbe men in the situation, lt was determined that the only ranks a1 all times who could be promoted praclical and economical method of handling to fill vacancies as they occurred. educational work for the vast number of em- It was Mr. Harriman's desire that some ployes on a large railway system in accord- plan be formulated whcrcby there would be ance with the difficulties and fundamental an opportunity for rtlilroad employes to in- principles outlined above, was by a modifica- crease their lcnowledge and efficiency and tion of existing correspondence school meth- flt themselves to assume greater responsi- ods, aud the Educalional bureau work on the bility. It was his wish that the plan evolved HKrriman lines was so organized. would present this opportunity to every enl- Fundamentally, the schelne is as follows: ploye equally, no matter what his positlon Existing books, instructions and educa- rn~ghtbe or where he might be located. tional matter, supplemented as necesmry by The writer was cnllecl on ta work out some specially wrltten instructional pamphlets, gractical scheme for accomplishing the de- are used as lessons on the multilude of sub- sired rcsuIts. The Railway educational bu- jects embraced in the term "railroading." reau, which has been establishecl for the Each lesson when sent to a student is past six years, and 1s in fluccessful opcra- accompanied by a set of examination ques- tion on between forty and fifty thousand t~onscovering the maln fcatures of the sub- mlles of line, is the outcome of the matter. ject matter of the text. In the preliminary study of such a prob- Students taking advantage of the service of the Elucational bureau are furnished the -.--lem n~~ nuniher~ of difficulties are discovered. Firsl: Railroad employes are scattered first lessons or texts covering instruction on over a very wide territory. At terminals, the subjects on which they wlsh informa- there are lirge groups of men, whereas in tlon. They study the firs1 lessoh received, the so-called one-man stations along the answer the examination questions, send Ilne, the individunl nlust be considered and their answers to the bureau for correction, dealt wlth. and as each set of answers is corrected find Second: In proportion to the needs, there returned to the student, additional work is is a regrettable scarcity of practical railroad sent him. information in pr~nted form. For years There is no prescribed course of study, many of the branches of railroading have nor are there technical rules governing the been conducted more or less by unwritten method in which instruction will be fur- law#, handed down from man to man and nished. The bureau is so organized that only learned through pract~calexperience. personal attenlion can be given students. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

P2ach case is analyzed and instruction is Galley proofs were then submitted to all furnished wluch wlll give the student the concerned for final cr~ticislnand correction, maximum of inforlnation posslble for him and not unlil sucll Anal cr~hcismand cor- to absorb with a nlinmlum amount of effort. rect~on had been ~nadewere the lesson It was fully reallzed before the organlza- papers issued. tion of the bureau that the grealcsl anlount It can be rcadily understood Iron1 the fore- of labor in connection with the plan mould going why the lesson papers ~ssuedby the be to obtain proper instructional texts. Railway educational bureau are conceded A caretul canvass of available text books to contain the best gritclical railroad in- Issued by conimercial ~~ubl~shillgconcerns fornlation along the lines covered that has developed the tact that very few of such so far heen published. texts were of use for home study llurposes, It was not the desire nor the intention of as far at least as tlie railway educational those In charge of this work lo duplicate field was concernecl. The only other source 0t instructional matter that was already avail- su~plywas in the publications ol other cor- able. I1 was found lhat students who took respondence scl~ools. I1 was found thal the up the work and made satisfactory progress instruction pagers of a few of these coucelms durlng the early stages of their study would could be used to good advantage in the work acqulse a suffiolent lmowledge of how to being undertaken, and arrangements were study and a sufficient insight into funda- made ~thseveral of then1 for the use of mental l~rlnciplescovering the work before cerl ain of their instructional nlalter, but them so that more advanced parts of the when all of the available inslruchonal mat- various courses could be studied from such ter from different sources bad been col- books on the subject as were available. For lecled, rhe percentages of the rallwny in- this reason, a very carefully selected library structional field covered mas very sniall. As of railway literature was slowly gathered a result, it became necessary, even before togelher at the bureau heatlguarters. This the bureau was annoc~rlced to employes, lo l~braryis not it large one, but each book begin the l~reparationot a large n~unberof that is put on the shelves is placed there special iastruct~ontexts for use in connec- to serve a certain, dednile purpose in this tion with this work. sclienie of providing instruction for prac- The lnethod of preparing such texts will tical railroad men. no doubt be of interest to this association. As a definlte exanlple of the use of this Consider a typlcal case-that of instruc- library. There IS a demand from einployes tions.for trackmen, such men, for instance, in certain rallway departnlents for instrnc- as section laborers, section foremen, and tion on gas engines. The Hallway educa- others cngaged in maintenance work. The tlonal bureau furnishes a series of lessons bureau prepared an outl~neof the subjects on this inlportant subject The instruct~on thal should be covered by such a course of in these lessons, however, is confined to gas instruct1011 Th~soutline mas handed to the engnles for puniplng stations, signal charg- chief operating officer ot the railroad. From ing slalions, milway track motor cars, sta- his knowledge of his inen he assigncd each tionary gas engines, such as are used in of the subjects covered by the outline to shop plants, and to the gas engine of the the parlicolnr omcia1 of the road best quali- McICeen motor car. Should the student who fied Lo furnish pract~calinfotmation on the finishes the instruction regularly furnished subject ~nd~cated.These men were in. by the hureau on this subject clesire ~n- structecl to prepare as thorough and com- formatloll on autonioblle engines, engines 1)lei.e an article on the subject as possible, using waste gases of blast furnaces, or any and to be ready to rel~ortat headquarters other type of engine not regularly covered with this article on a specified date. All of by the lessons of the burcau, there is a these officials then met at tlie bureau head- carefully selected list of books In th,e library quarters, and earl1 paper was read, cllscussed which can be furnished the student for such and crit~eised. The original wrller then re- special sludy as he may require. Thus the vlsetl his manuscript in accord~ncewith one Inan who must have spec~alservice re- the corrections and suggestions made, and ceives ~t,but the other ninety-nine men out forwarded the revised manuscript to the of a hundred who do not require ~t are not bureau. burdened wlth the necessity of studying It can be readily seen that with such a snbjects foreign to their practical work. set of manuscripts, all of the facts pertlnent Thls does not mean that the bureau tries to the subjecl in hancl were placed before to make specialists of its students. On the thc director of the bureau In practical other hand, one of the fundanicntal desires iorni, althongli not always in good English, of the bureau 1s to broaden its sludents as nor in shape to be used for home sludy. It much as possible; to give every eniploye then became the duty of those connected that broad, genekal knowledge of the whole with the bureau to revise and edit these railroad problem which so few are ordinar- facts ancl put them into proper form to be ily able to obtain. For this purpose, the em- used for home study purposes. This work ploye in the shop is encouraged to study being accomplished, the information was matters relating to operation, so that he subdivided into instructionnl units of proper will learn, not only h,ow to repair the en- size, and set up in galley form by the printer. gine when it comes to the shop, but how it SPECIAL LIBRARIES is used wlule it 1s out on the road in the the plan nlnde it evident that it would be htinds of Lhe operatjng department. wise to insurts its permanency by lnllking it The clcrlc in the accounting department self-~ugllortlng.Four years' experience, with can readily leas11 the routine 01 his parhcu. the Cost of operation known, proved tllat lar cleslr, but lie ordimrily deals w~thAgures corrcspoiidence instruction of the nost reprcsenlmg llrocesses wilh which he is cn- lllorough and complete sort could be pro- tirely unfamiliar. Such lnen are urged to vided'at the nominal cost of a dollar per take up and study lessons on statlon work, lmnth when the work was conducted for the traffic, operalion, etc., so that they wlll know benefit of lhe nlen lather than on the usual what the figures they are worlrlng with rep- get-nchquiclr plan of son~eexist~ng corre- resent, and so cease to be mere autolnatons spondence sch.ools. in their daily work. While those familiar with the nlethods of A special featur'e of the nsc of tlle library other s~l100lswere skeplical of the possibil- In connection wilh the Educ~tionalbureau ity of the Railway educational bureau giving has beon that nmny men who are not in- 1ts service at this inerely nominal rate when terested in corresl)ondence stncly ~nelhods other scllo~ls were charging five lo ten find in the hbrary :L source of informal~on times that amount for instruction, llevertlle which is of great value lo them. Busy ofh- less, the plan mas put into effect on thc dol- cials call for books on vanous subjects. The lar-a-month bafirs ~n July, 1'313. Results dur- older lnen in tlic service ask for solnellmg ing the past two years have groved the cor- to read along the line of their work, but rectness of the original cost Agures and have state thal lliey do no1 care to msmer lesson also demonslrated that employes take a papel's as the younger men do. The cliffer- llluch greater Interest in the work, study en1 cleparlments having spec~alproblems to better, and seem better satisfled wlth the meel And the library ot value in placing be- servlce when they pay this nominal sun1 fore then1 informallnn dcslred. lhan when it was offered to them tree of The or~an~zatlonof the Railway educa- charge. tional bureau, forming as it does a benclquar- The result of having such instructional tcrs for the collection and d~sseminationof matter available in the form of texts, li- infornlation, lnakes l~ossiblethe general use braly Books, etc., has been plamly indicated of the large nunlber of boolrs privatcly on the lines where the burcau has been m owrled by the officer^ of the railrond. No service. Countless men have been aided, atteingt is made to include in Ihc library and numerous promolions have been ob- of the bweau all of the proceedings of the tained as a result of tllc sludymg done with varioub engmeering soclctics, nor all of the t,his bureau. It has been proven that the lechnicnl boolrs dealing with the different operalion of the Rallmay educational bureau phases of railroad work A file of lhe vro- llas resulted In increased efficiency and bet- cccclirigs of the differenl mechanical socic- t,er and safer service. ties is nv~~lablem thc oflice of the superin- The fact Lhat the estabhshment of this Lendent of motive power, of the cllffcrent bureau has prov~deda place where employes engineering societios, in the office of the could go for information, where practical cl~lefengineer, etc, Allnost without CXCelJ- inen could aid Lhem with tlle~rproblems, Lion, if informnt,~onis required Lhat IS not and advlse them what to do and how to do covered by the boolcs contained in the il, and so aid them to come nearer to a Bureau library, it can be found on the real~zationof their ambition, has been one shelves of sol~leone of thc ofic~alsIn the of the lnost iml~ortanlfeatures of the work. headquarters building. Another important fact that the 0rganiza'- There is one other parlicularly interesting tion of this bureau has brought out during dcvclo~nlentin coniieclion wlth the use of its years of existence is the crying need for the nurenu library. It bas llcen found in gractical instiwctional matter that can be many cases thtll a man tires of the routine lnade available through our ltbraries. If the of sludy from lesson texts It has becn writer nlay be so bold as to lnalre the sue Eound desirable and hel]~fulin many cases geblion, ~t seems that tlus association dler n man has studied eight or Len lessons should go on record concerning the present in the regulttr rouline, to send hi111 a 1)flok dificulty of flndlng boolrs that meet the from the library covernzg the ground he has need of the practical worker. The exgeri- been over. He not only reads such a book ence of the writer has been that the Prac- wit11 inter&. as a change from routine les- tical lllall who knows how things should be (lone is seldom able to state his knowledge sons, but it allows him to get a, d~ffereni. viewpoint 01 the subject, forms what in in logical order or in good English; whereas, scllool m~ghthe called a review of the les- il seems an unfortunate and regrettable fact sons already coverccl, and leaves the lnan that in many cases those who find it easy to in a. receptive mood tor further lessons write a boolr are apparentl~in possession which are furnished a~~0I'llingto Lhc usual of but a meager supply of facts about which routme. to write. While all of this educational servlce was It is believed that the time is fast ap- available without charge to CmplOYeS of the lwoaching when the demand for reliable, lines conducting the bureau during tlle first practical information will call forth an edi- four years of its operation, th,e success of torial clearing.-house, where the ideas of the SPECIAL LIBRARIES practical man can be wbpped into shape by texts? Why should such texts be made the experienced writer, with tho result that more accessible to the officials and workers the library will become a much more effl- of our herican industries? A recent edi- cient tool in every deprtrtment of practical torial in the Railway age gazette closes ~vith work. the following paragraph, which answers the This association, by a process of selec- above questions: "Every once in a while tion and elimination, has it in its power to you hear a man say that he 'hasn't time' to aid those who are ambitious and want tb read the literature of his profession. In 99 study, to obtain information that will be cases out of 100 such a man will never be helpfuI to them at the least expense of time promoted to a high position, and if he is, wasted in wading through matter that is in- will make a failure in it. It is not a coinci- correct or irrelevant. This association has dence that as a class the gresideuts of the it in its power by its concerted aclion to railways are the hardest and broadest stu- force the man who is facile with his pen, to dents in the busmess, because in most cases co-ordinate with the practical worker who those who are presidents owe their promo- has the knowledge, but cannot put it in book tions to the fact that they early learned the form. This association by refusing to put necessity of adding to the knowledge de- on its shelves boolcs that contain onIy half- rived from their own coplparatively narrow facts and ungrounded theories can force the experience, the lcn~wledgeof the experience writers of such books to a more painslak- of others that can be gained only by broad inp collection and preparation of data. reading and study. They do not study be- Finally, what is the need for special libra- cause they are prcsidents; but they are ries?. Why should this association urge the presidents largely because they have preparation of better and more practical studied! "