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Special Libraries, 1915 Special Libraries,

11-1-1915 Special Libraries, Special Libraries Association

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Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, November 1915" (1915). Special Libraries, 1915. Book 9. http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1915/9

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Ellterccl at tile I'ostomce at Indlanawlls, Ind., as sccontl-class Inntter. ~ral,aglngxdItor of Special Llbmrles:Jolln A. -- - Lapp, Eureau of I&gislatlve Information, In- Subscription...... $LO0 a year (10 numbers) dlanapolls, Ind. Sing1e ' -- ...... 25-- cents Assistant E(lllor, Etljcl eleland, Bureau of hg- prculdc~~t...... , ...... + L. ~0,~wicl~ Islatlvo Inlornrr~llon. Intl~anapolls.Ind. hfur~ir.l~rrl1:crcwncc Libr~ry,-08 City Hull, st. Il~llih a10 CONTRIUU'YING EDITORS ~lcc-~rrsld'ent...... EHzabelh V, Dobbins Alnerlcnn Telcpl~oncand Tele~rapl~Co., New lc. N, illorton, United Gnu In~provement Co. Yorlc Clty. Secrctnry-'l'reiih~~rcr,. . . ,Jesse Cunr~lnahnrn p~ii~tLclc~P~i'a Srllool ot' Xl~~irsand ilTctnIlurgy, Univcrslty 11. H. Lil~raryof Congress. 01, MI~~II~I,l:o~la, Mu. D. hr ITandy, Ins~lranccL~brnry Assoclatlon.

Proceedings of the Conference of Special Librarians, Haines Falls, N.Y. September 28-29, 191 5

Report of Proceedings

Thc seventh Annual meeting of the Special tion, under the cllairmanship of Mr Jefiso libraries associatio~i,recently held at ITaines Cunningham, of Rolla, Missouri, rendered a Falls, New Yorlc, proved to be one of the progress report. most intcresting meetings held by the Asso- Mr. (!linton Rogers Woodruff, Secretary ciation, clue, undoubtedly, to the particular of the National nluniclpal league, who has charm of the place and locality in which the been chairman of the Colnmlttee on the es- meeting was held. Whilc a 'elatively small tt~bllslnnel~tof a National cen1.w for mun~ci- number was in attendance, considerable pal information, fulmishecl a report, which business of importance was transacted, the was prescnted to the Convention llrougll ann71al electlon was held and several papers Mr. G. W. Lce, of . The report met of gonsrd interest wcre read. with the hearty approval of L11e Association, and it IS belicvecl, as a result of the agita- FIRST SESSION. tion of this project, something definite will The first session was held on Tuesday be acco~nplisl~ecl. afternoon, September 28th, and the business Two new amendments to the Constitution matters t,o be brought before the Conference were recommended to be published in Spe- were disposed of at this session. cial libraries, the official organ of the As- Tho Clil~pingsconmittee, which 11as been sociation, at a later date-the first, that the at work upon the best methods of obtaining, retlring Pres,ident of the Associati011 shall handling and disposing of clipped informa- become automaticallg the sixth member of SPECIAL LIBRARIES

I he Executive board to hold ofhce for the this proved to be an interesting review of term of one year; tlle second, that the oflice the chiel activitios of the Association dur- of Assistant secretary-treas~~rershall be and ing thc term of oflice of the relinng Secre- hereby is created. The mcuinbent shall hold tary. An interesting fcatnre of tliis paper oflice for one year, or until his successor was the reading at its co~lulusionof a scrics shall have been elected. of letlers coming from several of the lending Tlie Secretary announced the completioa financial institutims in Boston and New oC the nlanuscript of an index to tlle first Yorlr, sllowing what use these concerns were five volumes of Special libraries. Thls has now malrlng of l~brnriesmlrl statistical de- been placed in tlle hands of tlie Zditor and partments. The lletrrly con-~niendation of it is hoped means will be found at an early these 11ouses indicates clem'ly the apprecia- date oP br~ngliigit out in print. t~onwith whic11 the library idea in busmess An interesting report was presented by has been met. Mr. 717. P. Cutter, Librarian of the TJnited An interesting discussion followed this engmeering societies, New Yorlc, "For the paper. C:ommittee on Teclmical Iiidexu~~g,"empha- Then, the President introduced 311%; A. L. sizing tlic facts that a tangible method of Robinson, of "The Texas comlmny, New financial support was already in sight for a Yorlr city, the lady who presides over tllc much larger teclmical index than has here- Filing department of this large Company, tofore appeared, that the Committee had al- where over two thonsand letters are filed ready made a very exhaust~vesludy of costs every day, who read a gaper, entitled for every branch of tlie work Involved and "Filing." Few l~brar~anshave any appre- that the Coinni~tteehoped to malre a more ciation of the cnormity of this problcin in dcfinlte rel~ort before the next Annual the business world, and it mas particularly meeting. interesting to have one in chargc of so large Ti1 tho course of this session, as a result a proposition present her nletkods of han- of Mr. R. R. Bowlter's inguir~es,as well as dling this very esact~ngwork This pager the ideas expresscd by otl~crsregarding the will undoubtedly be received with interest growth of special libraries in fields outside by business librarians everywhere, as well the Itnowledge 01 the Bssociat~on,a nlotion as by the oflice managers and others respon- was pnssed authorizing the President to ap- sible for the inuch nlaligned problem of point a Meinbersh~pcommittee. It will be filing. the duty of this new Committee to canvass Miss Gaston, T,lbrarian of thc Western various fields of business activities through- electric cornlmly of New Yorlr, tallred before out the country in tlie hope of discovering this Society on "The value and necessity of new l~braries It is believed that tlle mem- technique, in a spccial library," and among bership roll of the Association in no way other things showed how difficult at the out- represents n complete list of libraries de- set are the problems of the special librarian voted to special work For this reason a in a concern e~nploy~ngthree or four hun- coinmittee composed of indivic1u:rls in dif- dred employees, ranging from ordinary mork- ferent lines of work. with a little careful men up to experts of the highest technical worlc, mill undoubtedly m~earthmany new tmining. We believe from tlie presentation bureaus of inforinat~on,con~inercial, finan- of Miss Gaston's expcriences that her work cial and other similar special libraries has met zvltll the hearty approval of her pea- Mr. W.P. Cutter, Librarian of the United ple and has developed along, not only the En~ineering societi~s. Xenr York, read a usual lines of a business library, but rather paper on ''The techmcal library's field of ~miguespecla1 lines of its own. service " At the close of this session, the following THIRD SESSION. new ufficers mere elected The third session was held tlie same even- hlr A. L. Bostwick, of St. Louis, Missouri, ing and was devotcd to two papers-one by President. bIr G. W. Lee, Librarian of Stone and Web- Miss Elizabelli V. Dobbins, of New Yorlr, ster. Boston, who spoke upon his favorite Vice-president. topic, "Cooperat~on." hlr. Lee's unique ex- Mr. Jesse Conningham, of Rolla, Missouri, perience in cloveloping tllc Boston cooper- Secretary-treasurer. at~ve~nformation bureau gave hi111 the op- Mr D C. Buell, of On~aha,Nebraska. Mem- portunlty to present these expcriences in ber of the Execntive board to hold ofice for his own pleasing way. He has accomplished two years. The other inember of the Board, much in tliis part~cularfield and \vorks along whose term is still unexpired, is Miss Marion original lines. For this reason his ideas are R. Glenn, New Yorlr city. always of interest to n library audience, even though they may not meet with general ap- SECOND SESSION. proval. The second session of tlie Conference was Mr. Kenneth C. Walker, Technical libra- called to order on Wednesday afternoon by rian of the Ncw Haven public library, pre- the new President, Mr. Bostmiclr, Mr. Ma- sented an outline of a llarld boolc for the op- rion, tlie retiring Secretary, read a paper en- eration of clear~nghouses of ~nformation. titled "A resumi! of the association's ac- Mr. Slrallter has set himself the interesting tivities, 1910-1915." As the title ~ndicates, problem of preparing this outline wit11 a SPECIAL LIBRARIES

view lo learning whether there is a field for sociatlon, Mr. It. H. Jolmstoi~presented a a book covering such a topic. From the paper on "The Luan and the book." words of approlratio~~following his exposi- No report of this meeting would be com- tion of the matter, it is safe to say that many plete without some word of appreciation of will hc interesting purchasers in case tllls the courtesies extended by the New YorB work is ever placed upon the market. We hbrtlry association dur~ngthe session. This feel that the cncouragement offered was is the second time that these two Associa- such as to stimu1at.e its future production, tions have met in conference together and and we hope, before another annual ineet- the cordinl relations thus established it is ing, this much needed book will be available. hoped may lead to other future similar At a joint ineeling with the New Yorlr successes. library association on the evening following GUY E. MARION. the lnst session of the Special libraries as-

Resume of the Association's Activities, 1 9 1 0- 1 9 1 5 By Guy E. Marion, Bowker Fertilizer Co., Boston, Mass.

Jt is well for every enterprise to stop at industries of many hnds-such as clothing, occasional intervals long enough to take rubber, automobiles, metals, chemicals, breath and survey the work accomplished. paper, roofing, waterproof products, textiles, It is with this thought in mind that the title pipe-fittings', electrical machinery, slore- of this gaper is chosen. Before making pneumatic carriers, abrasives, carbon prod. rcady for the new problems and larger mc- ucts, accounting mach~nery-also for puh- cesses which lie in the path just ahead, let l~shers,banking inst~tulions,charitable and us pause a Inonlent and review what has sociological enterprises, msurancc com- been done in the lnst five years. panies, public ut~lilies, college, univelsity and public library special collections, con- THE LIBRARY IDEA IN BUSINESS. sultmg experts of various kinds-such as The story is. one of growth. When the chein~sts, engineers, landscape designers, secretaryship was handed intp my keeping efficiency experts, lawyers, accountants, in the spring of 1910 there were less than architects-as well as for governnient seventy-iive members. We now have en- l~braries, legislative refercnce bureaus, rolled to date 354. This growth is very gen- retail stores and advertising departments, uine in many ways, not only in numbers, and agricultural interests and municipal ref- it reflects the spread of the "library idea" erence workers. Purposely have I left in tho world at large. When this Associa- them without any attempt at grouping, that tion was organized, it is safe to say t1~a.tit you might the more readily appreciate the was co~nposedchiefly of a group of the old- diversity. But now, yon say, what have they est special librarians in the three or four in common? I have come to believe in re- large cities along the Eastern seaboard to- ahty only this-their viewpoint. Their li- 'gether wllh the heads of special departments brarlans themselves are all "special libra- in one or two of the more progressive public riansys"-not presiders' over collected l~nowl- libraries, with here and there a public 11- edge or builders of large collections, but brarian himself who was interested in malr- active users, appliers, and, if you please, in- ing his sel-vlce more intensive and practical terpreters of all the readily available in- in liis own immediate community. Today formation in these restricted fields. Thcir the Association's ~nembershipis not confined oneness consists in that each is interested in geographically to the East, the West, the new methods of using printed or unpnnted North or the South, but every seclion of the knowledge since from snch methods, though country has a goodly representation-in fact, used in widely different flelds, they may I may say more-we have rncmbers in Eng- draw valuable, points worth trying at home, land, , , , and thus making themselves the more efficient Panama. In addition we have had inquiries for their ~mluediateduties. from Holland, , and other coui~tries. So much for its geographical clis- THE OFFICIAL ORGAN, "SPECIAL tribution, which is only half the story. The LIBRARIES!' wide diversity of interests which have built No one year can claim a much greater up book collections to serve men in active growth than another. It rnay safely be aid daily business life is truly astonishing. A that never a month and rarely a week has glance at our list finds libraries for railways, passed without a new member being added business houses, laboratories, manufacturing from some unsuspected quarter. Much, if SPECIAL LIBRARIES not all this growth may be safely attril~uted and eighty-flve notices of bibliogrnpllies pub- to the official organ of ll~eSssociation, "SpO- lished elsewhere were brought to the atten- cia1 libraries." It was starled in January, tion of our readers. This service alone would 3910, and has continued to this date, thus be worth the prlce of llle subscription to the running into its sixth volume, mder tlle average reader. Perhaps enough has been able leadersllip of Mr. John A. Lapp, of In- said of l~ibliographies. Bul I cmmot rel'rain cliat~apolia, as Editor. The publication has from taking this ol~porlnnityto suggest to reflected the growth of the Assoc~ationin its this audiencc that any lists that you may articles prepared by our many loyal mem- prepare in your own libraries froln time to bers in so many different fields and has time will he gladly received by the Editor again a1 the saine time st~mulntedit by put- at his desk. tmg thc Associatiou in tangible form beforo THE MANUAL OF LIBRAmRY ECONOMY. strangers and interested "prospects." Prob- ably a true history of the Association might The current year has witnessed the pub- be given by relttting the history of thm pub- 11shing of cliapler eight of lhe hI:tnu;ll of licalion ancl what it has brought to light. library economy, prepared by the retiring President, K~chardH. Johnston, of Wash- EFFICIENCY AND SCIENTIFIC ington, D. C., and ent~lled"Special librnries." MANAGEMENT. Th~schapter has been given a wide d~stribu- One of the most strilring things which tion among Ihose unfamiliar w~lhspecific has stood out in my mind has been tlie pub- spccial libraries or their work, ancl is bound lishing of the Bibliography of srientific man- to create R favorable impression for 1111s As- agenlcnt and efficiency. This, as most of sociation. It shoulcl be borne in nlind that you know, occupied an extra large number this essay was not prepared lo i~~lercslspe- of some 41 pages and was a. carefully com- cial librarians themselves, but with the idea piled 11st or all the literature on these sub- of attractively telling the slory of this move- jects up to the date of its ~~ublicalion,both lnent lo those outside its ranlrs in othcr book and gcriodical. The sale of tlic number fields of llbrrtry activity. The pleas~ngslyle has been unusual. It is safe to say that it in wliicl~il is wrillen will co~nn~endit, how- has hecn the means of introducing many of ever, to our own meml~ership,and we be- our members to the Association. The num- lieve win friends for Chc Association wher- ber is now cxhausterl a1 the Secretary's ever it is read. The fact thal il 11;~sheen olIic~buL still Llle dcmaud for it is unabated. brought forth by the I-'uI~lishinjibonrcl of thc I believe it to be the best list on the subject parent library organization will also tend to ever published and fully deserving of all the glve this pamphlet a, welcomc rcception in credit it may rcceive The list mas preparecl Lhe hands of the oldcr general 11l)rary by Ihe Lilrnry of Col~gresstor the Efliciclicy public. society of and tliroiigh this body, also, it received a widc distribution. ORGANIZING BUSINESS LIBRARIES. Another eclually valuable feature has been CITY PLANNING. tlie pubhshing of tlie cl~scriptive articles The second item which has crcated wide tclling how individual libraries ht~vebeen and Lhvorable comment and which has also operated. To the young librarian just sla.rt- stin~ulatccl Lhc membership, although in a ing into a special library career this feature quitr different iiclcl, is the City planning list, has been of great service-to il~estenog- ctmpilecl by Rfiss T

By Mrs. A. L. Robinson, The Texas Company, New York, N. Y.

I have been requested to tell something of dctails defeats your own ends. New girls about cornmerc~alfiling. As I understand are almost sure to try to conquer the iile it,, library worlr comes flrst, thcn special hy swallowing it whole, and do not under- libraries, and lastly, ,z distant and poor re- stand when I discourage tlie taking of notes lation, real business tiles 1 want to do my or studying the numbers. litlle best to help elevate these poor rela- Imagination and intuition are of almost tions to better so that they re. incalculable use, for files are asked for in ceive recognition and have at least a bowing impossible ways, and the slightest clue may acqmintance with their betters. often be worked out through these two gifts Filing as a profession. is of very recent Initiative you must have, otherwise you origin. After rrtenography and typewriting mould not grow with your file when new con- made the transaction of bus~nessso largely ditions make changes necessary a matter of correspondence, it became nec- Tact and patience to deal with perhaps a essary to take care of the masses of lelters, h~indreddifferent temperaments a day, all etc., that make up business records, and as wanting something and wanting it in a hurry it is practiced nowadays in commercial work, are very necessary. Accuracy is very essen- it offcrs a wide field for women of education tial, naturally, and a natural or cultivated and intelligence. The 11eLter the education love of order goes far towards keeping your and llie filler the intelligence, the better the files and desks in condition so that mork is result. possible. Graduates of women's colleges of late do What the ayerage business man expects not all take to teaching Some who escape of a file is quickness in producing wl~athe teachlng, and a matrimonial career, are com- wants Iie cares nothing for system or the ing downtown in various capacities, and I refinements of filing, so long as he gets what know of nothing in the business world where he wnnls when he wants il No matter how a college training is of more use than in fine a file yon may run, or how much time organizing and running a iile. is spent in putting away material, indexing, Not many years ago, we used to be classed etc., or in making the file have a fine phys- at the very foot of the organization charts ical aDpearnnce, with fancy foldcrs, guides as office boys and fllers. We are a little and fllmg pnrapliernalia, if you cannot pro- better off now and we sometimes are give11 duce what is wanted within a reasonable the title of commercial librarians and have time, your work counts for nothing with the a line in the chart all to ourselves person who is waiting for a file. As the importance of correct filing is be- One of the first rules I teach my assistants coming recognized more and more, and the is this: Never, under any circumstance, say standard of filing eficiency higher, we hope we haven't in the file what is being asked event,ually to be considered something more for. First cshaust every means of finding lhaii a necessary evil. it in tho file; look where it should he, look The actual filing can be done by girls of where ~t might be; then where it should not grammar school education, if they have the be, and then if it cannot bc prodnced, sng- spccial qclr~nlificat,ions necessary, but my gest 111 a per~uasivevoice that it is gro1)ably point is this-that lhe more you have of in this or that department or on this or general knowledge, tlie better chance YOU that desk, and the chances are greatly in havn for success. Unless a girl has mem- favor of its being just there. ory, imagination, intuition, tact, patience and Perhaps yon do not know that tlie file is a love of order, she will never make a good the scapegoat in all business places. It is fller. just that. Many tlmes a day one is told I have heard people ask, "Why is memory "I want such and such a thing." When told necessary if yo11 have a good system?" In it has not been received, the reply is al- llandling suclr an amount of material, it is ways "Oh, yes, it has been-I put it in the almost, if not quitc impossible to index more file basket myself. Ynu must have it" If than a third of it, and as quiclcness In pro- the anplicant IS of snffic~entimportance, you ducing a, flle when asked for is the essence use the "soft answer that turneth away or success, inenlory comes into play con- wrath" and perhaps yon go and dig it 0111 stantly, In spite of this, in filing onc should for him on somebody's desk, or on his own uever try to remember anything. First, get for that matter, t,rying all the time not to into your mind the system, and the logical have the "I told you so" expression on your arrangement of the file and if you have a hce. If it is only an office boy, yon just nalurally ~oodmemory, it will soon become smile and say "I guess if you hunt for it, trained. Stuffing the mind with a whole lot you will find it somewhere." To be happy SPECIAL LIBRARIES in your worlc as a filer, it is cluite necessary pations for wolllcn where Il~creis a scarcity to cultivate a thick skin and drop all sen- of first-class ayplicants Thrr~are plenty sit~veness. of tlle otllcr kind, that clo (he day's worlc IS YOU will notice timl I always fipealr of Lor the day's pay. Thwc no :;uc11 t11111g girls and women as Illers-never boys. It is, as a perlect file, but I an1 always 11oplng that in nly opinion, useless to teach a boy to file. ~onicwl~creand so~ilchowI w~lliind a near I have tried s good many and do 1101 filld perfect filer. them good for anything in the work They As tor systems, T (lo not feel compclcnl to seem to th~nlcall Lllal is necessary 1s to get spealc. All 11ling systenls, lllce all religions, tllillgs out ol s~ght,no nialter whcre tllcy hnve 9ome good in thcn~. TO rim an elfi- go. I esl~lai~iit in this way: A boy in a. dent filc incnns one thing and that is to put I~nsir~essIIOIISP is nlways 10olil1lg formard to away correspondence, maps, clocuments or advnnccment, as he should, ancl he can see wlmtever matcrial you get, in, snch n way no particular aclvancei~lentill l11r lile. El en that you can produce anvtliing neetled in a tllongl~he might be better paid for f~ling, reasonable ttme after request is inadc. Pcr- lie prefers other work, so his heart is never sonally, I believe in sin~plirityin Lhe f~lc. in it. I think he legardn it as ~0m~ll'sThat, IS, in group numbcrs instend of n mul- worlc ancl looks clown on il nccorclingly This tiplic~tyof numbers. To run n large iile statement has bcen qncstioned by some of wit11 a ininlm~unof espense, n so-called su11- the men of my company. Thcv claim that ject file IS, to my mind, the best. in railroacl files and somc otlicrs where Ihc A snb,jecl file, however, can only bc used file IS an arb~traryone, boys make excellent in a 11usinc.s~lhat 118s n many sided drvelo11- filers but thcy agree with me that tl boy n.111 went. A Inere buying and sclling business not slay on the work. I tliinlr, however, that crxnnut use iL to advantage., RIy own hle is teaching a boy th~principl~a of filmg -A-ould a mixi ure of subject tiling with sulxllvisions he of grcnt ber~elit to him In busincss 11fe. oC alphabetical, geographical and numerical To n1os.1 ~~ISI~PSSmen, the file is a place of filing, capable of aln~ostindelinite ~~paiision. myslery When one aslcs lor sometlling that If yon cnu train people Lo sticli to the olio he tl~inlzs difficult, and yo11 producc ~t :*I s~~l~jectin lelters, filing is easy cno~~gh.Of once, lie is very apt to say "How on earth course. 11' they vill run two or tl~reesul~jects do you do it?" Tllc swret of thc wl~ole into a letter, a lot of cross inclex~ngand nb- thing is there is no secrecy at all bnt sheer stracting is necessary. IVTy outfit consists of hard ~vorlcand concentration all the tulle. vertical files, two Icinds of folders, metal I hare n great many applications from em- tipped guides, baclcers, punches, clips. ployees in the comlmny, aslcin~~osit~ons for fasteners, index cnrcls and ant cards. There friends. They generally begin by saying: are numberless devices for filing-binders, "hIrs. Robinson, have yo11 &L chance for a. books, efc., etc., that are allraclive Int un- .voung friend of mine in the file?" I always necessary. Tf one is running a small file ask "What has she been doing or what train- and has the tirnc!, tllerc is hardly any limit ing has she had?" The almost invariable to what one ~niglitdo in nlnlcing the file at- ansmcr is' "She doesn't know horn to do tractive, but I am speaking rroln a stand- anything so wc thought she coulcl get R point of a pmctical, very mucll alive file. start In the file." I answer, of course, that Eiliciency in a file clepends not on thc at prcsent I have no openings but I always syslem but on the individual. Years ngo wonder why raw nlatcrial 1s always orferecl business mas all the iudivic1na.l and now the to me. l~usiuessworld i~ a little ~nnrl,T think, on A great many of the commercial librarians system and efficiency Perhaps later there have hecn in some large library before com- will be a comprorr~isenncl both system ancl ing do~vntowninto active business life Pub- inclividual will have a cliancc. Onr must lic librarians who come into the business llt~vein fil~ngnot so 1nuc11 intclligcnce as u world havc son~every necessary adjust- caertain lriad of intelligence. ments to make. In the libraries thcy deal When a business starts and the flle is an with a great nmny people daily, but these infant, it 1s generally 11.1 the care of tllc same geollle are goverued by rules and the stenographer or ollice boy and is IWU in a librarmn is allproached with defcrence when hap-hazard way until the time comes when a favor is nslwl. The atn~ospl~ereof a busi- nothiug can be fonnd-it being almost impos. ness file is not exactly a studious one and siblc to organize a, file in the 11cginni11g. the tmnfiition from library work to the dol- Then a spccialisl is sent for to organize the lars and cents pro~ositionis apt to be nt- file with the accumulated material, ancl it tel~dedby trying I1 aln~ostsaid crying) ex- may take xnonths to accomplish this 1'111: periences. Library work is most excellent company 1s indeed forlunatc whose file ifi training for filing, and when wc necd help. then rightly organized to ru11 lor years with we always Ily to get girls who have had just a general practilioner taking care of 11brarg rxpericnce They come to us with n it, and that is what I am, for specialists are lt1101~l~dgeof lhe tools used in filing, and expensive. Irnow how to l~nndlethem. T have heen requested to give some data in Ilfy greatest cllfficulty 1s in finding efficient regard to my file. My general filc cons~sts assistants. Fihng is one of the few occu- of the filing matter from ten tlepartinents, SPECIAL LIBRARIES takes care of about 2,000 sheets of pnper a letters arc sent to the file. Om goes into a day-about flve hundred different classifi- letter book and one into the lile. The letter cations. And the giving out of an average book runs alphabetically and cl~ronologically of 150 flles a day. and the file by number and subject, so that The export flle, which is very complex, is no matter how vaguely a file is asked for, in the very callable hands of Miss Helen therc are three ways of finding it-the file, Clapp. It averages from a thousand to the index and the lelter book. twelve hundred letters per clay and is uscd The transCer is n very important and very a great dcnl, the files constantly coming and tiresome part of the file. Every business going. I have 110 means of knowing whether has its own particular time lor transferring. this is imply all average file or a big one, I begin January first each year t~udI am as I lmve been kept so busy lrceping up sometilnes through transferring hy the mid- with it that I have never seen any other flle. dlc of the nexl January. I endeavor to Thc flle of the company for which I work, eliminate dead subjccts from the activc AIe, goes rather naturally into ten or less divi- hut very oftcn they are only moribund and sions. The company produces and markets come into livcly existence again, to surprise pelroleurn and its products, and the first you. The only way is to run your transfer group of numbers are for thc organization of exactly as you do your actlve file and not Lhe company, its history, stock, bonds, bank- have ~t stored at any great distance or in ing, its employees and their welfare. any inaccessihla place, for you havc to re- The second group covers the production of sort to it frequently. It is tiresome because oil, thc scqu~ringnew land, the operation of your interesl lags and it becomes just paper thc producing department. to you after the subjects are dead. The rhird group deals with bringlng the The thing in filing that appeals to me oils to the rebneries, the pipe lines and most strongly is a diilicnlt search after pumping stations, field maps, etc. some old and forgotten thing, where you Thc fourlh group embraces the refineries, trace things back through difrerent flles, laboratories and tachnical development of through a slight clue here aud there. If I thc ~roducts. succeed, the joy with which I gounce on Thc flfth covers the marine clepal-lment, the data that is needed, well repays me for the bringing of the oil to the distributing tho effort. terminals, thc building and operation of our The index is not so much for yourself as ships and barges, lighterage and kindred it is for your succeseor, although it helps things. you out on old files. My index was handed Thc six111 group is for portable equipment, down to me with a cross-index for the cus- insurance and advertis~ngbeing sub groups. tomers - one card carrying the cus- The seventh and eighth are for the dis- tomer's nnme, nne the state ,and town in tribution ol' oil through terminals and sta- which he lives and one the l~articularprod- lions. uct he buys. My experience has boen that Thc ninth deals entircly with the s&les de- tlm cross-index is seldom used and does not daparlment, the delivery of oil to the cus- really pay for the time it takes to run it. tomer and the operation of the selling of In the hurry and drive of the work, there our products. are many things that must miss getting into The tenth division I hold in reserve for the index and I will tell you in confidence, futurc use The divisions are capable of that I sometimes rather put my trust in expansion if it becu~nesnecessary. Under Frovidcnce than in my index. But so~nehow these ten groups are many sub divisions and wc manage and as lnng as our supcrior olA- subjects, but nearly everything falls nnt. cers get rcsults and not excuses, we satisfy urally under some one of the ten big groups. them and feel that our part in the organixa- In ordcr to get quiclc service and nialrc tion is necessary and helpf111, cven if we a check for the Ilk, I run a series of letter are jusl an cxpense and not ln-oducers. books. Two carbon copies of all outgoing

Note: Although Ll~onhovc art~elcwas lnqmrcd espeeinlly for the Specinl Librnl'ie~meeting, it was first r~rintedin "Tcxico" the orgnn of the Toxut~Company, to W~IORCcourlesy ae arc ~ndebt~dfor the lmv~legeof repr~nt~ngit here. SPECIAL LIBRARIES The Technical Library's Field of Service By W. P. Cutter, Librarian, Engineering Societies Library, New York, N. Y.

It was my ill tentio~i,when I was asked to The questions propounded by the clients present a paper before this Association, to of the libmry in niy charge are, ot course, covcr the broader field of the spccial library, mainly on engineering subjccts. Rut they but I discover troll1 thc progrnrn that others are by no means confi'ned to that linlilecl arc to present to yo11 the service rendered to field. Requesls often comc for addresses of stltdellts of other special subjects, and I shall secretaries of societies, for time of meetings, theref012 confine myself to thc work of tech- for publislicrs of boolrs, for description of nical librsries. filing systems, and even for employees and A tcclnical librnry, let us assume, is n col- employers But, as I sald, they are largcly lcction of books and other niaterinl relatinp; on subjects in agl~liedscience, ancl are usu- to thv npl)l~cationof scicnce to industry, and, allv very specific. spec~hctllly,Lo mmnfactul'ing industries, en- As is tn be expected from the peripatetic gillerrin5 and applicd chemistry. nature of the bu~111esflor ~OSLongineers, our In ortler to be useful enough to justify clients arc scattered all over the civilized its e::~stenca, the tcchnical library must do world. The first two entrics in my list of threc things. It must galher the priutetl rcaucsts arc from cngineers in Autofagasta, sonrces ot information; it must SO arrangr?, , and in Penang, in tlie Straits Settle- catalogue, classiry and indes these sources ments. In North America they extcnd from as to n~alceit possible to find the infolmn- Sydncy, Cape Breton, to LOS Angeles, Cali- tion. ~t must impart the information to its tornia, and from Thane, Alaska, to Rock clicnts. I shiill not take up your time with Rim, Alabama. , , New Zealancl, a rllscussion oC the Arst two of these dutiv, E~~gland,Buenos Aircs, Queenslnnd, all have but confine lily remarks to Lllc mcthod of im- representativefl. parlin? this informat~onto the 1111rary'n (lli- What scrvice can we render? TJP~11s illus- ents T use the word "clicnts" advisedly, 111- trate by esaniples. A member of the Ameri- stead oC the word "readers," tor thc service can institute of mining engincers in San which I shall attcmpt to describe often re- Francisco wrotc to us last hfarch for infor- ynires that the library do tlie reading for the mation on the occurrcuce of asbestos, and client. thc processes of manulacture. We referred A library nlav assist its clients in two him to a publicalion ol' the Canadian bureau ways, by desk service to those who visit lhe of mines which covered the snbjcct very libmry, and by nmil servlce to those who are fully, ancl which he could obtain by mritinq unable to do so. The first, class oC scrvico to that bureau licrc the mcre title of a may reach only a lirnitecl few; the second h001i served the need of the client. may reach anyone, anywhcre, and may assist A second client in Dulnth, Mlnnesotn, thc client at a distance lust as completely asked Tor a complete list of references on as the resldent of the city in which the magneslte. We conip~ledlor him a list cov- library 1s administered. erir:.r: thirteen closclv written typewritten In ordei to rcnder service to clients at a paces, covering not onlv references to period- distance, sevrral things must be clone. You icals and boolis, but all patents on the sub- all remember the famous recipe for .juggc; ject. I-Ic was advised tliat the pul~lications hare, nliich begins "First catrh your hare wol~lcl robab ably all be lonnd in the John In ortler to helg n client a1 a distance, you Crcrar library at Chicago. milst first catch your client. You must in For a third clicnt in Youngstown, Ohio, somc may let hi111 know that you are willmg we niade n translation of an article in Ger- and ar~sio~~sto hell) him As soon as cllents lnan on the manufacture of rubber, for which are obtained, the seconcl stcp is to educate hc sent us the reference. them in accuracy in making requests This For a fourth client, in far-away Iiorca, we 1s the most difficult step; for unless yon can sent several lxmphlets on the manul'ucture flritl out very slmifically what a man wants, and uses of graphite, with ~~hotostatrepro- You will no1 only waste your own time in ductions of scveral articles from periodicals. loolcin:: ul) information which is not desired Ry the use of the photostat we can iurnish by the rlient, but you malie hiin skeptical of a.ecur?.tc cop~es,which may be user1 not only your abllitv to licl]~him. Unfortunately, luen for study, but, when properly aullienticnted, who have been trained as technical workers may he used as evidence in courts and belore have very otten not had a corresponding patent e:tanliners. training in writing clew Englis11, anrl clues- The Uniled States Consul at Johanncsbusg, tio~lsare often aulbiguously expressed. Be South Africa, asl\ecl 11s to compile for the sllre, therefore, that you lcnow what 1s South African institute of cngineers a com- wanted. ljlete list oC the engineering standards in the SPECIAL LIBRARIES

United States, to bc used in establishing TVc havc one clicnt in Pennsylvanifl who stand:trds in that country. We not only sent always calls up by long-distance when hc the list, but sent a very large nlunber of mishcs a rel'ercncc list, and nlany lncn wire. standards which we obtained from the firms in advance that they nrc coming to tllc or societies cstablish~ngthcnl. library, aslrinfi Lo ha~ereferences rcacly A nunlber 01 our clients are subscribing to to esaniinc. Many ortlers lor photostnt I'C- n service of reiercncc cnr~lson some s~tbjwl pri~ilsconlc ovcr thc tclc1111onc. sclcctetl by them. By this method they can Pctshags greater reference should br innde be notiticd allnost inirnediately of any new to tl~csrrvirc Lo the pnblic :tt tl~clibrary. infornlalion on the subjert, :tnd if the nrticle Qoest~onsclurinq 191 1 n11rnbercd I,:100 at 1110 seems promising, we call furnish jlhotostat. desk Some were nn~~\lcrerlat onccl, otlwrs reprints, ahstracts-and iranslations. required long rrscarch. I-lerc is a snnlplc: Many ol' the questions that come Lo us can Jnne S, 1916. be answered imnledintely f1'oin reference lists Casting nlacl~incs which wc: have rnntle for other pcrsons, and Mine inspectors in the TTaited States wc try, in aOilition, to preparc l~iblio",apl~ies List ot granges in thc Uniled States on snl,ieets for which there is likely to be II\.clranlic 'l:r').S1/8 electric elevators n demand. We have at present bibliogrn- Pcriotlicnls on cllel~iisti-y ~,hicson submarine boats, alpha-nnphthol J.iqnid air and tri-nitrotolnol for eul)losivcs shr:~l)~lel hIct11oAs of tcslin,.; rcsistancc used by Ilurcnu and other live, np-tn-date topics, This lcntls oi stnndnrds me to say par~ntlieticallythat many of tllc Cottrell process for sn~eltcrsinolrc proven- questions s~tblnittedto us are c:~used by war Lion con~litions. Il'or cx:~mpl~,the bibliogl'aph?' Pnpcr on fl~iancingof clcctrical cornpn~~ios on mt~g~icsite~1s wmtcd by a person who owncrl n tlel)osit in C:~lifornin, which he 111 ortlor to rcnrlor this scrvicc 01' rcnl wishrd to develop to fnrnisl~masncs~te prod- vnlue, ccrtnin inridcnt:~lwork is nccclss:wy. 11cts to rrllluce those f'ormcrll imported fronl WC haw jnst publishccl n Cntulo~ucor Irch- G~wce. i\Ingnesitc is one ol' the const~tuents iiicnl p~rio~lii'als111 the Iibl'iWiC~01' NCWY~l'li ol' the linin~of Tlossemer csoovcvtcrs and i~rlrl vicinitv, in nllich we hnvc llstc~dsolue open-hearth turnnccs which arc used I'or the 3,Gnn teclinicnl l~~riotlicalsill111 scrial 1)ubli- ~~rodl~clionof stcol for war purposes. We cnlions, Kow when we find R I'C~CI'CIIC~? haw 111nde n reference list on ql~iclistcnm- which ineutinn~an article in a periodical 1101. ing boilers for onc of the mal~crsof torpedo in this lillrary, we C~IIIUSL~RII~ lind it at oncc boats. in sonlc other lihiwy in tlie cily. Thcre are so~nccurious questions. A lady Wc Itcep up a current index lo tlic lcndinz visitor froin a. scllool in Chicago cnllcd at the artlrles in thc ow thousnnd gcriodict~ls library. She incidentally ~ilt?ationedlhat she which we receive, and L'rom Lhis we enn colW had in the school a Chinese student who ei~lrieson su1)jccts on which our clients clc- wished to talic for his thesis subject some- sire inl'ormation. thmg that woultl help h~spcople at 11omc. Plans are being tlevelopcil to 11clg 1ccl111lcnl He chose thc Chinese n~ethorlsol' 1)rcsernng tvorlccrs in other ways There has lmn or- eggs Sllc wished to know of any references, gnnixed a Join1 committee on classification, and we, xnr~cll to our surprise, found sonie. with one ~~~prescrllat~vefroin cach nalional TVe have recently hnrnishcd a list of refer- cnginccrwg organization, to clcvi~ea stand- ences on occupalional training of wonndctl, ard system of classification fov tcchnirnl lit- lamc, dent, and incapacitated soldiers. This ersturc, which rnny be ndnptcd by thcsc so- list we borrowed from another library. cioties, snrl 11sril for liling 111 mi engincoring Tt is by no xncnns necrssary Tor our clients off~ccand as a bayis for an inrlex lo L~chliical to writr! letters of inquiry in every case Our htcrature When such a classiflc:~tion is so local clients use tli~telel~hone very largcly. adol~terl,it is ]>roposecl that thc stanclnrtl cn- Wl~ilewritinq this I have been constantly in- glacering nnrl tecl~nical~)eriotlicnls shall bc trrlwptecl, as, for cxample: a~lietlto print the fiy~nbolof tllc clnssilicnlion Who publislies thc ]m-ioclical "La "? nt the top of rach importanl m'ticlc; if this Wlint were the g130ss salcs of steel by throe is done, any office boy can clip tl~cscarl.iclcs, large companies (luring thc past ten years? Ale them in the proper clnssificntion ttnd What does S I on n Pr~ncllblu~grint mean:' t1111s malte nvailablc to his employcr at inin- Where is an articlc by Ruthcrford on struc- imum cost the current literature on any sub- 111ral crystalline bodies publishccl? ject. Have you volumes 9 mil 10 of Par1 3 of the The w01'1i nl' Ll~eLibrary scrvice bnrcau is IIanclbnch iler Ingei~icur~vissrnscl~'ten? not done for yrolil. Neither is it done for I-Iave you specificntionu for the 71nn1. Mauser noth~ng Wc have a sclleduk of chargcs cartridge, 1893 moclel? which cover thc cost of the work, and we Address of the Illinois statc factory associa- hope to make it rigitlly sell-supporting. tion. When it is fully developed, we hope to ham Any literature on industrial pensions? branch research ofIices in olhcr placcs. Tt is Is Mr. Smith in the library? hoper1 to gather together a corps of scarch- Is the library open evenings? ers who are spccinlisls. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

Tllus far I have referred mainly to the ing profession, and many libraries are of work (lone In thc Library of the Engineer- great help in loaning us boolrs. The whole spirit in the technical library ing societics, but it is with no desirc to bc- of today is that of service. Thcse libraries little the work bcing done by other technical are justifying their esistence from the stand- libraries. The excellent cooperation of these point ot rlollars and cents. If all the worli- libraries has been of great assistance. Tlic era in applied science lrnew that this spirit lists printed by the Carnegie library or Pitts- existed, mid would appeal for hclp when it burgh and the New York Public hhrary liavc is r~eeclecl, the scrvice would be of greater been of great help to us and to the engineer- value.

A Handbook for the Operation of Clearing Houses of Information By Kenneth C. Walker, Department of Technology, Free Public Library, New Haven, Conn.

The title of this pal~eris, qwte hy accl- which would have helped in more advan- dent, illustrrrtive of the present trend of the tageous ways. so-called "Handbook." As the presant day This is but oqe example of the countless engiileering "Handbook" is getting lo be and ncedless expenditures involved by ex- quite a handful, lhe above tille 1s quite a pcrimenting and not studying conditions. moutl~ful. Let us forget the title and con- This handbook, if its aim is carried out, sider the subject matter. should scrve as a reference boolr: to which Throughout my experience in awisting the present administrator of a special col- the stenographer of a local business house to lection can go and find economical and trled establish a libraiy, I was continually im- systems for conducting his or her collection, pressed with the thought: "Why wouldn't a and lo which the future administrator sliould handbook for special librarians, compiled on look for guidance in starting and maintdn- similar lines as the engincerinp l~andboolis, ing his or her collection. be of material help?" This suggestion mas The nlodern business man looks for re- forwarded to the past secretary of the Asfio- sults, looks for the aclm~nistrntorthat can ciation and received his recommendation. produce. An ~ldministrator continually ex. In short, Mr. Marion offered to give his serv- perinienling with the operation cannot nt- ices as iomt author. Needless to say they tend to the larger aspcct of the work The were gladly accepted. l~rcscnceof a boolc from which can be gainer1 The aim of the pro1)osed publication is the desired information on ~ubjectsreluting threefold. First, to act as a suitable guide to the operation 01 a special collection would and instructor to those inexperienced in li- tend to rcduce the elenlent of experinlent arid brary techn~queas applied to a modem busi- protracted study of suitable systems RO that ness collection. Second, to serve as a con- the person in charge of a special collection sulting collection of recognized methods mould be able lo devote more time to pro- used in the operation of special libraries. ducing and therein gain favor for both him- And third, to benefit the business man by self and the library idea. \W~atis more os- cumulating the flood of material illustrative sential? of library methods as adapted to business Tllc outline of chapter headings, at tho methods Furthermore, to affect a saving in close of this paper, will serve its an axis establishing and maintaining a special col- about which certain subjects may be en- lection. The saving hinted at in the above larged. is that gained by adopting a tried system in- The first heading I will pass over. stead of ignorantly experin~e~lti~lgas is so "Roonis: their location, size, etc." Under often the case. this head the following conditions will be I have in mind now a library that would treated. (1) the location and size of a li- fall into the class "ignorantly experiment- brary room or rooms, in the plan for a new ing." Had the Library committee of this li- building; (2) the location and size of room brary looked into the operating of the mod- or rooms in new quarters; (3) the possibili- ern business house library they would not be ties of re-physical arrangement in a library meeting the expense of public library sys- already established. tems adapted to their own. They would Tt may seem on first thougllt that going have escaped the needless expense of booli- into such details as the three conditions just Plate, borrower's cards, etc., the cost of mentioned is but akin to folly. A special 11- SPECIAL LIBRARIES brary, which is to thrive and not exist, be glad to receivc any snggestions w11icll you should and does, rcceive equal attention with may wisll to offer, and I shall be glad to have other deptlrtments of the ofice. Then that copies of Corms tht you havc found a help wliich applies to other departments must ap- irl conducling your libwry or coIlection, ply to the library. So then, if the modern whichever you may call it. Any partlcl~lar business man can spend hours planning the ~netliods or Systems carried out in acces- floor space of 111s omcc force in the hghl of sioning, cataloging, etc., down through the future econonly of space, time, and energy of entire chapter headings, will be welconled. e~nployecs,why not do so for the library? Then, if the l~andboolris to be of value why 0 P E R ATI 0 N OF AN INFORMATION shouldn't this phase be treated? If not in CLEARING HOUSE this handbook, where else? CHAPTER ANALYTICS. Five years experience in special libraries Introduction no doubt lias proved the good and bad in DefiniLion certain kinds of furniture. Under the head Relahon to bilsiness house in wliich it is "Furniture" this matter will be taken 1111 as established well as the dealers and sources of furniture. Aim and scope Under "Arrangement" will fall ti study of Operation the subject as related to lirnited floor space Equigment and staff. Also certaili other economies to Rooms: TIieir location size, etc be affected in arrangement found by experi- IhIrniture: Dcslrs, fil~elvesor hook cases, ence to be of value. It is planned that illus- Card catalogs, Cabinets, Filing trative floor plans will be illcluded here. cases, Tables, Chairs, etc. "Heating, lighting and ventilating" Bug- Sclecl ion gests many things, and I will pass on from Arrangement that subject to the "Telcglione." In light of I-Ieatlnp, ligliling and ventilating my past experience In telephone worlr, and Outsidc communication investigation rccently conducted, I believe Telephone that not enough iinportnnce lias bccn placed Other mecl~aniealmeans of commani- upon this instrument. The various special cation applications and instruments, which are the Messenger service product of extended study on the part of Supplies. Cards, Typewriters, Duplica- telephone engineers in serving the coinmcr- tors, Other labor saving devices cia1 world, mill be discussed in thcir rela- Purchase of supplies tion to the library world. Requisitions or special purchasing The hearlings t~sfar as, "Armngement of forms niat,erinl and mecllnnical preparation" are Accounting in relation to the library practically self-esplanatory. This heading Aids and methods otlicr than includ- "Arrangenienl of nlatcrial and mechanical ed in above preparation," may seem a little ambiguous Administmtion EIcx will be included the arrangenient of Head oC department books, e. g., the vexcd question of the over- Qunliflcations sized books, 1,lacing of reference books, it Salnrics there be any, and the keeping of pocket Assistants books wliich so often stay in the borrower's Qualification s pocket Also the arrange~nentand l~aridling Salaries of pamphlets and clippings. "Mechanical Staff nlanagcment preparation" will take up the matter of inlrs, Relntion of sl aCf to supporting organiza- labels, and ollier minor things ln the prepa- tlon ration of materml for use. All this detail Malerinl may be questioned. Why incliide in such a Sources and forms book things so comparat~vcly el'111einerall Books and pamphlets Well. v;hy do the cngineerii~gliandl~ooks Periodjcnls, Soclety proceedings, Con- contain such com~)nrntivcly unimportant f.inuations, Trnde cntalogs, Cligpings, lliings as weights nncl measnrcs? Because Maps. Plans, Photographs, Manu- tlirough Llie various editions such informa- scripts tion has proved i(s value So it is hoped Iliat Govcnlment publications: federal, state, snc11 relatively ephemeral material wlll be a municipal saving to the Iibrarim. So that he or she Ordering material wlll have included in one volume all the in- Pnbllslicrs forma.tion on a subject that heretofore 11n.s prices, Trade hil~lio.=.raphy,Trade terms required Ilours of esperimenting and attcncl- Special o~ilerforma 111g delrnrtion from the real worlr of l.llr? li- Acccwioning material lwnry. Why not liavc n, handbook of handy Systems things-tiine savers, and hence money Shelf listing savers ? Classifying Wit11 this chapter ontlinc in mind many Purpose OF classification thoughts mill come to your nlinds and I will Systems available SPECIAL LIBRARIES

Individual and special vs. general or Other special libraries standard systems lnforlnation bureaus and research bureaus Aids and suggestions Other sources, e. g., knowledge of experts Cataloglug and individuals Purpose Methods of liandlmg, Cooperation, e. g., spe- Rules or codes cial card forms, systems, etc. Aids and suggestions Extension or publicity work Alphabeting (or filing of cards and other Purpose. similar material) Methods of Arrangement of material and m6chanical Examples or samples preparation Aids and suggeBLions Bookbinding and repair Library terms and definitions Loan systems and records Comparison with A. L. A. deflnitions and Purpose special library application of the same Aids and suggestions or similar terms Cooperation Bibliography Interdepartmental Index Public and similar library systems

Acetylene welding. The New Yorlr publ~c keting costs ; Factors in marketing cost; library published in its Bulletin of Oct., Organixittion, trnining and spccializing, 1914, a List of works, relat~ngto acetylene their effects upon marketlng; Organiza- welding. p. 3 049-7s. tlon; Good will, consumer, buying habits, Aliens-Land ownership. A Select list of future tendency. Doubleday, Page 63 Co., references to material in Lhe California 1914. State library may he found in News notes Constitution, State. The titles representing of Cahfornia libraries, v. 9, no. 4, Oct., the most useful material which the New 1914. p. 683-686. York city Munic~palreference library has Blue sky laws. A Select list of references at hand on the general subjecl of state to matcrial in the California State library constltut.~onsand especially the constitu- on "blue sky" laws, appears in News notes tion of New York are listed in its Notes. of California libraries, v. 9, no. 2, Apr., Ayr. 7, 1915. p. 122-4. 1914. D. 221-222. Cost of living. In a comprehensive little vol- Ch,ildren on the streets. Philip Davis' re- ume by Walter E. Clark on The cost of cent book on Street-land covers the prob- living are a few reading references to ma- lem of children, at work or at play, in the terlal on the problem and to statistical city streets. A bibliography completes data. 11. 164-165. 1915. the volume. p. 277-291. 1915. Crim'e. The Report of the Chicago City City manager. In the Bulletin of the Uni- council comlnittee on crime, issued March versity of Texas, Feh. 20, 1915, Municipal 22, 1915, includes two pages of b~bliog- research series no. 6, 13. G. James dis- raphy of books on crime and allied sub- cusses, What is the city manager plan? jects p. 195-6. and on p. 24-5 lists articles in periodicals, Deaf. A brief bibliography is included In pamphIets, bulletin8 and books on the the Report of the Committee to study the subject. question of emciency of schools for the The city manager, a new profession, deaf, appointed by the Conference of su- by Harry Aubrey Tonlnlin, jr., contains as perintendents and principals of American Agpend~xE, a Bibliography on the subject schoolfi for the deaf meeting in conjunc- for part of which the author acknowledges tion with the Convention of American in- h~sobligations to the Library of Congrem. structors of the deaf, Staunton, Va., July p. 289-298. 1915. 1, 1914. 1). 24. Commerce and trade. The New busmess by Divorce. A List of references on divorce, Harry Tipper, published for the Associated submitted to the Judiciary colnmittec of advertising clubs of the world, which the Senate (63rd Congress, 3d ses.) in seeks to analyze the demands of business connection with 8. J res 109, a resolution in the light of modern development, has proposing an amendment to the Constitu- at the close of each chapter suggestive tion of the United Slales relating to di- lists of Collateral texts. The division vorce, has been printed for the use of the headings indicate the scope of the book: Committee and comprises a pamphlet of Trading and marketing; Finance and mar- 110 pages. 1915. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

Engineering. A List of general engineering Town planning in ; Guarding the Indexes in the Library of Congress, com- city-police; Health ancl sanitation; Mar- piled by 11. H. 13. illeyer, Chief bibliog- kets; Hous~ng; Iiecreation; Llunlcinal rapher of the Library of Congress, appears finances; New sources of city revenue. in the Reference bulletin, published by the 390 p. 1915. Index oihce, Chicago, v. 1, no. 1, Apr., 1915. A btbliography of municipal govern- P. 4-6. ment in the United Stales, by U1illiam Excess condemnatiqn. A Select list of ref- Bennett illunro, Professor of municipal erences on excess condeinnation appears government, I-Iarvard TJniversity, is the in News nol.es of California libraries, v. second volume to appear in the series of 9, 110. 3, July, 1914. 11. 462-464. Publicalions of the Bureau for research Game-Sale. A short list of references on in municipal governmenl issued by the Non-sale of game act, it~voringthe act, on Harvard University press. (For a review which a referendum vote was pendlng, ap- of this volume, see Special libmries, Oct., pears in News notes of California libraries, 1915.) 472 p. 1915. v. 9, no. 3, July, 1914. 11. 465. -Commission gov't. A new publication Hospitals. In the Transactions, v. 9, no. 9, In the Anlerican books serles, Municipal July, 1915, the Colninonweallh club of Cali- freedom, a study of the commission gov- fornia takes up the County hospital pt'ob- ernment, by Oswald Ryan, contains a list lem and 011 p. 541 a short Bibliography on of Selected references on colninission gov- county hospitals lists the material in the ernment. p 221-223. 1915. Club library on the subject. intoxicating liquors-Prohibition. A Select Ophthalmia neonatorum. News notes of Cal- list of references to matcrial in lhe Cali- ifornia libraries, v. If, no 4, Oct., 1914, con- fornia State library on state-wide prohi- tains a Rihliograghy of ophthalmm neona- bition is printed in News note^ of Cali- torum. The list 1s exhaustive and the fornia l~braries,v. 9, no. 2, Apr., 1914. 11. items are grouped mcler the following 223-226. heads : General ; Bacteriology; Medico- Jitneys. The St. Louis public library legal; Preventive treatment in general; monthly bullctin for duly, 1915, is a Mu- CredB's method; Silver nitrate; Silver ace- nicipal reference number devoted to the Late; Argyrol; Protargol; Sophol, Other regulalion of the jitney bus, a d~acussion methods of trcatrnent. p. 687-733. of city ord~nances,and conta~risa short Purchase 01 supplies. A l~stof references to Inhliography on the jitney lwoblem and a mater~alin the Municipal list of city ordinmces on the subject. reference library on the, subject of the Land titles-Torrens system. A Select list purchase of inunicipal supplies and related of references Lo lnaterial in the Californ~a topics fornls the larger part of the Notes, State library on Torrens system of land issued by the Library, for Nou. 25, 1914. rcgistmtion, appears in News notes of p. 21-24. California lihraiics, v. 9, no. 3, July, 1914. Rural life. A List of books, documents and p. 449-452. articles on country life problems, includ- Magna Charta. The New Yorlr Times Book ing agricultural economics, practical agri- review for June 13, 1915, contained a care- culture, agricultural credit, wornm on the fully selected bibliography on Magna iarni, country church, rural schools, which Charta in honor of the 700th anniversary was comp~ledby the Tacoma and Seattle of the si~niiigof the great charter. p. 222. Public libraries for the 2Sth Annual meet- Medicine. A list of Some recent books on ~ngof the WL~shingLon educational asso- thc history of medicine, selected from the ciation and Joint institutes of several catalog of the John Crear Llbmry, appears counties, at Tacoma, Oct. 26-31, 1911, has in I he Reference bulletin published by the been issued in ~ainphlctform. 32 p. Indcx office, Chicago, v. 1, no. 1, Apr., 1915. Russell Sage foundation. The Russell Sage p. 7-8. foundation Library prints as its 13ulletin Minimum wage. The U. S. Bureau of labor for Beb., 1915, a check list of the pamphlet statlst~cs devotes its Bulletin no. 167, publications of the ,Russell Sage founda- kfisc. ser. no. S, to hfinimuin wage legis- tion from its orgsn~zalion through the lation in the Unlted States and foreign year 1914. The vnrious departments indi- countries and includes A select list of ref- cate the scope of the publications-char- erences to books and periodicals (in Eng- ity organization, child lielp~rig,child hy- lish) on the minimum wage. p. 321-32s. giene, recreation, education, remedial Municipalities. Frederic C. Howe at the loans, surveys and exhibits, llbrary. 11 P. close of hls Modern city and its problems, Social service. The Suggested readings at, groups selected refcrcnces under the fol- the close of the chapters ot the Field of lowing heads: Historical, the ancienl. and social service, edited by Philip Davis, mediaeval city; The American city-gen- which is designed' as a reference or text era1 , Recent charter changes ; Govern- book, on the subject, present a bibliog- lnent of European cities; The city and the raphy on the various phases of the mod- public service corporation; Municipal ern social service movement. Small, May- ownership; Town planning in America; nard and Co., 1915. SPECIAL LIBRARIES

Social surveys. A pamphlet on The collec- gations, a Supplemental bibliography on tion of social survey material by Florence unemployment, which includes lists of Rising Curtis, published by the A. L. A. references on unemploymant, employment publishing board, although not a bibliog- exchanges and unemploynleiit insurance. raphy of material, is an admirable out- P. 459-463. line for tlie arrangement and grouping of Vocat~onal education. Learning to earn, a social survey data of all kinds. 15 p. 1915. plea and a plan for vocational education, Social welfare foundations, Amencan foun- by John A. Lapp and Carl 11. Mote, a book dations for social welfare, a selected bibli- just issued by the Bobbs-Rlerrill Co., con- ography, torms no. 11, June, 1915, of the tains an exhauslive bibliography on voca- Bulletin of the Russell Sage foundation tional education, covering traming for library. 8 p. agriculture, industry, business and home- State documents. A very valuable pulilica- making. tion on State docunlenls for hbraries, by Waterloo. Appropriate to Ihe centennial Ernest J. Iteece, was ~ssuedBy the Uni- ~ele~brationof the defeat of Napoleon at versity of Illinois as its Bulletin for May, Waterloo, the New Yorlc. T~mesBook re- 191 5. Bibliographical matter on this Lopic view for June 13, 1915, printed a Walerloo is very tully reporled on pp. 103-156; in bibliography taken froin The campaign of fact, almost hall the parnphlet is devoted Waterloo, a mihtary history, by John Cod- to this bibliography of bibliographies 011 man Ropes. p. 221-222. state publications. Water power. In conneclion with a state State government. Thomas EI. Reed's book, referendum on the Water commission acl Government for the people, deals largely of 1913, News Notes of California libraries, with modern problems of state govenl- v. 9, no. 3, July, 1914, publisheb u. Selecl ment, and touches such questions as polit- list of references to material on water ical parties, noininations to offices, legis- power regulation In the Califurnla State latures, short ballot, corruption of politics, library. p. 458-459. initiative, referendum and recall, courts, Welfare mork. Bullctin no. 13, August, 1915, state administration, etc. At the close of of the Library of the Russell Sage founda- each chagler is a brief suggcstive bihli- tion consisls of a selected b~bliographyof ogrnphy on the topic covered In the in- weliare work. 3 p. mediately preceding pages. 1915. Storage batteries. A list of works relating to storage batteries appeared In the Bulle- "MAN OF ALL MEN FOR THE PLACE." tin of the New York public library, April, Under tli~scaption, the Chmtian Science 1915. pp. 365-399. Monitor says, "When John Cotton Dana, ot' Taxation. In his recent hook, Taxation and Newarlc, N. J., accepted the chairmanship the distribution of wealth, E'rederic of the Committee on libraries of the ASBO- Mathews lists the authors, editions and ciated advertising clubs recently, in thc opin- sources cluotecl, p. 665-671 I91 4 ion of all who know Mr. Dana iLnt1 realize - Exenipt~on of educational inslitu- his experience and abilities it was a case of tions. Two pages of references on Ex- ohtaining the nlan of all men for an import- emption of educational institutions from ant place. Mr. Dana, who 1s Libmrlan of taxation appear in News notes of Cali- tlie Free public library of Newarlc, sees iii fornia libraries, v. 9, no 3, July, 1914. the mork of the Coinuittee an opportun~lyto pp. 460-461. forward the thought that libraries should be Home rule. News notcs of California of dollars and cents value, among other libraries, v. 9, no. 3, July, 1914, contains things. a Selecr. list of references to inater~alin 'Yon know I am pretty well loaded with the California Stsle l~braryoil home rule work,' he said to Mr. Pratl, in lalring the in taxation. p. 453-457. place, 'but your orgt~nizationrrppcals to me Unemployment. Tlle topic for the American so strongly as a means of getting sonlu labor legislation review for June, 1915, v. i~eedcd work done 1.0 makc?. thc l)utilic li- 5, no. 2, is Unemployment, and conttuns in braries of this country ok dollar ard cenls addition to the Report of the second Na- value to tlie business men of each commun- tional conference and Reports of investi- ity that I cannot refuse the opporfunity.' "