Crisis and Growth SLA, 1918-1919 Robert V

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7-1983 Crisis and Growth SLA, 1918-1919 Robert V. Williams University of South Carolina - Columbia, [email protected]

Martha Jane Zachert

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This Article is brought to you by the Library and Information Science, School of at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Crisis and Growth SLA, 1918-1919 Robert V. Williams and Martha Jane Zachert

College of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.

H In 1918, nine years after it was founded, Special Libraries Association was in a crisis situation. Membership was down, finances were in arrears, and leadership was lacking. By the end of 1919, these conditions were almost completely reversed and a foundation had been firmly laid that would ably serve the Association in the coming years. The reasons for this crisis and the subsequent revival are examined in detail.

N November 1918, the war to "make of promoting the interests of special li- the world safe for democracy" braries in a variety of private and public I ended, and the United States began settings. Its members were enthusiastic a return to-as Warren G. Harding ex- and their initial efforts resulted in con- pressed it-"nomalcy." In that same tributions to the development of the month, Special Libraries Association concept of special libraries in American officially began its tenth year. Though society (2). the founding gesture had been made in The year 1918-1919, however, was to July 1909, complete organization had be a crucial one, as unmarked by "nor- not taken place until November when a malcy" for the Association as for the constitution was adopted and a full slate country at large. Though it could not be of officers was elected (1). From 1909 to described precisely as moribund, SLA about 1917 the Association maintained had become a passive organization, un- a satisfactory and consistent growth in responsive to the challenges inherent in membership and financial power as it the- growing special libraries move- set about fulfilling its avowed purpose ment. Membership decreased, financial strength was at its lowest point in the decade, and activities appeared en- A broader histor~calsketch of the Associa- feebled. Yet within a year or so the tion's past, co-authored by Williams and situation had reversed; for the year of Zachert, will appear in the October issue of crisis contained the seed for a healthier Special Libraries. It will comprise the second future. in a four-part series of art~clescelebrating SLA's 75th Anniversary (see page 297 for To understand the conditions within further details). SLA, as well as the society in which it

254 Copyr~ghto 1983 Specla1 L~brar~esAssociat~on special libraries and special librarians existed, five but during the period 1917-1918, the factors-can be identified as having in- affairs of the new association and its fluenced major changes in the Associa- members were disrupted. tion's life in 1918-1919. Stated generally, A similar effect was taking place these factors were: within the nation as a whole as it mobi- 1. The syndrome of war economy, lized all its resources for war. Industries with its characteristics of narrow focus. and businesses not critical to the war disruptions, and dislocation was fol- effort were shut down, over two million lowed by a renewed outpouring of men were conscripted into service, and money, people, technology, and infor- hundreds of thousands of women mation into the national economy at the joined the work force. Banks and large end of 1918. investors who formerly had funded the 2. The loss of active leadership in the establishment of new businesses now Association early in 1918 was followed poured their money into the war effort by the infusion of a new, more dynamic through Liberty Bonds and similar ef- leadership on almost every level by the forts. The War Industries Board was end of the year. given authority to set economic priori- 3. The lack of a specific communica- ties and allocate resources. All, how- tion pathway to respond quickly to the ever, were to be directed towards win- needs of the SLA membership was rem- ning the war (3). edied by the provision of a forum for The period from early 1917 to late this explicit purpose. 1918 was a difficult time for the nation, 4. The deterioration of SLA's ability as well as the struggling SLA. Energies to attract new members encouraged the of all types were being redirected, and Association to initiate an enthusiastic even those special librarians who were and successful membership drive. not directly affected by the war in terms 5. The intensification of SLA's of job loss or change were likely to estrangement from the American Li- be taking on new responsibilities that brary Association provided the justi- were in some way related to the war. fication to hold separate annual meet- These disruptions to the affairs of the ings and to develop autonomous SLA Association and its individual mem- programs. bers, like those to the nation itself, Whereas the combination of negative began slowly after April 1917, but in- factors had resulted in a passive organi- creased at a rapid pace within the next zation during 1918, by midyear 1919 the year. These effects were at their height positive factors were in the ascendency, in the nation and within the ~ssocia- enabling the organization to again be- tion in the first half of 1918. come dynamic and effective. Once victory in Europe was achieved in late 1918, the Association began its The War Syndrome revival. The war brought about funda- mental changes in the nature of U.S. in- The best indication of the impact dustry, business and government, all of of World War I on SLA can be found which began to grow and prosper at un- within the pages of Special Libraries (2). precedented rates. With these changes Even before the official entry of the also came new opportunities for special United States into the war, there are librarians and their Association. scattered references to resignations, transfers, and changes in jobs of SLA members and special librarians in gen- SLA Leadership eral. In the months following April 1917, these references appear more and The infusion of a new and dynamic more frequently. Eventually, the war leadership following the July 1918 an- would have a positive effect on libraries nual meeting proved to be the cru- and on special libraries in particular, cial factor in the revival of SLA. Dr. Charles C. Williamson had been elected he may have devoted less time and President of SLA sometime before Oc- interest to SLA than was needed during tober 1916 to succeed F. N. Morton, this crucial period. who resigned because of illness. (4). Williamson had been involved for Williamson had been a member of SLA some time with the Carnegie Corpora- for a number of years, and was in 1916 tion. In May 1918, shortly after his res- Vice President of SLA and President of ignation from his SLA post, he began an affiliate organization, the New York full-time work as a statistician for the Special Libraries Association. As mu- Corporation (9), and in October 1918, nicipal reference librarian of New York he also resumed his position as director City and as director of the Economics of the Economics Division of the New Division of New York Public Library, York Public Library (10). Questioned in he had considerable experience as a 1949 on what he considered the high- special librarian and appeared to be lights of his tenure as SLA President, well-qualified for his responsibilities as Williamson could not remember the SLA President (5). dates of the administration (1 1). Williamson's term (November 1916- Perhaps Williamson was distracted April 1918) was not a distinguished by personal affairs during this impor- one, however; in fact, little seems to tant time for the Association. Un- have been accomplished. His presi- fortunately the record makes plain that dential address of 1917 was an un- no other SLA officer picked up the inspired account of traditional activi- reins. The decline was evident during ties. Even these activities, as reported the 1918 annual meeting at Saratoga in Special Libraries and Library Journal, Springs (8, 12). appeared to have declined as did both membership and financial resources (6). In April 1918, Williamson resigned as President of SLA. The Executive Board did not replace him immediately and, as a consequence, the Association drifted without top leadership for several months (7). Shortly after July 1918, a special com- The exact reasons for Williamson's mittee of SLA elected Guy E. Marion as inability to provide aggressive leader- President. As one of the Association's ship are not known; nor is conjecture founding members, he had remained made easier for the historian by the ab- active in its affairs (13). After serving sence of official records for this period. first as business manager of Special Li- Apparently he tried, for, in his presi- braries (1909-1910), Marion was elected dential address he made a strong plea secretary-treasurer, a post he held until for certain improvements in the Asso- 1915 (14). ciation. Though these suggestions later Marion was a keen advocate of special proved to be of value, Williamson made libraries and an acknowledged practi- no apparent effort to implement them tioner of the concept. In his study of during his own term. He did make a early industrial libraries, Kruzas de- routine attempt to improve the financial scribes Marion's library at American status of the Association and to recruit Brass Company as one of the first infor- new members (8); however, little action mation centers in the United States (15). and no success resulted. As librarian of Arthur D. Little, Incor- It may have been that war conditions porated, in Boston, and later as a did not lend themselves to any great im- private special library consultant and provement in the status of library asso- organizer, Marion continued to build ciations. Perhaps Williamson did not and advance his ideas (13, 16). When have the cooperation of his fellow of- he assumed office as President of SLA at ficers and SLA members generally, or the age of 36, he spoke with the driving

special libraries enthusiasm of youth. In his first public Edith Phail of Waterbury, Connecticut, written notice to the membership after and J. H. Friedel of the National Indus- he became President, Marion sounded trial Conference Board. Friedel also the note of confidence and belief in the served as editor of Special Libraries special library idea that was to be char- beginning late in 1918 (18). acteristic of his administration and of These five were able to work together his life-a note that had been lacking in enthusiastically and effectively-a rare the immediate past. phenomenon. It was Marion, Williams, and Friedel, however, who were the In times of unending change such as we are witnessing today, this Association prime movers of change. Using his has boundless power for accomplishing knowledge of the Association's history things, such as it never possessed be- and its internal workings, Marion was fore. . . . New Special Libraries are able to organize his energies toward springing up everywhere. New opportu- correcting its weaknesses and building nities for service are being pre- its strengths. Williams managed to un- sented. . . . You must enlist the support, tangle the financial affairs and helped to active, not passive, of every Special Li- move the organization into a solid fiscal brarian with whom you come in contact position. Marion gave Williams the (17). credit in his presidential address of Because of his experience as an officer 1919, and the extant records reflect her during the earlikr administrations, careful management. Marion was able to pinpoint one of the No small part of the improved finan- major reasons for the decline of the cial position accrued from Friedel's change in policies regarding the distribution of free copies of Special Libraries Your new president is undoubtedly favored with the unusual background to a large mailing list. Friedel, who which comes from years of service as could probably be dubbed the first Secretary-Treasurer . . . but those were "militant" advocate for special librar- days of beginning and construction only. ies, was able to convince the member- The Association is now coming into its ship of the need for enthusiasm and own, and its fortunes can no longer be cooperation. Through editorials in Spe- guided by a select few. We have, without cial Libraries and articles and letters to warning (as it were), passed a time when the editor of Library Journal, he never let a small gathering around the dinner table the reader forget that special libraries could solve the problems of this organi- and SLA represented the wave of the zation. The Association from now for- ward must stand or fall upon the loyal future: support of its members everywhere (17). Librarianship is tending more and more Armed with this conviction, Marion toward the special library and the special pressed for an expansion of the Associa- library methods. . . . We are learning al- ready to think in terms of knowledge and tion's communications structure as a print, rather than in terms of book covers major goal of his administration. He be- and title pages. The future librarian will lieved that a channel from the member- be a specialist (19). ship at large to the Executive Board was essential for Board decisions to reflect Friedel was able in a unique way to accurately the desires of the members. make the pages of Special Libraries re- In the implementation of this goal, flect the trends of the new administra- Marion was extremely fortunate to have tion in every respect. Enthusiasm for several strong individuals as members special libraries was on virtually every of his Executive Board. As Vice- page. He made the drive for new President, Edward D. Redstone, Massa- members into a personal crusade. The chusetts State Librarian; as Secretary- change in subscription prices for the Treasurer, Caroline E. Williams of E. I. journal (an important factor in improv- Dupont de Nemours; as Board members ing finances) was capably explained. The need for serving a great variety of selves during 1912, and reports on their members was filled by developing an activities appear in Special Libraries dur- editorial board representative of va- ing the period 1913-1918. rious types of special libraries, and by Apparently, however, the plan to publishing bibliographic issues de- have the Board function as an advisory voted to their special interests. The bodv was not successful because it be- deepening conflict with the American came necessary to revive it in 1919. Library Association was openly aired to How successful Marion was in doing the members, and a vision for the future this is difficult to determine because of of the Association was established. the sketchy nature of the Executive Thus, in the space of less than a year Board records of the time. Based on a new and successful leadership took these records and the published reports over the SLA helm. It designed a in Special Libraries, it appears that the new communication role for members, National Advisory Board did report revived flagging interest, and pro- to and advise the Executive Board but vided direction for the future. Guy that its influence was not particularly Marion's ability to weld such a team at strong. And, for at least a few years, its this particular time was probably his influence would not be as strong as the major service to the cause of special soon-to-be-formed subject-division librarianship. based Advisory Board. Nevertheless, the idea of geographically based groups of special librarians having an influence The Advisory Council on national association affairs was a firmly established one that would con- In his first letter to the Association tinue to endure and make SLA a dis- membership, Marion had pointed out tinctive organization. that the time was past when a few In vartial imvlementation of his ob- members sitting around a dinner table jective to improve the Association's could decide the affairs of the Associa- management, Marion appointed Friedel tion. At the first Executive Board meet- on May 21, 1919, to "suggest a plan for ing at which he presided as President, the better management of the affairs he placed the matter of Board- of the Association. . . ." Friedel was membership communications on the commissioned to report to the next an- agenda (20). Following the discussion, nual meeting "to call upon the other Marion was empowered to "revivify the members of the Executive Board for National Advisory Board" (21 ). such advice and information as was The National Advisory Board had necessary (23)." Friedel agreed with been created in early 1912 and consisted Marion that improved management de- of the "district heads" of the 14 "re- pended on improved communication. sponsibility districts" into which the In his report during the June 1919 Exec- entire United States had been divided. utive Board meeting, Friedel expressed The districts, much like current-day the philosophy of the Executive Board chapters, were to be the local represen- as follows: tation of SLA in all its various aspects. The district heads were to organize . . . that the Association's work might be existing special librarians in their areas, improved if the various elements in aid and promote the establishment of the Association were given . . . some method of expressing their opinion on new special libraries and, in general, various questions or policies involved in serve as advocates for the concept of the Association. . ." (23, p. 29). special libraries and SLA. The district heads, initially appointed by the Execu- Friedel recommended a structure that tive Board, were to be elected once the would allow members from similar li- districts were sufficiently organized braries to function in groups. Each (22). These groups did organize them- group would be represented by two

special libraries large to take immediate action to implement an important decision, such as that of the formation of interest groups and the election of representatives. The 75 members present recessed into seven groups: commercial libraries, financial libraries, insurance libraries, legisla- tivelreference libraries, technical and engineering libraries, industrial libraries, and welfare libraries. Each group elected two of its members to represent it on the newly authorized Advisory Council. In ten minutes time the job members of its own choosing on an was done: SLA had subject interest "advisory or conference committee to groups and an Advisory Council (24). advise your Executive Board and your The groundwork was well-laid. offices of your ideas, of your wishes, so Within the next two or three adminis- that each section will be able to express trations the Advisory Council was itself best and evervone will feel the functioning as a dynamic and valuable Association is tryinito cover the broad part of the Association. In one master field which has been growing during stroke the decision-making appara- the whole ten years" (23, p. 29). tus had been broadened, members It should benoted that in this broad- had achieved a greater degree of self- sweeping plan, Friedel proposed not government, and a springlet of fresh only an advisory council but, through ideas flowed directly from all parts of the formation of interest groups, the the special library world. The Marion divisions themselves. In a single rec- administration could close on a note of ommendation, Friedel devised the assurance. structure which has, with increasing formality and complexity, characterized Renewal of Interest Special Libraries Association for six decades. Two of the most serious problems fac- When Friedel's plan was put to a mo- ing Guy Marion as incoming president tion before the Association, it generated of.SLA in 1918 were the sharp decline considerable discussion. The idea of in membership in the Association and representing the various interests in a resulting decline in financial re- SLA in the forum of an advisory council sources. Both membership and fi- passed easily; the matter of how these nances had been on the decline since representatives should be chosen and 1915, Marion's last year as Secretary- whom they should represent took a Treasurer (25). longer time and required more discus- In 1915 SLA had 354 members and sion. Some members thought the repre- collected, from all revenue sources, sentatives should be chosen at large and $839.56; at year's end, with all expenses should represent a specified number of paid, there was a balance of $23.79 members without regard for common (26, 27). In 1916 membership had de- interest other than that of the total clined to 300, money collected to Association. After lengthy debate, $640.50, and the year end balance again however, this method of representation was reported to be $23.79 (28). Figures was rejected. The way was opened for for 1917 differ in various sources, but in the adoption of Friedel's original plan December of that year Williamson, in a for representation by interest groups. special plea to members to pay dues, Though the membership was too noted that "fifty or sixty" members had large to decide Association matters been lost and that a deficit of $40.47 around the dinner table, it was not too existed on the official books (8, p. 170- 171). By June, 1918, membership had journal into a stimulating medium for declined even further, and the Secre- exchange of information about special tary-Treasurer reported a balance of librarianship took shape. only $10.00 (29). The third prong of the Board's plan The need for emergency measures was the specific recruitment of new was clear. At his first Executive Board members. This responsibility was as- meeting, Marion asked for ideas and signed to a committee with R. H. cooperation. The Board responded with Redstone, SLA Vice-president, as chair- a three-part plan to be implemented in man (23, p. 30). The exact methods of a crash period of three months. the campaign are not known, but the The keynote of this plan was public- success of the total effort is clear. By the ity. In the first phase of its plan the time of the June 1919 annual meeting Board reactivated an idea that had membership had climbed over the 400 proved useful in the early days of the mark. Money collected had risen to Association; it initiated a survey of spe- $1273.60, and the year ended with all cial libraries, emphasizing statistical expenses paid and a balance of $759.12 data on the libraries with which (30). members were affiliated but including, Perhaps the most dramatic evidence as well, all special libraries about which of renewed interest is shown in the at- data could be provided. Tear-out ques- tendance figures for the 1918 and 1919 tionnaire forms were included in Special meetings. In 1918 the average attend- Libraries with the idea that they could ance at sessions of the annual meeting and would be duplicated and distrib- had been under 40; in 1919 several ses- uted to any special library a reader sions ran over 250 (31 ). might know about. Since the survey The growing distribution list of Spe- was designed as a continuing one, it cial Libraries also played its part. Thanks was publicized over a period of time, in to new policies of exchanges and gifts, order to increase the awareness of as well as the increase in membership, members, subscribers and readers alike the Special Libraries distribution list in- to the growing number of special librar- creased from 325 in late 1918 to 430 by ies recorded. June, 1919 (32). Though some of these The Board made extensive plans to changes appear modest in actual num- have an exhibit on special libraries bers, they were important percentage shown at the imminent joint meeting gains, and their combined psycholog- of SLA and American Library Associa- ical value is incalculable. Once again, tion. Supplies of membership applica- SLA was on an upward swing, one that tions were ordered for use at the exhibit would increase steadily as time passed. booth to sign up members without delay, and extra copies of Special Librar- ALA vs. SLA ies were printed for free distribution (23, p. 30). Some months earlier, The founding of Special Libraries Friedel, as editor of Special Libraries, Association in 1909 did not create much had appointed a group of contributing of a disturbance among the member- editors, each representing a variety of ship of ALA or its leadership. From the special libraries which he wished to beginning, John Cotton Dana had emphasize in the journal. During 1918, urged the ALA Executive Board ". . . to monthly issues of the journal focused interest itself in the growth of special attention on descriptions of collections, libraries, and to take over, as a part of facilities and services of each variety the ALA, the new movement. . . ," of library in turn. Numerous subject but his advice was ". . . definitely bibliographies were published. To the ignored. . ." (33). Exactly why this atti- earlier enthusiasm evidenced in Special tude existed and continued for the next Libraries was now added considerable few years can only be a matter of specu- substance as Friedel's effort to mold the lation. In a letter to the Editor of Library

special libraries Journal in 1919, Dana stated that it was ". . . assist and advise . . . with refer- because of ". . . the very clumsy form of ence to the choice of books on technical the ALA organization" (33). and specialized subjects and class Whatever the reasons for the continu- periodicals to be installed in canton- ance of this attitude, it became an in- ments and in camp libraries;" and creasingly sore point to SLA members, 3) ". . . prepare a descriptive pam- many of whom were also members of phlet . . . calling attention . . . to the ALA. The feeling of disenfranchise- proposed distribution of books on tech- ment reached its height during the war nical and specialized subjects. . ." (36). years. At the June 1917 convention, ALA, however, chose to ignore SLA's ALA had formed a War Service Com- attempt at cooperation. R. H. Johnston mittee and charged it with the responsi- reported at the July 4, 1918, meeting of bility of aiding in the war effort in any the SLA Executive Board ". . . that var- way it could. The Committee immedi- ious attempts had been made to coop- ately established official relations with erate with the ALA but without success the War Department and set up head- as the ALA had taken the view that the quarters at the Library of Congress. Its war library service undertaken by that work for the remainder of the war was association was a general and not a remarkable: it collected and distributed special library problem" (37). to soldiers in the United States and This attitude of deliberate neglect was overseas several million volumes of evidenced by ALA's publication of an books and magazines; well over a mil- "Historical Sketch of the Library War lion dollars was raised by ALA alone to Service" in which no mention was finance its operations (over 700 people made of SLA or of its attempt to coop- were employed in the effort at one erate (34). Throughout the war ALA point); and it built libraries and library continued to ignore SLA even though buildings in hospitals, camps, prisons, page after page of the 1917-18 issues of and ships (34, 35). Special Libraries urged members to

Throughout the war ALA continued to ignore SLA even though page after page of the 1917-18 issues of Special Libraries urged members to cooperate in any way possible with the war effort, and SLA was, at one time, officially a part of the ALA War Service Committee.

SLA attempted to join in the effort cooperate in any way possible with the but was soundly rebuffed by ALA. In war effort, and SLA was, at one time, August 1917, only two months after officially a part of the ALA War Service ALA had formed its Committee, SLA Committee. appointed a committee on war service The war experience left many special to work with the ALA committee. The librarians with a bitter feeling toward SLA committee outlined the purpose ALA. There was talk, at the 1918 meet- and plan of its work to ". . . ing, of having SLA hold its annual con- cooperate closely with the American Li- ference at a time and place separate brary Association committee, prefer- from ALA's, but nothing came of the ably working as a sub-committee . . ." proposal. In his presidential address by the following means: 1) "Reach Marion urged that "all library systems" special classes out of the scope of (38) work in harmony, and editorials in the general [ALA] committee;" 2) Special Libraries and Library Journal urged the same viewpoint, commend- By 1919, however, the situation had ing his attitude to all librarians (39). reversed. Imagination, enthusiasm and kt the 1919 conference there were positive leadership gave the Associa- lengthy and spirited debates on the tion new life and a vision for the future. breakdown of relationships between During his tenure as president, the two organizations. A strongly Marion directed and witnessed new worded resolution, criticizing ALA's at- beginnings: membership was in- titude towards special librarians, was creased; finances were stabilized; Spe- drafted to send to the ALA Council. cial Libraries was revived; a definition of Even though the final resolution was "special library" was formulated; the narrowly defeated, a committee was ap- Advisory Council was formed; a survey pointed to study the matter of official of special libraries was started; and a relations with ALA (40). public relations campaign promoting Fortunately, a total break with ALA the concept of special library was ini- did not occur at this time. The SLA tiated. Executive Board decided to hold its 1920 annual meeting at a time and place different from ALA's. This decision was Persons of action and vision made for the convenience of SLA are rare. Guy E. Marion was members and was not the result of bit- terness. The ALA meeting was to be such a person as were his fel- held in Colorado Springs, and the SLA low workers on the Executive Executive Board felt that more special Board of 1918-1919. librarians would attend a meeting on the East Coast (41). Consequently, SLA scheduled its meeting in New York, thus beginning the trend to hold sep- Marion also recommended the estab- arate meetings. lishment of certain internal organiza- Troubles between the two organi- tional improvements which, when im- zations, however, would continue to plemented in the future, would prove to divide their efforts to provide the best be of great benefit to the Association. library service to American society. As He strongly urged the employment of a Thomison put it so well in describing permanent secretary; he advocated a relationships between the two organi- paid editor; he advised the separation zations during the period 1918-1922, of the office of secretary-treasurer; and ". . . it was thus becoming clear that an he urged that research be done on the accumulation of affronts, neglect, care- :nature of the special library field (43). lessness, and selfishness was straining the once friendly relationship between Persons of action and vision are rare. the two sister organizations" (42). Guy E. Marion was such a person, as were his fellow workers on the Execu- tive Board of 1918-1919. There have Summary been, undoubtedly, others of equal, perhaps greater, stature in the years Guy Marion stated in his presidential since 1909. Unfortunately, we know lit- address to the Association on June 24, tle of these people and the work they 1919: "A few years ago we, too, stood 'at did in the critical or the benign years of the crossroads.' The affairs of this asso- our Association's history. Their stories, ciation were at a critical position" (38). though buried in dusty-documents and It was true: the Association, perhaps hazy memories, deserve the telling. even the concept of special libraries, Without such backward glances our was dormant. The times and the lack of past is uninterpreted, our continuity in- imagination, enthusiasm, and leader- complete, our perspective on our future ship made it so. diminished.

special libraries Literature Cited 15. Kruzas, Anthony /Business and lndustrial Libraries in the United States, 1820-1940. New York, SLA, 1965, p. 75. 1. Minute Book No. 1, Special Libraries 16. Marion, Guy E. I "The Founding Fathers Association Archives. Recalled." Special Libraries 55 (no. 6): 2. Special Libraries 9-10 (1917-1918). 353-355 (Jul-Aug 1964). 3. Dubofsky, Melvyn, et al.lThe United 17. Marion, Guy1"To Our Membership." States in the Twentieth Century, Engle- Special Libraries 9 (no. 7-8):176 (SepOct wood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1978, 1918). pp. 142-156; Kennedy, David M. lover 18. library Journal 43 (no. 12):989 (Dec Here: The First World War and American 1918). Society. New York, Oxford University 19. Friedel, J. H.IUWe, Our Association, Press, 1980. 404p. the Future." Special Libraries 10 (no. 1- 4. "News and Notes." Special Libraries 2):1517 (Jan-Feb 1919). 7 (no. 8):145 (Oct 1916); Library Journal 20. Calendar for Executive Board Meeting, 41(no. 12):892 (Dec. 1916). SLA, Nov 16, 1918. Minute Book No. 4, 5. Vann, Sarah K. /The Williamson Report: p. 9, SLA Archives. A Study, Metuchen, N.J., Scarecrow 21. Minutes of Executive Board Meeting, Press, 1971, pp. 52-55; Winckler, Paul SLA, Nov 26, 1918. Minute Book No. 4, A. I "Charles C. Williamson: His Profes- SLA Archives, p. 7. sional Life and Work in Librarianship 22. Statement by Handy, D. N. and Guy E. and Library Education in the United Marion I "Responsibility Districts." Spe- States," Ph.D. thesis, New York Uni- cial Libraries 3 (no. 10):194-196 (Dec versity, 1968. 1912). 6. Williamson, C. C. I "Presidential 23. Minutes of the Executive Board Meet- Address . . . 1917." Special Libraries 8 ing, SLA, May 21, 1919. Minute Book (no. 7):100-103 (Sep 1917).Although the No. 4, SLA Archives, p. 16. Minute Books of the Secretary-Treasurer 24. Minutes of the Extra Business Session, for the years 1917 and 1918 have disap- June 26, 1919. Minute Book No. 4, peared, deductions can be made by pp. 61-64, SLA Archives. comparing figures for 1916 and 1919 and 25. Information relating to membership and by careful reading of Special Libraries finances has been gathered from a and Library Journal for this period. number of soyces, some exact and 7. Special Libraries 9 (no. 5):119 (May 1918). some approximate. Different accounting The Executive Board did not arrange methods used by different incumbents for the election of a successor until July in office have made it difficult to 1918. Library Journal 43 (no. 8):621 (Aug compare annual figures with accuracy. 1918). Also, as noted earlier, some official rec- 8. Williamson, C. C. I "Important Notice to ords from these years are missing and Members and Subscribers." Special Li- secondary sources are not in precise braries 8 (no. 10):169 (Dec 1917). agreement. 9. Library Journal 43 (no. 11):843 (Nov 26. "Special Libraries Association." Library 1918). Journal 41 (no. 6):449 (Jun 1916). 10. Vann, Sarah K. /The Williamson Report: 27. Minutes of the Executive Board Meet- A Study. Metuchen, N.J., Scarecrow ing, SLA, Sep 29, 1915. Press, 1971, p. 55. 28. Minutes of the Executive Board Meet- 11. "A Further Remembrance of Things ing, SLA, Jun 26, 1916. Minute Book Past. . . ."Special Libraries 60 (no. 8):537 No. 3, p. 95, SLA Archives. (Oct 1969). 29. Special Libraries 9 (no. 6):143 (Jun 1918); 12. "Special Libraries Association." Libra ry Special Libraries 10 (no. 6):152 (Sep Journal 43 (no. 8):621-622 (Aug 1918); 1919). Special Libraries v. 9 (no. 6):143 (Jun 30. Special Libraries 10 (no. 6):155 (Sept. 1918); v. 10 (no. 6):152 (Sep 1919). 1919); Minutes of the Executive Board 13. Williams, Robert V. /Unpublished oral Meeting, SLA, June 23, 1919. Minute history interview with G. E. Marion, Book No. 4, p. 2, SLA Archives. 1966. Available: SLA Archives, pp. 20- 31. "Special Libraries Association," Library q" LL. Journal 43 (no. 8):621-622 (Aug 1919); 14. Library Journal 41 (no. 6):449 (Jun 1916); "Special Libraries Association," Library v. 40 (no. 11):810 (Nov 1915). Journal 44 (no. 8):550-551 (Aug 1919). 32. Special Libraries 10 (no. 6):155 (Sep 1919). 39. See various editorials in Library Journal 33. Dana, John C./Letter to the Editor in 44 (no. 5):487-488 (Aug 1919); 45 (no. 7): "The Open Round Table." Library 319 (Apr 1920). Also editorials in Special Journal 44 (no. 7):481 (Jul 1919). Libraries 10 (no. 1-2):15-16 (Jan-Feb 34. Shearer, A. H. "Historical Sketch of the 1919); 10 (no. 9):253-254 (Dec 1919). Library War Service." ALA Bulletin 13 40. Minutes of the Executive Board Meet- (no. 3):224-235 (1919). ing, SLA, June 25, 1919. Minute Book 35. Thomison, DennislA History of the No. 4, pp. 1-19, SLA Archives. American Library Association, 18761972, 41. "The Annual Meeting of 1920" Chicago, ALA, pp. 64-70. (editorial). Special Libraries 10 (no. 8):223 36. "Special Libraries Association Plans for (Nov 1919). War Service." Library Journal 42 (no. 10): 42. Thomison, Dennis /A History of the 773-774 (Oct 1917). American Library Association, 2876-1972. 37. Minutes of the Executive Board Meet- Chicago, ALA, 1978. p. 67. ing, SLA, July 4, 1918. Minute Book 43. "Special Libraries Association-Tenth No. 4, pp. 1-2, SLA Archives. Annual Convention," Special Libraries 38. Marion, Guy E. "Interpreting the 10 (no. 6):152-159 (Sept. 1919). Library Movement," Libra ry Journal 44 (no. 8):49&497 (Aug. 1919). Also pub- Received for review Jan 7, 1983. Manu- lished in Special Libraries 10 (no. 6): script accepted for publication Feb 18, 15P157 (Sept. 1919). 1983.

Robert V. Williams is assistant professor and Martha Jane Zachert is professor, College of Library and In- formation Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.

special libraries