San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Special Libraries, 1925 Special Libraries, 1920s 10-1-1925 Special Libraries, October 1925 Special Libraries Association Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925 Part of the Cataloging and Metadata Commons, Collection Development and Management Commons, Information Literacy Commons, and the Scholarly Communication Commons Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, October 1925" (1925). Special Libraries, 1925. 8. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925/8 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Libraries, 1920s at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Special Libraries, 1925 by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Special Libraries Vol. 16 October, 1925 No. 8 Address of Welcome By Charles F. D. Belden, Director, Boston Public Library OUR years ago this morning it was analyses, arranges, and keeps this se- F my privilege to address a joint session lected knowledge only as long as it is of of the American Library Association and value. It is a business method-for the the Special Libraries Association on needs of the busy executive. "Co-operation Between the Public and 1 would suggest a distinction between Special Libraries." At that time there special collections-books and materials was still doubt in the minds of many as on certain subjects which may or may to whether the two instttutions were not not form a part of the material to be trying to parallel one another. There found in a public library, or in a library was said to be grounds for ill-mill and devoted to a particular subject-and the jealousies on the part of certain elder rather more specialized collections which librarians, because the younger brother- serve a business, a profession, a manu- hood encouraged new ways and methods. facturer or a corporation, functioning in I tried to defipe the several functions of the civilization of a most complex age. the special and the public library and in- Your ways are clear and direct; your dicated where, in certain fundamental field is your own. I only bespeak on purposes they differed and emphasized your pari a larger co-operation with the the distinct objectives of each. Happily, public library; use what it can offer; today a better understanding exists. It avoid when possible duplication of ma- is universally admitted that the special terial and effort ; co-ordinate your activi- library has its definite place in the dif- ties with those of the public library. I fusion of Icnowledge-a place it is filling believe you have fcund the librarians of with increasing distinction. public libraries willing helpmates. Cer- The growth of the special library, as tainly, we look more and more to you as Mr. Dana has stated, is the outstanding specialists, as what our good friend Lee feature of library history in the past fif- might call "sponsors for specialized teen years. It is a record of which YOU knowledge." should justly be proud, and yet, I be- In conclusion may I ask your aid in lieve that you are only on the threshold meeting and solving the problem of adult of larger opportunities of service. YOU education through the library. Here, are the seekers out and the custodians somewhat beyond your specific duties, of what has been called "fact informa- lies a great opportunity for service to tion." Your chief duty is to cull out the employees of your organization. and make instantly available, largely Bring to them, with the aid of the public from periodicals, pamphlets and reports library, supplemented with what you -from what public librarians class as have to offer, increased knowledge, in- ephemeral material, the facts needed by spiration, vision. the organizations for which th'e special It has been a privilege to greet you, libraries were created. Of course, books to have had this opportunity to express too, of a specialized class, are equally my faith in your growing organization, your tools. All this is supplemented- and to wish you God-speed and success and this is of prime importance-by ex- in your unfolding years. pert service, service that examines, 254 SPECIAL LIZ RARIES October, 1915 Response By Miss Rebecca B. Rankin, Librarian, Municipal Reference Library, New York City ISS RANKIN in responding to the fact of the nomination of Mr. Relden to M address of welcome spoke substan- the presidency of American Library As- tially as follows : sociation augurs particularly well for the Particularly does it please me that Special Libraries Association and Ameri- Mr. Belden brings us this greeting of can Libraries Association for 1926. welcome. Personally my first acquain- There is no one who has a greater un- tance with Mr. Belden came in the lec- derstanding of the library and the libra- ture room at Si~nmons College some rian than has Mr. Belden for many years ago. He is responsible for my in- years. It will mean that not only will terest in documentary work since he was the spirit of co-operation and co-ordina- the one to introduce me to documents tion which has been growing steadily for and I have continued along this line. Not sixteen years increase, hut I am sure the only has the admiration which I have coming year will have an unusual im- for Mr. Belden, increased from year to petus. year, and I speak of it in this personal I, therefore, wish to thank Mr. Belden way because I feel it is reflected in the on behalf of all the members. It pleases feelings of all the special librarians. us that they have chosen to bring us to At this time I am sure that we all are this beautiful spot which we New most happy to lcnow that Mr. Belden has Yorlcers feel is the most delightful place, been chosen as the nominee for the presi- and it also pleases me to meet with the dency of American Library Association New England librarians. for the coming year. I am sure that this Announcement This number contains the proceedings The material is arranged as follows: of the conference insofar as the mate- 1) Addresses at the general sessions; rial is available. Addresses by Robert 2) Group Meetings; 3) Business Ses- L. O'Rrien and Thomas Coulson were sion ; 4) Reports of Officers and Commit- extemporaieous and were summarized tees with the exception of the president's in the July issue. address which was printed in the July The address by H. Nathaniel Dowse issue; 5) Summarized reports from the "Revolution Through Research in Busi- local chapters. ness," will appear in the November issue. In addition a certain amount of Asso- Some of the talks before the various ciation news is included in the issue, but groups were informal or introductory to a large proportion of this copy will be visual presentation and therefore have' printed in the November number. not been included. Special Libraries Editorial office, State Library, Providence, R. I. Publishing office, 958 University Ave.. New York City. Treasurer's office, 195 Broadwry, New York City. All payments should be made to Mhr Gertrude D. Peterkin, Trearurcr, October, 1ga5 SPECIAL LIBRARIES 2 55 Relation of Information and Research to Industrial, Commercial and Agricultural Development By Sidney B. Haskell, Director, Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station HE best picture of agricultural de- for export to balance our own imports T velopn~ent made possible, first by of agricultural products. Twenty years the discovery of new facts, and secondly later, with about the same balance of by the recording of these facts in such trade in food and fiber, the total percen- ways as to make them usable, is por- tage of our workers so engaged was only trayed by comparisons of numbers of 26. Ilad the production standards of people required at different stages in 1900 prevailed in 1920, four million more history to produce a sufficiency of food men and women WOLI~~have been re- and fiber. qnired in the farming industries than There was a time in the early days were actually so engaged. Nowhere of the colony when nearly everyone of does history show any more rapid change. necessity had to engage in some form of The end is not yet. agricultural endeavor. The minister was an exception, so also was the soldier and Agencies for Acquiring Inf or~nationnnd later on the teacher. In their odd mo- Determining New Facfs ments, however, all three had to farm in Perhaps the greatest agency for de- order to eke out their scanty salary termining fact as applied to agriculture recompense. In those early days, of is the experience gained by hard en- course, the productive ,efficiency of the deavor., Slowly, painfully, is this experi- individual engaged in farming was rela- ence passed on from neighbor to neigh- tively small. Few men, very few in fact, bor and from father to son Seldom is could be spared for education, for medi- it recorded in an effective way. Perhaps cine, for engineering, for manufacture- for this reason special libraries along for any of these things which minister agricultural lines are comparatively re- so greatly to human comfort. cent in their organization. They had to Compare the living conditions in the be, for much of the fact on which prog- early colony days with those which we ress was made savored of tradition and have at the present. Through the in- was not made a matter of written record. creasing efficiency on the farm, men and Of official agencies which aim to do women have been released to do many of for agriculture what it cannot economi- those things which make life more worth cally do for itself, there are manv.