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Special Libraries, 1924 Special Libraries, 1920s
1-1-1924
Special Libraries, January 1924
Special Libraries Association
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Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, January 1924" (1924). Special Libraries, 1924. 1. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1924/1
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, 1924 by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vol. 15 January, 1924 No. 1 b
?yewspaper Libraries Their History, Function and Methods: a Symposium by Librarians in Various Parts of the Country.
Published Monthly Except July and August by THE SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION 958-972 University Ave.. New York, N. Y. Checks should be made out to the Association and malled to Laura R. Gibbs, Secretary-Treasurer, 142 Berkeley Street, Boston 17, Mass,
Rates: 84.00 a year, Fonlgn 14.50, dnglc copicm 30 cents SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY OFFICERS pRESI~~N~-EdwardH. IIedstone, State Librarian, State Housc, Boston, Mass. IST \~~~E-I'AESI~~~.:NT-D~~S~~\\'. Ilyde, Jr, Cliarnbcr of Conlmercc of thc U. S, A., Washington, D.C. PND VICE-PR&SIDE~'~-I~LI~~G. Nicllols, Libn., Fedcral Rcscrve Bank, Chicago, Ill. s~~~~~~,I~{Y-TI
Entered as second class matter December 17. 1923 at the Post Office, New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3,1879 Acceptance for 111ai11ng at sprc~nlrate of postage provrdcd for in sectlon 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized December 17. 1023. Special Libraries
Vol. 15 January, 1924 No. 1 Index Department of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle By Mrs. D. A. Hartman, Szpe?*irztendent The "hlorgue" of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle subdivisio~issimplily the work and n~altethe is one of the liveliest departments of that information casily available. paper. It contains one million fivc hundred The Eaglc Index is primarily for thc LISC thousand clippings, seve~i hundred and filly of thc news and cditorinl forccs of thc paper thousand photogmphs and eighty-fivc thousa~~d and its 11sc IJ~these dcl)art~ncntskccps a staff cuts, which are in constant use. of six clcrlts !JLISY eight ~I~LII-sa day. OCCR- The lilcs of clippings contain all nens itcms sionally, ho\\~~er,the courtesies ol thc dcparl- wliich ha\^ appeared ill the Eaglc for the rnc~itarc cxtc~~cleclto outsiders with tllc propcr past twenty years, as well as Iit1nicroLis mticlcs crctlcntials. from other newspapcrs, and I)iographical niate- Thc picture section includcs photos o[ all rial gathered from all sources. L\'hcnevcr an prominent nic~l;und \vomcn, polilicia~is,;u1111ors, art~cleis to be written for 11112 paper, the clip- artists, local cclcbritics and lorcign ~~trlalrlcs, pings alc consulted, so that the story when and ia~iiousbnilcli~~gs i111d sccncs flwm ;\I1 ovcr it appears may be complctc in every detail thc wo~lcl. Thi:, section has incrc:~scd anlaz- Il~~~~clrctlsof Iriogmphics of prominent men ingly ill recent months si~icctl~c ncwsjmpcrs havc becn written and filcd for futnrc usc. arc tlcvoting so much molc spncc lo piclurcs. Many ol tlicsc are ;~lreadyin type In the com- The cuts or plates arc of all sizes ma& of posmg room for instalit usc in cnsc ol a sutl- typc ~iictnlrcatly Ior lrloclci~ig ~IItypc 111ph den death. bascs lor ilnmodiatc use ill the milkc-up of the The Eagle was a pioncer in this important papcr. For i11st;uicc L11crc arc pc~l~aps111irty work ol indexing, and the Eaglc lforgue is cuts 01 Prcsirlcnt Coolidge, from onc-half considered one of the most cornplctc and best colr~nlnto four cc~luni~isin size, which can 11c arrangcd in the country. Many newspapers in thc fornu in fivc rnin~ltes'titnc, all over the United States have ;~tloptcd the D~iringthc \\!orlcl \Var his dcpa1t1ncnt ol Eaglc system which is simplc, logical and tl~cE:~glc lccpt n sepalate military ciwrl indcx rccord of thc cme 11~11iclrctltl~cr~~s:mtl mcn ill effective. The ~tc~nsin the piipcr arc class~fietl scrvicc from Brooklyn nnd Long Isl:~ncl, and under their proper I~cadinps, cut out and this has provctl (,I grwt valuc, particularly to placed in thin envelopes on which the head- patriotic socictics :mrl lor memorials. Ings have becn typewritten wit11 the datc, Numerous hooks, Liographical c~~cyclcipcdias, page and column of the paper. These envcl- American nnd iorcinn Wlio's M'ho, ~nedical opes arc then filed in one alphabet for both clirectorics, club gear boolts, and almanacs sup- miscellaneous and pcrsonal itcms. Numerous plenicnt the wealth ol informatio~~in thc in- guide cards, tn~nutcclassification and many dcx files. Reference Department, Service Is Public By Joseph F. Kwapil, LiBmrian, Philadelphia Public Ledger The newspaper office, in its daily mall, re- pamphlets, government rcports, clocun~cn~s, ceives a large amount of material. There is catalog~~esand books-all of which passes a constant influx of newspapers from all parts through val-lous clepar~ments, and cvc~itaalfy of the world, periodicals of every description, land it1 the Reference Department for final 1994 4 SPECIAL LIBRARIES January, disposal by the librariatl in charge. The ma- source. The public at large knows this, and terial saved, covering the complete range of when seeking facts, calls on the newspaper to human endeavor, is carefully preserved and supply its wants. Hence, the newspaper best catalogued for fut~trereference. equipped for such service, adds to its prestige The librarian 1s constantly on the lookout in its particular community, and soon acquires for new sources of reference. That ready that invaluable asset-good-will. service may be given, he has on file the latest About ten years ago the Public Ledger Ref- college catalogues, telephone directories of erence Department was completely reorgan- large cities, reports, and directories covering ized with this purpose in view. Mr. John C. almost every industry, year books and al- Martin, business manager of the Public Led- manacs, besides the many "Who's Who." Dic- ger, thought that such a department covld tionaries of almost every language and books and should advantageously serve the public at on poetry, classics, biography, finance, law and large, as well as the newspaper itsclf. Con- art, run into the thousands. The library aver- sequently most comprehensive plans, unlimited ages from fifteen to twenty thousand volumes. as to expenditure for material and equipment, The modern newspaper librarian, in order to were laid, the one thought being "servicc to give accurate, up-to-the-minute information on the public and the newspaper itself." government, local, state or national affairs, Although the fact that this service was free must have such material always available. A to the public was never extensively advertised, complete file of municipal reports, messages the work has grown far beyond that of a de- of the mayors, texts of bills pending and partment of a newspaper, and letters asking passed in council or state legislature, as well information are received from all parts of the as Congress, are kept. He is on the mailing United States, as well as from abroad. list for all goverllment documents and reports. Locally, we supply information for rail- Thc Congressional Index is subscribed to, and roads, street railways, gas and electric com- cards on matters congressional are received panics, insurance companies, municipal bu- daily, so that definite and accurate information reaus, chambers of commerce, real estate, almost up to the hour is always available. board, investigating and detective agcncics, de- The newspaper librarian keeps a complete partment stores, business nlen's associations, index of the day's news. He clips from news- manufacturers, bonding companies and banks. papers from all parts of the country, pre- And we handle daily hundreds of phone calls. serving all data on history-making events. We do not, however, encourage school ques- Thousands of cl~ppings are filed and cross tions, nor supply debating and thesis matcrial reicrenced each week, available on a moment's for students, endeavoring only to answer all notice. There is also a constant flow of photo- bonafidc queries of the average person or graphic matcrial from all pal ts of the world, concern. Sporting results are never given into the library. Many reference depart- over the phone. ments have filed more than a million photo- This department has given service for ten graphs, and arc prepared for almost any years and the demands have grown yearly, so emergency. that at present about 40 per cent of its activity The modern newspaper is a scmi-pr~blic is for the public. It has filled a big want, servant, and its library contains reference ma- and its advcrtising value alone is inestimable terial which cannot be procured from ally other to the newspaper. Newspaper Library Material Is Private By William Alcott, Li6rarian, Boston Globe At thc conference of newspapcr ltbrarians the exclusivc use of the newspaper collecting held last May In connection with the annual it. In other words, the newspaper library, convention of the Special Libraries Associa- rather than the editorial office, is the jour- tion, at Atlantic City, the chief characteristic nalistic sanctum sanctorum, and the most con- of the newspapcr library came into promi- spicuous thing about it is its exclusiveness. nence. It is that the collection of tnaterial A social visit to a newspaper library may be in a newspaper library is private, and is for a welcome thing, but nothmg would be more Januaty, 1924 SPECIAL LIBRARIES 5 unprofessional and unethical than for a news- BeEore that time a small collection of refer- paper man to call upon a rival newspaper, in ence books had been kcpt in the room of the time of disaster, for the purpose of consult- editorial writers, and a iormer city editor, ing matters pertaining to thc disaster, or to with a bent for Shcrlock Holmes's features, had inspect or obtain library material. The news- made a collection of clippings, devoted largely paper library is the newspaper's main line of to criminal mysteries, which were turncd ovcr defence. It is there that most efforts for as the riucleus for a newspaper library. preparedness of editorial material are made. Clippings wcre originally filed in heavy The material cannot be given away, or loaned, nlanila envelopes, 4x9 inches in sizc, and or ~nspccted. It is a case of the parable of placed in open document cases on wooden the ten virgins and the oil. shclves. In the course of the next generation Five groups of things are tiled in news- a tremendous amount of material was col- paper libraries, beside the bound volumcs of lected with corresponding value. But with
Library Material Wanted by MANAGING EDITOR Please Write Name and Check the Item Desired
Subjcct ...... U Folder 2 Boolc ...... Col. Cut 5 Photo Catalog 0Proof. . I-Cot. Cut @ Obituary C] Report 0Proof. .a-Col. Cut All hJateria1 0Ncmspaper File Photo Print r,Atlas D ...... n- Thin Stereo
Do Not Write Deloa This Line Date Date
the newspapcr itself: I. Reference books and the passing ye;irs t11c envelopes and the clip- allases ; 2. newspaper clippings ; 3. photo- pings bcca~ncbrittle and dusty. Namcs 011 graphs; 4, cuts; 5. i~egativcs.Little uniformity cnvclopcs, at the upper ctlpc, broke off or be- prcvails in this respect, however. Solne li- carnc illegible. braries contain only two of the groups, and Flftce.11 months ago a reorganization was be- few contain all. The Dosto:~ Globe Library gun ~111dcrtl~c dilcction of Willard L. DcLuc, has thc first four groups. The librar). occu- new fcaturcs werc inlroduced, sled cabinets pies fivc roon~sand employs a staff of ten. It with drawers that were pract~cnllydust-p~oof, contains about thirty-five hundred volumes and a folder mol-c convenie~ltand morc cconotnical two tl~o~~sanclpamphlcts, About one h~mdrecl of space. The folder adopted is 5 x8 inches, and fifty thousand folders, containing some open at the top and right side. five hundred thousand clippings, are in the In the Globe library clippings are filed in biographic inrlex. The subject iridcx has about two divisions-biographic and subject. Bio- fifty thousarld folders with some one hundred graphic matter is iiled alphabetically. Subject and seventy-five thousand clippings. Photo- matter is filed on a system based largely on graphs ~iumberpcrhaps one hundred and thirty the A.L.A. subject indcx, modified to conform thousand. Cuts filed, about thirty-sevcn to n newspaper library in Boston. h'ew steel tho~~sand. equipment was provided throughout. Material is charged on a slip like the sample Very fcw papers file, as iu the Globe library, card above. clippings and photos together. In practice we The library dates from May I, 1887, when find that our 5 x8 folder will receive 95 per thc Globe moved into its prescnt building. cent of all photos. One too large for the 6 SPECIAL LIBRARIES J~u~Y,19- standard folder, is filed at the end of the The library helps the newspaper of which it is a part, to serve the public in many ways. case in a IOX 15 folder, and indexed from the standard folder. The departments which answer questions have constant recourse to it. Through correspond- The Globe is one of the few newspapers in ence and mail daily and almost hourly, and the country to standardize its portrait cuts. for editions, almost momentarily, the library One-column cuts are 2 x 2 inches, two-column is functioning for information and accuracy. cuts, 4x5 inches. This makes their filing a When earthquakes and volcanoes convulse the comparatively simple problem. A i~umerical earth, when storm or fire brmgs disaster, system was formerly used but they are now when a patrolman or a President goes to his filed vert~callyand alphabetically. No case is reward, the newspaper library is expected to higher than fifty-two inches from the floor, function instantly and to aid materially in the and the work of issuing and filing is easier service which a modern newspaper gives to and quicker. the public. New System Installed After Thorough Study By Warren A. Rogers, Librarian, Providence Journal Every library has its own conditions peculiar a perlod of several months. With this knowl- to itself, but t.hey are, I believe, fundamentally edgc of requirements and observation of the the same. material constantly flowing in, a system was The newspaper library can be made the devised which is producing good results. source of unl~mitcd inforrnaiion if properly There are four principal branches of a news- organized. I do not bclieve in too much sys- paper library, namely: pictures, cuts, obitu- teni, but I do advocate a simple and workable aries and news index. In th~sI~brary, pictures,
FAUNCE, William H. P. Educator Prov. R. I. CUTS COL. & PILB NOS. PHOTOS NUMBERS A-4006 8167 1I 1 B-2894 I * see below I
REFERENCES 4c NOTES : * R. I. Genealogy Vol. 1, P-155 Picture and sketch of life.
(Sample card used in Providence Journal Library)
system that is easy for the novice to under- cuts and obituaries are listed upon one card, stand. forming the main index. Here in Providence a thorough study was These cards show the serial number of each made of the existing conditions and a record picture and cut with a check indicating clip- kept of all demands upon the library over pmgs and obituaries. They are standard 3 x's, SPECIAL LIBRARIES and are filled alphabetically with surname be accuratkly cstmntcd. LVhetk a picture or guides for groups of similar and comnlon cut l~cconlcsobsolcte it is thrown out and the names such as Abbott or Adams, ahout every number recorded to be used again. forty cards. All pictures and cuts removed from the We try to eliminate the use of initials and files, if not lor immediate use, are charged to find if possible the Cllristiarl name, to- over the borrower's signature to the depart- gether with the address or vocation, becausc ment to which thcy arc loaned. of the similarity of initials Obituaries and clippings are filed in i~x9 P~cturesof persons are cut and mounted ~nanilaenvelopes, alphabetically, thus obviating on 5 x 8 cards and filed numerically. On the Lhe necessily of consultmg cards and under baclc of each card is givcn name, address, the abovc methods two to three minutes is vocation, date received, and date first used. amplc tmc to proclucc all pictures, cuts and Topical pictt~resare filcd separately in Car- obits upo~ldemand. terian envelopes, alphabetically and sub-classi- A separate indcx is kept of a11 boolcs of fied when necessary, such as Aircrafts, IGd, rcfercnce Four class~ficationsbased on Dcwey etc. arc uscd instead of his tcn: Geographic picturcs arc filed in Carteria11 10-General Works, including bibliography, envclopes, alphabctically by countries and gencral cyclopecli:~~ states. Large cities and towns are scgrcgated. ZOO-Sociology, including statistics, political Providence picturcs are classified as Buildings scicncc, political economy, law. (Public), Buildings (Office), Churches (scpa- 30-History, including geography and rated by denomination), Collcges, I-Iospitals, travels, biography, moclcrn Europe, United etc. Statcs, ctc. Cuts are cleaned on the baclc wit11 emcry .~oc-IIiscellancous, i~lclt~dingart, litcraturc, cloth and permanently marked nil11 acid, with religion, etc. thc numbcr, natnc and datc uscd or made. This inrlcx also shows the location of the The cut numbers are prefixed with A for I- boolcs throughouL thc building. column, for a-column, ctc. All cuts arc filcd The newspapers arc bound, two ~nonthsto numerically by sizcs Onc-, two-, thrcc- and a volume and fled in sleel cabincts ecluippcd four-column cuts are filed in stroug tnanila with roller d~clves. envelopes. Thcsc envelopes arc ma~-lml111.: Specially Imilt cabinets are uscc1 througl~out same as the cuts and art not rcmo~~cclirom the Ihra~y. Card cabi~~ctsalc stantlard. All the drawer cxcept to llialce notations. Five-, cards are Ioclcecl by rods. six- and scvcn-column cuts are filcil withoat XI) alphabetic ininrmation file is lccpt con- envclopes. tamng c1:itn on subjccts such as archaeology, By filing picturcs and cuts ~~utncricallywc communisti~,tcst~lc<, etc. avo~cl rcarranglnq file drawers to acconmo- All indcxing is carclully cross-referc~~ccclto datc some Icttcrs which under thc alp1lal)etic piovicle lor evcry possible interpretation oT systcm expand moic than othcrs ant1 cannot any sul)jccl. "Without Form and Void" By Harry Pence, Lihcwicm, The Cincinnati Enquirer To apply such a term to the occupat~onnith sensational. They are indifferent to the sor- whicli one has long llcen associated may sccm row Lhcy may occasion pcrsons whosc mLi- a h~tpessin~ist~c, but, as a mattcr of fact the mate clomgs thcy chronicle and equally i~iclir- condition is not so bad as it uscd to be and the lcrcnl to the uplifting or demoralizing erSect outloolc is decidedly encouraging of the matter they print. OLhcr ncnrspapcrs Time was when ncwspapcrs werc rather or- are so conservative that their pages :Ire clull gans ol opinion than vehicles of information and uninteresting and it made little difference whether they were Bet\\-een the two extremes all gradations gcncrally wcll infortncd or not exist, but the rnam thing is thc fact that news- There is, of course, wide difference of opin- papers exist to i~ifortnthc rcadcrs al)o~iLwhat ion as to what is news of the lc~ncl that a is going on in the neighborhood, the county, newspaper should publish. Some papers are the statc, thc nation and the world-they may 8 SPECIAL LIBRARIES Janu~ry,IgY
also employ men to write editorials advising Newspapers, gf course, do not all employ readers what they should think about political, and encourage librarians of the proper type. social and economic problems, but their first Nor do editors always co-operate with the and most important business is to be a news- librarian in a manner that procures the best paper. results. That is why, at the outset, I re- For this reason their province is informa- marked that at present the vocation is "with- tion: First, as to happenings, and second, to out form and void" in that so responsible a explain or interpret the significance of happeti- cop in newspaper making is without stand- ings. A great many papers of the "bulletin ardization. sheet" type pay little attention to the second, Editors there are galore. They come and which is sometimes the more important duty go ancl when they go their places can be re- of the newspaper. filled. Librarians are different. Most of them When great men die, when disaster takes have had to blaze their own way. They have place, when international conflict occurs or established systems of their own which are all thrcatens-it is then that the newspaper libra- much better than no system, but they have rian is called upon for information, maps, not established any settled practice, any gen- charts, descriptions and pictures which will erally accepted lines of usefulness. They are give the reader a fuller cornprchension of the coming to it. They will get there. The news- significance of the event, and for these con- tingencies the newspaper librarian must pre- papers feel increasing need for their services pare as best he can. He is never as well pre- and when they are ready to pay for them and pared as he would like to be but he is able give those who render them the relative stand- frequently to assist the editors to make a ing and consideration their labors entitle them paper that is better and more satisfactory to to the difficult problem will be more than the readers than it would he without his aid. half solved.
Photographic Morgue Recent Development By Maurice Symonds, Librarian, New York Daily News M~nyyears ago, journalism, throughout the rian of this department must have a thorough country was of such a nature, that the use acquaintance with news as well as a thorough of photographs, maps and pictures to illus- knowledge of the general filing system. Torn, trate the stories was left to a few publications obscure or incomplete pictures should be elim- which specialized in that work, but since the inatcd. The file system in a newspaper office war things have changed. Whenever a story should be standardized. breaks that will interest the public, photog- Photographs in this department are divided raphers are sent along with reporters to gct into Personalities, Geographical and Miscel- the picture end of the story and an important laneous, yet the simplest way is one general happening is always illustrated, either by a alphabetical arrangement, which should be diagram, an illustration or a true photograph properly supplied with guide cards. Insertion of the occurrence. and removal of material should be carefully This endeavor has caused the growth of the considered. Because of the similarity of photographic "morgue," and the photograph names, it is of importance that each picture department is now considered just as important filed should also tell something about the per- as was the clipping department several years son. ago. The Daily News, New York's Picture A photographic morgue must always be kept Newspaper, in the field only a little over four up to date. Even with all the service agencies years, has a collection of fouf hundred thou- supplymg miscellaneous photographs, or the- sand photographs. At times they are pur- atrical concerns sending in their wares, it seems chased, some are supplied by photographic that the picture wanted, or the pcrson hap- agencies and many come gratis from people pening in the news, although sometimes promi- who are seeking publicity. Thcy are properly nent, is not available. One of the many ways scrutinized,. identified and filed. of keeping this department up to the last min- The growth is never ceasing, and the libra- ute, is to clip from books, magazines, pam- JMUUY, 1914 SPECIAL LIBRARIES 9 phlets and any conceivable document pictures or1 people who have died is one way in which of persons who sooner or later may appear to ease the situation, whpre there are from ten in print. It is sometimes surprising how an to twenty photographs, they could bc reduced obscure picture clipped from some out of town one-third at the death of a person. Hundreds newspaper or magazine mects an emergency. of photographs filed today are of no use five While the growth of a picture morgue years hencc. While people do not resemble a makes a steady headway, and at times clogs photograph taken several years ago, it is not up the file cabinets, there are methods, which advisable to dispose of the old photographs if properly employed, would kccp things down to a proper level. With strict attention to this because you can never tell when your paper work, the accun~ulation only means a propor- may want the earlier portrait. It is for such tionate growth, and eventually additiolial cabi- reasons as this that thc librarian must lcnow nets to iase the crowded files. A daily check how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Evolution of the Newspaper Library Is Striking By Charles R. Maugham, Librarian, St. Louis Post Despatch The evolution of the newspaper morgue dur- partment containccl material that could not be ing the past twenty-five years, from a drawer replaced for scvcral hundred thousaml dol- in an cditor's or reporter's desk, where were lars, and when it camc to liguring the repro- kept odds and ends of things that might be 01 duction cost of the collcction thc mvcstigators use, to thc prcsent day dcpartmcnt, as com- fou11(1 that it could not be cnt~relyreprotluced 2letely organized as any other division of thc at any cost. r~lTice,is one of the striking lcatnlcs of nens- 111 this developrncnt thc ~lct~spaperoficc paper development. morgue, relcrcnce depar~ment,or lil~rary,by The first work ol this character \v1t11 vhich whalcvcr lcrin it IS callcd, has hecome an of- I had any connectioli IIIYOIVCC~ twenty-six ex- fice clearing house tlirough wllicli cvery other pansion envclopcs In ~hichwere kcpt in al- dcpartnicnt passes more or lcss in thc course phalwtical order, clippings, cuts and plioto- ol thc day's work. graphs incl~scriminatcly Th~sgrew bcyond Thc tlctail of the work involves a knowl- capacity in duc course and then thec divisions edge of every other department of tlic paper were started, one for photographs, onc for and the retention of a grcat clcaI oE gcncral cuts and one for chppings, lwe~lty-sis CII- it~iortnation from within and without the ol- vclopes of each arranged alphabetically. It iice,-111 othcr words expe~icnce otl the part was not long before this system bccanic too of the staff. The clay's worlc consists of mak- cumbersome for the capacity of a desk, and Ing n cletailcd intlcx of yestcrtlay's papcr, cov- it was fclt that thmgs wcle king revolution- ering precisely all thc matcrial pri~~tctl,classi- ized when a fihg cabmct wab proc~~rccland fied in such a way that it will fit into the files thc process of putting things a\\ ay incliviclual!y with previous matcrial on the same subject, so was commcnccd, each cut, each clipping, and that nt any time there will 11c available for each photograph under 11s own natne or classi- reference not only thc individual stories as fication. published from clay to day, bul the complete Amplifications and elaboratiom have gone 011 histories of each casc. To thc unitiated this till, in recent ycars the ol'fices with which I would appcar an intricate prol)lem but when have been ~dentified,have had in use sonic the index has been worked out thorougl~ly,it h~~nclredfiling cases and shelvlng for scwral finally resolves itsclf into five different forms thousand volumes of rcfcrence works. of classification, which of course run into In the Post-Dispatch at the prcscnt time many diKercnt clivisions. The classifications there are carried in the neighborhood of thrce which are made in this office are: Personal, million clippings and pamphlets, about five Titular, Geographic, Oficial and Subject. The hundred thousand photographs and five thous- papcr is marked and passed on to typists who and cuts. A recent survey of the office place on a special envelope the index title and brought out the fact that the Rcference De- a brief summary 01 each item, togcther with 10 SPECIAL LIBRARIES January, 1994 its page and column in the paper. The item kept in individual envelopes, on the outside itself is similarly rna~kedand is stamped with of which is pasted a proof of the cut as it the date of its appearance. It is then clipped appeared with the date of its appcarance from the paper and placed in the envelope in- stamped on it. dicated. After the index has been completed In the book section we aim to keep only in this way, from the last edition of yester- standard works of reference and volun~esof day's paper, the other editions of thc paper, an informative character, (with no fiction of the same date, are pone over and anything whatever) classificd according to thc Dewey that did not appear in the last edllion is Decimal system and ~ndexed on Library of clipped from thcm. iVhere the last editlon car- Congress cards. ried anythmg on the same subject the item With thc rapid accumulation of n~atcrial from the other editions, if different, is simply under such circumstances, there must also be used as filIer and placcd in the same emelope a process of eliminatio~i so as to make room as the other story, with a notation as to the for ncw matter and st111 to keep the plant wllh - edition in which it appeared and the character m the capaclty of the space allotted to it. We of the story as differing from that in the last are endeavoring to solve this problem by mak- edition. ing a n~anifoldcopy of the index, which 1s to A similar proccss is followed in relation to be eventually used as the basis af either a the other papers published in town. Anything monthly or quarterly printed index. This will they have amplified that was printed by us permit the discarding of the greater portlon is taken and filed with our story. \Vhere of the clippings for the period covered, as they have something of an informative char- the bound files can then be used. acter that we did not have we also cull that. As to personnel there are an even dozen A like proccss is followed, through the co- people employed in connection with the cle- operation of the exchange editor, in relation partment, threc being outside advisers, the to papers over the country, and in addition the lawyer, the doctor and the dentist in cot]- department receives a special file of New York nection with the "Answers to Queries" col- and London papers which are searched care- umn. The inside oflice force devotes ~tselfto fully for material that may prove of value all the index during the morning but each meni- of which is prepared for immediate use at any ber is assigned to a division of the oflice so time in the future. that in case of a call for material in that di- The photographic file of the office involves vision ~t may be procured with a minimum of the care of about fifty new pictures a day. interruption and by me who is famillar with They are filed in individual envelopes by name the section. of individuals, geographically, or by classifi- The department is considered an invaluable cation (for the non-descripts). Each photo- asset and saves many times its cost each year graph is dated before it is placed in the file by havmg available for immediate use mate- and where it has been used in thc paper the rial that would otherwise have to be pro- subject matter with which it is used is pasted cured anew. In the course of the day's work on the back. Group pictures are cross in- the department files an average of three hun- dexed. dred pieces of reading matter, fifty photo- In the cut section we aim to file only for graphs and a dozcn cuts. The calls for mate- emergency use standard one- or two-column rial already in hand average two hundred cuts, as it is the office practice to make a new pieces of reading matter daily, a dozen photo- cut whenever time will permit. The cuts are graphs and a half a dozen cuts. Has Both Library and Scraparium By Lee A. White, Chief Libm~iccn,of the Detroit News It is rather cxlraordinary that the pioneers aged as to 11e instantly accessible and service- in special library work have not more fre- able; and no typc of ~nstitutlonis co~npelled qucntly forced their nay into the newspaper to d~scover and disclose facts and arrive at offices of this country. No type of institution substantial and defel~sible opinlous under has grcater need of resources of fact, so man- greater Lime-prcssure As a result, and with- January, 1924 SPECIAL LIBRARIES I I
out suggestion or assistance from librarians, graphs and negatives. Within these individual the newspapers have been forced to tlcvelop groups, all matter is filed alphabetically, thcir own library techmquc, each onc for it- whether conce~ningperson, place or thing, as self. in encyclopedias and dictionaries; and will1 It was the common wed of i~~stantlyavail- like cross i~ldexing.The directors of our scrap- able biographical data, chiefly for obituary arium havc found no nore occasion for cm- noticcs, that first occasioned the developn~cnt ploying any othcr method than have thc edi- of reference depaitments; and it was in keep- tors of these works of rcfereilce. Enaineled ing 1~1ththe dry wit of the newspaper frater- steel filing tlra~vers,six llmdrcd ill number, nity that these departments should receive the ho~mall material; and with the cxccption 01 name Lh~orgues." pamphlets, everything is in envelopes. An obvious mctl~oclof malting the contents The scraparium occupics about two thousan~l of thc newspaper available for reference pur- square fect of' lloor space, excl~~sivcof thc poses is an index; but oiily the New York bound filcs room which is under its jurisdic- Times publishes an intlcx, and that unfortu- tion. Filing cases are of i~nifoi~nhcight, nnd nately is no index at all to locally important low cnough to permit use oi the top drawers news in othcr papers. So newspapers resorted without climbing or tiptoeing. Tlic director to the expedient of clipping and preserving in is a newspaper marl 01 long expcricnce and some orderly fashion that part of ncmspapers the first assistmit is a trained librarian. The ancl magazines which is likely to bc of futurc staff consists of cight full time and th~ccpart valnc. Clippings arc filed in envelopes, allcr- time cnlployecs. native containers l~avingprovcd of qucstion- Thc new library was a matter of great able value. But though the directors of curiosity to the slaff. For two ycars Mr. scrapariums (as we call ours) are usually Gcorge Catlin, scholarly veteran of the cdi- agreed upon this, agreenicnt ends therc. torial tlcpartnicnt, ancl a trained librarian who At the last inventory our scraparium con- was his assistant, had coml>ecl thc country for tained six hundred thousand clippings, touch- books which might best serve the p~~blication ing eighty thousand subjects; one hundcrd as a supplc~nentto and check upon thc com- thousand relatively IICW photographs; fifty- mon sources ol information. scven thousand cuts; twenty thousand photo- This library so justified cvery expectation graphic negatlvcs, antl thirty-eight hundred as to its value as n working instrument of pamphlets. A normal tnonth's filing includes journalism that its free expansion was per- eleven thousand clippings, three thousand pho- mittecl. Like thc scraparium, it grew out of tographs, seven hundred and fifty cuts, five l~oiinds, and the gencrous tnanagcmcnt pro- hundred photographic negatives and fifty vided new quarters. In thc casc ol the li- pamphlets. brary, these quarters arc the fincst in a plant During the year ending July T, 1923, the famous for its beauty. The room is nincty scraparium staff successfully responded to feet long ancl thirty feet wide, bcauiiiully fourteen hundred and two rcquests for cuts, wainscoicd in Elizabethan style, with leaded thirty-threc hundred ancl seventy-three for and stained glass windows, and spccial light- photographs, fourteen hundred and nincty- ing fixturcs suspcudcd from a11 arcl~ccl,modclcd eight for clippings and two hundred and two ceiling. The books arc in oak slacks rnngcd for pamphlets, a total of sixty-lour huudrccl in dcep nlcovcs, each fillccl writ11 aitractivc awl seventy-five requests for service, chiefly table and chai~s. Thcrc arc now more Illan from thc news room. In addition it answered seventccii ihousm~dvolumcs, and roam for ,I thirty-one hundred requests for clippings and considerable ndditionnl rlumbcr. pamphlets from the Answels Editor, who Hero, as In thc scraparium adjoining, not serves rcaclers by mail, tclcpl~onc and news- paper column, as ~vcllas in person when they itlvcntory hut usc is the tcst ol merit. EIII- call. Thus the sciaparium attained a gland pllasis is laid upon fact books. Gcncral lil- total of nincty-five hund~edand sc~cnty-five eraturc constitutes about 10 pcr ccnt ol the rcqucs ts responded to. library and is carried mailily lor its c~iltural Therc is not space to go into tlic dct:lils uf va111c to thc staff. Acq~~isilionsrange Iron1 classification. Suflice it to say that he only onc huntlrctl to onc h~mdrcdantl filly a month. cli\ision of matcrial IS on tlic bas~sof ~ts All books arc ititlcxccl boih lor subjcci n~alter physical chal-actc~,i c, cuts, clippings, photo- and illustrations. I2 SPECIAL LIBRARIES Januarp, 1924
~o~k~are loaned to members of the staff leagues, who arc for the most part prodqcts for home reading; and under rare circum- of the newspaper rather than the library field. stances to persons not associated A very important element in the success of with the paper. A typical monthly report the reference department is close coopcration shows six hundred and fifty-nine books loaned between library and s&aparium. to etnployees, chiefly of course to members of This full description of our equipment is the editorial staff, In addit~on,fifteen hundred justified only if it indicates to what lengths and eight refere~lcecalls werc answered for a newspaper may go in extending its refer- members of the staff, as well as tell hundred ence department, with complete justification in and twentyeight for the general public the record of utility. There is in our office through the Question and Answer Depart- no tendency upon the part of the management ment, which operatcs within the library. The to withdraw from its advanced position; in staff of the library numbers six full time ad fact, the tendency is rather toward Increase three part time employees. Of these, two of staff and facility; which is sufficient indi- have had extensive public library experience cation of thc successful functioning of the de- of varied character, and have imparted much partment as an adjunct to the news room and of their technical knowledge to their col- the editor's ofiice.
A National Business and Financial Library An announccme~lt concerning a National Uusincss and Finaac~al Ltbrary made by Mr. Carlos C. Houghton, Vice-President of Poor's Publishing Company, at the last meeting of the New York Special Library Association came as a great surprise to those present- first to those who had heard nothing of such a plan, and second to those who, although they had heard that such a lihrary was under deliberalion, had no idea of the progress already made. Mr. Houghton first rcv~ewcdbriefly the various steps \vh~ch brought about this new undertaking and ended with a few definite statements as to its present status. As a later number of SPECIALLIBRARIES will contain a full account of the proposition, I will state here just a few facts io show that this is not only a proposed National Busmess and Financial Library but that it is a reality. Land has already been given for a building-but that is not all, the building itself has beer. donated. In other words, Mr. Roger W. Babson is to give a building which will cost $I~,w. Mr. Houghton stated that the architects have been busily at work on plans which have just been 0 K'd and that all is ill readiness for the 11reakmg of ground this spring. The building, which is to be situated in Babson Park near Wellesley Hills, Mass., will be of the colonial type with two large wings. Thc center portion facing a court, will house the largest map in the world, now being constructed at a cost of over $48,000 Mr. Houghton ended with the statement that everything would be done in the right way from the very start and to prove this he announced that MISSAlice L. Rose had becu chosen as librarian and that she is even now busily at work on the proposition. Miss Rose was asked by the president of the association to stand and was given a rousinq vote of confidence by prolonged hand-clapping. I am sure we will all await, with interest, further developments in this very irnpo~tant undertaking which can do much to strengthen special libraries in general, as well as to pro- mote the welfare of thc special librarian. REBECCAB. RANKIN. Special Libraries
LAURA R. GIBBS, Edltor 142 Berkeley Street Boston 17, Mass.
Associate Editors MISS ELIZABETHHANNER MISS REBECCAB. RANKIN MR. DORSEYW. HYDE,JR. MISS MARGARETREYNOLDS DR. RALPHL. POWER MISS MARGARETWWIINGTOK
EDITORIAL For the procuring of the leading articles for this month we are indebted to Mr. Joseph F. Icwapil, librarian of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, at~dchairman of our Newspaper Group. For their thorough aid efficient editing to Mr. Wil- liam Alcott, librarian of the Boston Globe. The editing of articles in a syinposiun~ is no sinecure. There is much overlapping, much sitnilarity, especially in giving statistics, and even some disagreement, as witness hfr. Alcotl's own ideas of service to the public as coinparecl with some of those expressed in other articles. It is well, however, to have all viewpoints and we have endeavo~~eclto preserve tliese as far as possible. Another article which we had saved for this n~irnl)er,and which lmxuse of the close inter-relationship of those in the synlposium, and the fact that they fill all our available space, it has seemecl hest to hold still another inonL11, is a most interesting report on the processes of preserving newspapers, made by the pro- duction manager of the Christiail Science Monitor. The proposed Constitution was printed in the December issue and it is lioped that considerable coinincnt on it may have reachccl the coininittee Ily the time this appears. We cannot, however, have too inany suggestions, so, in case you have not already done so, please scnd yours. How do you like the provision for the four classes of mcinbership? Do you feel that it will tend to makc libraries join in the nanles of their librarians rathcr than a.s institutions with the larger dues? Do you think it will tend to increase or decrease thc sum total of the dues? What about the sections dealing with the local associatioils? Do you I~elieve in the division of dues with a local? Will such an arrangement increase our mem- bership sufficiently to malte up for the amount of dues returned? Is it wise to decrease the income from membersl~ip in this way, if it will decrease it, when there are so many things needing to be done by the associatioil ? Shoulcl the Con- stitution limit the ainount per inember to be returned to the locals, or should this be left to the by-laws, or to the Executive Board? The columns of SPECIALLI~~RARIES for the next three inonths are open to dis- cussions of any points which you may care to bring up. It has been requested that criticisms be sent to the con~mittee,but if you prefer to do so they may come direct to the editor for publication. SPECIAL LIBRARIES January, 1924 Committees Directory to carry on intensive study of specific prob- The chairman of the Directory Committee lems and prepare mater~al for publication. is working hard on the second and 'revised Mr. Lee has joined forces with the committee edition of the Directory. It is her expecta- and has already organized his sub-committee tion to include some uscf~ilfeatures not in in Boston wh~chis at the same time, the the first edition. Methods Committee of tlie Boston local asso- ciation. They are hard at work oil several (I) Names of reference librarian and cata- loger, as well as hbrarian. topics chosen by themsclves. Miss Louise Keller is organi~pga similar group in Phila- (2) An index of individuals by name. delphia with the sanction of the Special Li- (3) An alphabetical index of all librarics. braries Council there and another is forming An analytical subject index of collec- (4) in Chicago. Other commun~tieshave been in- tions in the libraries. vited to take up this work under the leader- A complete alphabetical list all (5) of ship of members of tlie national committee and members of the natlonal Special Librar~csAs- we hope soon to report seven or eight groups sociation. actively at work. (6) Completc lists of all the members of At the risk of becoming repetitious, let us the local Special Libraries Associations and urge you to send the committee samplcs of Special Library Sections in state associations. your forms. (7) Full personnel of committees and gronps in thc Special Libraries Association Technology Group (8) An introduction containing a history of the development of the association. The group announces as of December 21 The manuscript goes to the press soon. This the following sponsorships, progress reports is the last noticc to libraries which have not on which are expected to be in the hands of sent in information to Miss May Wilson, the cllairman February I, In ordcr that the Merchant's Association, Woolworth Building, members of the group may then begin sys- New York City. The committee wishes to in- temat~callyto be useful to one another and clude all special librarics 111 the country which formal preparation may be undertaken for a wish to be listed in a Directory. None will session at the annual meeting of the asso- be published unless the information is secured ciation : first-hand. Please be sure your library has F. E. Cady, National Lamp Works, Cleve- filled in and returned the questionnaire. land : Inlcrlibrary Loairs. It is also equally important that your annual Helen M. Craig, Western Electric Co. : Li- membership dues be paid. The committee is brary Metlzods. anxious to i~~cludcyour namc in thc mcmbcr- ship list which is to be printed as an appen- Ellen A. Hedrick, U.S. Dept, of Agriculture: dix. Join ilowl Agricz~ltwc. Geo. W. Lee, Stonc & Wcbster, Inc. : Build- Membership ing Codes. "It ain't the guns or armament h,lrs. J. I<. Leister (M. Coplin), Phila. F. L. : Or tunes the band can play Pztblic Duc~t.we~its. But it's close co-operation Edith L. Maltson, Commonwealth Ecl~son That makes us nrln the clay. Co , Chicago : Radio. It ain't the ~ndiviclual Mary C. hlchlahon, i\'cstinghouse Lamp Nor the army as a wliole Co. : I~llziiiri~lntiolr. But the everlasting teamwork Of every blooming soul." Alma C. Mitchill, Public Service Corp, Newark : Gns. Cnlijorr~iuState Board of Henlth Bdletirr. Miles 0. Price, Palent Ofice: Paleirls. Methods Carolyn R. Schantz, Phila. Rapid Transit We arc glad to report quiet but steady prog- Co. . Electrrc Ry. Sct vice. ress in our committee work. Local sub-com- Edith L. Shcarer, Weslcrn Union Telegraph nlittees are being formed in different centers Co. : Telegr-nphj. January, 1994 SPECIAL LIBRARIES 15
Ray Situpson, Miss, Brooklyn Botanic Gar- sorships to be accountcd for when the assigrl- dens : Botany. ments have all been made or accepted. It is The complete list sp far is thirty-three. Of hoped that by February 1st the sponsorship this number two have notified the chairman llst will be complete. that it would not be practicable for them to Our reference in the November number be activc in comrnittce work this season; should have bcen to October not September. thereforc there remain nineteen more spon- Associations American Library Association sions, and other interested institutions and in- At the risk of some repet~iionwe are print- dividuals. in full the followi~~gexcellent summary of A grant of $~o,ooowas lnadc by the Car- the work of the A.LA. negie Corporation which enables the board t~ A glance over A.L.A. events and actigities function as it should. Florence R. Curtis has of 1923, brings several points into relief. been on a brief leave of absence from Drexel The constantly lncreaslng volume of work Institute Library School to give valuable as. done by committees has been most noticeable. sislance for a month. The association now has about fifty active The personnel of the board is: Adam committees. With the growtll of tlle assocla- Strohm, chairman; Sarah C. N. Boglc, secre- tion's responsibilities has come the need for tary; Harrison W. Craver, Linda A. Eastman, morc committees to interest themselves in At~drewKcogh and Malcolm G. Wyer. special fields of library endeavor. The new Another important work has been made pos- comm~ttcesappointed in 1gz3 are: sible by the gift of the Carnegie Corporation to tlle Anlcrican Library Association of A.L.A. Headquarters Building $5,000 for the preparation of a text book. Bibliography This will be under the supervision of the Books for Europe Editorial Comrnittce, with the co-operation of Committee to Co-operate with Institute for the Temporary Library Training Board. As Government Rescarch a culmination of the library work in France, Fiftieth Anniversary done so creditably by Jessie L. Carson, a new Oberly Memorial Fund and important step was undertaken in the Reprints and Inexpensive Editions field of library training. A summer library course was conducted at the American Li- Temporary Library Training Board brary in Paris under the auspices of the For many years there have been recurring American Committee for Devastated France, discussions as well as recommet~dations re- and under the direction of Sarah C, N. Bogle. garding the development, stabilizing and The American Committee for Devastated "professionalizing" of library training The France has since granted $50,000 for two years Council, believing the time had come "to make ($25,033 for each ycar) to the A.L.A. for the effective the policy already approved" voted continuation of the school in the summer and that, winter of 1924,'and dur~ng1925. Miss Bogle "A temporary Library Training Board will supervise the school, which will have a be appointed by thc Executive Board to residcnt director and an aclecluate French and mvestigate the field of hbrary training, American faculty. to formulate tcntaiive standards for all For the work of thc A~nericanLibrary in forms of library training agencies, to dc- Paris the Carnegie Corpolation has made a vise a plan for accrcdlting such agcncies grant of $15,000 to the American Library As- and to report to the Council." sociation, $7,500 each year for the next two years. O~llcr gifts mounting to several Thc Board, appolntcd at Hot Springs, has thousand dollars, ham bcen madc to the Paris held three meetings. Its work so far has been Library through the cffo~tsof the I-Iotnc Conl- largely the investigating of the prcsent facili- nitt tee which has been appointed to raise fur- ties for library training, and preparing lo issue ther neccssary ~LIIIL~Sin America for the sup- a preliminary outlinc of its rcport for tllc port of the Pans Library. Prcs~dent hic- criticism of all training agencies, commis- Cracken of Vassar College is the chairman. 16 SPECIAL LIBRARIES J=uar~, I9Y
The Union List of Periodicals is now as- first topic was "Teaching Bibliography to Col- sured by the grant of $10,000 by the Laura lege Students." A discussion of the William- Spelman Rockefeller Memorial and by the son report followed centering about the dis- advance subscriptions of libraries. The Com- tinction between professional and non-profes- mittee on Library Service has made notable sional workcrs. Dr. Wyer reported for the progress in ~tsplans for survey, though sadly Committee on Degress of the American Asso- handicapped by lack of funds. ciation of Library Schools, finding a practical The collecting of American books for li- uniformity for the schools. braries of Central Europe, which have been A full report of thc meeting was published unable to procure them during or since the in the Library Journal for December fifteenth. war, has been carried on with some success, and a speclal committee has been organized Chicago to adm~nisterthe fund of $IO,~given for Fifteen persons were present at the meeting thc purchase of hooks for European libraries of December 6, representing libraries or by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial. stat~stical departments in the following or- Service of thc A.L.A. for the Veterans' ganizations: A. W. Shaw Co., Illinois Power Burcau has been terminated and hereafter the and Light Corporation, Commonwealth Edison library service to Veterans' Hospitals will be Co., Chicago Trust Co., United Typothetae maintained by the government. The A.L.A. of America ; The Indexers ; The Continental continues to supply books and magazines to and Commercial Bank, Halsey, Stuart & Co., ex-service men in institutions where they are Federal Reserve Bank, The International Har- not afforded library service. In the spring vester Co., the Elizabeth McCormick Memorial of 1923 a survey of typical penitentiaries and Fund, and the Abbott Laboratories. jails In a given territory was made by Miriam Four librarians spoke briefly and answered E. Carey As a rcsult, the A.L.A. now makes q~~estionson the organization and service of books ava~lableth~ough the proper authorities their libraries. They reprcsented widely dif- to ex-service men in penal institutions. ferent types of lihrarres. Miss Virginia Sav- The Fiftieth -4nniversary Committee, which age outlined the work of an inxstment li- held lts first meeting at the Hot Sprmg Con- brary, such as she has organized and brought fercncc, wth C. B. Roclen as its chairman, rapidly forward within the last year and a hopes to makc the celebration in 1926 an event half at 1-Ialsey, Stuart and Company. Miss mcmorablc and worthy of its importance to Edith Matson told of the service in a tech- library h~storyand to the history of Ameri- nical library, of the Commonwealth Edison can education. The splendid new library Company, which possesses one of the oldest builtllng in Philadelphia will be completed in libraries in the city, its beginnings dating back time for the A.L.A. celel~ration. The celebra- to 18~.Mrs. Chr~stincBruer gave us an in- t~on,according to prcsent plans, will have sight ~ntothe variety of work clone in a typical three main features: An international con- business library such as that maintained by ference, the production of ccrtain important A. W. Shaw Company. The medical and publications ; and an exhibition. chemical collections of the Abbott Lahora- Novcmber salcs of publications amounted to tories wcrc described by Miss Lottie Ingram $6,384 16, the largest on record for a similar where a most ~nterestinglibrary development period. is gomg on under her direction. Pronounced tendencies Ln spec~alfields of The meeting was very informal and many library endeavor havc had their influence on questions were asked, bringing out helpiul the work required of A.L.A. Headquarters, ideas. These four librarians are representative ~lotably'l~brary training; school library work; of the best developments in the special library hospital library work; library publicity; the field, and show what can be done under thc use of exhibits; library extension, particularly guidance of competent l~brarians in the south; and the work in adult or volun- tary education which is rapidly assuming more Philadelphia and more importance. The. December meeting took the form of a pilgrimage to Wilmington, Delaware. Eastern College Librarians The visitors were met at the Wilmington The eleventh annual conference was held at station by Miss Noyes, Miss Fairbanks and Columbia University on December first. The Miss Liebman, who took them first to the Jmua~,19- SPECIAL LIBRARIES I7
Technical Library of the Hercules Powder Those who really ought to see this building Company. This library, with Miss Fairbanks are the trustees and architects who plan other as hostess, was very interesting in its fine col- libraries. lection of books and magazines on chemistry, At six-thirty the Council gathered at Miss explosives, and allied subjects. It also gave McConnellls Tea Room for a delightful din- from its windows an inspiring and beautiful ner meeting. view of the harbor and city of Wilmington. The parade from Philadelphia then marched a short distance to the library of the Du Pont Southern California de Nemours Company. Miss Liebman showed The November and December mcetings wcrc us here an especially fine collection of bound combmed in a stunt party held at the home of sets of chemical magazines, both forcign and - Dr. Powcr on December third, Dinner was American. There were details of classification served at half-past six. The stunts included and other matters of interest enough to make a reading by LeRoy Armstrotlg, librarian of the hour very full and insufficient; but the ncw thc Universal P~cturesCorporation; original Wilmington Public Library was expecting the verse by Mrs. Irish and a report by Miss party, so the procession moved on and in- Scheck, librarian of the First National Bank spected the entire building. Library. There was a general jollification.
News from the Field The British Foreign Office, which contains August 13th and was followed by a pilgrim- about thirty thousand volumes on diplomacy, age by automobile from Madison Lo Marengo, international law and allled subjects, will is- where the dedication was completed and a sue a catalog of its books if sufficient sub- memorial tablet placed in the local church. scriptions are obtained in the immediate fu- ture. Those wishing to subscribe should write The Library School of the New York Pub- to Robert Wilberforce, British Information Li- lic Library offers a course in Special Library brary, 44 Whitehall Street, New York. Sub- Work Wednesdays beginning February 8th. scription price will be £ 2, price after publi- This course is planned to show those fea- cation 83. tures which make special libraries distinctive. Various types are included. The development The library of the Pennsylvania Compen- of the library as an integral part of its or- sation Rating and Inspection Bureau has been ganization will be stressed, and the sources discontinued. of business literature which are peculiarly the A memorial apicultural library dedicated to tools of each type of library will be surveyed the memory of Dr. Charles C. Miller, a pio- and evaluated. The lectures will be not merely neer beekeeper of Marengo, Illinois, has been descriptions of individual libraries but inspira- established by the University of Wisconsin in tional discourses on a special library, typical connection with the- agricultural college li- in its own field and properly placed in the brary. The Experiment Station Record for background of the business which it serves. October, 1923, gives the following account of The course is intended for persons who wish the library: to be informed and to have a survey of the Funds of over $1,500 have been subscribed special library field and its possibilities, and by beekeepers from various parts of the world, also for all those now engaged in special li- and the interest from th~ssum will be used brary work who may gain a more complete for making additions to the library. Several background through attending these lectures. hundred volumes of journals and books have Advertising: Miss Mary L. Alexander, in also been donated by beekeepers and scien- charge of Research Dept., Barton, Dur- tists, and it is the plan of the committee in stine and Osborn, New York. charge to develop one of the best apicultural libraries in existence. The library was dedi- Financial : Miss Eleanor S. Cavanaugh, Li- cated at the fifth annual conference of bee- brarian, Standard Statistics Company, keepers at the university during the week of New York. 18 SPECIAL LIBRARIES January, 1924
Insurance: Miss Florence B&dlcy, Librarian, Civic: Mr. Dorsey W. Hyde, Jr., Chief, Na- Metropolitan Life Insurallce Cotnpany, tional Civics Bureau, Chamber of Com- New York. tncrce of the US., Washington, D.C. Industrial: Miss Elizabeth B. Wray, Librarian, Legislative : Mr. William E. Hannan, Lcgis- U.S. Rubber Company, New York. latlve Rcfercnce Librarian, New York Railway: Mr. Richard H. Johnstot~,Librarian, State Library, Albany, New York. Bureau of Ra~lwayEconomics, M'asllir~g- tori, DL. Business: Miss Linda R. Morley, Librarian, Technical: Lfr. Gcorge Winthrop Lee, Libra- Business Branch, Free Public Library, rian, Stone and M'ebster, Inc., Boston, Newark, New Jcrscy. Mass. Legal: Miss Gertrude D. Peterkin, Librarian, Whal may bc the futurc for Special Libraries: Legal Dcpt., America11 Telephone and Miss Rebecca B. Rankin, Es-President, Telegraph Co., New York. Specla1 Libraries Association. Personal Miss Anna Burns has resigned the libra- ber 17th. She was taken to the hospital ahere rianship of Haskins and Sells, alter six years she is slowly recovering from the fracture of work which has called forth a most flat- sustained. tering notlce in their ~~tlletil?Shc will spend Ralph L. Power writes that hc has sold the this winter in southern France. Pasadena Glen School for Boys, of which he Miss Josephine B. Carson's connection with has been director. He does not, however, say the Pennsylvania Compensation Rating and In- what his ncst venture wll be. spection Burcau has ceased with the closing Miss ICatharine A. Reynolds, formcrly as- of its library. sistant librarian succeeds Miss Burns as libra- rian of Haskins & Sells. Miss Rutli Eliot, librarian of the Borden Milk Company, New York, has resigned to Miss Margaret Reynolds, Milwaulcce, spoke accept a position with a private library in before the College Club recently on "Modcrn I
A.L.A. Catalog, 1912-21. 1923. Cloth $4. tion." Its Proceedings, Lake Superior Mining Over four thousand titles annotated. Con- Section is sold for 25 cents. tains list of new editions and a children's list more basic and general than in earlier editions. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Subject index and author and title index. York, has just issued a Bibliography of Mu- Edited by May Massee with the help and ad- seum and Museology, $3~. of which twenty- vice of many libraries, library commissions, two are index. The contents are arranged bookshops and publishers. This book puts under the headings : "General ; Organization; the book evaluation, expcrience and judgment Scope and Functions; Museum Construction; of experts of the library profession at the Spccial Museun~s;Pcriodicals." service of any individual. It helps the libra- 17m rian to answer i!~numerable qucst~onsand it Thc American Gcar Cotnpany, Michi- can help patrons in search of material for gan Avenue, Chicago, offcrs free to libraries reading and study to answer many of thcir a chart showing the intcrnal clrivc systcm of own qucstions. an automobile. The chart is 22 x 24 inches and is alrcady in SOIIIC of the larger public li- The Hospital Library. Editcd by Edith braries. Kathleen Jones, general secretary, Division of Public Libraries, Massachusetts Depa~tmentof Occasio~lalPapcr No. 2 of thc International of Univcrsity M'omen contains an Education; formcrly librarian McLean Hos- Federation pital, Waverly, Massachusetts. 1923. Illustrated. arliclc by Professor Kristine Bonl~cvie,of the Cloth, $2.25. Univcrsity of Christians, on thc work of the Inclu$cs chaptcrs on hospital library scrvicc League of Nations Committee on Intellectual and a list of over two thousand books and Cooperation, of which she is a member. Pro- magazines to meet the necds of hospital pa- fcssor Bonnevie is of opinion that the most ticnts and nurscs. The lists include sugges- fruitful field for intcllcctual co-operation will tions for rcacling aloud and lists of fiction, be found in bibliography, and she notcs th:~ta non-fiction, general periodicals, children's special cotnmittee is investigating systems of books, bcsidcs specialtzed lists of books and cataloging and other questions with the view periodicals for the nurses' library and a bib- of facilitating conoperation between libraries of liography of hospital library scrvice. The different countries. Another special co~nmittec general lists will be useful in any library. is studying exchatiges of professors and stu- dents, equivalence of studics, dcgrees and Report on Designated Depository Libraries, diplomas, and the establishment of interna- showing conditions on April 16, 1923. . . with tional scl~olarshipfunds and international holi- list of depository libraries. This pamphlet by day courses. Iniorn~ationis also being col- Mary A. Hartwell, originally printed in the lectcd al~oulthe condition of intellectual life Library Jotirnal for June I and July 1923, has and thc conditions of life for intcllcctual been separatcly published by the Government workers (typically univcrsity proiessors and Printing Ofice with the addition of two out- artisis) in various countries. Particulars arc line maps. givcn of thc Federations, campaign for rais- ing lunds Ior the acquisition of Crosby Hall The Report of the Common Council of Mil- as part of an international university women's waukee for 1922 notes that many large busi- residential club-house.-Nnt~irc, Jlim 16, 1923. ness houses are attaching themselves to the public library by installmg collections of li- The University of Illinois Library compiled brary books for the use of their staffs. It for the Vocational Confcret~ceol University also notes that the library collection of tech- Women, held at the University November 19- nical and scientific literature is being made 21, a mimeographed list on Vocational Guid- access~bleto the technical man. ance for College Women. There are some twenty-five cop& left which may be had for The National Safety Council, Chicago, has 10 cents each. issued free pamphlets on "Benzol PoisoningJ' Abridgcd Scientific Publications, v. 6 from (with a bibliography), "Development of Com- the Research Laboratory of the Eastman KO- munity Safety," "Life Conservation as an En- dak Company will be issued early this year. gineering Ideal" and on the "Safety Move- Periodicals of Medicine and the Allied ment in Relation to the Problem of Educa- Sciences in British Libraries, by R. T. Leiper SPECIAL LIBRARIES J~w, I9lq and others, 193~.British Medical Assn., Lon- or more volumes may do so either through don, 10s. 6d. A contributior~ to the field of Professor Takahashi, or by sending them union lists, this contains between four and five directly to Mr. T. Komatsu, director of thousand titles, It includes serials of learned the Toyo Kisen Kaisha, Market St., San societies. Francisco, who will forward them without Science for December 14, 1923, contains the charge to Japan." following note by David Starr Jordan, of The same issue of Science contains also an Stanford University, in regard to the loss ot account of the earthquake by Seitaro Goto of the library of the Imperial University of Tokyo the Imperial University, Tokyo. He, too, at the time of the earthquake: makes rcference to the loss of the library "The Imperial Uiiiversity of Tokyo lost as follows: its entire library, which, as I understand, "The central library and the buildings though encased in a fire-proof building, used by the faculties of law, economics had its roof lifted by an explosion in a and letters, as well as those of physio- neighboring medical school. There were logical chemistry and pharmacology, have between p,mo and 700,m volumes, many been lost by fire, which originated in the of them of ancient Japanese literature and laboratory of physiological chemistry im- irreplaceable. mediately after the earthquake. The cen- Professor Kenzo Takahashi is now vis- tral library, which contained many works iting the universities of Arncrica and never to be obtained again, and in which Europe with a view to securing donations were deposited several memorial collec- for this library. It is to be hoped that tions, including the working library of the all our universities and scientific societies Sancrit scholar Max Mueller, is a great will respond to this appeal. Any person loss for the university, and it will take or institution which may wish to send one years to have a similar one."
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