Special Libraries, February 1952

San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks

Special Libraries, 1952 Special Libraries, 1950s

2-1-1952

Special Libraries Association

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Editorial Governing Board ALMA CLARVOEMITCHILL, Chairman CONTENTS DORARICHMAN EDITHSTONE Managing Editor HARRYR. SNOWDEN,JR. Advertising Manager ARTICLES MRS. KATHLEENB. STEBBINS Reference Tools in the Biological Sciences, Karl A. Baer ...... 45 SLA OFFICERS, 1951-52 GRIEGASPNES, President The Bibliographic Control of Medical Lit- Brown & Bigelow erature, Estelle Brodman . 48 St. Paul 4, Minnesota ELIZABETHFERGUSON, Evaluation of the AMA Nomenclature of First Vice-president and President-Elect Disease and Operations, Margaret Schell 56 Institute of Life Insurance New York 22, New York Microcard Publication of Scientific and ELEANORV. WRIGHT Technical Reports, Melvin B. Morgan . 59 Second Vice-president Chrysler Corporation Aslib 26th Annual Conference, Zvor B. N. Detroit 31, Michigan Evans ...... 60 FREDERICC. BATTELL, Secretary United Nations versus League of Nations Minnesota & Ontario Paper Co. Documentation, NelleSignor ....62 Minneapolis 2, Minnesota MARTINLOFTUS, Treasurer International Monetary Fund FEATURES & International Bank for Reconstruction & Development, Chapter and Division Highlights .... 65 Washington 25, D. C. Have You Heard ...... 66 DIRECTORS Off the Press ...... 68 ESTELLEBRODMAN U. S. Army Medical Library Washington 25, D. C. MRS. LUCILEL. KECK Joint Reference Library Indexed in Industrial Arts, Public Affairs Chicago 37, Illinois Information Service, and Library Literature ROBERTE. GRAYSON New York Herald Tribune New York 18, New York The articles which appear in SPECIALLIBRA- M. MARGARETKEHL RIES express the views of the authors, and do School of Library Science not necessarily represent the opinion or the Drexel Institute policy of the editorial staff and publisher. Philadelphia 4, Pennsylvania KENNETHH. FAGERHAUGH John Crerar Library SPECIAL LIBRARIES pul111dwd montllly September to April, Chicago 1, Illinois with bi-monthly issues May to August, by The Special Libraries Association. Publication Office. Rea Building, 704 Second Ave.. GERTRUDELOW Pittsburgh 19, Pa. Address all conumunications for publication John Price Jones Co., Inc. to editorial o5ces at 31 East Tenth Street, New York 3, N. T. New York 7, New York Subscription price : $7.00 a year ; foreign $7.50 ; single copier. 75 cents. Entered as second-class matter February 5, 1947, at MRS. ELIZABETHW. OWENS, the Posi Oflice at Pittnbwgh, Pennaylcania, under the Act of Immediate Past-President March 3, i879. Acceptance for mailing at .special rate of postage Mercantile Trust Co. provided for in the Act of ~~~~~~~~~y 88. 1985, authorized Pebru- St. Louis 1, Missouri ary 5, 1947 Announcing - 1001 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSATION AND SPEECHES by HERBERTV. PROCHNOW,Author of "The Public Speaker's Chest" Every businessman will want access to this new book by Herbert V. Prochnow, whose fabulously successful THEPUBLIC SPEAKER'S TREASURE CHEST has become the key to speech eloquence for thousands. Here are the tools and techniques that offer unlimited possibilities for those who aspire to become versatile and effective conversationalists as well as competent speakers. Here are thousands of bon mots, figures of speech and quotations, plus a valuable "how-to" section that describes how to transform common- place talk into lively, forceful conversation. An indispensable reference work for all libraries. $3.95

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49 East 33rd st. HARPER & BROTHERS ~ewYOA 16, N. Y. Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Adverfisements Reference Tools in the Biological Sciences*

Mr. Baer is bibliographer, U.S. Army limitation are shown graphically by Dr. Medical Library, Washington, D. C. H. J. T. Ellingham's clever chart illus- trating some of the relationships be- NCE UPON A TIME, a little old lady tween the branches of natural science 0 came into a bookstore. The clerk and echno1ogy.l rushed out to help her. "I don't want In discussing part of this vast field very much," the little old lady said, "I from the point of bibliographic control, want an edition of the complete Bible, we must always keep in mind the pre- but it has to be very, very large print eminence of serials, particularly jour- because my eyes are not so good as they nals, in scientific literature; they are the used to be; and also, it has to have a basic source material. This means that very, very small format because I am a periodical indexes, catalogs, abstract very frail old lady." The clerk was journals and bibliographies leading to stumped and helpless, and I am afraid periodical material are the basic refer- he did not make a sale. Writing about ence tools in the field of biology." reference tools in the biological sciences, shall discuss some of these tools in a I feel just like that unfortunate clerk: rambling way because their constantly the field to be covered is so tremendous- rising number makes a systematic ap- ly large and there is so little space in proach difficult, if not impossible. I shall which to present, in an adequate man- supplement this material with a few ner, even one aspect of it. practical hints about some government Therefore, I shall not attempt to take agencies in Washington. These agencies time for a learned discussion on the will be glad to serve as sources of infor- definition and scope of biology and the mation after you have exhausted your biological sciences. Let me just say that local resources. biology, according to the Encyclopedia Of the three general bibliographic tools, Britannica, includes morphology, tax- two are outstanding historically and onomy, physiology, ecology, heredity, practically: The Royal Sociefy Cata- embryology and palaeontology. In a logue and the International Catalogue. more practical fashion, the library of They present you with a complete the Department of Agriculture, the author and partial subject coverage for representative general biological library their periods-a quick and easy way, in this country, considers the follow- which in many of the branches of sci- ing as biological disciplines : general biology, zoology, botany, agriculture, 1 The Royal Society Scientific Information animal husbandry, bio-chemistry and, Conference, 21 June-2 July 1948. Report and finally, medicine and veterinary science. papers submitted. London, Royal Society, 1948. Facing p. 480. The difficulties of definition and clear 2 The difference between source material and tools is rightly stressed by K. L. Taylor, "Spe- * Adapted from a paper presented before a cial Reference Problems in Science and Tech- Round Table Discussion, Biological Sciences nology," in P. Butter (ed.), The Reference Division, at the 42nd Annual Convention of Function of the Library. University of Chicago SLA, St. Paul, Minnesota, June 18, 1951. Press, 1943. p. 192-193. ence is not afforded by any specialized general libraries, particularly public li- tool. It is a matter of deep regret to any braries, but it may be used to great ad- research worker and librarian that these vantage in the special library when the works are behind the times and that answer to a simple question or a short there is no hope of their being con- reading list is requested. For compli- tinued. A third tool, the World List, cated problems and thorough literature suffers, of course, from old age; too searches, we have the Bibliography of much has happened in the seventeen Agriculture. It now indexes about 16,000 years since its publication. journals. This monthly list appears in In the field of the biological sciences four sections, superseding the four earli- the most widely used tool is Biological er bibliographic services of the DAL in Abstracts. As to its character, it might agricultural economics and rural soci- be interesting to note that it is a co- ology, in agricultural engineering, in operative enterprise of biologists. To entomology and in plant science. the small, highly specialized library, and Of importance also are the twelve ab- to the individual scholar, it is important stract journals of the British Common- that sectional subscriptions are avail- wealth Agricultural Bureaux. Most of able at quite reasonable rates. I think these contain signed abstracts of high that Biological Abstracts is in many re- caliber; they are well indexed, and at a spects a fascinating publication. For price range from $3 to $6 annually details on "what makes it run" I refer they are real bargains. As to botany and you to a paper by F. V. Rand.3 Tabulae zoology, space compels me to refer you Biologicae, on the basis of our principle in a general way to the bibliography - of selection, are guides to the important and again I want to stress the quota- data in the literature - and mostly in tion "Complete and based on the hold- the journal literature in biology. The ings of the DAL." By the way, botanical material contained in the Tabulae is bibliography seems to be a particularly written in German, French or English; healthful occupation; Engler kept on but, as figures and bibliographic refer- working until he was over 90, and ences are the main features, language Rehder began his monumental work on difficulties should not keep anybody trees of the Northern temperate zone from successful use of this tool. In de- when he was 77, and lived to complete scribing it, I am tempted to say that it it at the age of 86! contains the quintessence of the material The Index Kewenses and the Index found in numerous large German hand- Londinensis are well known to anybody books and may take their place in the working in the field; I might mention, relatively small library, or, considering nevertheless, that the Index Londinensis the price of the handbooks, even in the has some 500,000 entries all useful larger library with a small budget. Of - references to the literature. It is being course, the pertinent handbooks them- continued by the Index Kewenses where selves - which I have not included- the listing of illustrations represents just are indispensable in any large reference a small part of the work. collection. Agriculture The value of Lindau's Thesaurus is seriously impaired by the lack of a sub- The field of agriculture is well cov- ject index; as far as I could ascertain, ered by indexes and abstract journals. only part of this index has been pub- The Agricultural Index is a guide to the lished and I was unable to locate even material of some 116 journals, mostly these parts at DAL and LC. So, maybe American; it is, therefore, more useful in smaller libraries need not feel too bad about not having complete holdings of 3 F. V. Rand, "Biological abstracts; History and Procedure." D. C. Library, 1930, 2: 2-6. these tools.

SPECIAL LIBRARIES Zoology of three parts: an author catalog and In zoology, I shall limit myself to two subject catalogs, one for general tools in the field of general zoology. The botany and the other for plant path- Zoological Record is so basic a work ology, For convenience the two files are that many of the other tools make arranged in separate alphabets. blanket references to it in their listings. The subject of botany is treated in its As Mudge just gives the title, I shall widest sense, covering most of the plant say that it is arranged by classes, has science literature of importance. In ad- an annual author and subject index, dition to cards for all botanical books, publishes lists of new generic and sub- index entries for important articles on generic names at the end of each issue the subject in current periodical and and, finally, an economical considera- serial publications have been included tion, its parts may be had separately. since about 1919. The catalog at the The three basic nomenclators, Sherborn, present time consists of approximately Neave and Kamedie are valuable be- 800,000 cards. cause they contain chapter and verse The Illustration Index was started of the original source of each name. during the fiscal year 1914-1915. Its While Sherborn lists species, as well as purpose was to supplement Pritzel's genera, Neave and the Prussian Acad- Zconum Botanicarum Index, 1861 -66. emy limit themselves to genera and Many important non-current works subgenera. I hope you will be exhilarat- were indexed at this time. After the ed by A. Kamedie. There is also quite publication of Index Londinensis in a bit of scholarly skirmish going on as 1929, current indexing was mainly done. to who did the more complete job, the During the war years indexing was sus- Germans or the English; if you have to pended and few additions have been choose between the two, the English made since. have certainly one argument in their Not only libraries, but other govern- favor: Sherborn is less expensive. One ment agencies are available to you in interesting general statement of Sher- the field of biochemistry. I am talking born in his preface intrigued me: "In a about the Chemical-Biological Coordina- book of reference, the first pages which tion Center of the National Research should be studied are those containing Council. This agency grew out of an the corrigenda as they represent the Insect Control Committee and now at- sum of the compiler's labours after the tempts to collect, abstract and index all main work has passed the press." reports, manuscripts and papers "involv- I have not been able to resist alto- ing the broad relationships of chemical gether the temptation to include tools structure to biological action of all in special fields of zoology. The scope of kinds." To this end, the CBCC organizes the Index to the Literature of American symposia, arranges for biological tests Entomology has lately been widened so of old and new chemicals, keeps a refer- as to include Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii ence file of unlisted drugs and arranges and other Pacific islands, particularly for reviews in certain fields, e.g., anti- those playing a part in World War 11. histaminics. All the results are pub- This index is one of the many accom- lished and, as a matter of fact, all the plishments of the DAL. This library information available at the Center is, can also make available to you by generally, open to any qualified person. microphotography or in other ways the The work is done through subcommit- benefits derived from two important in- tees active in various subject fields. dex files kept at the library: the Plant (The membership of these committees Science Catalog and the Illustrations changes every year.) Their main refer- Index. ence tool is a file of punched IBM cards The Plant Science Catalog consists (Continued on page 71)

FEBRUARY, 1952 THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE ARMY MEDICAL LIBRARY TO

The Bibliographic Control o

T SEEMS PARTICULARLY appropriate so much attention to this phase of its I to discuss at this time the publica- work that the question has occasionally tions program of the Army Medical Li- been raised whether it were really a brary. Last year marked the diamond library or a publishing agency. We jubilee of the first attempt of the Army think that perhaps we have worked out Medical Library (then called the Li- the relationship of these two activities brary of the Surgeon General's Office) for the present, but we realize that the to publish bibliographic material for the future needs of medicine are unknown use of all physicians and all medical and to us, and we have no wish to emulate scientific libraries. I refer, of course, to the dinoasaur which died out because he the appearance of the Specimen Fasci- became so specialized he could not re- culus of the Index-Catalogue which ap- act to changes in the external environ- peared in 1876, and which took John ment. For that reason, we have tried to Shaw Billings and Dr. Abraham Jacobi make our library-publishing compart- three years to get through congressional ments movable partitions rather than appropriation committees. Ever since water-tight bulkheads. At just what that time the Army Medical Library point experimentation and constant has been concerned with making its change should give way to stability and resources available to the widest prac- consistency is, of course, a matter of ticable audience. Like any other or- prime consideration. We can be helped ganization with a long history, it may in this if the users of our publications have varied at times in its devotion to would let us know how they use them, any particular course; or had periods whether they find in them what they of more or less smugcess with its prod- are looking for, whether the methods of ucts; or felt more or less need for ex- publication which we use are suitable perimentation; or, saddest of all, may (and if not, why not, and what changes have had more or less financial support they would suggest), and whether we at different times. are wasting our time publishing un- Never since 1876, however, has the necessary works. We earnestly solicit library given up its interest in and at- your comments; for better or for worse tention to the bibliographic control of we are all in this together. In this joint medicine. Indeed, it has sometimes given responsibility you cannot do without us and we cannot logically do our duty *Adapted from a paper presented at a without your help. meeting of the Science-Technology group, New York Chapter, Special Libraries Associa- The list of the Army Medical Libra- tion, New York, N. Y., November 26, 1951. ry's publications is surprisingly long.

4 8 SPEClAL LIBRARIES The bibliographic control of literature may well be numbered among those dreams by which men live. That this particular dream may never become a reality will not give pause to those few who are constantly striving toward this distant goal.

Since 1879 it has been concerned in the existence they are likely to say, "Oh, publication of some fifty titles, of which yes; the Index-Catalogue." We think the most important are probably: that younger physicians, and especially 1. Index-Catalogue those who have been given aid when 2. Index Medicus they were in the armed forces, are be- 3. Current List of Medical Literature ginning to recognize that the Army 4. Army Medical Library Author Medical Library has other services and Catalog pub 1i c a t io ns besides the Index-Cata- 5 A mimeographed acquisitions list, logue; and because we think that these with various titles. other services and publications can aid 6. A series of long bibliographies on the present-day scientist more than the topics of special interest. Index-Catalogue, we try to "play them In addition to these, there are plans up" more. But that does not mean we afoot for the publication of a subject are not proud of the Index-Catalogue catalog to supplement the Author Cat- and all that it has done in the seventy- alog, a list of the monographs still to be five years of its existence. found in the manuscript files of the As I hope to point out in a forthcom- Index-Catalogue, and a checklist of ing book on the history of medical bibli- medical Americana up to 1820. ography, it was in the Index-Catalogue I propose to give brief histories of the that its founder, John Shaw Billings, most important of these publications, worked out the first successful method and to explain the plans for future for the bibliographic control of the works. We are not yet in a position to enormous scientific literature of the sit back and survey the scene, or to draw nineteenth century. But the methods any conclusions. This must, therefore, which were successful for controlling be a progress report -a view of "a cer- medical literature in the nineteenth cen- tain part of the forestv- and we must tury are breaking down now under the leave to those who come later the plac- stresses of the twentieth century. In thist ing of our work in the perspective of the medicine is only paralleling the other needs of the time. sciences, such as chemistry, engineering Index-Catalogue and physics; and, like these other sci- It is some kind of commentary on the place of the Army Medical Library in the scientific and scholarly community rian for Reierence Services, Army that many physicians have never even Medical Library, Washington, D. C. heard of it. When they do know of our

FEBRUARY, 1952 49 ences, is seeking new ways to meet new or otherwise acting as if upon Osler's conditions. view of the medical journals of Austral- The Index-Catalogue is a list of the asia in 1897 -that they contain little monographs, pamphlets and theses in except records of hydatids and snake- the Surgeon-General's Library (now the bite . . . . In selecting material for the Army Medical Library), as well as a Index Medicus, Fletcher tended to in- list of many of the articles contained in clude more, on the ground that current the periodical collection of the library. It articles of any kind are apt to be of cur- comes out letter by letter, A to 2, and rent interest to current readers, some has been around the alphabet three of whom may find in them just the times since A -Berlioz was published stimulating or factual statement they in 1880. It is now in the middle of the are after. With the better sort of medi- fourth series. I should like to emphasize cal journals, his slogan was 'Take every- that not all the library's periodical hold- thing.' The Index Medicus is, there- ings are indexed in full. Fielding H. fore, more complete as a record . . . Garrison has pointed out in a hitherto than the Index-Catalogue, which Bil- only partially published memorandum lings aimed to make a repository of the in the files of the Armv Medical Libra- very best and most select material, but ry, that: "It has been a matter of com- of no other." mon error to suppose that the Index- In spite of the great mass of omis- Catalogue contains, in addition to med- sions, the Index-Catalogue contained ical books and pamphlets, all the arti- more works on any given subject than cles contained in the medical periodicals had any previous bibliography of medi- in the Library . . . . This is, and has cine. Because of the excellence of the been, wide of actual fact. In the pe- medical collections brought together by riod of inception ( 1865-1879 ), Billings Billings and Fletcher, even a small pro- personally checked all the periodicals portion of its contents would reveal in the Library for indexing, a colossal hitherto unknown treasures. Over and undertaking, done at his home into the over again the reviews of the first vol- small hours of the night. After the ar- umes of the Index-Catalogue stress the rival of Fletcher, he continued to do surprise of the reviewer who opens the this up to his retirement from active first volumes and finds, let us say, sixty- duty in 1895, with the assistance of six pages of references to aneurysms. Fletcher . . . . The two men undoubt- With Billings' retirement from the edlv checked all the articles in the army in 1895, the work on the Index- purely scientific periodicals, such as Catalogue was kept up by Dr. Fletcher, Virchow's or Pfliiger7s Archiv, and all on whom fell the burden of the logical the important articles in weekly and consequence of publishing an index to provincial medical periodicals, such as an ever-growing literature - the cyclical Lancet or the Lyon Medical. But there publication of supplements. A new cycle are some curious omissions here and of volumes was prepared, using the there. A random examination of volume methods worked out by Billings, and 1 of the Lancet for 1868, for instance, this took until 1916 for completion. By shows the omission of fairly important the time the third series of volumes was clinical cases (printed nowhere else) . . . . half over it was apparent that funds Some omissions, e.g. of trite public ad- would not be available for continuing dresses or of verbose articles with no the publication on the scale set up for tendency, are quite judicious and well it formerly. The later volumes of the considered. For the medical journals of third series therefore omitted articles third, fourth or fifth rate type, Billings indexed in the Quarterly Cumulative In- showed little consid erat ion, passing dex Medicus, published by the Ameri- them by if their contents were worthless can Medical Association, and the avow-

50 SPECIAL LIBRARIES ed purpose was to end the work with any time. This monograph catalog will the publication of the Z volume of the pabably be in five volumes and take third series. Because of pressure brought another ten years to produce, which on the library in the 1930's, however, means that we are thinking of it in this decision was reconsidered, and a terms of historical bibliography. As for fourth series begun on even wider prin- the journal articles which are indexed ciples than had been laid out for the on cards but unpublished, we have con- Index-Catalogue by Billings. The tre- sidered photo-offset or microcards or mendous growth of the literature, how- microprint, but up to now the cost of ever, soon bogged down the fourth setting up the first copy has been so series, which managed to publish ten staggering that we feel stymied. At any volumes before it was again decided to rate, it is possible for you to obtain discontinue publication. microfilm or photostatic copies of all the In each case, one of the primary cards under any subject at cost. ($0.015 reasons for the discontinuance, real or for microfilm; $0.05 for photostat.) proposed, of the Index-Catalogue was Index Medicus its cost. In 1876, Billings himself com- The same cards which were used to puted that it would cost $12,500 to issue produce the first two series of the Index- three thousand copies of the Index, or Catalogue were again used by Billings $4.16 per volume; yet the price at the and his long-time assistant, Dr. Robert office of the Superintendent of Docu- Fletcher, for the Index Medicus, being ments was set at only $2 per volume. copied a second time for this purpose. The cost of printing the later volumes (In its early days the Current List of rose much higher (perhaps $20 per Medical Literature borrowed the same volume), yet the specified price never method.) At least two reasons were went above $5. given for the production of the Index So much for the history of the Index- Medicus. Billings himself says in the Catalogue. As for its future, the Index- Preface of the first volume that he hopes Catalogue has been discontinued as for contributions from medical writers such, and the division is now engaged who wish to see their works indexed. in seeing through the press the last and that these contributions, placed in volume to be published. This will cover the library after indexing, would aid in the letters Mi-Mz. Since the cards must building up that collection beyond what all be edited before printing, and then could be supplied from the "limited the whole thing must go to the Govern- fund provided by the government for ment Printing Office, be returned and its support." In replying to letters ask- proof-read twice, we do not anticipate ing for aid in literature searches, how- that the volume will appear until 1953 ever, Billings frequently remarked that at the earliest. This volume will close the earlier literature could be found in the Index-Catalogue in its former state. the Index-Catalogue, but that the Index However, as the Committee on Index- Medicus was aimed at bringing that ing of the Army Medical Library noted work up to date and furnishing the in 1950, the unpublished manuscript physicians with the latest material on portion of the work contains valuable medical subjects. material; we are trying to find ways to The Index Medicus was a monthly make it available and still not bank- publication under the editorship first of rupt ourselves. A list of the monographs Billings and Fletcher, of Fletcher alone to be found in the files will definitely from 1879 to 1898, and then under va- be published. This, together with the rious editors from 1903 to 1927. It Author Catalog, will give a complete listed the contents of a large part of the list of all the monographs which the books, journals and pamphlets received Army Medical Library has acquired at by the Army Medical Library, arrang-

FEBRUARY, 1352 ing the citations by subjects according to go on with such work, on the ground to a modification of the nosology work- that it was harder and less remunera- ed out by the Registrar General's Of- tive than a coal-heaver's . . . . Moreover, fice in London. No articles on chem- as an eminent authority (Mr. Herbert istry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine or Putnam, Librarian of ~on~ress)ob- dentistry per se were admitted, but ar- served to Colonel Ashburn, enthusiastic ticles in journals in these fields which workers of this kind are no longer to were on pathology or therapeutics were be found among the male sex. The ob- included. In addition to the monthly vious solution was the Chicago idea - parts, which contained no indexes, an a large and efficient female personnel." annual author and subject index was Current List of Medical Literature sent to subscribers. In the Index-Catalogue and in the This periodical continued with in- Index Medicus, the Army Medical Li- creasing financial difficulties until 1898, brary set out deliberately to be of aid when Fletcher felt constrained to give to the physician, the research worker up his connection with it. For three and the librarian by providing some years after this, therefore, the journal form of bibliographic control. In the was suspended, with a French firm try- case of the Current List of Medical ing to bring out a similar work. The Literature. however, this fate was thrust French results were even more disas- upon the publication, much to its spon- trous than Fletcher's. In 1904 the sor's surprise. Since it was never de- Carnegie Foundation was persuaded by signed for the purposes to which his- Billings, who just happened to be on torical expediency has caused it to be the Board of Directors, to come to the put, it is perhaps not surprising that in financial rescue of the Index Medicus. its original form it did not meet the It was reconstituted on a quarterly needs of the situation. Let me explain basis, arranged alphabetically by sub- these statements in more detail. ject with an annual author index and, About 194 1, an enthusiastic philan- in this form, continued until 1926-27, thropist, Dr. Atherton Seidell, known to when it merged into the Quarterly many as editor of the standard work Cumulative Index published by the on solubilities, became interested in American Medical Association. You spreading the use of microfilms among might be interested in Garrison's rather research workers and individuals who amusing comment on the merger: were without access to well stocked li- "The fusion of the Index Medicus braries. Consequently, he donated equip- with the Cumulative Quarerly Index of ment and staff for photoduplication of the American Medical Association ob- articles in the Army Medical Library's tained for selfsame reasons, viz., the collections, for which he charged only prospect of ultimate inadequacy or ac- the cost of materials. Incidentally, it is tual lack of funds and (more important interesting to note that even now, ten still), the wearing down and dying out years later, we still receive some of of the kind of personnel formerly avail- those bibliofilm order forms for micro- able for carrying on this work. Prepara- film and photostats. Dr. Seidell soon tion of such quarterly numbers as those realized, however, that if he wished to in the final volume of the Index Medicus increase the volume of the work, he (1926-27), or of the author and subject would have to tell potential users some index in the earlier series, was drudgery of the things that they could get on of the most devitalizing kind, ruinous microfilm. For that reason he arranged to the eyesight, with consequent impact to have some of the cards of the Index- upon the nervous system, and wearying Catalogue copied each evening, after to the flesh. Some upstanding people the library was closed, and published 'slammed down their tools' and declined by photo-offset in a little booklet which

SPECIAL LIBRARIES could fit comfortably in a man's pocket, J. H. McNinch, then director of the li- and which was designed to be so flimsy brary, promised to make it the first that the man would have no qualms order of business. When Colonel Frank B. about marking it up or even discarding Rogers took over the directorship of the it when its usefulness had ceased. library in September, 1949, he set to With such a purpose in view, it is work immediately to make the Current not surprising that the Current List be- List a first-rate publication in its own came what Miss Bayne at the New right. On this job he was aided by the York University Medical School Libra- Committee on Indexing, appointed by ry was called the "ophthalmologist's de- the Surgeon General, and composed of light" because of its bad print, or that such people as Dr. John Fulton, Dr. it was inconsistent, incomplete and ar- Morris Fishbein, Dr. Chauncey Leake, ranged without consideration for author Janet Doe, Verner Clapp, and Dr. San- or subject. ford V. Larkey, as well as by Seymour At this juncture, however, the Quar- Taine, who became editor of the new terly Cumulative Zndex Medicus, which publication and did much of the spade had been the standard medical index, work of planning. The first issue in the began to find it more and more difficult new form appeared in July, 1950. to appear on time, finally arriving at At present the Current List is pub- the point where it was more than two lished monthly by photo-offset, with an years behind its schedule. Medical work- annual author and subject index. Each ers and medical librarians set up an issue is made up of two portions: the anguished wail at the loss of their favor- Register and the Index. In the Register ite tool, and then proceeded to look you will find the table of contents of around for a substitute. The only publi- the journals indexed in that particular cation which approached the Quarterly issue. Each citation in this section is Cumulative Zndex Medicus for com- numbered consecutively, and the month- pleteness was the Current List, and on ly and cumulated indexes refer back to to this the medical world fastened faut the item by way of the serial number. de mieux. Immediately all the incon- By use of this system, three approaches sistencies, all the errors, all the flimsi- are made possible: by author, by sub- ness of the work were exposed to view. ject, and by journal issue. A list of all It was like asking an auxiliary bridge the journals indexed appears in each designed to be used by perhaps ten December issue. Incidenta 11y, about cars an hour, to carry a New York rush- 1,350 titles are indexed, and a compari- hour crowd. The traffic jam got worsz son of this list with the list indexed by and worse with every attempt to tinker the Quarterly Cumulative Zndex Med- with the work. And many tinkerings icus shows that about a third of the were tried. A list of the journals in- total titles are indexed in both publica- dexed was placed on the cover of each tions, but that two-thirds are indexed in issue; monthly subject indexes were one or the other only. In general, the added; cumulated semi-annual indexes Current List has had more foreign, es- were tried; even an author list was as- pecially Slavic journals than the QCZM, sayed. But fundamentally the whole and more in such fields as nursing and structure was wrong for the work it had pharmacy. to do, and it soon became apparent that That is the way the Current List is we would have to redesign the entire now set up. For the future, however, publication. In April, 1949, the Medical there are many changes planned. For Library Association, meeting in Gal- one thing, the list of journals will be veston, Texas, passed several resolutions scrutinized before starting each volume, asking the Army Medical Library to do and major changes by individual title something about the situation. Colonel and by entire category can be expected

FEBRUARY, 1952 for the next few years. Of course new reference assistants. journals are examined for inclusion as But even if we had the staff with the soon as they appear. In the volume be- desired background, there are several ginning with January, 1952, the fre- schools of thought on subject headings quency of cumulation for indexes will -which I am sure is no news to a be six months instead of a year. This group of science librarians -and what- is for physical reasons -about 100,000 ever school we follow is anathema to references are printed each year; it is some other group. How far should we too bulky to make one volume of this; go in giving chemical names? Should it is too hard to remember six digit we use inverted terms or not? Should numbers from the indexes to the regis- we have partially classified indexes? ter portions; and the overwhelming de- What about see and see also references? sire of medical librarians, as shown by As a result of this real confusion in their answers to our questionnaire, is the theory of subject headings, the for six-month cumulations. Although we Current List has tried several approaches. sometimes feel that this is due to fa- The first list of subject headings used miliarity with the semi-annual cumula- was that of the QCIM. But in the QCIM tions of the QCZM, this merely adds an- you get the title repeated under the other reason to those I have just enum- subject, and this makes the problem erated for reducing the span of the different. The second plan borrowed a indexes. method used by Chemical Abstracts, A minor, but we believe realistic, which allows the use of part of the title change in the 1952 issues accepts the of the article as the subheading of the fact that many American physicians standard list of headings. This is prov- read only English. From now on, non- ing a burden to cumulate, as you can English language articles will be de- well imagine, and for this and other noted by an asterisk in the index. reasons it is being partially discarded. As you can imagine, the problem of Beginning with the January, 1952 issue, subject headings has been one of the a new list and a new method was most difficult the Current List has had adopted. The list was constructed after to face, and several approaches already consideration of many published lists have been tried -without convincing such as QCZM, Chemical Abstracts, me. at any rate, that we have found Biological Abstracts, Who's Znternafion- the perfect solution. My father used to a1 Nomenclature, Standard Nomencla- say that when he read constantly of ture of Disease, Bergey's Manual, the new remedies for a disease he had to code book of the American Cancer conclude that nobody really had found Registry, and the like. The lengthy a remedy for it. In like manner, per- preface to the January issue, written by haps, we ought to be frank and say we Colonel Rogers and Mr. Taine, provides have not found the complete remedy all the facts on the use of the index. I for the subject heading disease. Basic- recommend that you read it, no matter ally, it stems from two reasons: the ex.- how busy you are. Not only will it save treme lack of consistency in medical you many hours in the use of the Cur- terminology and nomenclature, and the rent List, but I believe it may become difficulty of finding indexers with a good a real part of the basic literature on all-round background in the medical science librarianship. sciences. Every now and then, for ex- One of the complaints which we have ample, we amuse ourselves by collect- at the Army Medical Library is that ing the subject headings given to a par- "nobody tells us anything." As I men- ticularly confusing article by each of tioned above, when the Current List the subject headers, or even the direc- was staggering along under an unex- tor, the chief librarian, and a few of the (Continued on page 73)

SPECIAL LIBRARIES SLA CONVENTION NEWS I

Is this a Cjoelernment Project? I SHOULD SAY NOT!

I'm planning my itinerary for the SLA CONVENTION in New York!

Why not make your plans now? SLA's Forty-third Annual Conven- tion promises to be the finest ever. The great convention program and the world's most fascinating city are a liberal education in a few days. I'II be there - will you?

REMEMBER THE DATE: May 25-29, 1952

If you are interested in the THEATRE, history, drop in at the American Museum the opportunities are unequalled - as of Natural History. you will see by strolling between 42nd If its high finance that interests you, and 59th Streets. Everything from grand take a look at WALL STREET, but perhaps opera down to trained flea shows. you had better refrain from any fliers on the Stock Exchange. For TRANSPORTATION, ride the sub- way, the elevated, the double-decker Stargazers will want to feel their way buses, taxis, or try a horse-drawn car- into the darkness of the HAYDEN PLANE- riage around Central Park. And of course TARIUM to see spread before their eyes you will want to go over and under the the heavens of yesterday, today or to- Hudson River via the tubes, the ferries, morrow. and the maiestic George Washington Bridge. SLA Special Attractions Sunday, May 25: Luncheon, Della Robbia If it ARCHITECTURE you like, be a Room, Vanderbilt Hotel; Sightseeing tour rubberneck and gasp and gaze at the of uptown Manhattan, along Riverside tower of the Empire State Building, or Drive to the Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park. the canyons of lower Manhattan. When Open house at Statler from 5-7 P. M. you're tired of looking up, look down from the observation towers of Rocke- Tuesday, May 27: Convention luncheon in Grand Ballroom, Statler Hotel. feller Center. Thursday, May 29: Boat trip around Man- For the EPICUREAN, there are restau- hattan Island. Buffet supper aboard. rants of every known nationality and type. But if you are interested in natural CONVENTION PRESS DEPARTMENT

I'II be there - Will You?

FEBRUARY, 1952 AMA Nomenclature of Disease and Operations

Miss Schell, a specialist in photo- than one person does the coding and micrography, was awarded first prize in decoding and sets a certain standard for that subject at the 1951 convention of the numerous items capable of differ- Biological Photographers. She was for- ent interpretations. merly librarian, Pathology Museum, St. In contrast to the AMA system, al- Luke's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. phabetic units may be set up easily by lay persons and medical workers alike. HE AMERICAN MEDICALASSOCIA- There is no limit to the kind or number TTION'S Standard Nomenclature of of combinations in etiology or diagnoses Disease and Operations makes a knowl- which may be recorded and added to edge of diseases and a background in continuously when using an alphabetic the biological and physical sciences al- system. This in itself is not possible most mandatory. Such a restriction may with a pre-devised set of etiologies and be advantageous where an element of combinations thereof. There seem never secrecy and privacy, as in dealing with to be enough of these, and, in actual patients or lay persons in general, is practice, after posting and coding from desired; on the other hand, this system, fifteen to twenty thousand medical diag- by virtue of its elaborate set up and noses with this system, one can fill a great flexibility in interpretation, makes book with items which are extremely coding and de-coding a time consuming flexible of interpretation and have left process for the residents and interns a long list of items not specifically ac- usually charged with this task. Busy counted for in the AMA nomenclature. medical workers seldom find the neces- Since pathologists appear to be the sary time, patience and enthusiasm most logical experts for classification necessary to learn and apply its intrica- systems involving anatomical location cies. The system presents more than and etiology of diseases, the question average difficulties for any clerical staff arises here why certified pathologists lacking the speci a1iz e d background were not consulted on the nomenclature necessary to work with it. A simple sys- for a sufficiently long time, and in larger tem which can be efficiently employed numbers than the few mentioned on the both by professional and clerical work- advisory boards, when this very com- ers would offer important advantages. prehensive but possibly still incomplete When one basic system is used by a nomenclature was first devised? Even hospital or teaching institution through- so, it seems humanly impossible to in- out its various departments, unity and clude all possible diseases, and organs efficient correlation in classification sys- in which they occur, in just one volume. tems are achieved. With the AMA sys- Periodic revisions, including many ad- tem, this advantage is often lost to a ditions, changes and corrections, appear great extent by individuality or dis- to be the more practical solution. The crepancy in interpretation where more Nomenclature of Operations fares pro-

56 SPECIAL LIBRARIES portionately better in that it not only tional. At least one pathologist lists has a teaching and practicing surgeon of this eye tumor as one of the sequelae excellent reputation as its chairman, of Gaucher's disease. A heading "Dis- but its advisory board also boasts an turbances of Fat Metabolism" may also impressive roster of outstanding sur- include this item.There is, as mentioned, geons and specialty-surgeons. no limit as to the kind, variety or It may be that many of the problems amount of diseases or combinations of and uncertainties of interpretation are diseases you may thus record very sim- traceable to the fact that even the most ply and effectively. With the AMA sys- brilliant and capable pathologists do tem it might require a number of vol- not always agree among themselves with umes to establish code numbers for the respect to tumor classification, designa- diagnoses set down by the pathologist tion, criteria of malignancy, primacy of of a medium-sized hospital, and not tumors and related factors. For all of provide even then an exhaustive, not to their common denominators-a love for mention complete, list of diseases. truth and certainty, and scientific curi- The AMA, I understand, prefers to osity-the pathologists certainly appear limit the use of eponyms and perhaps to be rugged individualists. A glance this explains the all-too-brief list of through the indexes of current text- eponyms in their nomenclature. I be- books on pathology alone would con- lieve eponyms are brief, apt, to the vince even a casual observer of this. point and seem to be in wide usage Diseases in general may be classified among pathologists and clinicians. If in various ways, such as: generalized or they also help to conjure, in the minds local; acute, subacute or chronic; or- of those familiar with great names in ganic and functional; endemic and epi- medicine, a picture of the individual demic; by morphology and etiology. Di- thus honored-why not? Not only do visions such as predisposing factors: I believe the list of epnoyms should be heredity, allergy, age factors, sex, tem- enlarged in the present edition of the peramental influences, habitation and AMA nomenclature, but that they occupation, nutrition, previous attacks should also be included in the general (constitution) and immunity may be index, broken down and cross indexed. employed. One may choose classifica- For instance. Ayerza's disease would tions by precipitating or exciting factors probably be more readily located if it such as infection, vitamin deficiency, were cross indexed under: syphilis (pul- impaired metabolism, glandular abnor- monary artery); cor pulmonale, hyper- malities, thermal influences, poisons, tension and arteriosclerosis of lesser cir- drugs, toxins, trauma, etc. Some of these culation, etc., in addition to being men- overlap and are not clearly separable. tioned in the list of eponyms. A fine list In using the AMA system, a disease of epnoyms, although probably not com- entity such as "Gaucher's disease" is not plete either, may be found in the Royal easy to find among coded cards, since College of Physicians (London), Nom- one has a choice of numerous loca- enclature. tions or "body as a whole" under which Tumor classification has come a long to look for this disease. Alphabetic sys- way since Claudius Galen (A.D. 130- tems present no such problem. All that 200). He used the term "sarcoma" for is necessary is to look under G or Ga any fleshy-like superficial swelling, and for Gaucher's disease. If one wishes to believed neoplasms to be external mani- be more specific, one may cross index festations only and due to excess of the diagnosis under the respective loca- calcified black bile. Incredibly enough, tion, such as bone marrow, liver or this classification seems to have per- spleen, and inclusion of a cross refer- sisted for more than a thousand years. ence under "pingeculae, eye" is op- Pathologists frequently list an item

FEBRUARY, 1952 57 such as "fibrosis" which may be due to tumors. This all adds to the picture of a number of causes. It is similar to complexity. The task of standardization hypertrophy, hyperp 1as i a, metaplasia, in this field is indeed a very formidable auresis, dilatation, epidermization of cells, one and perhaps a long way off, espe- proliferations, etc. In the AMA Nomen- cially as far as the malignant and not clature, I found only a few of the or- yet wholly explored tumors are con- gans listed that may be afflicted with cerned. Research is, however, constant- this pathological condition, instead of ly, if slowly, advancing. the dozens of anatomic locations I had There are many theories and hypo- encountered in actual practice. In this theses concerning the cause of cancer. connection, the item "degeneration and Knowledge concerning the known con- proliferation" in category nine, number tributing factors in the etiology of this 952, evoked speculation as to whether disease is accumulating. Among the any hair splitting was going on here, the established and debatable causative or subtle meaning of which had eluded co-causative factors are : influence of me. Number 956, too, carried the same the nervous system (Behan); foreign two items, but in reverse. Many coders, body invasion; chronic irritation of to avoid time consuming speculation as many kinds, hereditary, mechanical, to the origin of an item, simply mark traumatic and similar factors. This long it "category Y - undetermined cause." list further includes Gye & Barnard's In one of the older nomenclatures of and Francisco Duran-Reynals' virus the- diseases I found papillomas listed under ory; Cohnheim's and Kolmer's observa- "benign" tumors and melanomas under tions on embryological and endocrin- malignant tumors only, with the modi- ological aspects; W. Blair Bell's theory fication that these designations should of impaired vitality, starvation and pos- not be used as (definite?) diagnoses. sible oxygen deficiency of the cancer or Correctly, melanomas are listed both potential cancer cell, the role of the en- under malignant and non-malignant zymes, fungus-cancer research investi- categories in the AMA Nomenclature. gations along the line of chemical irri- Misnomers for questionable items are tants, etc. quite understandable when one con- Is it surprising, then, that there exists siders the many borderline tumors which so much uncertainty, especially con- may either change from benign into cerning tumor etiology. Who knows but malignant or regress or become inactive what in the near future rheumatic fever after once having been pronounced ma- may be classified as due to hemolytic lignant. Nevi, polyps, papillomas, mel- streptococcus instead of under unspeci- anomas and possibly others seem to fied or unknown etiology? As Dr. Hilger belong in the borderline category. Some Perry Jenkins points out, years of usage malignant tumors may be slow-growing may be required to bring about any and not be as potentially dangerous as real standardization in designating oper- a benign tumor of large proportion ations and diseases by a uniform term- pressing on vital organs or innocent, inology. tiny growths near a life sustaining Only very general remarks have been structure. made which may or may not be con- Tumor designations and criteria of ducive toward lightening the task of malignancy vary considerably. Some coding by the AMA system; enlarge- pathologists prefer to classify or desig- ment and more cross-indexing of the nate tumors by the kind of cells that general index; enlargement of the list predominate in them, others prefer his- of eponyms and cross indexing of the togenesis or tradition as a basis for their same; and the desirability of having classification. Others, again, use eponyms questionable items considered by a to cover a whole complex of diseases or (Continued on pege 73)

SPECIAL LIBRARIES MICROCARD PUBLICATION OF Scientific and Technical Reports

Mr. Morgan is a graduate student at hensive control over federal govern- the University of Minnesota. He was ment reports, Taube proposed a plan formerly biology librarian, Technical Li- in which centralized abstracting "be brary, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, made a requirement of all contracts for Oak Ridge, Tennessee. research or development work issued by any agency of the federal government, HE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL CONTROL of a and that any report prepared in pur- Tvast number of scientific and tech- suance of such work be accompanied by nical reports produced during World an abstract prepared by the agency or War I1 by the government program of contractor issuing the report. It is pro- decentralized research through univer- posed that all such abstracts be sent to sities and industrial firms has posed a a central agency, which would classify problem which has not yet been solved. the abstracts in terms of subjects cov- These reports, emanating from thou- ered and disseminate them in an ab- sands of organizations throughout the stracting bulletin or j~urnal."~ country, have not been systematically Does the abstract card itself provide organized so that scientists can have the scientist with the most efficient ac- rapid and efficient access to the infor- cess to the information needed in his mation contained in them. work? To be sure, it serves as a guide Various authors, Orne', Sondheimer2, to the contents of the report by means Shorbti, Gull4, Taube5, and Smith" have of the abstract and the subject head- discussed different approaches to the ings assigned to it; however, it is a problem : indexing on microfilm, sub- guide only, and for detailed information ject analysis, indexing company reports, the original report would be needed. and abstract cards with subject head- Could microcards be utilized as a ings. In an attempt to achieve compre- medium of dissemination of scientific (Continued on page 68) 1 Jerrold Orne, "Subject Analysis-A Rising Star." SPECIALLIBRARIES, Vol. 39, No. 2, 5 Mortimer Taube, "Memorandum for a Con- February, 1948, p.42-6. ference on Bibliographical Control of Govern- J. Parker Sondheimer, "Indexing Office of ment Scientific and Technical Reports." SPE- Scientific Research and Development War Re- CIAL LIBRARIES,V01. 39, NO. 5. May-June, ports!' SPECIALLIBRARIES, Vol. 39, No. 2, 1948, p.154-60. February, 1948, p.35-9. 6Maurice H. Smith, "Defense Document 3Lura Shorb, "Research Records in a Li- Control Progress." SPECIALLIBRARIES, Vol. 42, brary." SPECIAL LIBRARIES,Vol. 40, No. 1, No. 6, July-August, 1951, p.216-7. January, 1949, p.12-16. 7 Mortimer Taube. op. cit., p.157. ". D. Gull, "Some Remarks on Subject Freemont Rider, "The Future of the Re- Headings." SPECIALLIBRARIES, Vol. 40, No. 3, search Library." College and Research Libra- March, 1949, p.83-8. ries, Vol. 5, 1944, p.307.

FEBRUARY, 1952 by lvor B. N. Evans of the Association of British Science Writers, and a former member of the Finance and Publicity Committees of Aslib.

HE 1951 CONFERENCEof the Association of Special TLibraries and Information Bureaux (Aslib) was held at Leamington Spa, England. Topics discussed were "De- sign for Efficiencyn-in planning the special library and in training of its users; the development of Aslib's activities through its new Subject Groups; and the achievements and problems of national and international bibliography. This last subject was presented in an admirable paper by Edward J. Carter, head of the Libraries Division of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Or- ganization (UNESCO). "Modern bibliographers," he said, "are not merely list producers, but must have contacts with the original producers and users so that the resultant work meets both production techniques and users' demands." He discussed the position of bibliography in relation to UNESCO, giving an account of early difficulties and mis- apprehensions that had to be overcome. The section on the "Develo~mentof International Bibli- ographical Planning" contained a diagram showing the classes of units of bibliographical service and production, and the main co-ordinating agencies which have contributions to make in the development of national and international bibliography. These must be considered in any comprehensive scheme. World Council Urged Many producers of bibliographies have been persuaded by the work of the consultative and co-ordinating committees of UNESCO to be consistent in their use of periodical title abbreviations. He advocated a properly constituted and independent, democratically-managed world council of librarianship and documentation. This would co-ordinate bibliographical classification, documentary reproduction, union cataloging, publication, loan and exchange influences -a remarkable step forward in world cultural progress.

SPECIAL LIBRARIES NNUAL CONFERENCE

A preliminary move was a meeting in which, under the secretaryship of Mrs. London, early in 1951, of the Interna- Lancaster-Jones, was investigating de- tional Advisory Committee in Bibliogra- velopments in Europe after having visit- phy. This is the key to the success of ed the United States of America. Arne the whole major plan, because the com- Moller, President of the Federation In- mittee is expected to be the direct rep- ternational de Documentation, was resentative agency for working bibli- among those who contributed authori- ographers in all countries. Mr. Carter tatively. pointed out that UNESCO is encourag- ing the formation of national bibliogra- Training Library Users phical groups on a permanent basis, and he described some of the successes. There exist many schemes of education for the special librarian, but little The paper concluded with a general has been accomplished in training the survey of recent bibliographical produc- library user. B. Agard Evan dealt with tion in the light of international plan- the measures necessary to obtain gen- ning. Some outstanding recent biblio- eral recognition of the need, beyond the graphies were used as illustrative ex- narrow ranks of librarians, "to ensure amples. final victory over the needless ignor- ance that hampers the work of scientists To sum up, Mr. Carter said that, and renders so much of our best work after the experience of UNESCO, "How- abortive." ever much other scientific and cultural activities may seem attractive to those His lively paper, and the discussion responsible for world education, science that followed, resulted in the passing and culture, sooner or later, and often of the resolution: "That the Council surprisingly sooner, the demand comes (of Aslib) should give attention to the through urgently for more and better need for education in the use of li- bibliography." braries; formulate recommendations towards this end; and implement these There was an interesting discussion recommendations as far as practicable!' of the problems involved. Contributions were made by some of the fourteen Papers were also read by J. B. Reed, member of the Organization for Euro- J. J. Graneek (Queen's University, Bel- pean Economic Co-operation (O.E.E.C.) fast), C. W. Hanson (B.S.I.R.A.) and Team for Mechanization in Libraries B. C. Vickery (IVI, Butterworth).

FEBRUARY, 1952 United Nations versus League of Nations Documentation by NELLE SIGNOR

Miss Signor is librarian, History and Documents which were in progress Political Science Library, University of when the League of Nations was taken Illinois, Urbana, Illinois. over by the UN include three methodological studies: Measurement of Na- NE IS IMPRESSED with the effective fional Income and the Construction of transition of certain activities of Social Accounts; Banking Statistics, the0 League of Nations to the United Recommendations on Scope and Prin- Nations, and with the similarity in the ciples of Classification; and Note on method of documentation of these two Balance of Payment Statistics, these be- organizations. For example, the World ing the final publications in the series Economic Report of the United Nations Studies and Reports on Statistical is comparable to the World Economic Method, prepared by the Committee of Survey of the League of Nations. Im- Statistical Experts of the League of Na- portant League of Nations documents tions. Work on all three studies began that were in progress when that body in the late thirties, but war conditions was officially taken over by the United made it impossible to resume work Nations in August, 1946 have been pub- until 1945. At this time sub-committees lished by the UN under the imprint of composed of experts in the subject fields the League of Nations. The Secretariat were set up to study and report to the of the UN was also authorized to bring League of Nations Committee of Sta- up to date certain publications dealing tistical Experts. The results of these with the social activities of the League investigations were being formulated by of Nations, such as the Convention on the Committee of Statistical Experts at Narcotic Drugs, Traffic in Obscene Pub- the time the League of Nations func- lications and Traffic in Women and tions and activities were taken over by Children. Most of the important serial the United Nations. Realizing the im- publications of the League of Nations portance of making this information have been continued by the United Na- available to statistical experts, as well tions. The Department of Public Infor- as to show their interest in this type of mation of the UN is issuing various study, the Statistical Committee of the documents of a popular nature on the United Nations recommended that these activities of the United Nations, corre- reports be published as UN documents sponding in general to the series of non- under the imprint of the League of technical publications issued by the In- Nations. formation Section of the League of Na- The first of the three methodological tions. Probably the most important studies, Measurement of National In- parallel in the documentation of the come and the Construction of Social two organizations is in the publication Accounts, prepared by the Sub-com- of monographs, generally of a statistical mittee on National Income Statistics of nature, based on research by experts the League of Nations, is the frame- writing under the direction of a special work for the UN document, National department. Income Statistics, 1938-1947. An ap-

SPECIAL LIBRARIES pendix attached to this article entitled tions, and the work on which was also Definition and Measurement of Nation- carried on at Princeton. al Income and Related Topics was The League of Nations, by interna- written bv the chairman of the sub- tional agreements, conventions and committee of the League of Nations. protocols relating to narcotic drugs, had As early as 1924 the League of Na- assumed the performance of certain tions was preparing a series of reviews duties and functions which the United of balances of payments. Work was Nations has thought desirable to con- discontinued during the war, but was tinue. These include the First and Sec- resumed in 1945 when plans were made ond Opium Conventions signed at the to publish a document covering balance Geneva Conference of 192 5; Conven- of payments 1939-1945. The data for tion for the Suppression of the Illicit the document was practically completed Traffic in Dangerous Drugs, signed at when the transfer was made to United the Geneva Conference 1936; Conven- Nations. The document, Balance of Pay- tion on the Suppression of Opium-Smok- ments 1939-1945, while appearing un- in& signed at Bangkok Conference der the imprint of the United Nations, 1931; and Convention for the Limita- was the work of the Secretariat of the tion of the Manufacture of Narcotic League of Nations. The preparation of Drugs, signed at the Geneva Confer- the data for the document, Public Debt ence 1931. The above conventions have 1914-1 946, was begun by the Economic been amended and brought up to date and Financial Department of the League by a protocol signed at Lake Success, of Nations and completed by the Fiscal New York, December 11, 1946. In all Division of the Department of Economic of the documents the amendments in- Affairs of the United Nations. While it troduced by the protocol are indicated is made up largely of a series of tables by the underlining of the original text. on the public debt of fifty-two coun- The protocol is issued as a separate tries, it also includes some data on price United Nations document and also as movements and exchange rates. Cus- Assembly Document A/ 64, add 1. The toms Unions and International Cartels United Nations document, Illicit Traffic are two League of Nations documents in Narcotic Drugs, which was prepared that were taken over by the United Na- for the use of the Commission on Nar- tions in mimeographed form. Later they cotic Drugs at its first session in 1946, were distributed at the meeting of the is based mainly on the annual reports Preparatory Commission in London and submitted to the League of Nations by proved to be such important sources of governments in accordance with the information that they were published as convention of 1931 for limiting the United Nations documents under the manufacture and regulating the dis- imprint of the League of Nations. Cus- tribution of narcotic drugs and on re- toms Unions is a study of customs union ports of seizure of narcotics made by problems and combines in one docu- the signatory powers of the convention. ment five studies of post-war conditions The memorandum is in two parts, Part made by the Economic, Financial and I Review of World Trafficfrom 1 Janu- Transit Department working at Prince- ary 1940 to 30 June 1946, Part I1 ton over the period January 1944-June World Trends during the War, 1939- 1946. The document has been publish- 1945. The United Nations publication ed in its original form and so does not Summary of Illicit Trafficand Seizures, include developments which occurred January 1944-date, continues the work after the transfer to the Ucited Na- of the League of Nations in listing, ac- tions. International Cartels, a League of cording to drug, all sizures and illicit Nations Memorandum. is another con- traffic as reported annually by the par- tribution to post-war economic ques- ticipating nations.

FEBRUARY, 1952 The Secretariat of the League of United Nations. Nations prepared and published sum- The Statistical Yearbook of the League maries of annual reports from govern- of Nations (1920-1945), which is based ments on the traffic and circulation of mainly on the current statistics of the obscene publications as recommended Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, has like- by the International Conference for the wise been taken over by the United Na- Suppression of Obscene Publications of tions and has been issued for the years September, 1923. In accordance with 1948-1950. a resolution adopted by the General The Monthly List of Books and Assembly in December, 1946, the Secre- Monthly List of Selected Articles, both tariat has been authorized to take over issued by the library of the League of this activity of the League of Nations Nations beginning in 1928, have been and to date has published two reports, continued by the United Nations since Traffic in Obscene Publications, Sum- 1946. Copies are issued on one side of mary of Annual Reports for 1946-47, thin paper so that entries may be cut 1947-48.The activity of the League of and mounted on cards for indexing. Nations in the suppression of traffic in The successful work of the League of women and children is also being con- Nations in the control of infectious dis- tinued by the United Nations. The Eco- eases was due largely to the Epidemol- nomic and Social Council has issued ogical Intelligence Service. The Weekly one report, Traffic in Women and Chil- Epidemological Record, which was is- dren, Summary of Annual Reports for sued January 1930-August 1946 by the 1946-47. Health Section of the League of Na- The following are League of Nations tions, was continued September, 1946- documents which appeared at regular to July, 1948, by the World Health In- intervals and which have been con- terim Commission. With the establish- tinued by the United Nations: ment of the permanent organization in The Treaty Series under the League September, 1948, it has been continued of Nations closed its treaty registration to date by the World Health Organiza- July 31, 1946, with the publication of tion. The latter is a specialized agency volume 205. Since September, 1920 the of the United Nations representing a sin- official texts of 4,853 treaties had been gle international health agency, absorb- made available in the original language, ing the Health Division of U.N.R.R.A., and in French and English translation the Office International &Hygiene Pub- when the text was not available in lique and the Health Organization of either of these two languages. To avoid the League of Nations. The Bulletin of any breech in the continuity of regis- the Health Organization (January, 1930- tration of treaties, the charter provided August, 1946) is continued to date by that every treaty and every interna- the Bulletin of the World Health Or- tional agreement entered into by any ganization which, like its predecessor, member of the United Nations after includes technical papers on scientific the charter came into force should. as and public health subjects prepared by soon as possible, be registered with the experts for the information of govern- Secretariat and published by it. ments and those especially interested in The Monthly Bulletin of Statistics medical subjects. (1919-July, 1946), the oldest of the The Statute of the International regular publications of the League of Court of Justice under the United Na- Nations, has continued without inter- tions Organization follows very closely ruption to publish monthly the exact that of the old court under the League economic position of all countries of of Nations. The important difference is the world. From August, 1946 - date, in the matter of membership. The In- the Bulletin has been published by the (Continued on page 70)

SPECIAL LIBRARIES CHAPTER -highLights DIVISION A

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS The activities of individuals and chapters Appointments alike continue to reflect the enthusiasm and SOCIALSCIENCE Division: Dorothy M. Jones, interest which special librarians bring to their chief, Reference and Loan Section, Federal fields of endeavor. Security Agency Library, Washington 25, D. C. The ever popular and helpful methods meet- has been named chairman, Social Welfare sec- ings were featured in several chapter gather- tion. ings recently. CONNECTICUTVALLEY held a TRANSPORTATIONDivision: Maurice H. Smith forum in which the handling of pamphlet ma- has resigned as chairman of the Transportation terial was discussed. Sources of pamphlets Division due to his appointment as research and sorting, circulating and filing material associate at the Forrestal Research Center, were emphasized. TORONTOheld a reference Princeton, New Jersey. Elizabeth Cullen, li- workshop. "New Developments in Research brarian, Bureau of Railway Economics Libra- Libraries - International, National and Local" ry, Association of American Railroads, Wash- was the topic of a panel discussion attended ington, D. C., the former vice-chairman, is now by members of the WASHINGTONchapter. chairman. BOSTONmade plans for a methods meeting in School for Incoming Division Officers which members could discuss classification and cataloging, purchasing, preparation of reports, The first session of the school for incoming handling of special materials and recent refer- division officers will be held at the Hotel ence sources. Statler, New York, Monday, May 26, 1952 at 9 :00 P. M. Thelma Hoffman, librarian, Shell Further evidence of the desire of special Development Company, Emeryville, California, librarians to learn more is obvious from the has agreed to conduct the school for this year. number that are availing themselves of the many courses being offered in library science. Division Representatives Within Chapters Queens College of General Studies in New [Representatives whose names have been York has two of particular interest to special submitted since the publication last librarians: Reference and Bibliography, and October of the original list.] Cataloging and Classification. ILLINOISis re- PUBLISHINGDivision: Representatives of the peating a series of courses initiated last year Publishing Division were chosen on a regional for subprofessional people in special libraries basis rather than as belonging to Chapters. and for those who wish to brush up on some Mrs. Florence S. Cooksley, Washington Insti- phase of their work. Shortly after the new tute of Medicine, Washington, D. C.; Betty year Elizabeth Kientzle of John Crerar Li- Dumbauld, Meredith Publishing Company, Des brary began her lectures in basic reference Moines 3, Iowa; Marguerite Giezentanner, tools. Field Enterprises, Inc., Chicago, Illinois; New friends and fresh views are often the Frances Peters, Holiday Editorial Research result of joint meetings with other organiza- Library, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. tions. CLEVELANDrecently met with the Li- SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGYDivision: Bernard Fry, brary Club of Cleveland to hear a stimulating Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D. C. address by Dr. Lillian Gilbreth, well-known (Washington Chapter) ; Florien McKnight, efficiency engineer. Esso Laboratories, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A meeting of interest to ILLINOISmembers (Louisiana Chapter); Meredith Wright, Na- was held at the Western Society of Engineers, tional Carbon Co., Inc., Cleveland 1, Ohio. at which Mrs. E. A. Simpson, director of the (Cleveland Chapter.) Reading Service in the Institute for Psych- SOCIALSCIENCE Division: Mrs. Dorothy An- ological Service at Illinois Institute of Tech- dree, State Division of Social Welfare, Minne- nology, spoke. From her wide experience in apolis, Minnesota. (Minnesota Chapter) ; remedial reading work in both business and Hazel Fort, International House, New Orleans, education, she laid emphasis on the benefits Louisiana. (Louisiana Chapter.) (Continued on page 70) (Continued on page 68)

FEBRUARY, 1952 of SPECIALLIBRARIES may have missed mate- Have you heard.. . . rial appearing in other journals, the following items of interest are noted: Library Services Bills "Can the Public Library Serve Business?" by Rose L. Vormelker, in The Librarian and The Second Session of the Eighty-second Book World, June, 1951. Congress opened January 8, 1952 with, among other things, eight Library Services Bills in "Technical Libraries in the U. S. A," by the hopper: Bill 5.1452 before the Senate, and Margery Bedinger, in same issue as above seven Bills before the House. item. All contain identical provisions and have "The Company Library: What it Is and the common objective of providing financial Does" by Rose L. Vormelker, in the Journal of assistance to all states for the development of Industrial Training, September-October, 1951. new library services and the improvement of This article is to be reprinted as a pamphlet existing inadequate services. This proposed by the publishers. legislation is pointed particularly toward the "Be Newsworthy" by Harold Roth, in the large area of public library services. Library Journal, January 15, 1952. Every librarian, whatever his field, has a "Everybody's Business" by Harry C. Bauer, stake in this enterprise. If successful "library in same issue as above item. services" categorically will win prestige, recognition and wider public awareness. The status of all libraries - special, college, university, Council of National Library Associations school and public - will be affected directly. The Council of National Library Associa- Also to be expected is an appreciable reduc- tions met on November 10, 1951 and the tion in the general lack of consumer confidence following is a summary of the reports given. in and resistance to the utilization of library services -a situation based upon lack of in- JOINT COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY EDUCATION terpretation and unavailability of uniformly ( C.N.L.A.) The subcommittee on Education good services. for Librarianship will submit experimental Increased service and materials' strength in studies on preparation for librarianship in the public library area improves the service seven different subject fields. These will be ability of all typss of libraries cooperating in submitted to the library associations most con- the common objective of supplying facts and cerned, with the request that the reports be information as readily as possible upon de- criticized and evaluated for further study by mand. Nationwide equalization of resources, the joint committee. The subjects covered are both personnel and materials, in the public finance, journalism, law, medicine, music, sci- library field will be a distinct step toward ence and technology, and theater. The asso- maximum effectiveness in all types of library ciations will be requested to give an estimate services. of the need for properly qualified librarians Action required? It is this simple - (a) in these fields. write of your interest in the Library Services The subcommittee on placement service re- Bill, S.1452 (requesting copy if you have not ported that during the six months previous to seen it) to the chairman or members of the the meeting it had concluded that: The pres- Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee. ent shortage of trained librarians probably will requesting that the Bill be called on the floor continue for some time; that a drop in library of the Senate as soon as possible; and write school enrollments probably will not seriously similarly to your state Senators. (b) write affect the supply of new graduates for this to the chairman or members of the House year at least; that a central placement agency Committee on Education and Labor urging is desired by a number of librarians who have committee hearings in the near future on any based this desire on "dissatisfaction with pres- one of the seven House Library Services Bills; ent agencies rather than on a realistic appraisal and write similarly to your Representative in of what a new organization might be able to the House. Addresses to be used: Senate do"; that it would be difficult or impossible to Office Building, Washington 25. D. C., and pay for the services of a placement agency; House Office Building, Washington 25, D. C. and that a commercial agency might be per- EDWARDA. CHAPMAN,Chairman, suaded to undertake placement of librarians. Federal-State Library Relations Committee. Any policies which it might be desirable for New York Library Association. such an agency to follow would have to be in accord with the laws of the state in which the agency operated. Therefore, the subcommit- SLA Authors tee on placement believes that it should "sub- SLA members seem always to be busy turn- mit a program and budget for a self-supporting ing out articles about various aspects of the library agency to library schools and associa- library profession. In the event that readers tions"; try to learn what the final policy of

SPECIAL LIBRARIES will be; and to review present placement services "toward the end of improvement of services and their financing from the point of view of employer, employee, and schools of library science." Special introductory offer to Z39-STANDARDIZATIONIN LIBRARY WORK AND DOCUMENTATION:This, of course, is the A.S.A. committee which was revived last April. The fields of interest to this committee are TECHNICAL abbreviations for periodicals; cyrillic trans- literation; layout of periodicals; and library statistics. To become aware of the work to be BOOK REVIEW done, it is suggested that the report of Janet Doe, SPECIAL LIBRARIES,November, 1951, page 338, be read. INDEX FEDERATION:The discussion of this subject continues without any great advance being $5.00 One Year Subscription $5.00 made. Some C.N.L.A. members seem quite (Regularly $7.50) apathetic about it. However, discussion both in the council and in the different associations is healthy and, I believe, has cleared a number Published ten times a year, Techni- of misconceptions. Progress is being made, cal Book Review lndex is compiled even though slowly. The nature of the pro- and edited in the Technology De- posal demands time. partment of the Carnegie Library of NEW COMMITTEES:Three new joint commit- Pittsburgh. The lndex identifies and tees were recommended. One is to consider projects which might be submitted to C.N.L.A. quotes reviews in current scientific, calling for support from foundations. A sec- technical and trade iournals. It is an ond committee will study the relations between invaluable guide to new technical libraries in the U. S. and the federal government. The two points to be considered first books and offers a means of evalu- by this committee are "ways in which libraries ating the tremendous amount of re- can serve better the national defense; and cent technical literature. services presently rendered by federal agencies to libraries." The third committee on Safeguarding of Library Materials in an Emer- This offer is made so that libraries gency held a meeting in December to discuss not now subscribing to TBRl may the fields of action in which the committee avail themselves of this price re- should work. It was decided that there were three fields within the authority of this com- duction and discover the vast mittee: ( 1) "Preservation of the American amount of assistance this outstand- cultural heritage; (2) "Protection of rare, ing professional publication is able unique or irreplaceable research materials, in- frequently used, but constituting the wealth to render its many regular readers. and the bulk of printed records" and (3) "Pro- See for yourself why this periodical vision for 'shadow' working libraries to sup- is in constant demand among tech- plant working libraries destroyed by attack." The next meeting of this committee will be in nical libraries everywhere. January, at which time reports on the status of various plans for safeguarding materials will Offerexpires March 3 1,1952 be given. These will be followed by consideration of the role and the working plans of the committee. Order loday Jrorr~ Further reports on the projects of C.N.L.A. and its joint committees will appear in later SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION issues of SPECIALLIBRARIES. 31 EAST TENTH STREET E. J. COLE, SLA Special Representative, NEW YORK 3, NEW YORK Council of National Library Associations.

Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Advertisements FEBRUARY, 1952 67 Division Highlights (Continued from page 65) Off the Press Division News Items DIRECTORY OF LIBRARIES AND IN- NEWSPAPERDivision: The November issue of FORMATION SOURCES IN THE PHILA- the Bulletin contains two interesting articles: DELPHIA AREA. Eighth edition. Philadel- "Progress in the Use of Microfilmed News- papers" by Ralph J. Shoemaker, librarian, phia; Special Libraries Council of Philadel- phia and Vicinity, SLA, 1951. Planographed, Courier-Journal & Louisville Times; and "The Costs of Serial Storage" by Stevens Rice, Uni- 128p $2.25. The tremendous growth and development of versity Microfilms. libraries in the Philadelphia area is imme- SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGYDivision: The Decem- diately grasped when one realizes that the ber issue of Sci-Tech News includes the "Re- first edition of this directory, published in port of the Science-Technology Division Salary 1920, contained 107 entries as compared with Survey, April 1951" by Joseph E. Ryus, head, 309 in the present edition. Physics and Chemistry Libraries, University of The libraries listed include those in metro- California, Berkeley, and Betty Roth, assistant politan Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, librarian, Standard Oil Company of California, and selected ones within a two hundred mile San Francisco. Three main tables are shown: radius of Philadelphia. Table No. 9-Number and Percent of Mem- bers by Region and by Type of Library; Table Arrangement is alphabetically by name of No. 10-Number and Percent of Members the organization, with necessary cross refer- with Library or Subject Degrees, by Type of ences. Each library has a code number which Library and by Type of Position; Table No. 11 is used in the personnel and subject indexes. -Number and Percent of Members, and their Information given includes date of founding, Salaries, by Type of Library and by Type of telephone number, name of librarian, size of Position. Reprints are available for $0.25 staff, size of book and periodical collections from William J. Vitali, Western Cartridge Co., and subject fields covered, reproducing fa- East Alton. Illinois. cilities and interlibrary loan use. The direc- MRS. ANGELICAVAN R. BLOMSHIELD, tory is s valuable guide to the many and Division Liaison Officer and Chairman, varied sources of specialized information in Division Relations Committee. the Philadelphia area. Copies of the publication should be ordered from: Mrs. Rebecca B. Monego, editor, 51 East Garfield Street, Philadelphia 44, Penn- MICROFILM COPIES sylvania. U. S. PATENT GAZETTE Bproufirb NOW AVAILABLE.. .. ROBERTW. CHRIST, assistant librarian, Complete microfilm copies of the Official Duke University, Durham, North Caro- Gazette United States Patent Office, for lina. Died December 23, 1951. the years 1943 through 1951, are now EMMA E. CRANDAL,retired, of La ready for immediate shipment. Grange, Illinois. Formerly headed the 0 1948 through 1951 copies, $50.00 library of Universal Oil Products Com- per year. pany, Riverside, Illinois. 0 1943 through 1947 copies, $35.00 ALLEN G. RING, librarian, Mallinckrodt per year. Chemical Works, St. Louis, Missouri, 0 1952 copies, issued on a bi-monthly and editor, Sci-Tech News. Died Janu- basis, $50.00 per year. ary 9, 1952. All copies accurately processed on Full obituaries will appear in the 35 mm film to permanency limits ex- ceeding those set by U. S. Bureau of March issue of SPECIALLIBRARIES. Standards. Inquiries also invited regarding microfilmed Gazette copies for 1934 through 1942. Microcard Publication For further details, write . . . (Continued from page 59) "A complete microfilming service" and technical reports? What are the ad- MICRO PHOTO SERVICE BUREAU vantages of microcsrds? Rider says, 4614 PROSPECT AVE., CLEVELAND 3, OHIO "In one sense microcards will reduce our storage cost not 90 per cent but a

Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Advertisements 68 SPECIAL LIBRARIES full 100 per cent."* His thought is that the micro-text could be printed on the unused white space on the opposite sides of library catalog cards. Could scientific and technical reports be printed in micro-text on microcards? If this could be done, a tremendous saving in space would be effected. A report of one hundred pages or more could be printed on one microcard. It should save the scientists a great deal of time in getting the information they need. For many of them, the abstract is useful only to give a general outline and selected data from the report itself. Thus, in many instances, one would still have to consult the original report to find the desired information. With the complete text of the report on one microcard, all information would be readily accessible. It would not inter- fere with any existing classification or coding system used to identify each report. The symbols could easily be added to the microcard at the time of printing. Subject headings could be added to the microcards to suit the needs of scientists in the different subject fields. The previously cited plan of having each agency prepare abstracts to be sent to a central agency to be processed and published in an abstracting bulletin or journal would be unaltered. Such an abstracting bulletin could serve as a guide to the report literature being published on microcards. The cost of microcard readers is now so reasonable that a number of them can be made available in technical libraries for use by patrons and library staff. The cost of printing on microcards would probably be no more expensive than the present system of printing reports, and after the program was set in operation it would probably cost much less. Considering the limited space available in most technical libraries, the tremendous saving in space effected by having technical and scientific reports printed on microcards would be of vital importance.

Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Advertisements FEBRUARY, 1952 69 United Nations versus cil and Assembly Proceedings, Minutes League of Nation's Documentation and Reports, and likewise those of other (Continued from page 64) bodies. If such a comparison were made ternational Court of Justice is one of it would undoubtedly show (1) that the the principal organs of the United Na- League of Nations documents were bet- tions and all members of the UN are ter done in being less complex and automatically members of the court, therefore easier to use, and (2) that the while in the case of the old court, a United Nations documents are unduly nation might belong to the World Court expensive in respect to separates and and not be a member of the League of costly binding. Statistics show that to Nations. The publications of the Inter- date the United Nations has distrib- national Court of Justice are continuing uted well over sixty thousand mimeo- to a large extent the series of docu- graphed and printed non-serial documents issued by the Permanent Court. ments, while the League of Nations The series, Reports of Judgments and over a period of twenty-five years' ac- Advisory Opinions, has been continued tivity issued only some three thousand by the International Court since July non-serial publications. 3 1, 1947. Collection of Texts Concern- ing the Jurisdiction of the Court has been continued under the title Acts and Chapter Highlights (Continued from page 65) Documents concerning the Organization of the Court. One document has been available to librarians from the various read- published in this series, under the title ing services. LOUISIANAmet in Baton Rouge to hear Dr. Robert French, executive director Charter of the United Nations, Statute of the Public Affairs Research Council of and Rules of the Court. The Permanent Louisiana, give an informative address on the Court of International Justice published work of the council, its origin and what it each year an Annual Report for the In- hopes to accomplish. A record number of PHILADELPHIAmembers formation of the Assembly of the and representatives of many of their com- League of Nations. The International panies and organizations braved a torrential Court of Justice has made similar in- rain to attend a session on methods of photo- formation available by the publication graphic reproduction. In addition to an in- of a Yearbook, four issues of which are formative talk by H. W. Ballou, of the photo- reproduction service of Columbia University, available covering the period 1946- representatives from the firms manufacturing 1950. Arbitration and Security---Sys- Xerography, Thermofax, and Contoura pre- tematic Survey of the Arbitrations, Con- sented demonstrations of their products. ventions and Treaties of Mutual Secur- Activities of individual members included great variety, from writing and lecturing to ity Deposited with the League of Na- traveling. Dr. Louis Shores, president of the tions, a study made in 1927 by the LOUISIANAchapter is in London working under Secretariat of the League of Nations, the terms of his Fulbright Fellowship. Two has been brought to date by the United members of ILLINOIShave entered the field of Nations under the title Systematic Sur- writing: Ellen MacGregor wrote a science fic- tion book for 8-12 year olds entitled Miss vey of Treaties for the Pacific Settle- Pickerell Goes to Mars, while Alexander Mc- ment of Internal Disputes, 1928-1948. Queen is gathering material for a biography of Both of these studies are closely in- Irene Castle. Kenneth Fagerhaugh, assistant volved with the work of the Permanent librarian of the John Crerar Library and an Illinois past-president, counseled on indus- Court and the International Court. trial librarianship at the Chicago Sun-Times's The documents included in this dis- Career Conference for high school seniors. An- cussion are only those which are direct- other Illinois member, Freida Kraines, records ly identified with the work of both the and library supervisor for the Chicago Park League of Nations and the United Na- District, is co-instructor of an eleven-week Records Management Workshop given at the tions, although, one could similarly com- Downtown College of the University of Chi- pare the other publications -the Coun- cago. Subjects being discussed include the or-

SPECIAL LIBRARIES ganization of mail and file units, classification C systems, and retention and disposition sched- ules. The course is designed to be of special c Second Printing . . . value to filing supervisors, office managers and assistant managers in charge of records. TORONTOcan boast two lecturing members: UNITED STATES Clara Miller, librarian of the public relations department of Imperial Oil, Limited, is giving a course on special libraries at the University GOVERNMENT of Toronto Library School; Isabel Stauffer, librarian of Rexall Drug Company, is lectur- PUBLICATIONS ing on hospital pharmacy administration at the Ontario College of Pharmacy. Miss Stauffer recently delivered an address at the annual Boyd and Rips meeting of the American Society of Hospital 3rd ed. rev. & enl. 1950 Pharmacists, entitled "A Library and Refer- ence Service for Hospital Pharmacy." Ralph 62713. $6.50 Phelps of NEW YORK and director, Engineer- ing Societies library, spoke to the student body Familiarity with the publications of the School of Library Service of Columbia of the U.S. Government is an es- University. A member of SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION,Margaret Rocq, had her library sential feature of any adequate ref- at Standard Oil in San Francisco featured in erence service. But the US. Gov- an article in the Standard Oiler, employee's ernment is the world's most prolific magazine for that company. An excellent way to advertise librarianship and make known the publisher. Its annual output of dif- services of a company library! ferent publications is numbered in is currently holding a membership BOSTON the thousands. Included are many drive, a project every chapter would do well to undertake. reliable, up-to-date, inexpensive BALTIMOREChapter News Notes boasts an sources of information on practic- attractive new format. Chapter members in ally every subject; invaluable data Baltimore have discussed the problems and possibilities of local membership and agreed for the research worker and tech- to try the new arrangement experimentally for nical specialist in many fields. The one year before changing the chapter constitu- problem is one of: tion. The speaker at their last meeting of 1951 was Arthur Perkins, an industrial editor, Selection who discussed company publications. ROWENAPHILLIPS, Member, Chapter Relations Committee. and the solution to this problem is largely to be found in this new - revision (after ten years of drastic Biological Sciences (Continued from page 47) changes) with its fifty-seven page subject and title index, and sections with abstracts arranged by the chemical, and by its biological action. They are devoted to the organizations and developing a new idea, that of abstract- functions of all principal agencies ing and coding material in a one-step that distribute material. United operation. I understand that, at present, States Government Publications is they have given up abstracting and a valuable guide to much material limit themselves to indexing, and are in danger of being buried in its generally in the throes of reorganiza- own mass. tion. I cannot tell you what the situation will be after they have reorganized. I C know, however, that they are glad to THE H. W. WILSON COMPANY be consulted because they are interested in testing their reference methods. 950 University Avenue New York 52, N. Y. The printed tools in biochemistry are

Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Advertisements FEBRUARY, 1952 7 1 listed completely and explained con- stitute of Medicine publishes various cisely in the excellent list of Mrs. Cun- abstract journals. These are mainly de- ningham in the Medical Library hand- stined for the general practitioner and book; the most important new addition specialist who wish to keep abreast of since its publication is possibly the sec- developments in their fields. ond section of Excerpfa Medica, which We can readily see that, in medicine, is very strong in European material. It the emphasis is on abstracting and se- may be purchased separately. lective coverage in Europe; on indexing In general, the medical field is well and complete coverage in America. In indexed, but there is much duplication dentistry, we can hardly talk of an em- of work. Besides the international efforts phasis or preponderance; the tools are at bibliographic control, it should be few in number and limited in scope. noted that at the Welsh Medical Li- Dental Absfracts is a small format jour- brary a thorough study of the organiza- nal covering some of the more impor- tion of medical information is being tant articles in dentistry. Little foreign conducted at the present time. A symp- material is indexed. The Index of the tomatic phenomenon-symptomatic for Periodical Dental Literature limits it- all science and also for the humanities self to material in English. The only -is the growing importance of national really satisfactory tool, the Zentralblatf, medical indexes. I am glad to be able died young, and we can only hope that to point to the thorough paper of Scott it will soon be resurrected. Adams in the MLA Bulletin, where one Veterinary medicine has far better will find a compilati~nof these indexes. coverage through the Index-Catalogue In the meantime, while the future is of Medical & Veterinary Zoology. I gradually taking shape, we have to guess we should be happy to have it, make the most of the tools presently and not complain about its lack of a available. You may want to gain a gen- subject index. The Veterinaries Index, eral idea of the various types of tools and the Zoological Record mentioned in the field of medicine; to this end, I earlier in this paper, are also helpful. suggest that you consult Estelle Brod- In all three fields - medicine, den- man's bibliography, which is being kept tistry, veterinary medicine -the Army up to date by supplements. An anno- Medical Library is glad to serve as your tated description of medical reference reference tool whenever local resources material is found in Miss Cunningham's leave you stranded. I would refer you contribution which was mentioned above. to the little booklet on the services The basic indexing tools are the In- available at AML, and add that, since dex-Catalogue, the Quarterly Cumula- it has been published, the AML has tive Index Medicus and the Current started a program of publication in the List of Medical Literature. The Squibb field of subject bibliography. The first Abstract Bulletin is an inexpensive pub- publication came off the press early lication; it stresses, of course the thera- last year: an annotated list on ACTH, peutic-pharmacological approa c h. The Corfisone and Related Compounds. A abstracts are competent and clear, and second one, on blood substitutes, fol- for $10 a year you are provided with a lowed this. Non-annotated, less am- great many. bitious lists are also scheduled for publi- The basic abstracting tools are the cation in the near future. Lists of jour- Excerpta Medica, the Abstracts of World nals in specific fields or published in Medicine and the International Ab- certain countries have been mimeo- stracts of Surgery, to which should be graphed, e.g., lists of foreign military added the various zentralblatten and medical journals, Japanese medical and zentralorgane which resumed publica- dental journals, journals in the field of tion after the war. The Washington In- psychiatry. These are at your disposal.

SPECIAL LIBRARIES AMA Nomenclature of Disease and Operations (Continued from page 58) board of specialists, notably pathologists, especially regarding tumors and other diseases the etiology of which is at present uncertain or open to debate. In this way it may be possible to bring Current Publications about a higher degree of standardization and make more easily accessible and interpretable a painstaking work Technical Information of great magnitude such as the AMA Services Nomenclature of Diseases and Opera- Report by ths Panel on Technical In- tions. formation Services of the Committee on Bibliography Industrial Productivity. Off-printed from The Journal of Documentation, June, Garrison, Fielding H., and Morton, Leslie T. 1951. 2s. A Medical Bibliography. London: Grafton & Co., 1943. Jordan, Edwin P., M.D. Standard Nomen- University Thesis Index clature of Disease and Standard Nomen- Classified list of academic thesis for clature of Operations. Published for the higher degrees accepted in universities American Medical Association. Philadel- in the British Isles, 1950-51. First of phia: The Blakiston Company, 1948. new manual series. Schell, Margaret. "Filing and Classification Methods of Photographic and Illustrative Select List Material." Journal of the Biological Photo- Revised (fourth) edition of the Select graphic Association, Part 1: 19: 129-134, Aug- List of Standard British Scientific and ust, 1951. Part 11: 158-60, November, 1951. Technical Books first published in 1937. Schell, Margaret. "The Organization and Ac- tivities of a Pathology Museum." SPECIAL LIBRARIES.Vol. 39, No. 10. December, 1948. The Journal of The Nomenclature of Disease, 7th ed. Drawn Documentation up by a Joint Committee appointed by the This quarterly is devoted to the record- Royal College of Physicians of London. ing, organization, and dissemination of London: Published by His Majesty's Sta- specialized knowledge, and methods of tionary Office, 1948. presenting information. 25s. a year

Aslib Proceedings Quarterly reports and papers of Aslib Biographic Control of conferences and meetings, and findings Medical Literature of committees on documentation and (Continued from page 54) information work. 25s. a year pected burden of use, the Medical Li- Aslib Booklist brary Association passed resolutions on Monthly recommendations by experts of the subject. We labored hard to bring scientific and technical books published out the new work, and after we had in the English language. 17s. 6d. a year launched the first issue we sat back IZeprintrd from the .Journal or Docu- waiting for comments. The silence was mrntation. deafening. Practically nobody told us that anything was wrong with our publication, and nobody told us anything was right with it. We might better be publishing it as TOP SECRET -then maybe a slinky Mata Hari would at

Please Mention Special Libraries When Answering Advertisements FEBRUARY, 1952 7 3 least try to steal it. We welcome your umes, one of which will be a subject comments. catalog. It should be pointed out here that medical titles published more than Army Medical Library Author Catalog twenty-six years ago, except bibliogra- The publications I have described phies, biographies and materials of simi- are concerned entirely or in large part lar nature, are not subject-headed in with the periodical literature of med- the Army Medical Library, and there- icine. The AML Author Cafalog, on the fore the subject index does not cover other hand, is a list of monographs, many pre-1925 titles included in the theses, pamphlets and journal titles author listing. only, and not of parts of them. Prior to Biobliographic Unit October, 1946, the Army Medical Li- brary regularly submitted copy for med- With the cessation of indexing for ical copyrighted titles to the Library of the Index-Catalogue, which occurred in Congress for printing and distribution April, 1950, the enormous coverage of in the latter's SG card series. From the literature that that work presented October, 1946 to April, 1948, we pre- was gone forever. Economically, it was pared catalog cards for all medical titles impossible to justify the tremendous under simplified rules, and these the cost of indexing everything on the Library of Congress printed and sold in chance that someone would want to see its Medical series. After 1948, because every possible article on every possible of the large amount of material to be subject. There was no question, how- cataloged and recataloged in the Army ever, but that there would be subjects Medical Library, it became necessary for which the coverage of the Author to suspend the preparation of copy for Catalog and the Current List would be this series of cards. In order that the inadequate. It was decided that it was bibliographic record of titles received cheaper in the long run to assemble the in the Army Medical Library might not literature at the time that it was need- be interrupted, however, an agreement ed, and consequently a bibliographic was worked out with the Library of unit was set up in the reference division Congress by which entries prepared by to prepare comprehensive bibliographies the Army Medical Library were pub- on subjects of great current interest. lished in a special supplement to the The first such bibliography, by Karl LC's Cumulated Catalog (now its Au- Baer and Marjory Spencer, took about thor Catalog). This has been done since three people almost nine months to that time -becoming larger and better prepare and have published; it is the with each issue. The first two compila- Pituitary-Adrenocortical Function; tions were author lists entirely; the ACTH, Cortisone and Related Com- 1950 volume contains a subject index; pounds, a list of about three thousand and the 1951 issue will be in two vol- items in 366 pages. It appeared in De- cember, 1950. The next large bibliography was on non-hematogenous blood substitutes. It Prebouncl . . . New Books contains nine hundred references and appeared in December, 1950. In addition "BOUND to these two, several smaller lists have TO STAY BOUND" been mimeographed and distributed - such as the one on NIVn Biological QUALITY Research, with one hundred and fifty references, compiled to August 195 1. NEW METHOD BOOK BINDERY, Inc. Another one, just ready for publication, Jacksonville, Illinois is on the intravenous injection of fats. More bibliographies will be available

SPECIAL LIBRARIES later, depending upon the subjects which it, to add to the Osler, Stillwell, Klebs, seem important at the time. Like the and Ballard catalogs, would be an ex- others, they will be free upon application. tremely useful work. Several attempts Selected Acquisitions have been made to prepare such cat- For some years, the Army Medical alogs at various times, but financial and Library has been mimeographing and other difficulties always seemed to in- distributing a slight list of some of its tervene. In 1942, the entire collection acquisitions. This has had various titles of rare and early titles owned by the at various times: New Books, New Army Medical Library was moved to Books and Serials, and Selected Acqui- Cleveland for safekeeping and for space. sitions. At the beginning of 1950, doubts With this opportunity for scholarly began to rise about the value of the work, it was soon apparent that a list. A questionnaire sent out to the catalog of the incunabula was at last recipients of the publication and to all feasible. Accordingly, Dr. Dorothy the members of the Medical Library As- Schullian, a scholar of high repute and sociation showed that few of them used frightening knowledge, began to pre- it, and that the use was mainly in con- pare such a catalog. In addition, Francis nection with titles for American books E. Sommer, whose knowledge of for- and with journal entries. Since informa- eign languages, especially Arabic, Per- tion on both of these forms is readily sian, Hindu, Japanese, and the like, is available through the Publishers Week- staggering, worked on a catalog of the ly and the Cumulative Book Index, or manuscripts. The Association of Honor- could be found in the issues of the Cur- ary Consultants to the Army Medical rent List, it was decided to abandon Library interested themselves in the this publication with the fourth issue of project and, as a result, arranged to 1951. So far, not a single protest has have the work published by Henry been received. Schuman of this city. The catalog appeared in 1950, and will undoubtedly Schullian-Sommer Catalog be the definitive work on the purely I come now to the last two publica- bibliophilic part of the medical incuna- tions -on incunabula and rare books. bula and manuscripts it describes. In as The Army Medical Library is dedicated much as such scholars as Dr. McDaniel to the advance of medicine by use of in Philadelphia and Miss Annan at The medical literature. Why then does it New York Academy of Medicine make have any interest in old and rare books? a kind of genuflection when the work is Perhaps the best statement of the rea- mentioned, I think we can conclude it sons can be found in Dr. William Jerome is a really good piece of work. I look Wilson's paper in the April, 1951 issue forward, however, to the time when of the Bulletin of the Medical Library someone will tell me what is in the Association. All I need to say here is books, thus relieving me of the need to that there are very definite values to try out my rusty Latin whenever I want present day medicine in having access to learn whether the author did or did to the works of antiquity, and the Army not discuss a certain subject. Medical Library feels no need for apol- ogy in collecting them or in making The Checklist of Medical Americana their contents available to scholars. Rare books, however, are not all It is true, the incunabula collection written in Latin. One of the most inter- of the Army Medical Library is sur- esting groups of medical books ever passed by that of the Boston Medical published are those printed in the West- Library, but otherwise it is probably as ern Hemisphere before 1820. Because big and certainly as important as the many of them were meant for use by collection of any other American med- the people -as opposed to physicians ical library. For that reason a catalog of -they have sometimes been "read to

FEBRUARY, 1952 death" and few copies remain. A union eral's Office the National Medical Li- list of the medical Americana contained brary. In this I believe he was guilty of in leading libraries would, therefore, be an understatement for, through its at- a seal treasure. The first problem will tention to the bibliographic control of be to compile such a list; the second medical literature, and later through its problem will be to learn what libraries photoduplication and reference services, contain copies of the works. Robert the Army Medical Library has become Austin, assistant chief of the reference in fact the World Medical Library, serv- division, aided by some work already ing research in India, South Africa, done at the American Antiquarian So- Italy, Bolivia and Japan with the same ciety in Worcester, Mass., is engaged attention with which it serves research now in preparing such a checklist. He in New York City or San Francisco. has just started, so details are still Although it is probably once again vague. The April, 1952 issue of the Bul- about to change its name and its ad- letin of the Medical Library Association ministrative set-up, it is unthinkable will contain an article by Mr. Austin on that it should ever cease to be vitally this subject, and we hope to publish concerned with making its resources further reports as the work progresses. available to scientists through its bibli- Conclusions ographical controls and other services. What conclusions can we draw from We look to the future as proudly as we this account of the bibliographic en- hail the past. And we can only hope deavors of the Army Medical Library? that in this future you will all be part- John Shaw Billings used to delight in ners with us in our bibliographic en- calling the library of the Surgeon Gen- deavors.

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