San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Special Libraries, 1925 Special Libraries, 1920s 4-1-1925 Special Libraries, April 1925 Special Libraries Association Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925 Part of the Cataloging and Metadata Commons, Collection Development and Management Commons, Information Literacy Commons, and the Scholarly Communication Commons Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, April 1925" (1925). Special Libraries, 1925. 4. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1925/4 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Libraries, 1920s at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Special Libraries, 1925 by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vol. 16 April, 1925 No. 4 Sixteenth ANNUAL CONVENTION Swampscott, Massachusetts June 24, 25, 26, 1925 New Ocean House, Swampscott May Issue Insurance Contents ARTICLES . Function of a Special Bank Library. By Frederic H. Curtiss ................................................................................................ 107 Research Among Trade Associations .......................................... 1 1 7 Statistical Library a Necessity. By A. Y. Barrow.. .............. 1 10 Use of the Library by the Engineer. By Dana M. Wood... 1 12 Value of Our Library. By George A. Bland ....................... 1 I I World Biographical Department. By James W. Wells..... 120 --NOTES Architect's Library ................................................................................. 130 Child Welfare Library .......................................................................... 119 Membership Committee ........................................................................ 1 25 Technology Group ................................................................................... 125 . DEPARTMENTS. EDITORIALS Associations .............................. 1 28 Advertising Support ............ 1 22 Decennial of the New As Others See Us ............... 122 York Special Libraries Ass'n. ................................... 1 26 CONVENTION Events and Publications... 130 Annual Convention ........... 123 Personal Notes .................. 13 1 Hotel Rates ............................ 12 1 Science and Technology... 124 Published Monthly Except August and September by THE SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION Special Libraries Editorial office, State Library, Providence, R. I. Publishmg office, 958 University Ave., New York City. Treasurer's office, 195 Broadway. New York City. All payments should be made to Miss Gertrude D. Peterk~n,Treasurer, C/O American Telephone & Telegraph Co.. New York City. Enhd 84 aecoud clus matter December 17. 1925 at tho Post Once. New York. N.Y., under the act o! bflrch 8, 1818 DBOe,"b;;p;;;C; mmns at mpeclal rate of Dostwe Provlded for In aecuon 1103, ~ctof Occober S. 1017, authorlred Rates $4 00 n ycnr, Fore~gn$4 50, single coptes 50 cerllr Special- Libraries Vol. 16 April, 1925 No. 4 Tht. ctliturs of SPIZCIALLIRRARIES lave ~eceivedmany pleasing commcnts upon the new policy of the magazine. This month \re reclucstetl articles from executives, on the principle that we c:unllot properly function without knowing the ideas of those whon~\\Y serve. Wc haw made other changes this month. We present a ncw type font for the leading articles. We offer a new depart- ment: Science aid Technology, uilcler the editorship of Mr. A. A. Slol~ocl,assistant li\>rar.ian of the General Electric Com- pany's Main Library at Schenectady, N.Y. We are also devot- ing morc spacc to the Associations, printing a detailed account of thc Deccnnial Meeting of the New York Special Libraries Association. THE FUNCTION OF A SPECIAL BANK LIBRARY By Frederic H. Curtiss, Federal Reserve Agent, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston LTKRARY must always justify it- viduals are called upon to perform. A self by deinonstrating its necessity Here in Ncw England nearly every to [he incIividuaI dr to the comnunity for conlmunity (this is particulasly true of whosc bcnefit it is estal~lishecland main- h4assachusetts) has its public library, tained. This is doubly true in the case well equipped, ancl accessible after busi- of a spccial or "office" library in a busi- ness hours for use, and the person who ness organization toclay when every item seeks books for amusement or instruction of overhcacl cost is subject to the closest can readily find them in these public col- scrutiny, ancl inust be coilsiclered from lections. On the other hand, there are the standpoint of an efficient return on comparatively few technical libraries, or the money invested. In the case of an 111 public libraries collectioils of books on illclividual or a cowmunity the satisfac- teclmical subjects that are adequate or tion or plcasure \vhich a library may give up to date. Partly for this reason, there- is an important factor, but a busliless fore, ancl partly for reasons of greater library can only justify itsclf by adding accessibility, many of our large banlcs to thc success of the particular activity and corporations during the last decade in which that business is engaged. I do have installed collections covering certain not believe that it is any function of a li- business activities in which they are es- brary maintained by a business organiza- pecially interested, which are not ollly tion to furnish its executives or em- unusually completc, but are being con- ployees with books or periodicals othcr tinually added to. tlzan those that may contribute in a There are, however, but few libraries rather direct way to a more efficient per- dealing primarily .with financial subjects formance of the duties which such indi- that have been accessible to the public. 108 SPECIAL LIBRARIES April, rgag That oi the late Senator Aldrich oi ~)rol.'lcms of the moment to I)e aide to Rhotle lslanc~, which now is stored in spare the time either in or out of wadi- l'roviclence, has Lcwn consitbxtd pob- ing 1iou1-s to read the enormous n~assof ably the most complete nr .tias colrnli~ material that is coming out almost every ii not in the world, nil the subkct of day, in book lorm, in pamphlets or in linance. But coIlccti.tnls uf b~olcs on magazine articles, :und in the daily Iiews- finance in our pul~liclil~raries are, gen- papers, but with respect to wliicl~ he c~-;tIIy spcaliil~g, rather inadequate ; the should l)e informed if he is to licep Congressional Lihrai-y in Wasllirlgton is abreast of the times. Indeed, so im- a nota1)lc exception, bul 13). virtue of its pwtant is this sul)jcct ot a competent very complctc~lcss.it is so large that it lil~rarianthat it should he givcn first con- is difficult to utilize escept im- the stu- sidci.ntion 1)). any 1)usiness organization dent who want to consult the rwcr I)OO~S in starting a special liln-ai-y for itself. I11 on finance. other words, a special 1il)ral-y \vIiich it is A tecllnical library, whether on fitlance cspcctcd will be a rcal asset to the or- or cotton, 01- any other commercial in- ganization 111ust 1)c something vcl-y MLIC~ dustry, need not be large to be of great inore than a mcl-c ~~ccumulntio~lof boolis, value to the csccutivcs or employees who p;unphlets and perioclicals. may be called upon to use it for their own particular line of activity, but it Library Functions should contain carefully chosen boolcs, (he of the illost importaut functions cad catalogs of other notable collections of the lib-aria11 oi the Feder;d 12escrve that are within reach on similar subiecls, lhllc of I3osto11 is the reading and rli- antl should, above all, contain such inattcr gcsting of articles appearing in period- as pai~~phlctsand reports that would not icals ant1 in the principal daily pnpc~-s. reach the shelves of the ortli~iarypublic Thc result is mimcograpllctl rund iur- lihrary because of their more or less nishcd to the oHiccrs and tlcparLmcn1 cphemeral interest to the general public 11catls in the iorm oi lrict' ~)aragi'";q)hs or their technical form of presentation. every clay, usually 1)y 11 A.M. antl While the use that is made of any li- usually on a single slicct so l11;1t it nlqr I~rarydcpeilds largcly upon the ability, I)c rc;~din a very few minutcs. l'crsoll- efficiency, and vision oi its liln-al-iatl, this ally. 1 havc ioul~tlthis daily ilc~vsslicet is doubly so in the case of a library in a most hc~lpful as it il-crlucntlj cor~taitls business organization. While the escc- items I have 11iiss~~(Iin a lit~rri~~lrcatl~ng utivcs of a b;~nk nay call up011 its li- of my mol-ning papc~-. I~raryfor material to be used in speeches, The 1il)r:u-y of the I;ctlc~-ill l<cscrvc newspaper articlcs and similar activities, Ihnk of I:oston has SOmc thl-cc ~llousand and thc Statistic;ll or Crulit Departments volumc~son its sliclves or u11tlc.r its care must use it in the caul-sc of tllcir pcculinl- else\\-11c1-cill .the I~x~lc,m;lintwi~ls :1 lile functions, cspcci;llly in research work, oi over a hutltlrctl pcriotlicnls of a11 the lest oi its rcal v;dric is the ability of Icimls, 1i<.cl)s:ti1 inform:~tion lilt of ~l~p- thc 11l)rarianto liud and tligcsl and prc- pings :111d ciil-twt p;~nll)lll~~ts;111(1 :I C;II~ sell1 10 the csecutivcs and tlcpartmcnt catalog of rn;~gazinc :~rticlcs;111(1 oll~cr heads boolcs ant1 articlcs and the ewest st sources of ii~iorm;~tionoutside as well as Lhouffllts ant1 itleas that arc germane to insitlc the 1)nnli. Llwir particulxr activities. The averagc The m;l~cri:~lill our 1il)r:lry covers cscCutivc :lwl t11e avemge head of a de- cur1-c1it lii~ar~ci:~l;II~ ccnnomic coutli- l)ai-t~llentarc ~ooI~usily engaged in the tions \vit11 sl)cci;ll ~-ciclw~ccto Ihc United April, 1ga5 SPECIAL LIBRARIES 109 States and, within that definition, to the anticipate the probable needs of the users Ncw England district.