The reference function of the Lamont Library The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Haviland, Morrison C. 1949. The reference function of the Lamont Library. Harvard Library Bulletin III (2), Spring 1949: 297-299. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42672682 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Noter 2 97 the School of Athens, from Raffaellc; aroused and controlled by curiosityt ~oth masterly performances.' 14 \V hi ch , vas habit u:ally the ca.se with If the imagination_ of a painter is Rcynoldsi the reading of a hook n1ay b ecorn c a d ccis ive aid in rem o,.ring ~-4, l T'or k.tt J1 ;:'{ix-x1:\:n. 1 2.. S cc. :also A~ Grave:, and ,v~V. Cronin! A History of tin impediments of perception. In his es- lVorks of Sir Jorbua Reyiw!ds (London} tin1ation of Raphad) it •s not un- T899-190 J), l V, 1 66! : 1 A skctcl1 f ro1n the reasonable to that celebrated School of Athens of R ':lph:-. ei 1 7 suspect his change i rn;:hes by 5 ft. 6 it1ches/ listed ~s no, ¥1 in of Jnjnd ,vas hastened by Bellori. the sc c:ond c:1ay sale of the J\1 arch i oness of Thonwnd's collcct~on1 Chd5.tLe's;,18---[9 J\1ay ] 82.I. EDGAR vV1No The Refere11ce Function of tl1e Larnont Library I-IE cstab1ishment of a lil}rary \:\ 1hat is a reference. boofr? There T -at I-Iarva rd 5pec i ri ca 11y ·for have been various definitionsi none of . the undergraduate has carried ·thern entirely satisf::icLory. The ccrn1 ,vjth it special dcvclopn1cnts in three is a 1oosc on c ref crri ng in general to major aspects: book selcctjon, circu- ency cl op edia 5\ di c:ti ona ri es) m nnu a ls., ]ation, and reference. The general de- hand books 1 ye arL o oks~ at las cs, bi hli ... sign and function of the Lamont Li- ogra phics:t ind ex est a.nd ou t1in cs. It brary have already been described in may b c extended to include any gen- the I-IARV Altr> I .rlilRA RY BUL LETI K, and era I·systematic treatment of a subject. futllre articles ,viii deal ,~.,jth the par- I-Jenee, 1na.ny of the books found in ticular fcan1res of the hook collection the general coHcction in the La1nont and of access and borro,ving. It is the Library ,vould, in another library. be- pu rp os:c of the present note to discuss co 111e a part of the ref ercnc e c ollec- the ref er cnce service of the I j hr:ary. tion. The division is a n1attcr of judg ... The L~n1ont reference coH~ction men t l J ased upon the p u rpos c of the ,va:s selected in the f o]Iolvjng manner. reference functjoni and the use to A Jibrarian on the staff of the Hrirvnrd \\'hmchthe library is put by its patrons. Co11 egc Library- compiled n list of The pd nci p1es gov crning the scl ec- reco1nn1cndations, making a selection tion of m~tcrials for the collection in from l\1udge's Guide to Reference the L~mont reference room ,verc both Rookr und its Supplcnrcnts through gen ('.r:aI nnd sp ccifi c. 'U sef u 1n ess to 1946. This selcr.tion \\·n~ revised by u nd erg r:adu ates' \\'as b cli cvcd to li 1nit the Senior Reference Assistant on the the co 1lcctio n of c nc ye1 op c di as and l-Iarvard Co]]ege l.iibrary staff and ap- atlases to those in French,- Gennan, proved by a co1nn1j t tee consisting of Spanish~ Jtalman) and Russian hut die- the f ..ihrr1rian of liarvard College, the ti on ari es for add it•ona l Ian gu ages ,vere Head of the Processing Di\~ision of the jncluded. Encyclopedias and diction- College Libraryt the I-lead of the aries Of sp ccj al fi Clds \Vere restr.ic ted L"Jtnont Library, ~nd the t\,;,ro st-aff to those ,vhich supplc1ncntcd curricu~ m ctn b crs previ onsl y men ti on cd. Jar areas of Jearnjng. such as history, . Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume III, Number 2 (Spring 1949) Harvard !,_libraryBulletin phj~osophy, physicst or chemistry. In to supply the specialized materials of the same ,vay hand boo ks:t n1 an uals, its field. This princip1e applies like- yen tbooks, and s yste rn a tic treat is cs of ,v j se to the ref crcnce co] Iec tl on.. \~l hen parricu lar fic1ds ,vere strictly litnitcd. a student's need falls beyond the ./imerican :ind Eng 1is h biograp bj en] scope of th c col 1ecti on, he is dj rcctcd <lictionaries nnd '-''ho's ,~7hos arc rep- to the appropriate Jibrary ,vb.ere h~ resented. IljbJjograph1es have. been .in- ]TI ay obtain Satisf a Ctj On. This n1akes cl\1rlc-,d very spnring1y, since n1ost of for ccon01ny ns ,veH flSeffidcncy. the materials Jistcd ,votild he available Th c ref crcncc c oJ1 ection that h1ls jn ,'.\7idencr or the J}epartmental or resu lred f ron1 th is scIce ti on consists Special Librades rather than in La- fo.rge]y, th er ef ore., of , ,·hat :1re usu a Hy mont. Th1s does not exclude 1 ho,,.,_ caUed the 'ready ref crcncd tools. ever J the general book and periodical These srrve n~ sp6ogboards to the bjbJiogr~phies~ lj5,rs, and indexes so genera] collection. l~hey introduce j nd isp cnsable to al 1 ref er enc e v,,·or k. the student to a .ficld as a ,vho]e1 give These types suggest the scope of the h1n1 a general grasp of a subject or reference co 11cc ti on. point, or ans,ver a specific question+ A 1coye reference c oHcctions con- Titcy st1pplyinformation or they lead sisting of an encyclopcdia1 ]ang1.1nge to sources of more complete or 1norc · di oti ona ri cs, o.nd reference n1a tcr ia1s specific inf orn1a tion. in the fields of the part of the collec- 1-he classic "'ritings 1 important tion located on that level arc shelved t rc:1ti scs:t l J asic tex ts 1 and reprcsc n ta - adj 1cent to each of the three 111:1in thrc authors arc to he found in the rc:lding arca_s. These alcove co]lcc- general collection+ A ~;;tndent upon I tionsJ facing the first 1 third 1 and fifth entedng the Lamont Library sees level reading areas, bring basic refer- books ~round hin1+ I-Ie cannot go to ence tool.:. closer to the students jn the a reading area or fron1 one part of the reading nrcas, or the stacks.,than ,vould buUding to another ,vfrhout passing be possible if the reference collection through a part of the book collection ,,,ere shehre<l entirclv,, in the ref ere.nee or seeing it at one sider The emphasis room on the third level. This srrange- in this building js upon exposing the n1cnt also prov-jdes a segregated 1·cfcr- student to the book, and it is hoped cncc nrea for books that should not th'i:lt his first contact ,vith tl1is library ]euve the buildjng 1 yet permits these ,vill be ,vith the books on the shcl vcs. reference too]s to . be shc_hTcdnear Staff 111cn1hers nnd card. catalogues do those parts of the general collection to not stand 1n his ,vay as necc.ssary pre- \rhich they are related. ] jmi nary hurdles, but arc pro\ltdcc.1as A further ,vord concerning the assist:1nts ,vhen he is in need of help. princjple of sc]ection nrn.y be adrled. Herein lies the in1portant dcparh1re The Lamont Library is on~ of some of the Lamont l ..ibrary fron1 the pnst eighty libraries jn the Uni,~crsity, most experience of tlw Harvard student. of \vhich are jn the yjcinitv.,, As one !\lever before has he had free access of nl:1:ny, the unc~ergraduatc _lihrary to a general col]cction of boo~s, a may provide the general treatises and collection· selected! housedt · and ad- the fnndan1cntal ,vork~ in specja] n1inistcrc<l for his use. And here it fa fields and rc]y on th-e special Jibrary that the ref ere nc e staff p] ay s its most Harvard University - Houghton Library / Harvard University. Harvard Library bulletin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Library. Volume III, Number 2 (Spring 1949) Notes 2 99 important role.. As an interpreter of person to rccc ive the student. Thjs the collection and as a guide to its reference preparatjon js possible for prop er and efficient u sci th is staff all c:urricnlar areris and for any of the functions in :1 ,va y that has not prcvi- D epartmc n t:il nnd Sp cci a.I Libraries in ousl y be en en the l y possible. the U niversiry. A student interested in fine arts, for 1"'he prj m n ry concern of th c ref cr- exa111 p1 e.