San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Special Libraries, 1914 Special Libraries, 1910s 10-1-1914 Special Libraries, October 1914 Special Libraries Association Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1914 Part of the Cataloging and Metadata Commons, Collection Development and Management Commons, Information Literacy Commons, and the Scholarly Communication Commons Recommended Citation Special Libraries Association, "Special Libraries, October 1914" (1914). Special Libraries, 1914. Book 8. http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1914/8 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Libraries, 1910s at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Special Libraries, 1914 by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Special Libraries A Vol. 5 OCTOBER, 1014 No. 8 PUBLISHED BY THE EXECUTIVE BO~RD ASSOCIAT1ON President, Vice-President. Secretary-Treasurer, hlontllly except July and August. ~dit~~~~land putlicaticn omce, state Library, Clnrcnce Lester, TWxonsln Lemlative Ref- Indianapolis, Ind. erence Llbrary ; Marlan R. Glenn, Amerlcan 3ubscr1ptions, 93 Broad street, Boston. Mass. nanlters' Assoc~tSLio~~,New York City. Enterccl at the Postomce at Incl.ianapolls, Ind., Managing Edltor or Speclai Libraries:-sohn A. as second-class matler Lapp, Bureau of Leglslntive Information, In- Subscriution. .... .i2.00 a vear 110 numbcrsl ~~~~napolhInd. Single copies .....................25 -- cents Assistant Zclitor, Ethel Cleland, Bureau of Leg- Presidcnl ......................R. H. Johnston lSJative l"eornlation~ lndlanapollsl Ind. Bureau of Rttllway Economics, WashingLon, n-. I--. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS- -- - -~. Vice-President ...........El~zabeth V. Dobbins American ~elephoneand Telegraph Co., New I?. N. hIorlon, United Gas Improvement Co., Yorlc Cily. Phllnrlelphia. Secretary-'l'reasurer. .......... .Guy E. Marion ~~b~~~,Little, lnc., 93 Broad 11. H. B. nfcwr. Library of Cowess. street. Boston, Mass. D. N. Handy, Insurance Library Assoc~atlon. The Special Library and American-Foreign Trade' The sudden disarrangement of commerce clue lo thc fi~iropeanwar put a new burden upon the sources ol tsaclc information in this country. Comnerce had to be reorganized along new 'lines, new ~marlcetsto be found; iinancial ar- rangements to be established or acljusted to new conclitiol~s;and the economic and legal results to be surveyed. Corrcct information, up-to-date and ready at hand about the neutral coun- tries oE the world is now at a premium and those sources, which even partly supply such information, are anxiously sought. Questions of geography, markets, tariff systems, tradc customs, transportation, mercantile law, finan- cial systems, languages, economic and social conditions, racial prejudices and customs and all the other range of facts upon which business is founded, have become of first importance. It is doubtful if any such neccl for world wide com~ncrcialinfor.mation cver before presented itsclf. Com~ngas it did, with n s~~ddcis~lcssthat was paralyzing, it emphasized the importance of the library of specialized infor- mation which seeks .to runticipate just such needs as have now hecn created. With such a lil~raryworking day in and clay out, collecijng iniol-m:lt~onagainst tllc time of nced, illis country could more rcadlly adjust itsell now to the world cl~ai~ges. This country shoulcl have one place of reliable, highly specialized infor- mation on any question affecting loreign commerce, where ll~cAmerican man- ufacturers or business incn might turn in noriual times for exact information upoil which to promote their business, and in times ,lilcc these, to reconstruct it. - *An early number of Special Librarjes will be devoted to this subject. SPECIAL LIBRARIES We have several agencies already doing excellent work in this line. The United States Department of commerce; tht Chamber of coiimercc of the United States ; the Bureau of South American republics ; the Philadelphia com- mercial museum ; the Merchants' association of New York and the National association of matlufacturers have been great sources of strength in the pres- ent difficulties. Their work points a way to hold, develop or reorganize American worlcl trade through the medium of orgai~iiediilfotttxttion focused LI~OIIthe com- mercial problems. Vocational Library on Women's Work Ethel M. Johnson, Librarian, Women's Hducational and Industrial Union. Until quite recently the popular notion of terial about woman's work and occupattons. a library has been limited to a collection 0f Tltis is represented largely by pamphlete boolrs-generally an imposing cbllection as dhd periodicals-there is a small collection to numbers-and in many instahoes a col- of books-such as reports of minimum wage lection for the most part stored away ih in- conimissions. of different states, of welfare accessible stacks. That the stock iri trade and ptotective committees; state and fed- of a library may be largely made Up of clip- eral studies of the conditions of woinen's em- pings, pamphlets, and card lists of infortna- ployment, as well as reports of women's or- tion, still comes to many as a nove'lty. In- genizations ahd catalogues of institutions dustrial and social organizations hbwever, throtlghout the country offering vocational are commencing to recognize the value of trdnihg for women. a special bureau to bring together material This material is by no means limited to and data relating to their work, and to keep the Union's use. The hbrary Is freely open them in touch with what is being done else- to any one, both men and women, interested where along their particular lines. Although In its special subject, whether a member of a very recent development, the busitletr~li~ the Union or not. Thue it combinee with a brary has already become an established b~sinessinformation bureau a public refer- fact, and manufacturing planta, depa~tment ence library on woman's work and vocations. stores, and public service C~rporati~n~are As club women and students taking eco- availing themselves of its assistance. nomic courses in high schools and colleges To this clam of business library or olear- are becoming widely interested in these ing room, the Reference Library of the subjects, the library offers an opportunity Women's Educational and Indugtrial Union for apecia1 service to such groups. Free belongs It supplements the work of the assistance in looking up references for pa- Union's departments by collecting periodi- pers, theses and debates, is extended to all. cals and pamphlets of interest in their work Frequently this assistance takes the form and by looking up needed information, As of reading lists prepared on the topic in the Union comprises thirteen atfierent de- question. This is particularly so in the case partments, and as eighteen typee bf activlty of requests received by letter or telephone. --social, educational, and industrial-are Some recent inquiries illustrating the type carried on, this information service covers of public reference service are as follows: a wide fleld, from looking up regulations, from a college professor, list of references state and federal, regarding the use of glu- on family budgets and, expenditures; from cose in confectionery, to aecuring data as a department store, list on window trim- to the effects of industrinl etrain on work- ming; teacher in technical school, reading ing women. list on woman's work and vocatiolis suitable Directly or lndirectly the major part of for high school girls; college student, assist- the requests relate to women's interests, ance in preparing for debate on effects of since the fundamental purpose of the Union present unrest of women; from Public is woman's welfare. Thus in meeting these Health Commission in another state, infor- demands from the departments, the library mation as to opportunities for women in in the three years of its existence has ac- municipal service; list .of women holding cumulated a highly specialized group of ma- executive positions in cities with salaries; SPECIAL LIBRARIES Professor of Economics in woman's college, Senate. The bills are then arranged by num- information as to legislation proposed and ber and an index card in the front, lists the enacted in Massachusetts regarding tene- subjects alphabetically, with reference to the ment house industries. Among the locali- number of House and Senate bills on that ties represented by the requests are Ken- subject. In each case is placed the last tucky, South Dakota, California, Michigan, Legislative Bulletln of the Session which Ohio, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, records the action taken on all the bills for England, Germany, India and Russia. that year. Much of the service is directly vocational, As the special library has problems quite for the library supplements the work of tlie distinct from those of the general library, department of vocational counseling, by it may be of interest to mention some of the collecting material on professions open to methods employed in collecting material women, and scl~oolsoffering training, and by and making it available for use. Much of preparing bibliographies on vocational sub. the material in the Union Library conslsts jects. A student interested in training for of pamphlets, reports of special investiga- social work, for instance, will find in the lid tions concerning women's work and occupa- brary, catalogues of the different schools of tions, bulletins issued by vocational