College and Research Libraries Administrative Problems T h e p a p e r o n a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p r o b l e m s by M i s s B a r t o n discusses at some l e n g t h c e n t r a l i z e d v e r s u s d e c e n t r a l i z e d o r s u b j e c t d e p a r t m e n t a l i z e d s e r v i c e . S u m m a r i z i n g , e n l a r g i n g on, a n d a d d i n g to s o m e of M i s s B a r t o n ' s s t a t e m e n t s , it w o u l d seem t h a t c e n t r a l i z e d s e r v i c e in s m a l l a n d m e d i u m - s i z e d p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s , c o l l e g e l i b r a r i e s , school l i b r a r i e s , a n d special l i b r a r i e s s h o u l d be m a i n t a i n e d , w h e r e a s the l a r g e p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s , u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s , a n d r e f e r - ence l i b r a r i e s r e q u i r e s u b j e c t d e p a r t m e n - t a l i z e d s e r v i c e . T h e b u d g e t s of s m a l l e r l i b r a r i e s a r e n o t a d e q u a t e to m a i n t a i n the p e r s o n n e l a n d b o o k s n e e d e d f o r an en- l a r g e d r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e . H e r e , also, r e f e r - e n c e w o r k is l a r g e l y l o c a l i z e d a n d less c o m p l i c a t e d . I n t h e l a r g e p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s a n d u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s a v e r y d i v e r s i f i e d d e m a n d is m a d e o n t h e r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e . L i t e r a t u r e specialists r a t h e r t h a n s u b j e c t specialists a r e m u c h n e e d e d , h o w e v e r . D e - p a r t m e n t a l i z a t i o n s h o u l d n o t be e x t r e m e — t h a t is, social science r a t h e r t h a n e c o n o m - ics, p u r e science r a t h e r t h a n physics, e t c . I f t h e l a r g e r l i b r a r i e s w o u l d c e n t r a l i z e r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e as a w h o l e to the s a m e l o c a t i o n — t h a t is, a l l on t h e s a m e f l o o r of the b u i l d i n g ; a n d if a l l p a t r o n s w e r e f i r s t d i r e c t e d to a g e n e r a l r e f e r e n c e r o o m w h e r e the s i m p l e r f a c t - f i n d i n g q u e s t i o n s m i g h t be q u i c k l y disposed of a n d f r o m t h e r e d i r e c t e d t o t h e social science r e f e r e n c e r o o m , the p u r e science r e f e r e n c e r o o m , the a p p l i e d science r e f e r e n c e r o o m , the h u m a n i t i e s r e f - e r e n c e r o o m , etc., w h e r e q u e s t i o n s or p r o b - l e m s r e q u i r i n g s e a r c h m i g h t h a v e the assistance of l i t e r a t u r e specialists, b e t t e r r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e w o u l d r e s u l t . T h e a d d i - t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e s p e c i a l i s t s c o u l d be en- t i r e l y d e p e n d e n t o n the l o c a l e of t h e l i b r a r y . I f t h e r e a r e c o n s t a n t d e m a n d s in t h e f i e l d of c h e m i s t r y , a d d a c h e m i s t r y l i t e r a t u r e s p e c i a l i s t ; if h i s t o r y , a h i s t o r y l i t e r a t u r e s p e c i a l i s t ; e t c . T h e l a r g e r li- b r a r y , w i t h this t y p e of o r g a n i z a t i o n , w o u l d c e r t a i n l y be a b l e to s u p p l y a l l a v a i l - a b l e d a t a c o n t a i n e d in its c o l l e c t i o n on a n y s u b j e c t to its c l i e n t e l e p r o m p t l y a n d e f - f i c i e n t l y . I n a d d i t i o n to the p a p e r s on r e f e r e n c e w o r k in v a r i o u s t y p e s of l i b r a r i e s a n d a d - m i n i s t r a t i v e p r o b l e m s , t h e r e is a g r o u p of p a p e r s o n special r e f e r e n c e p r o b l e m s in a r t a n d m u s i c , m a p c o l l e c t i o n s , social science, science a n d t e c h n o l o g y , r a r e books, a n d s u p p l e m e n t a r y r e f e r e n c e m a t e r i a l s . M r . A n g l e ' s p a p e r on r e f e r e n c e w o r k in the r a r e b o o k r o o m is b r i e f , concise, a n d to t h e p o i n t . M r . K u h l m a n ' s p a p e r on " S u p - p l e m e n t a r y R e f e r e n c e M a t e r i a l s " s h o w s c l e a r l y the c o m p l i c a t i o n s i n v o l v e d in d e a l - i n g w i t h f u g i t i v e m a t e r i a l s . A p a p e r o n p u b l i c d o c u m e n t s r e f e r e n c e p r o b l e m s w o u l d h a v e a d d e d m a t e r i a l l y t o the c o l - l e c t i o n . Reference Function of the Library w i l l bear c a r e f u l r e a d i n g , s t u d y , a n d discus- sion. T h e a m a z i n g t h i n g is t h a t , a f t e r o v e r h a l f a c e n t u r y of t e c h n i c a l l i b r a r y t r a i n i n g , m a n y of t h e p r o b l e m s w h i c h f a c e d l i b r a r i a n s f i f t y y e a r s a g o s t i l l r e m a i n u n s o l v e d . — J e r o m e K. Wilcox, University of California Library, Berkeley. The Chicago Public Library: Origins and Backgrounds. G w l a d y s S p e n c e r . U n i - v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o P r e s s , 1 9 4 3 . T h i s s t u d y of the C h i c a g o P u b l i c L i - b r a r y c o n f i n e s itself l a r g e l y to o r i g i n s a n d b a c k g r o u n d s . S o m e , b u t r e l a t i v e l y s l i g h t , a t t e n t i o n is g i v e n to the o r g a n i z a t i o n p e r i o d f o l l o w i n g l e g i s l a t i v e a u t h o r i z a t i o n a n d n o n e to the l i b r a r y ' s d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e c u l t u r a l a n d e c o n o m i c b a c k g r o u n d of the c i t y of C h i c a g o f r o m its f o u n d i n g to t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of the C h i c a g o P u b l i c 92 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES L i b r a r y is f u l l y p r e s e n t e d . I n g r e a t d e t a i l a r e d e s c r i b e d C h i c a g o ' s e a r l y l i b r a r i e s and l i b r a r y associations, special a n d p r i v a t e l i b r a r i e s , a n d those o w n e d by i n d i v i d u a l s . W h e r e v e r possible b i o g r a p h i c a l d e t a i l s as to t h e m e n c o n c e r n e d a r e f u r n i s h e d . B o o k s a n d p e r i o d i c a l s r e a d d u r i n g these e a r l y y e a r s , b o o k s e l l i n g a n d book p u b l i s h - i n g , a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l i n t e r e s t s of a l l k i n d s a r e p a r t of the p i c t u r e . T h e s t o r y of C h i c a g o ' s rise as a c o m - m e r c i a l a n d i n d u s t r i a l c e n t e r is a m a z i n g . T h e r a p i d a c c u m u l a t i o n of w e a l t h m a d e a flourishing of the a r t s possible. M i s s S p e n c e r r i g h t l y d i s c e r n s t h a t this w a s l e a s t c r e d i t a b l e in the field of l i t e r a t u r e a n d m a k e s no u n r e a s o n a b l e c l a i m s f o r C h i c a g o in respect to b o o k a u t h o r s h i p , p u b l i s h i n g , o r s e l l i n g . I n f a c t it w a s f a r b e h i n d C i n - c i n n a t i in this respect f o r the p e r i o d c o v - e r e d . T h r e e c h a p t e r s t e l l the l i b r a r y s t o r y f o r I l l i n o i s . A g a i n b e g i n n i n g s a n d b a c k - g r o u n d a r e e m p h a s i z e d . T h i s a c c o u n t l i k e w i s e e n d s w i t h a b o u t 1 8 7 2 . L e g i s l a - t i v e h i s t o r y is discussed in d e t a i l . L i - b r a r i e s in c o l l e g e s a n d schools are in- c l u d e d as w e l l as p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s . S u c h l o c a l a n d r e g i o n a l s t u d i e s of li- b r a r y d e v e l o p m e n t a r e w e l c o m e . I t is to be h o p e d t h a t o t h e r s w i l l f o l l o w . W e a r e n o t sure, h o w e v e r , t h a t t h e y need g o i n t o e q u a l d e t a i l as to a l l of the v a r i e d and t i n y a n d o f t e n s h o r t - l i v e d e f f o r t s . M i s s S p e n - c e r ' s a c c o u n t seems to i n v e s t t h e m w i t h an i m p o r t a n c e a n d an i n f l u e n c e w h i c h seems d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e , on the basis of c u r r e n t e v a l u a t i o n or on t h a t of t h e i r e f f e c t on li- b r a r y d e v e l o p m e n t in C h i c a g o a n d in I l l i - nois. A n i m m e n s e a m o u n t of i n v e s t i g a t i o n of s o u r c e m a t e r i a l a n d e s p e c i a l l y of c o n t e m - p o r a r y r e c o r d s has e v i d e n t l y g o n e i n t o t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h i s s t u d y . W e h a v e a t times, h o w e v e r , the f e e l i n g t h a t t h e ac- c u m u l a t e d mass of m a t e r i a l g o t o u t of h a n d a n d t h a t the r e a l m e a n i n g of h e r statistics s o m e t i m e s escaped h e r . T h e s e c r i t i c i s m s a p p l y c h i e f l y t o t h e c h a p t e r on e c o n o m i c a n d c u l t u r a l b a c k g r o u n d s . Census Figures Inadequate T h e a u t h o r discusses w i t h g r e a t seri- ousness U . S . C e n s u s figures on i l l i t e r a c y f o r 1 8 4 0 a n d 1 8 5 0 . A t no t i m e w e r e specific tests of a b i l i t y to r e a d o r w r i t e used in e n u m e r a t i o n , and v a r i a t i o n s in a c c u r a c y a n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n as b e t w e e n in- d i v i d u a l census e n u m e r a t o r s a n d as be- t w e e n s u p e r v i s o r s f o r v a r i o u s states and cities w e r e i n e v i t a b l e . A s c l e a r l y b r o u g h t o u t by J e n s e n in his a r t i c l e , " I l l i t e r a c y " in the Dictionary of American History, this s u b j e c t is d i f f i c u l t in the e x t r e m e . W h e n w e r e a d , o n p a g e 2 1 , t h a t in 1 8 4 0 in C h i c a g o " e v e r y p e r s o n o v e r t w e n t y c o u l d r e a d a n d w r i t e , " o u r r e a c - t i o n is t h a t m a y b e this is a " s t a t i s t i c " b u t c e r t a i n l y it is n o t a f a c t . W e l o o k e d u p M i s s S p e n c e r ' s a u t h o r i t y , n a m e l y the U.S. Census Report f o r 1 8 4 0 , a n d f o u n d t h a t in t h a t y e a r in C l e v e l a n d , a n d in M i l - w a u k e e also, e v e r y p e r s o n o v e r t w e n t y c o u l d r e a d a n d w r i t e . W e d o n ' t b e l i e v e this e i t h e r . W e do n o t o b j e c t t o this r e f e r e n c e to census figures of 1 8 4 0 b u t r a t h e r to the u n c r i t i c a l a c c e p t a n c e a n d to r e s u l t i n g a s s u m p t i o n s . R e a l a b i l i t y to r e a d a n d w r i t e a h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o w a s b y n o m e a n s 1 0 0 per c e n t . P r e s e n t U . S . A r m y f i g u r e s as to f u n c t i o n a l i l l i t e r a c y a r e b o t h m o r e r e a l i s t i c a n d less flattering to o u r s e l v e s . O n this p a g e l i k e w i s e w e a r e i n f o r m e d t h a t in 1 8 7 0 " a b o u t 3 5 of e a c h 1 0 0 0 . . . w e r e to be c o n s i d e r e d i l l i t e r a t e , " or 3 . 5 per c e n t , w h i l e a f o o t n o t e to this p a r a - DECEMBER, 1943 8 7 graph places Chicago's illiteracy for the same year at 0.262 per cent. T h e ratio of men to women in the population is also gone into extensively. T h i s is important background informa- tion, but the situation was not peculiar to Chicago but was paralleled in other Northern pioneer communities of the period. By 1870 Chicago did not differ materially in this respect from the na- tional average, while newer communities like St. Paul or Kansas C i t y still had dis- proportionately large masculine popula- tions. O n page 17 we find two obvious inac- curacies. " T h e total valuation give [sic] in 1850 was $20,000,000. By 1870 this had grown to $377,000,000. T h u s in two decades it had increased at an average rate of somewhat over $51,000,000 an- nually." W e figure the rate at less than $18,000,000 annually. T h e following paragraph states " T h e day preceding the Great Fire, nearly 250,000,000 bushels of wheat . . . had come to the huge grain elevators and storehouses." T h i s reported one day's receipts is more than the total annual crop of spring and winter wheat for the entire country for the year 1 8 7 1 . T h e daily capacity of flour and gristmills of Illinois in 1870 was 321,533 bushels ( U . S . Cen- sus figures) or about one eighth of 1 per cent of this reported one day's receipts of wheat in Chicago. O n page 42, item 19 reports for Chicago " A n annual receipt of produce and materials of all kinds amounting to $182,743,598." A t seventy- five cents a bushel the wheat receipts re- ported for one day would exceed this total annual amount. It is difficult to under- stand how such glaring discrepancies passed not only the author but also editor and proofreader. T h e appearance of scholarship seems at times of greater con- cern than its actuality. Excessive Citations T h e number of citations seemed to us excessive and we became lost at times amidst the "op. cits." and the "ibids." O n pages 59 and 60, discussing the history of the Y o u n g Men's Association, there are eight citations to the short annual report for the year 1855. O f t e n it is necessary to work back through a chain of these to the first mention of the newspaper or re- port referred to. Chapter X I I I is devoted substantially to the first year of the newly-established Chicago Public Library. In its twenty- seven pages, The Proceedings, 1872-81, of the Board of Directors are referred to thirty-one times and The First Annual Report, 1873, seventeen times. It would seem that a general reference to these brief documents might have sufficed. Likewise we are surprised at the num- ber of printer's errors, grammatical lapses, and cumbersome and often unclear sen- tences with an excessive use of adjectives. There is also much repetition, on the order of the clergyman who first told what he was going to say, then said it, and finally summed up what he had said. Space is lacking in this review to make a convincing justification of the above as- sertions. T o give only a few specific in- stances would seem picayunish, but we did in fact note a quite considerable num- ber of instances of printer's errors, doubt- ful grammar, inaccurate or unclear state- ments, and of sentences awkward and overloaded with words. A long bibliography is appended. W e made no attempt to check it for omission or inclusion but did note the absence of two items of interest in connection with v 94 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES Newberry and his benefactions. These are the charming Diary of Julia Rosa Newberry, published 1 9 3 3 but covering a few years before and after the fire, and " A n Early 'Friend' of Libraries" by George B. Utley, published in The Li- brary Quarterly, July 1 9 4 2 , and available in reprint form. T h e "friend" is M a r k Skinner with twenty entries in the index of the volume under review. W e have been unduly severe, perhaps, in pointing out these blemishes. Serious blemishes they are, but after all they are only blemishes on a study which is a real contribution to our understanding of the culture of our early M i d d l e Western states and more specifically a history of library development in an important and typical state of this region. Librarianship has often been criticized, and rightly so, for its failure to create a scholarly litera- ture. Happily the criticism is beginning to lose force. But, for this very reason, it is important that all who aspire to aid in this process should meet, in the highest degree, the high requirements for genuine scholarly writing. T h i s requires accuracy, common sense, imagination, breadth of view, clarity, and conciseness. Industry, though essential, is a subordinate virtue. A work of scholarship must necessarily be judged, if judged at all, on such a basis. W h i l e we regret to have found much to criticize adversely, w e do want in conclu- sion to express to Miss Spencer the thanks of the many who are interested in the be- ginnings and the development of things literary and cultural for bringing together so many widely-scattered and deeply- buried facts and presenting them in so well organized a manner. W e hope that other cities and regions may have the bene- fit of like study and research following in the pioneer footsteps of Miss Spencer and will find an historian as conscientious and interested.—Carl Vitz, Minneapolis Pub- lic Library. American Standard Reference Data and Arrangement of Periodicals; Approved June 7, 194.3. American Standards As- sociation, 2 9 W . 3 9 t h St., N e w York. 4p. T h e first edition of this code appeared in 1 9 3 5 as the American Recommended Practice, Reference Data for Periodicals, after having been approved by a general conference of publishers and librarians or- ganized under the procedure of the Ameri- can Standards Association. W o r k on the revision was started in 1 9 4 0 by the A . S . A . Committee on Standardization in the Field of Library W o r k and Documenta- tion, under the sponsorship of the Ameri- can Library Association, with a committee representing fifteen library and publishers' associations. T h e new code is about twice the size of the original. T h e rules have been ex- panded to greater detail and provide the solution for many more special problems. It is a manual for the person who gets out the periodical and it aims to note sys- tematically the more or less mechanical details (usually taken care of by the man- aging editor) which make for the ef- ficient handling of periodicals by all who use them or make them available for the use of others. These are such details as how to take care of volume numbers, issue numbers and date, title pages, contents, index, information which should be given under the masthead, errata slips, changes of policy, changes of title, mergers, suspen- sions, etc. T h e section on supplements of various kinds and one on society publica- tions are entirely new. DECEMBER, 1943 8 7