College and Research Libraries By HENRY GILMAN What the Scientist Expects of the Librarian BASICALLY, the scientist expects adequate, efficient, and courteous service from the librarian. In these essential respects the wants of the scientis't are much like those of anyone who uses a library However, a scientist has some special needs. The.se re- quirements vary somewhat with the kind o£ library and the branch of science. There are three main classes of libraries : (I ) the city or town public library; ( 2) the college library; and ( 3) the specialized libraries associated with a university or a research institute or an industrial company. The clientele of public libraries does not usually include scientists who hope to obtain from such libraries access to special source material of the kind found in current science periodicals, comprehensive encyclo- pedias, and the like. If a public library is particularly strong in the field of science, then it may be said to fall in the category of a college or more highly specialized li- · brary. In a college library the librarian or li- brarians (I) Should have thorough familiarity with: indexing systems ; logical and convenient arrangement of books; interlibrary loans; photostating and microfilm problems; the pub- lishing habits of domestic and foreign peri- odicals so that such journals can be kept up-to-date and ip good order; sources of manuscripts, repr.ints, patents, etc. ( 2) Should keep abreast of publishers' an- nouncements and book reviews, assume the initiative in taking up new purchases with the faculty . instead of waiting for them to JULY, 1947 make suggestions, and prepare regular bulle- tins to inform the clientele of new additions (3) Should be capable of reading German, French, and Russian (4) Should have sufficient scientific back- grouqd . to know technical langufige and nomenclature (5) Should not only know where his books are ·at all times but should also know how to supplement catalog information with sugges- tions of likely places and people capable of supplying information not conventionally ac- cessible. In addition to knowing where his books are he should help his patrbns by guiding and instructing them in one manner or another to locate quickly and confidently mater.ial without too much trial and error. The de- partmental librarian can be of great help in assisting with or actually giving a course on the use of the literature of the particular discipline, and in this connection he should know something of the history of science. Perhaps the greatest challenge and re- sponsibility of a librarian comes in handling the needs of a specialized collection where scientific research is active. Progressive in- dustrial laboratories present a striking illus- tration of the important services provided by a librarian. Partly because of the ap- preciation by industry of what a good librarian can do, and more so because of an adequate budget, the role of a librarian in industry is generally unlike that of li- brarians elsewhere. Such a librarian is frequently expected to make bibliographic or literature surveys on new research proj- ects; to write up a good report on such topics; to make patent surveys and to ex- amine pertinent patents for interference; to 329 circulate current issues of periodicals to re- search workers, sometimes designa.ting articles of particular significance in some segment of research; to have in addition to specialized knowledge some general knowl- edge to bridge disciplines; to -gather ma- terial to be used in addresses and to assist in translations and the preparation of manu- scripts; to avoid feeling wounded by an overdeveloped efficiency consciousness if some of his treasures are only nibbled at; to provide a medium or atmosphere for cre- ative thought by the use of all accessible mechanical aids, even at the risk of pamper- ing some indolent individuals; to aid in the syntheses of thoughts and ideas of the scientist by application of the intuitive sense which some librarians have of finding or suggesting things that are beyond the im- mediately available literature sources; and to do everything reasonable to supplement the overtaxed and limited memory of the scientist. All this does not mean that the scientist expects the librarian to know every- thing which he himself does not know. The scientist in a university or research institute that is not strictly industrial can- not, at this time, expect all such services. His time is presumably not so valuable or not understood to be so valuable or there just is not the money {with a few excep- tions) to implement such services. There is another reason for not having some of the services given by industrial libraries: SOIJle scientists feel, largely ' because of tradi- tion, that there is no wholly adequate substi- tute for being their own research survey librarians. While it is true that many re- search ideas and fundamental correlations come from personal surveys, it is also true that the nonindustrial research scientist can profit by such services. The busy research worker in an actively growing field could be helped to overcome the drain on his energy and time by profiting from orienting surveys made for him. He would not lose the stim- ulation of selected readings in the original and would very probably use his more crea- tive talents to a fuller extent. A develop- ment of this kind would surely be accelerated if more money were available to provide what are now considered to be special serv- ices outside of the industries. Irrespective of the type of library and of the varied interests of scientists in different disciplines, the services which have been mentioned are now orthodox in their re- spective categories. Items like interlibrary loans, phot?copying, microfilms, transla- tions,· and literature surveys are common- place. What new services will the scientist expect of the librarian? The almost certain rapid and perhaps phenomenal growth of scientific literature in the years ahead is bound to bring with it devices to keep the alert scientist from being swamped. He will not sit by idly, content to be squeezed in a contracting area of his specialty. He has become increasingly aware of the im- portance of emerging from a restricted field to collateral and borderline zones, the entry to which has already paid rich dividends and promises high rewards in scientific achieve- ment. New Tools Needed What he needs, particularly, are new tools to assist it;t the collection and integra- tion of the growing mass of information. One device which is passing the formative stage is the system of punch cards. Already this is being put to practical use in several ways. One such application is by the Chemical-Biological Coordination Center, established by the National Research Coun- cil. The aim of this project is to provide a file on the hundreds of thousands of com- pounds so that one can quickly correlate chemical, physical, and biological properties. Undoubtedly, extensions of the .punch card 330 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES system will find applications in libraries for services like the rapid assembly and classi- fication of bibliographic material. Another highly suggestive tool or ma- chine has been considered by Bush, 1 for which the name "memex" was coined. "A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communi- cations, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate sup- plement to his memory." This highly in- genious arrangement is essentially a desk in which can be conveniently stored by micro- film and other means the widest collection of books, photographs, and memoranda of all sorts. By appropriate currently available mechanisms and future electronic devices , or patterns not pictured today, one might be able to assemble very promptly all co-related material in forms that can be seen or heard. 'Fhis associative , indexing of masses of ma- terial not only reduces drudgery by quickly providing relevant information but spares the mind of repetitive thought and provides an increasing opportunity for mature cre- ative thought. A relatively simple extension of the idea would provide machines for manifold uses in libraries. The device is not at a blueprint stage, but it appears to be not only feasible but also not too costly. By smali increments of speculation one might arrive at developments which would change appreciably the present functions of libraries. For . example, it is conceivable that the physicist and engineer might perfect deyices which would make it unnecessary to go to a library to obtain the information contained in the library. By suitable re- ceiving sets, both visual and auditory in nature, the scientist might get directly in his laboratory, office, or elsewhere, all the in- formation to be contained in libraries , 1 Bush, Vannevar. "As We May Think." Atlantic M onthly 176:Ioi -o8, July 1945. JULY, 1947 whether it be from books, punch card data, correlative information by memex devices, or other aids as yet unformulated. Scientist,s Greatest Needs All of these developments, irrespective of their being real or imaginary, point the way to the scientist's greatest needs. He wants to be liberated from the increasing drudgery of literature searching; he wants a means of keeping abreast with the great flow of information; he wants the use of all reason- able instruments which will assist him in correlating great masses of data and ideas so that he might once again be at home in the vast and important and overlapping areas of knowledge. : . However, · the scholar may obtain addi- tional help without waiting for the mil- lennium. Many persons in a variety of disciplines, some working in libraries and others in laboratories, who were consulted in the preparation of this article, feel that much more can be done now with currently available facilities. Two principles require especial emphasis: first, a librarian is more ~han a custodian <:>f books ; second, a library IS more than a depository of books. First and foremo'st, these persons want books and per.iodicals made more accessible physically. Wtth some groups of scientists, such as chemists, this means thoroughly adequate departmental libraries. A chemical library is like a laboratory to a chemist, and t~ work effectively he must have his books like his chemicals and appfiratus, housed i~ the same building with 'him. This is the pro- cedure followed generally wherever real and substantial chemical research is done. To be 3Ure, there are some fine points on the limits · of departmental libraries for all sctences. However, if adequate funds were available to buy two 2 or more copies of • z In !his ~onn~ction it is of i~terest to note that some md1;1stnal hbr.an~s have found it desirable to take two coptes of . penodtcals, one of which remains in the li - brary whtle the other circulates. 331 books there is probably little doubt that all scientists would eagerly welcome depa,rt- mental libraries. This ideal situation is, unfortunately, . restricted at this time to a relatively small number of progressive and scholarly-outstanding institutions which have found the means to render such serv- ices. Other institutions of merit are or should be doing everything reasonable, with- in budgetary limitations, to provide· dupli- cation of material. What is. needed, in some cases, is a well-crystallized philosophy that is oriented to provide the scholar with an increase of such facilities. With this should go a willingness and determination and ag- gressiveness on the part of the librarian to obtain more funds to help the scientist in his library needs. We have mentioned some things which the scientist expects of the librarian. It might have be~n better to have written on what the scientist has a right to expect of the librarian. Competent librarians in active research groups must have special training and talents and they should have compensation commensurate with the great importance and dignity of their work. This compensation should be not only in terms of money but also in rank and prestige. The scientist has not fully appreciated the extent to which good teamwork with a librarian will advance research. 332 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES