College and Research Libraries Review Articles Government Publications Government Publications for the Citizen ( A r e p o r t of t h e P u b l i c L i b r a r y I n q u i r y ) . By J a m e s L . M c C a m y . N e w Y o r k , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1949. I39P- $2.50. G o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s h a v e gained con- s i d e r a b l e distinction t h r o u g h t h e f a c t t h a t one of t h e s t u d i e s of t h e a l l - i m p o r t a n t P u b l i c L i b r a r y I n q u i r y is d e v o t e d e n t i r e l y t o t h e m . F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e s t u d y w a s m a d e by a social scientist r a t h e r t h a n by a l i b r a r i a n . M r . M c C a m y , n o w p r o f e s s o r of political science a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of W i s c o n s i n , w i l l be r e - m e m b e r e d f o r his excellent p r e v i o u s s t u d y , Government Publicity, published in 1939. W h i l e one m i g h t d i s a g r e e w i t h some of his r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o r s u g g e s t a l t e r n a t i v e s , t h e n e w s t u d y is a significant c o n t r i b u t i o n to t h e l i t e r a t u r e r e l a t i n g to g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s . Q u e s t i o n s m i g h t be raised as to w h e t h e r a t w o m o n t h s ' s a m p l i n g of t h e Monthly Cata- log, J a n u a r y and F e b r u a r y 1947, and a one- m o n t h s a m p l i n g of the Monthly Checklist of State Publications, a r e sufficient to d r a w con- clusions r e g a r d i n g f e d e r a l a n d s t a t e p u b l i s h - ing. ( I n c i d e n t a l l y , A p p e n d i x B s t a t e s Monthly Catalog, J a n . - F e b . 1948, i n s t e a d of J a n . - F e b . 1947.) W h i l e t h e a u t h o r s t r e s s e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e of t h e processed d o c u m e n t , u n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e Monthly Cata- log even n o w does n o t give a c o m p l e t e p i c t u r e of this f o r m of f e d e r a l publishing. A t least f o r one d e p a r t m e n t , t h e D e p a r t m e n t of A g r i c u l t u r e , this m i g h t h a v e been s e c u r e d t h r o u g h its l i b r a r y ' s Bibliography of Agri- culture. F o r s t a t e publishing, t h e s t u d y could h a v e been a u g m e n t e d by analysis of t h e check- lists of i n d i v i d u a l s t a t e p u b l i s h i n g t h a t n o w exist f o r a b o u t a d o z e n s t a t e s . Q u e s t i o n s m i g h t also be raised as to t h e classification of kinds of f e d e r a l p u b l i c a t i o n s . F o r e x a m p l e , " l i s t i n g s of u n i n t e r p r e t e d d a t a " such as d i r e c t o r i e s of p e r s o n n e l and b i b l i o g r a - phies a r e g r o u p e d as " C a t a l o g s " ( p . 5-6) ; and s t a t i s t i c a l s t a t e m e n t s and m a g a z i n e s a r e combined as p e r i o d i c a l s ( p . 5 - 6 ) . A g a i n , t h e m a j o r c a t a g o r i e s of f e d e r a l p u b l i s h i n g ( p . 1 3 ) m i g h t be q u e s t i o n e d , especially w h e n types of p u b l i s h i n g such as " L e g a l a c t i o n s " and " E c o - n o m i c analysis and r e p o r t i n g " a r e combined w i t h s u b j e c t s such as " A v i a t i o n . " D e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r i e s , i n c l u d i n g those t h a t a r e college l i b r a r i e s , m u s t c o n t a i n a t l e a s t a t h o u s a n d books o t h e r t h a n g o v e r n m e n t publi- cations, and m u s t m a k e t h e g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i - c a t i o n s a v a i l a b l e to t h e public. T h i s s t a t e m e n t applies b o t h to " a l l " and to selective depositories. M r . M c C a m y ' s s t a t e m e n t on page 30, t h e r e f o r e , needs to be changed ac- c o r d i n g l y . O n p a g e 59, M r . M c C a m y s t a t e s t h a t " G o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s a r e n o t r e g a r d e d as i m p o r t a n t save in t h e l a r g e l i b r a r i e s in cities of 100,000 o r m o r e and even in these m a t e r i a l is used chiefly f o r r e f e r e n c e p u r - poses." A l t h o u g h M r . M c C a m y ' s evidence p r o b a b l y p o i n t e d t o this conclusion, I c a n n o t t e f r a i n f r o m c h a l l e n g i n g t h e s t a t e m e n t . Possibly t h e s m a l l and m e d i u m - s i z e d public l i b r a r i e s do n o t give t h e a t t e n t i o n t o a c q u i r i n g and selecting g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s t h a t they do to t h a t of books, p a m p h l e t s and o t h e r m a t e r i a l s . F u r t h e r m o r e , the m e d i a of selec- tion chiefly used by these l i b r a r i e s only in- f r e q u e n t l y include g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s w h e r e a s every issue includes books and o t h e r m a t e r i a l s . If this w e r e n o t t r u e , w o u l d his analysis of t h e g o v e r n m e n t best sellers, w h i c h f o l l o w s , s h o w such a s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e of t h e 26 t i t l e s in l i b r a r i e s ? O f c o u r s e , a n o t h e r point should be e m p h a s i z e d h e r e : n a m e l y , t h e f a c t t h a t m o s t of these t i t l e s a r e so w e l l k n o w n t h a t t h e i n t e r e s t e d public m a y a c t u a l l y o w n p e r s o n a l copies and t h e r e f o r e n o t seek to use t h e m in t h e public l i b r a r y . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , even t h o u g h all l i b r a r i e s w o u l d like to h a v e r e c o r d e d in t h e i r public c a r d c a t a l o g s every book, p a m p h l e t , g o v e r n - m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n , etc., such a p r o g r a m is g i a d u a l l y b e c o m i n g an impossibility because of t h e cost and l i m i t a t i o n of space. W h i l e t h e case m a y be d i f f e r e n t f o r t h e s m a l l o r m e d i u m - s i z e d public l i b r a r y , t h e l a r g e r li- b r a r y n o w h a s to c o o r d i n a t e its b i b l i o g r a p h i c collection w i t h its c a r d c a t a l o g a n d n o t d u p l i - c a t e in t h e c a r d c a t a l o g all i t e m s f o u n d in checklists and s u b j e c t b i b l i o g r a p h i e s . T h e r e should be m o r e t r a i n e d p e r s o n n e l to assist t h e public in this c o o r d i n a t i o n . M r . M c C a m y , APRIL, 1950 18 7 h e r e , I am s u r e , e x p r e s s e d t h e p o i n t of v i e w of t h e p u b l i c u s e r of l i b r a r i e s , b u t f r o m a n economic s t a n d p o i n t such a p r o c e d u r e is g r a d u a l l y b e c o m i n g impossible. M r . M c C a m y ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s , as f o u n d in C h a p t e r F o u r , " L i b r a r i e s a n d G o v e r n - m e n t C o o p e r a t i o n , " n e e d c a r e f u l s t u d y . F i r s t , he p r e s e n t s t h e u r g e n t n e e d f o r a t o o l w h i c h w i l l a t t e m p t t o c l a s s i f y g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a - tions by type of i n t e r e s t a n d t h e n e e d f o r a selective list of p u b l i c a t i o n s of w i d e g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t . W h i l e t h e f e d e r a l Monthly Cata- log m i g h t easily i n d i c a t e types of i n t e r e s t , it w o u l d be impossible f o r it t o b e c o m e a selec- tive list. I t s o b j e c t i v e s h o u l d be c o m p r e h e n - siveness so as to i n c l u d e n o t only G o v e r n - m e n t P r i n t i n g Office i m p r i n t s , b u t all p r o c - essed p u b l i c a t i o n s and t h o s e of field agencies as w e l l . A l t h o u g h w e h a v e h a d m a n y c o m - m e r c i a l p r o j e c t s w h i c h p e r i o d i c a l l y select b o o k s a n d p a m p h l e t s , t h e r e n e v e r h a s been a s i m i l a r one f o r g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s of g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t . W o u l d l i b r a r i e s finance such an u n d e r t a k i n g if it w e r e p r e p a r e d by g o v e r n - m e n t a l o r n o n g o v e r n m e n t a l s o u r c e s ? M r . M c C a m y ' s s u g g e s t i o n f o r a c o o r d i n a - tion of d i s t r i b u t i o n t h r o u g h t h e S u p e r i n t e n - d e n t of D o c u m e n t ' s Office, w h i l e ideal, w o u l d be difficult of a t t a i n m e n t . T h i s idea w a s p r o p o s e d in t h e s t a t e of C a l i f o r n i a a t t h e t i m e t h e n e w S t a t e D o c u m e n t D i s t r i b u t i o n Bill w a s being c o n s i d e r e d b u t it w a s a b a n - d o n e d b e c a u s e it w a s f o u n d t h a t l e g i s l a t o r s a n d d e p a r t m e n t s desired t o r e s e r v e t h e i r r i g h t s as t o f r e e d i s t r i b u t i o n of s t a t e d o c u - m e n t s . I t is q u e s t i o n a b l e w h e t h e r c o n g r e s s - m e n a n d t h e f e d e r a l agencies and d e p a r t m e n t s w o u l d r e a c t any d i f f e r e n t l y . M r . M c C a m y h a s s h o w n t h e n e e d f o r a c l e a r , c o n s i s t e n t and e x a c t s t a t e m e n t as t o w h i c h p u b l i c a t i o n s a r e f r e e and w h i c h a r e f o r sale. T h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t a l is v e r y in- c o n s i s t e n t in its policy w i t h r e s p e c t t o f r e e a n d sale d i s t r i b u t i o n . A g a i n , in M r . M c C a m y ' s s u g g e s t i o n s on a r a t i o n a l i z e d d e p o s i t o r y system, w e find t h e s a m e s t u m b l i n g block. W i l l c o n g r e s s m e n o r agencies s u r r e n d e r all t h e i r r i g h t s of dis- t r i b u t i o n of f r e e copies, a n d p e r m i t t h e m to be c l e a r e d t h r o u g h one c e n t r a l c o o r d i n a t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n u n i t ? I t is q u i t e possible t h a t , if all f r e e d i s t r i b u t i o n w e r e m a d e t h r o u g h one c e n t r a l s o u r c e and w e r e l i m i t e d p r i n c i - pally o r only t o l i b r a r i e s , all l i b r a r i e s m i g h t receive all g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s f r e e of c h a r g e , i r r e s p e c t i v e of cost, a n d t h e b u r d e n w o u l d be n o g r e a t e r to t h e t a x p a y e r t h a n it is n o w u n d e r t h e p r e s e n t v e r y w a s t e f u l f r e e d i s t r i b u t i o n p r o g r a m . U n l e s s c o n g r e s s - m e n a n d t h e f e d e r a l agencies a r e w i l l i n g to give u p t h e i r r i g h t s , c o m p l e t e f r e e d i s t r i b u - tion of all f e d e r a l p u b l i c a t i o n s t o l i b r a r i e s m i g h t a m o u n t t o a v e r y s u b s t a n t i a l s u m . I t is a s t r a n g e p a r a d o x t h a t l i b r a r i e s g e n e r a l l y expect t o receive g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s f r e e of c h a r g e , b u t seldom q u e s t i o n paying f o r p a m p h l e t s a n d books w h i c h in m a n y cases a r e u n r e a s o n a b l y p r i c e d . T h e big q u e s t i o n i s : W h e r e does f r e e d i s t r i b u t i o n end a n d sale b e g i n ? F u r t h e r m o r e , w i t h t h e e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r of responsibilities being s h i f t e d to t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t , h o w m a n y a d d i t i o n a l ones c a n be a d d e d ? M r . M c C a m y m a k e s a s t r o n g case f o r t h e sale o r o r d e r i n g of g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s t h r o u g h t h e public l i b r a r y . W h e t h e r this is d o n e t h r o u g h t h e public l i b r a r y , t h r o u g h s o m e c o n v e n i e n t m e a n s w o r k e d o u t w i t h t h e P o s t Office D e p a r t m e n t , o r t h r o u g h r e - g i o n a l offices of t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t of D o c u - m e n t s , does n o t m a t t e r . F o r y e a r s , t h e r e h a s been a c o n s i s t e n t d e m a n d f o r t h e p u r c h a s e of a t l e a s t f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s o u t - side of W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . W h i l e I h a v e e x p r e s s e d s o m e points of v i e w w h i c h d i f f e r f r o m t h o s e of t h e a u t h o r , they a r e in no w a y i n t e n d e d to d e v a l u e t h i s im- p o r t a n t s t u d y . I n this e r a of m a s s c o m - m u n i c a t i o n s , M r . M c C a m y h a s c l e a r l y s h o w n h o w i n a d e q u a t e a r e t h e m e d i a of selection and t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of g o v e r n m e n t p u b l i c a - tions. T h e book s h o u l d be c a r e f u l l y s t u d i e d by l i b r a r i a n s a n d c o n g r e s s m e n . T h e r e c o m - m e n d a t i o n s a r e c h a l l e n g i n g and w h e t h e r they be a d o p t e d f u l l y , p a r t i a l l y , o r in s o m e m o d i - fied f o r m , they call f o r a c t i o n . — J e r o m e K. Wilcox, College of the City of New York Library. 174 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES