College and Research Libraries By A R T H U R P. S W E E T Forms in Acquisitions W o r k Mr. Sweet is acquisitions librarian, Cornell University Library. TH E DESIGN and use of forms in library acquisitions work is conditioned by two basic factors: (1) The interacting characteristics of size, organization, policies and methods, peculiar to the particular library or library system. For example: the organizational plan of the library determines, to a certain extent, which kinds of record-files are essential and which may safely be disregarded—alphabetical order-files, chronological order-files, or order- files arranged by source of supply, orders- received or accession files, fiscal or "fund" files, "in-process" files, etc.; and the types of records kept affect, in turn, the number and kinds of forms required. Similarly, volume of business—a function of size—exerts a con- siderable influence on the forms problem. (2) The nature and frequency of opera- tions involved in acquisitions routines, in general. Thus, the order department of every library is faced with certain basic prob- lems: the solicitation of quotations, order- placement, order-claiming or "follow-up," order-cancellation, the payment or approval for payment of invoices, etc. The first of these factors makes for diver- sity, both in kinds of forms employed and in design within the same type of form; the second criterion, dispassionately considered and explored, argues for similarity and standardi- zation. Since libraries and librarians tend to be so rampantly individual, the former, differ- entiating ingredient has all the best of it, and acquisitions forms in American libraries are far more remarkable for their, variety than for their uniformity. The order itself, for instance, may be a- letter-size order-sheet in duplicate or triplicate, or it may be the 3" x 5", multiple-copy, "correlated" order- slip ; and among any broad collection of samples of the latter sort will be found variations: (a) in number of parts (from three or four to as many as nine), (b) in the disposition made of, and the names given to, those parts, (c) in the amount and kinds of in- formation intended to be included on them, and the arrangement of that information on the slips, (d) in the use of one- or two-color printing, and of printing on one or both sides, and so on. Admitting that part of this great diversity is the necessary consequence of institutional differences in size, set-up, and services under- taken, another large part merely reflects the librarian's lack of acquaintance with (or in- difference to?) what other libraries are doing, and the absence of any real data as to what forms and methods are best, and why. T o cite only one of many such needs: Have we any facts or figures to show that the use of a copy of the multiple-order-slip for "initial claiming" is either more or less effective and efficient than the use of a separate, specially- designed, claim form? Apart from this not always necessary or desirable disengagement, there are other fail- ings to which the library forms-designer is subject. One of these is a conservative re- sistance to change. The desirability and de- sign of a form is apt to be carefully considered at the time of its initial adoption; and there- after, nothing less than a change in depart- ment head (or higher echelon) can achieve its elimination, or even modification. An- other is the tendency towards proliferation of sub-species and sub-sub-species. Once a form is adopted for the average book order, a separate style is developed for serials orders, and another variety for ordering material on approval, and still another for orders in re- sponse to quotations received, etc. A third failing is that of regarding the form as suit- able only for the most routine, everyday functions. Far too often, the personal letter is used for a purpose which might be served just as effectively—and much more efficiently —by a form. It must be true of other research libraries —as I know it is of ours—that the demands made upon them to handle an ever- and 396 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES rapidly-increasing volume of business and number of services with a much-less-actively (at most times, imperceptibly) expanding staff create an exceptional pressure to make the most effective possible use of forms in stream- lining and simplifying procedures. T o facili- tate that more- or most-effective use of forms, two desiderata are indicated: First, a periodic —at least annual—reexamination of the prob- lem of forms in any given library, to consider which can be consolidated or eliminated, how existing forms may desirably be modified, and what situations recur with sufficient frequency to warrant the introduction of new forms. Secondly, the creation of more systematic and extensive channels than now exist for the dissemination of information between libraries as to the practices prevailing in other, similar institutions. The following comments on three fairly broad and common problems, and some forms designed to meet them which exemplify what may be called the "synthetic trend," are offered as a merely suggestive and illustrative step in this latter direction. I. Claiming, which means, in^its narrow sense and common usage, the "follow-up" of overdue orders, is a problem recognized by every order department, and one for which an amazing variety of forms have been developed. The more common types are: printed post- card, with or without pre-addressed reply- card attached; copy of "correlated" order-slip, with provision for vendor's reply on verso; printed or mimeographed half- or full-sheet form-letter. In part, this variation is due to the influence on the form-design problem both of the type of order-form used and of the claiming policy followed. Claiming may be either systematic or selec- tive: In the former instance, every order outstanding for more than a certain length of time is automatically claimed at the expira- tion of that period of grace; in the latter case, the onus is placed on the person who is waiting for the book—faculty member, de- partmental librarian, or other "customer"—to initiate the follow-up if the item fails to make its appearance in due course, and only those orders so questioned are claimed. Systematic claiming is certainly preferable; but selective claiming may be as much as over-all work pressures will allow—and, presumably, it serves to produce the more urgently required items. There can also be a combination of the two: selective claiming of the slightly over- due orders, and systematic claiming of the proportionately fewer orders long outstanding. Whichever policy is followed, systematic or selective, claiming may also be either per- sistent (repeated) or unique (one time only). In libraries, such as those of Chicago and Columbia Universities, where the correlated order-slip is used and a systematic claiming policy is practiced, each set of order-slips in- cludes its "claim copy" to be used for "first" claiming, in addition to the copy "to be returned with the book." In the General Library of the University of California, where I.B.M. cards are used as order-forms, a form "frame" is placed around the file copy of the order, and a micro-photostat is taken of the whole which serves as their claim form. At the University of Illinois Library, where a combination of McBee "Keysort" card for basic record and an order-sheet in triplicate is employed, a post-card claim form is used, with reply-card attached. Apart from the design of the claim-form itself, other forms problems arise from these differences in follow-up procedures. Where the selective claiming expedient is used, it is advisable to have some sort of form, both for the use of the order-initiator in getting the claim proceedings started, and of the acquisi- tions department in reporting back the action actually taken. If persistent claiming is prac- ticed, there must be some form device for regulating and recording the successive action taken and the results (if any). At Columbia, where a systematic-persistent policy obtains, a 34" x 5" "signal" card is used for that pur- pose: attached to the copy of the correlated order form in "Order Processing File," the visible edge of the card shows when the next round of action is due, and there is pro- vision on the verso for recording the date of each successive claim and the report received in reply. Although such follow-ups on overdue orders represent the largest part of the claims to be made, it is a mistake to assume—as most libraries seem to do—that they are all there is to "claiming." In its broader sense, claim- ing means: the adjustment of any one in the complex of all the "hitches" which may occur, and in fact do recur with any degree of fre- quency, to prevent the prompt and satisfactory OCTOBER, 1953 397 - completion of an order transaction. In this sense, at least nine distinct claim situations may be identified: (1) S h i p m e n t is o v e r d u e a n d u n r e p o r t e d ; claim s h i p m e n t or r e p o r t . (2) S h i p m e n t h a s been r e c e i v e d , but invoice is not w i t h it, a n d does not f o l l o w p r o m p t l y ; claim invoice. (3) I n v o i c e is r e c e i v e d , but s h i p m e n t does not f o l l o w p r o m p t l y ; c l a i m n e w s h i p m e n t , or r e q u e s t t r a c e r on first m a i l i n g . (4) W r o n g title, or edition, or v o l u m e is sup- p l i e d ; claim c o r r e c t e d s h i p m e n t , a n d a d - vise t h a t i n c o r r e c t item is b e i n g r e t u r n e d . ( 5 ) P a r t i a l a n d incomplete s h i p m e n t is r e - ceived, w i t h o u t a c c o m p a n y i n g e x p l a n a - tion ; claim b a l a n c e of o r d e r or r e p o r t . (6) D u p l i c a t e s h i p m e n t of a single o r d e r is r e c e i v e d ; claim a d j u s t m e n t of v e n d o r ' s records, a n d a d v i s e t h a t second s h i p m e n t is b e i n g r e t u r n e d . (7) D e f e c t i v e copy is r e c e i v e d ; claim p e r f e c t , r e p l a c e m e n t copy, a n d a d v i s e t h a t de- f e c t i v e copy is b e i n g r e t u r n e d . (8) E r r o r is m a d e in b i l l i n g ; claim c o r r e c t e d invoice, or c r e d i t , or r e p o r t , or a d v i s e t h a t d e d u c t i o n is b e i n g m a d e . (9) I t e m is s h i p p e d in d i s r e g a r d of o r d e r t e r m s or i n s t r u c t i o n s (such a s : r e q u e s t f o r r e p o r t - b e f o r e - s h i p m e n t on society, series, or r e p r i n t p u b l i c a t i o n s ) ; c l a i m c a n - cellation of c h a r g e , a n d a d v i s e t h a t item is b e i n g r e t u r n e d . Insofar as acquisitions librarians have recog- nized any other than the first of these as a form-worthy situation, they have tended to make a separate form for each. The syn- thetic approach would suggest their incorpo- ration in a single, multiple-purpose, letter-size claim form. At Cornell, seven of the above nine situations have been provided for in a letter form of this sort, reproduced here as "Sample # 1 . " This form letter is designed for use in a window envelope, and is multi- lithed in approximately one-thousand-copy lots by the card-duplication section of our own catalog department. Appearance is good ; cost is moderate; work of preparation is re- "Sample # 1." C O R N E L L U N I V E R S I T Y L I B R A R Y ITHACA NEW YORK ACQUISITION* "Sample # 2. Bool Orje, Division Seriali Arfmitmit I)it Ciift & Exthange Dii is, Columbia University Libraries ACQUISITIONS DEPARTMENT SJS West 114th Street N E W Y O R K 2 7 , N . Y . ( REFERENCE TO: You, invoke Dated: Total Amount: L J Y O U R P R O M P T attention to the message indicated below will help us t o keep our acquisitions p r o g r a m on a current basis, and will be deeply appreciated. W i t h r e f e r e n c e t o o u r o r d e r n o . d a t e d SUBJECT: Our Order Number f o r : p l e a s e t a k e i m m e d i a t e a c t i o n o n t h e m a t t e r ( s ) i n d i c a t e d b y c h e c k - m a r k ^ ) b e l o w : S h i p m e n t n o t y e t r e c e i v e d ; o v e r d u e ; k i n d l y s e n d a t o n c e , o r r e p o r t . S h i p m e n t r e c e i v e d , b u t w e l a c k i n v o i c e ; s e n d a t o n c e , i n d u p l i c a t e , o r a d v i s e u s p r o m p t l y i f n o c h a r g e i s d u e A n e r r o r h a s b e e n m a d e i n s h i p m e n t ; y o u h a v e s e n t t h e f o l l o w i n g : w h i c h w e a r e r e t u r n i n g u n d e r s e p a r a t e c o v e r . P l e a s e c r e d i t , a n d s h i p p r o m p t l y t h e c o r r e c t i t e m , a s i n d i c a t e d a b o v e . S h i p m e n t , a s r e c e i v e d , i s i n c o m p l e t e ; y o u h a v e b i l l e d u s f o r b u t t h i s w a s n o t r e c e i v e d i n t h e s h i p m e n t c o n t a i n i n g o t h e r i t e m s o n s a m e i n v o i c e ; p l e a s e s h i p i t e m p r o m p t l y , o r a d v i s e . W e h a v e r e c e i v e d d u p l i c a t e s h i p m e n t o f t h i s o r d e r ; f i r s t c o p y w a s r e c e i v e d ; a s e c o n d c o p y h a s j u s t a r r i v e d ; t h i s l a t t e r c o p y i s t h e r e f o r e b e i n g r e t u r n e d t o y o u u n d e r s e p a r a t e c o v e r ; i n c a s e o f d o u b l e c h a r g e , p l e a s e c r e d i t . W e f i n d t h a t t h e c o p y y o u h a v e s u p p l i e d i s d e f e c t i v e , a s f o l l o w s : : i t T s t h e r e f o r e b e - i n g r e t u r n e d u n d e r s e p a r a t e c o v e r ; p l e a s e s h i p r e p l a c e m e n t c o p y p r o m p t l y , o n a " n o c h a r g e , " e x c h a n g e b a s i s . W e b e l i e v e t h a t a n e r r o r h a s b e e n m a d e i n b i l l i n g : i t e m h a s b e e n c h a r g e d a t r a t K e r t h a n p l e a s e s e n d c r e d i t o r c o r r e c t e d i n v o i c e , o r a d v i s e . O t h e r ; A d d i t i o n a l d a t a : Q We have received from you the item(s) described above. • Wc have not as yet received an invoice for this material. Would you kindly supply a triplicate invoice on the enclosed forms at your earliest convenience? Please return this letter with your • W e can find no record of having placed an order with you for this material. Please supply us with our order number and date of order, or with any other information which will help us to identify our order. W e will hold your invoice and material until we hear from you. Q We have received your invoice on which the material described above is listed. O W c have not yet received this material. Please inform us when and how it was shipped and, if appropriate, institute tracer proceedings and inform us of your findings. I"! According to our records, we approved payment for the above-cited item on your earlier in- voice # , dated , in the amount of • W e are approving payment for other items on the invoice, but arc making a deduction for this one item. • We are returning your invoice with this letter. C O L U M B I A UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES Acquisitions Department YOUR REPLY: (For your convenience, phase reply in space below, and retain the duplicate copy for your files.) V e r y t r u l y y o u r s , A r t h u r P . S w e e t A c q u i s i t i o n s L i b r a r i a n 398 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES "Sample # 3." Columbia University Libraries A C Q U I S I T I O N S D E P A R T M E N T 535 West 114th Street N E W Y O R K 27, N . Y . Book Order Division Serials Acquisitions Division Gift & Exchange Division R 1 WITH REFERENCE TO: Your communication of Your invoice Dated: L _J Total Amount: Y O U R K I N D a t t e n t i o n is i n v i t e d t o t h e m e s s a g e i n d i c a t e d b e l o w . W e g r e a t l y a p p r e c i a t e a l l e f f o r t s w h i c h h e l p u s m a i n t a i n o u r a c q u i s i t i o n s p r o g r a m o n a c u r r e n t basis. SUBJECT: ~~ Our Order Number OUR MESSAGE: • Thank you very much for having given' us permission to return the item cited above. It is being forwarded to you under separate cover. • Thank you for submitting the above item(s) on approval. In accordance with the decision of a departmental librarian, this material is being returned under separate cover. • For the reason indicated immediately below, we are returning under separate cover the item cited above. • I m p e r f e c t c o p y . Please s u p p l y a p e r f e c t c o p y . • P u b l i c a t i o n n o t t h e o n e o r d e r e d . If y o u can s u p p l y t h e p u b l i c a t i o n desired, please d o so a n d s u b - • D u p l i c a t e o f c o p y s u p p l i e d earlier b y y o u o n s a m e o r d e r . • P u b l i c a t i o n is in f o l l o w i n g c a t e g o r y , o n w h i c h r e p o r t p r i o r t o s u p p l y w a s r e q u e s t e d . * • Part of series • Reprint • Dissertation • Publication of society • Extract • Separate FURTHER EXPLANATION OR INSTRUCTIONS: • P a y m e n t w a s m a d e f o r this i t e m o n y o u r i n v o i c e as cited a b o v e . Will you, therefore, please send us a credit memorandum? • A d e d u c t i o n w a s m a d e f o r this i t e m o n y o u r i n v o i c e as cited a b o v e . No credit memorandum is required. C O L U M B I A U N I V E R S I T Y L I B R A R I E S Acquisitions Department •Instruction # 3 on our order f o r m reads as follows: "If any item on this order is part of a series, or a publication of a society, or an extract, separate or reprint or dissertation, please report before supplying, or supply ON APPROVAL." tluced to a minimum; and results have been consistently satisfactory. While at Columbia, Fleming Bennett went further in the same direction, by introducing an integrated series of seven printed form letters, two of which (see: "Sample # 2 " and "Sample # 3 " ) are essentially "claim" forms, with paragraphs or sub-paragraphs corre- sponding to six of the nine previously indi- cated- claim situations.1 Since that library, having undertaken a program of short-range, systematic claiming of overdue shipments (after four weeks, for all domestic orders, or ten weeks, for foreign orders), uses a copy of the correlated order-slip for the initial "follow-up," that first situation has not re- quired inclusion in these letter forms. On the use of this series of form letters, Bennett2 1 Other unit-sheets in this uniformly designed series include: ( i ) special order situations (special delivery, on approval, etc.); (2) secondary follow-up of overdue serials items on standing- or subscription-orders; ( 3 ) solicitation of serial publication as g i f t or exchange; (4) other g i f t or exchange solicitation situations; ( 5 ) mis- cellaneous correspondence form, with spaces provided for "our message" and " y o u r reply." Window envelopes are used with all seven. 2 In a letter to the author, dated J a n u a r y 14, 1952. reported: "We have found them to be great time-savers and heartily recommend their adoption for acquisitions work in libraries of your size." Prior to printing in quantity lots, the letters were tried out in mimeographed form; and some of the original messages were "revised, in the light of experience, and re- grouped so as to take advantage of space- savings afforded by letterpress." II. Reporting, like claiming, is a generic term covering several types of operation. The three main kinds of reporting are: (1) Notification to the order-initiator of the arrival of an item—usually and most eco- nomically accomplished by return of the order-, search- or requisition-slip, endorsed with date book was received. (2) Advice to the order-initiator that the order was not placed, because item is already in the library in same or another edition. (3) Recording, and relaying to the order-initiator, of pub- lishers' and dealers' "short reports," ("out- of-print," "item sold," etc.). Here, again, there are differences in library policy which affect fundamentally the prob- lem of form-design. Reporting, of all three types, is important only if selection (in the sense, at least, of recommendation for pur- chase) is done in large part by faculty mem- bers, or a network of departmental librarians, or other "patrons" outside the order depart- ment itself or the administrative librarian. Reporting of the second sort is significant only in a library which is seriously concerned with the restriction of added-copy purchases. And reporting of the third kind may, under certain circumstances, be limited to notices of order cancellation; while, in other policy and practice conditions, a comprehensive service must be undertaken which will include the transmission of delayed-shipment reports. This third variety of reporting is a most difficult procedure to reduce to a routine. In the first place, such reports are received in a bewildering diversity of ways: by return of the library's order-slip (or claim form) with report noted thereon, by post-card (or other printed) form, by notation on an invoice for partial shipment of total order, by added paragraph in some personal letter, etc. All of these communications must be channeled through some focal point at which the report can be noted before it gets lost in other routine procedures. OCTOBER, 1953 399 - Secondly, the report must be so expressed as to be clearly understandable both by the order-initiator and by the clerical staff of the acquisitions department, in terms of what each is expected to do about it. This is not always the case with the report-wording as received from the supplier; e.g., "not yet published— will be ready in May": will the book auto- matically be supplied in May? or must the order department reorder in May? or is the order-initiator expected to file a new request for purchase in May? T o borrow a cataloging concept for an acquisitions application, a third difficulty is that of "linearity." Just as the physical volume may cover several co-equal subjects, yet must stand in only one shelf location, so the supplier's report often covers items re- quested by two or more persons, yet cannot conveniently be sent to more than one, as it stands. Finally, many short-reports require a rather intimate, professional acquaintance with the practices and proclivities of the various pub- lishers, dealers and agents, for their intelligent interpretation. Thus, the report, "out-of- print—we are searching," may be no more than a pious expression of good-will from one dealer, yet the promise of vigorous, effec- tive action from another. And all too often, a report of "out-of-print" may actually mean: "We don't know where to get it or how to find out, but prefer not to admit it," or even, "We just don't care to bother with this order." If only those reports whose effect is to cancel the order need be relayed, the problem is much less complex. If correlated order slips are used, one copy (probably the one for outstanding-order file) can be printed on the reverse side to serve as a report form, and the "pulling" of slips and the check-mark completion of the report can perhaps be done directly from the supplier's notification, how- ever submitted. If other order- and record- forms are used, a separate 3" x 5" slip, such as the University of Illinois Library form ("Sample # 4 " ) , can be attached to the basic order record and forwarded with appropriate check-marks. This Illinois form combines compactness with exceptional flexibility: By the use of multiple check-marks, any variety of cancellation-report situation can be trans- mitted; the form can be used, not only for " S a m p l e # 4 . T o : R E P O R T ON Y O U R O R D E R I n L i b r a r y (See back of c a r d ) See back of this slip See a t t a c h e d c o r r e - s p o n d e n c e O u t of p r i n t P u b l i s h e r out of stock N o t yet p u b l i s h e d S e c o n d h a n d c a t a l o g o r d e r , copy sold R e o r d e r if c o n t i n u e d s e a r c h is d e s i r e d L80—3M—10-49—42743 R e t u r n c a r d if a d d e d copy n e e d e d V e r y scarce U n o b t a i n a b l e W e a r e a d v e r t i s i n g W e a r e s e a r c h i n g f o r used copy W i l l s u p p l y w h e n a v a i l a b l e O r d e r cancelled U n i v e r s i t y of Illinois L i b r a r y — A c q u i s i t i o n D e p a r t m e n t the relaying of such short-reports, but for the order-not-placed type of reporting as well, and as a sort of "buck-slip" in forwarding correspondence or reports which concern the order-initiator. The Library of Congress "Status of Order Report" combines the noti- fication-of-arrival and the order-not-placed types of reporting with the reporting of order- cancellation situations. If, however, organizational or policy con- siderations require the transmission, not only of cancellation reports, but of those short- reports whose intent is to warn of a delay in shipment ("out-of-stock," "reprinting," "importing," "new edition in preparation," "not yet published," etc.), a more complicated form and procedure is inevitable. At Cornell, where correlated order-slips are used and comprehensive relaying of short-reports is necessary, the multi-lithed, half-sheet, unit report form reproduced below serves for the transmission of both cancellation and delay- in-shipment short-reports. ("Sample # 5 - ) " I n this design, dual checking—once for report- wording and once for status-interpretation —affords adequate flexibility and the oppor- tunity for "translation," where requisite, and leaves the recipient in no doubt as to what the acquisitions department is doing about the order. Whether comprehensive or limited relaying of short-reports is practiced, the following principles deserve serious consideration: (1) There should be provision for the injection of 400 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES R e p o r t t o : f o r : W e h a v e received the f o l l o w i n g r e p o r t on our o r d e r f o r the a b o v e : O u t - o f - p r i n t . Out-of-stock. A g e n t is s e a r c h i n g ; will r e p o r t . T h e r e will be a delay in shipment of about due to r e p r i n t i n g ; due to b i n d i n g ; d u e to i m p o r t a t i o n ; reason not specified. N e w edition in p r e p a r a t i o n , expected i n : Item, quoted subject to p r i o r sale, has been sold. See attached correspondence. Item cannot be i d e n t i f i e d ; m o r e i n f o r m a - tion is r e q u i r e d . O t h e r : a modicum of professional judgment into what is essentially a clerical routine. ( 2 ) Clerical routines should be correlated with the li- brarian's interpretation of order-status, rather than with report-wording as received. ( 3 ) If selection is done to any large extent out- side the order department, itself, reports should be specific and full, not terse and vague. ( 4 ) If the report recipient has the responsi- bility f o r decision as to further action (if any) to be taken, this should be clearly indicated. I I I . Miscellaneous Correspondence. Rou- tine correspondence with suppliers, and inter- campus memoranda, offer another large area f o r the use of forms. Some of the many appropriate situations a r e : Request f o r quotations (on specific item, or on desiderata list). Notification of rejection and return of "on approval" or unsolicited shipments; (might be regarded as a "claim" situa- tion). Request f o r catalogs, and f o r inclusion on catalog mailing-lists. Rejection of offer or quotation, where agent requests reply. Transmission of catalogs to book-selectors, with instructions. Request f o r permission to return an un- wanted item, obtained through an error in selection, or an error in "searching." O f f e r of library duplicates f o r sale. "Sample # 5 . " ( F u n d No. ) on O r d e r No. P R E S E N T S T A T U S O F O R D E R : O r d e r h a s been cancelled. (If you wish to h a v e us a d v e r t i s e or search f u r t h e r , please a d v i s e . ) A w a i t i n g f u t u r e shipment. T h e L i b r a r y will r e o r d e r in about I n d e f i n i t e ; if located, item will be s e n t ; a g e n t will quote. H o l d i n g , f o r our reply. ( P l e a s e a d v i s e w h a t action you recommend.) O t h e r : C O R N E L L U N I V E R S I T Y L I B R A R Y Acquisitions D e p a r t m e n t Cancellation of orders, solicitation of gifts and exchanges, and acknowledgment of gifts, are more obvious and common areas f o r the application of form-letters; and many li- braries seem to employ two or more forms for some or each of these purposes. In general, it is worth considering, as a rule-of-thumb, whether any problem in acqui- sitions work requiring correspondence which comes up in substantially identical form with an average frequency of once a week or more should not have a form letter (or part of one) designed to take care of it. If it be admitted that forms have a growing importance derived from accelerating work pressures, I believe that the attention of the acquisitions librarian should be directed t o w a r d : an increase in the kinds of forms employed, wherever a new kind can serve a useful, time- and cost-reducing purpose; a decrease in the number of forms, through the consolidation of variations within the same broad class into single, multiple-purpose units; and a constant attention to the improvement of forms in the light of studied experience. T h e r e is much help to be gained from the study of what is being done elsewhere: both in the discovery of directly-usable models f o r new forms or the improvement of old, and in the indirect aid of ideas which stimulate original research on problems of forms and (Continued on page 452) OCTOBER, 1953 40 7 tion of the A L A she was responsible for the organization and inspiration of many members of her profession. Her services were recog- nized by the grant of an honorary membership in the Division of Cataloging and Classifica- tion at the Atlantic City Conference of the A L A in 1948. Miss Smith's influence was communicated not only through her direction of a large staff and by participation in the activities of pro- fessional groups, but also, in her earlier years, through the teaching of courses in library methods in the university. Publications (Continued from page 443) the more important articles in English. T h e Nordisk Tidskrift for Bok och Biblioteks- vasen, quarterly journal for scholarly libraries, publishes summaries in French and German as well as English, but the general library periodicals use only English. These are Biblioteksbladet ( S w e d e n ) , Bog og Bibliotek ( N o r w a y ) , and Bogens Verden (Denmark). T h i s new policy will greatly increase the use- fulness of these important journals, and it would be well for other library periodicals in minor languages to follow suit. T h e German Biicherei und Bildung inserts mimeo- graphed English summaries with each issue, but unfortunately they are not the same size as the printed page and cannot be readily in- cluded in the bound volume. Forms in Acquisitions Work (Continued from page 401) methods. A comprehensive analysis of all the "standard brands" of forms for acquisitions work, and all their variations and permuta- tions, would be a wonderful boon—but a staggering task to effect, since the forms, to be intelligible, must be considered in terms of services rendered and methods employed. And such a survey would require frequent revision. Another potential boon would be some sort of current, continuous, form-review agency —perhaps conducted as a column in a profes- sional journal—to which sample forms would be submitted, and by which descriptive and critical comment on new developments would be disseminated. T h e potential usefulness of such an agency would not, of course, be re- stricted to acquisitions work, but might extend to formal problems of all departments of the library. T h e two-year "Photo-Clerical Experi- ment," headed by Ralph Shaw3 and carried on in eleven cooperating libraries, promises to afford more objective and basic aid to the forms-designer in his problems. Even apart from the documentation the tests have pro- duced as to the merits or ineptness of photo- graphic methods for various routines under several sets of management conditions, this program has also arrived at some of the facts and figures on comparative cost- and per- formance-data of other, present methods which have heretofore been so sadly lacking. W e need to know, f a r more clearly than we do now, what is the quickest, what is the cheapest, what is the most effective, way of accomplishing those services which are re- quired or expected of us, in the circumstances under which we have to operate. 3 Shaw, Ralph R . The Use of Photography for Clerical Routines; A Report to the American Council of Learned Societies. Washington, D.C., American Council of Learned Societies, 1953. Evans to U N E S C O D r . Luther H . Evans, Librarian of Congress since 1945, was elected Director General of U N E S C O as of J u l y 1. A statement concerning D r . Evans appears in the J u l y 6, 1953, issue of the LC Information Bulletin. 452 • COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES K X