College and Research Libraries u n d u e d e m a n d s u p o n t h e l i b r a r i e s of f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s , a n d t h a t a n e f f o r t t o w a r d A m e r - i c a n b i b l i o g r a p h i c self-sufficiency m a y b e j u s t i f i e d i n v i e w of t h e size of t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d h e r d i s t a n c e f r o m E u r o p e a n li- b r a r i e s . (5) R i c h a r d M u m m e n d e y ' s d e s c r i p t i o n of p u b l i c service a s p e c t s of A m e r i c a n r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s is b a s e d m o r e o n p e r s o n a l i m p r e s - s i o n s g a i n e d d u r i n g h i s visits t o n u m e r o u s l i b r a r i e s t h a n u p o n a c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t u d y of t h e l i t e r a t u r e . H i s t r e a t m e n t is, t h e r e f o r e , s o m e w h a t u n b a l a n c e d (e.g., h e d e v o t e s t o o m u c h s p a c e t o c i r c u l a t i o n a n d i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n r o u t i n e s ) a n d c o n t a i n s a f e w m i n o r slips (e.g., h e s t a t e s [ p . 179] t h a t t h e U n i - v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o h a s a p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y staff of 300, w h e r e a s t h e a c t u a l figure re- p o r t e d f o r 1 9 5 5 / 5 6 was 120) a n d s o m e omis- s i o n s (e.g., it i n c l u d e s n o d i s c u s s i o n of r e f - e r e n c e service o r t h e s u b j e c t d i v i s i o n a l sys- t e m ; a n d h i s t r e a t m e n t of t h e b r a n c h l i b r a r y p r o b l e m is t o o s k e t c h y ) . N e v e r t h e l e s s h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n is n o t u n a c c e p t a b l e . H e c o v e r s service t o u n d e r g r a d u a t e s , reserves, o p e n shelves, c i r c u l a t i o n r o u t i n e s , d e p a r t m e n t a l l i b r a r i e s , r e g u l a t i o n s f o r o f f - c a m p u s users, h o u r s , i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s , a n d c o o p e r a t i v e s t o r a g e l i b r a r i e s . H e i d e n t i f i e s a s p e c t s of A m e r i c a n l i b r a r i e s t h a t d i f f e r f r o m t h e i r G e r m a n c o u n t e r p a r t s : e.g., A m e r i c a n li- b r a r i e s h a v e t o t a k e c a r e of t h e n e e d s of u n d e r g r a d u a t e s , s o m e a l l o w s t u d e n t s access t o t h e stacks, t h e i r l o a n p e r i o d s a r e s h o r t e r , t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n d e p a r t m e n t a l a n d t h e g e n e r a l l i b r a r y of a u n i v e r s i t y is closer, staff w o r k i n g h o u r s a r e s h o r t e r b u t l i b r a r y h o u r s l o n g e r , e t c . A l t h o u g h t h e a c c o u n t m a y l a c k c o m p r e - h e n s i v e n e s s a n d c r i t i c a l s h a r p n e s s , it h a s t h e v i r t u e of b e i n g a l i t t l e m o r e v i v i d i n style a n d s o m e w h a t less p o n d e r o u s t h a n s o m e of t h e o t h e r a c c o u n t s . F r o m t h e p o i n t of v i e w of i m m e d i a t e r e f o r m s c a l l e d f o r i n G e r - m a n l i b r a r i e s , it m a y w e l l c o n t a i n m o r e u s e f u l i n f o r m a t i o n t h a n o t h e r c h a p t e r s i n t h i s v o l u m e . (6) I n t h e final c h a p t e r of t h e v o l u m e , M a r t i n C r e m e r p r e s e n t s a s u c c i n c t h i s t o r y of t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e L i b r a r y of C o n - gress i n t o a n a t i o n a l l i b r a r y . T h i s a c c o u n t is s o l i d l y f a c t u a l a n d calls f o r n o d e t a i l e d c r i t i q u e . T h e v o l u m e , w h i c h is well p r i n t e d , b u t issued w i t h o u t h a r d - c o v e r b i n d i n g , c o m e s e q u i p p e d w i t h a c o m p a c t s u b j e c t i n d e x p r e - p a r e d b y W a l t e r B a u h u i s , o n e of t h e con- t r i b u t o r s . I t is e v i d e n t t h r o u g h o u t t h a t t h e v i s i t i n g l i b r a r i a n s f r o m G e r m a n y h a v e b e e n p r o - f o u n d l y i m p r e s s e d b y w h a t t h e y saw i n A m e r i c a n l i b r a r i e s e v e n t h o u g h t h e y h a v e b e e n c r i t i c a l of c e r t a i n d e v e l o p m e n t s t h a t r u n c o u n t e r t o t h e i r t r a d i t i o n . As series-ed- i t o r C a r l W e h m e r p o i n t s o u t , n o G e r m a n li- b r a r i a n b e l i e v e s a n y l o n g e r t h a t h e c a n ig- n o r e t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s of A m e r i c a n l i b r a r - i a n s h i p i n e f f o r t s a t a n a l y z i n g a n d s o l v i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s i n G e r m a n y ; i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n , h e says, s u p e r f i c i a l e n t h u - siasm as w e l l as s u p e r f i c i a l d i s d a i n a r e o u t of p l a c e . A k n o w l e d g e of t h e f a c t s is t h e first n e c e s s a r y s t e p i n d e r i v i n g p r o f i t f r o m t h e e x p e r i e n c e of A m e r i c a n l i b r a r i e s . T h i s c o m m e n d a b l e v o l u m e p a v e s t h e w a y f o r t h e a c q u i s i t i o n of s u c h k n o w l e d g e . — R o b e r t H. Muller, University of Michigan Library. University of Tennessee Library Lectures University of Tennessee Library Lectures, Numbers Seven, Eight, and Nine, 1955-57. E d i t e d by J o h n H . D o b s o n . K n o x v i l l e : T h e U n i v e r s i t y of T e n n e s s e e , 1957. 62 p p . E a c h s p r i n g t h e U n i v e r s i t y of T e n n e s s e e L i b r a r y i n v i t e s a n o u t s t a n d i n g l i b r a r i a n o r t e a c h e r t o g i v e t h e • a n n u a l U n i v e r s i t y of T e n n e s s e e L i b r a r y L e c t u r e . T h e s e a r e p u b - l i s h e d i n g r o u p s of t h r e e l e c t u r e s t o a vol- u m e . P r e v i o u s l e c t u r e r s i n t h e series h a v e b e e n M a u r i c e T a u b e r , L o u i s R . W i l s o n , J o h n B u r c h a r d , R o b e r t D o w n s , L e s t e r As- h e i m , a n d L a w r e n c e C l a r k P o w e l l , s p e a k i n g e i t h e r o n t h e s u b j e c t of t h e l i b r a r y i n e d u c a - t i o n o r a b o u t t h e p r o b l e m s f a c i n g u n i v e r s i t y a n d r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s . I n a series of t h i s k i n d , t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e U n i v e r s i t y of T e n - nessee L i b r a r y m a y b e c o n s i d e r e d t o h a v e j o i n e d t h e l i b r a r i e s of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s a n d t h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a i n i n s t i t u t i n g a n n u a l l i b r a r y l e c t u r e s of a h i g h s t a n d a r d , it w o u l d b e e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e l e c t u r e s b e g e n e r a l i n a p p e a l ( w i t h a 510 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES c o r r e s p o n d i n g lack of n o v e l i n f o r m a t i o n a n d i d e a s ) a n d t h a t t h e l e c t u r e s b e d i s t i n g u i s h e d i n t h e i r c h o s e n f i e l d . T h e U n i v e r s i t y of T e n n e s s e e L i b r a r y L e c t u r e s c o n f o r m t o t h i s p a t t e r n . T h e l e c t u r e f o r 1955 is e n t i t l e d " L i b e r a l E d u c a t i o n , S p e c i a l i z a t i o n , a n d L i b r a r i a n - s h i p , " b y J a c k D a l t o n , t h e n l i b r a r i a n of t h e A l d e r m a n L i b r a r y , U n i v e r s i t y of Vir- g i n i a . I t is a b r i e f , b u t w e l l s t a t e d , a r g u m e n t f o r t h e i m p o r t a n t r o l e of t h e l i b r a r i a n i n l e n d i n g a s s i s t a n c e t o a h i g h l y s p e c i a l i z e d society b y h e l p i n g its m e m b e r s t o a c q u i r e a n e c e s s a r y b u t n e g l e c t e d l i b e r a l a r t s b a c k - g r o u n d . D a l t o n p r o p o s e s t h a t t h e l i b r a r y a s s u m e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , n o t o n l y f o r a s s e m b l i n g a n d p r e s e r v i n g g r e a t b o o k s , b u t also f o r e n c o u r - a g i n g a m o n g i n t e l l i g e n t s p e c i a l i s t s t h e r e a d - i n g of t h e w o r l d ' s n o t a b l e s t a t e m e n t s , d o c u - m e n t s i n w h i c h m a n ' s p r o f o u n d e s t t h o u g h t is r e c o r d e d . T h e r e is n o q u e s t i o n h e r e of t h e i m p o r t a n c e of s p e c i a l i z a t i o n . M o d e r n society d e p e n d s o n it. B u t t h e l i b r a r y c a n fill a v i t a l r o l e i n c o r r e c t i n g t h e f a u l t s of t h i s necessary s p e c i a l i z a t i o n by f o s t e r i n g t h e r e a d i n g of g r e a t b o o k s a m o n g t h o s e special- ists w h o h a v e a l r e a d y a n a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h e n e e d f o r a l i b e r a l b a c k g r o u n d b u t w h o h a v e n o t t a k e n t i m e o r o p p o r t u n i t y t o a c q u i r e it. T h e e i g h t h l e c t u r e , " T h e R e s e a r c h Li- b r a r y i n T r a n s i t i o n , " w a s g i v e n b y H e r m a n H . F u s s i e r i n A p r i l , 1956. I n o r d e r t o ex- a m i n e t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e a n d f u t u r e p r o s p e c t s of t h e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y , h e b r i n g s t o g e t h e r a n d s u m m a r i z e s m a n y d i v e r s e f a c t s a n d o b - s e r v a t i o n s a b o u t l i b r a r i e s of t h i s class. T h e s k i l l f u l a s s e m b l i n g of t h e s e f a c t s i n d i c a t e s a b r o a d a c q u a i n t a n c e b y t h e a u t h o r w i t h t h e l i t e r a t u r e of t h e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y . E v e n m o r e i m p r e s s i v e is t h e c a r e f u l e v a l u a t i o n a n d a n a l y s i s of t h e s e facts, d e m o n s t r a t i n g h i s w i d e e x p e r i e n c e i n r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s a n d t h e r e f l e c t i o n h e h a s g i v e n t o t h e i r p r o b - lems. I n m y o p i n i o n , t h i s is t h e m o s t t h o u g h t f u l a n d p e r c e p t i v e a n a l y s i s of t h e re- s e a r c h l i b r a r y t h a t h a s y e t b e e n p u b l i s h e d . T h e b a s i c p r o b l e m of t h e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y is its r a p i d g r o w t h , a r e c e n t p h e n o m e n o n b r o u g h t i n t h e t r a i n of t h e c u r r e n t p r e o c - c u p a t i o n of t h e u n i v e r s i t y w i t h r e s e a r c h a n d t h e e x t e n s i o n of r e s e a r c h i n t o all a r e a s of e v e r y d a y l i f e . B u t i n a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y s h r e w d o b s e r v a t i o n , F u s s i e r n o t e s t h a t " g r o w t h , p e r se, is n o t i n itself a l a r m i n g ; it b e c o m e s a l a r m i n g o n l y as it m a y c r e a t e i n t e l l e c t u a l d i f f i c u l t i e s i n r e l a t i o n t o use, a n d s p a c e o r financial d e m a n d s t h a t a r e b e y o n d t h e r e a s o n a b l e c a p a c i t i e s of t h e li- b r a r y ' s p a r e n t i n s t i t u t i o n . " T h e a p p r o a c h e s t h u s f a r s u g g e s t e d t o t h e p r o b l e m s of g r o w t h m a y b e r e d u c e d t o f o u r : (1) t h e c u r t a i l m e n t of p u b l i s h i n g w h i c h F u s s i e r dismisses as a n i m p o t e n t a p p r o a c h , (2) a m o r e selective c o l l e c t i o n of m a t e r i a l s , (3) m o r e c o m p a c t s t o r a g e , a n d (4) i n t e r l i b r a r y c o o p e r a t i o n . I n s p i t e of a lack of g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t o n w h a t p a r t i c u l a r m a t e r i a l m a y b e d i s c a r d e d f r o m t h e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y , g r e a t e r s e l e c t i v i t y of r e s e a r c h m a t e r i a l s w o u l d s e e m t o b e pos- s i b l e i n s o m e a r e a s . C o m p a c t s t o r a g e a n d t h e r e d u c t i o n of m a t e r i a l s t o t h e f o r m of m i c r o f i l m a n d m i c r o c a r d s , a l r e a d y u s e d in l i m i t e d m e a s u r e , h a v e n o t y e t b e e n d e v e l o p e d t o a p o i n t w h e r e t h e s e m e a n s o f f e r any- t h i n g l i k e a g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n . T w o t y p e s of i n t e r l i b r a r y c o o p e r a t i o n h a v e b e e n t r i e d : t h e r e g i o n a l c e n t e r f o r t h e i n f r e q u e n t l y u s e d b o o k s f r o m s e v e r a l l i b r a r i e s i n t h e s a m e re- g i o n , a n d s u b j e c t s p e c i a l i z a t i o n b y w h i c h t h e s e v e r a l c o o p e r a t i n g l i b r a r i e s e a c h a s s u m e re- s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r s e p a r a t e s u b j e c t fields. B o t h t y p e s p r e s e n t difficulties w h i c h w i l l b e re- s o l v e d o n l y as w e o b t a i n m u c h a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e n a t u r e of p r i n t e d in- f o r m a t i o n a n d a b o u t t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h t h e s c h o l a r seeks a n d uses i n f o r m a t i o n . S o m e o b j e c t i v e s t u d i e s h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n m a d e i n t h e s e d i r e c t i o n s , a n d t h e t e n t a t i v e c o n c l u - sions i n d i c a t e t h e g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e of t h i s k i n d of s t u d y . W h i l e a n y p r e d i c t i o n s a b o u t t h e f u t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t of r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s m u s t b e h i g h l y s p e c u l a t i v e , a n d t h e m o d e s t y of t h e a u t h o r f o r b i d s h i s m a k i n g a n y c l a i m of s p e c i a l i n s i g h t , n e v e r t h e l e s s t h e p i c t u r e d r a w n b y F u s s i e r of t h e f u t u r e r e s e a r c h li- b r a r y seems t o b e b a s e d o n s o u n d i n t e r p r e t a - t i o n of t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a l r e a d y a t h a n d . I t is r e a s o n a b l e t o a s s u m e t h a t b i b l i o g r a p h i e s of all k i n d s will p l a y a n i n c r e a s i n g l y i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n t h e l i b r a r y of t h e f u t u r e . T h e d e p e n d - e n c e o n m o r e a d e q u a t e b i b l i o g r a p h i e s t h a n w e h a v e k n o w n u n t i l r e c e n t l y (e.g., t h e N a - t i o n a l U n i o n C a t a l o g a n d t h e p r o p o s e d sub- j e c t i n d e x t o t h e N a t i o n a l U n i o n C a t a l o g ) w i l l a l l o w l i b r a r i e s t o satisfy r e a d e r s ' n e e d s w i t h a s m a l l e r p r o p o r t i o n of t h e u n i v e r s e of p r i n t SEPTEMBER 1958 511 a v a i l a b l e in t h e i r o w n collection t h a n is n o w b e l i e v e d necessary, t o b e less d e p e n d e n t o n e x p e n s i v e shelf a r r a n g e m e n t of b o o k s based o n s u b j e c t classification, a n d t o r e q u i r e less local c a t a l o g i n g . T h e r e will h a v e to b e g r e a t e r selectivity b o t h in t h e a c q u i s i t i o n a n d p r e s e r v a t i o n of m a t e r i a l . F i n a l l y , in spite of t h e glibness w i t h w h i c h u n i n f o r m e d p r o p h e t s a r e w o n t t o solve all l i b r a r y p r o b - lems t h r o u g h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of e l e c t r o n i c " b r a i n s , " still several of t h e devices a n d tech- n i q u e s a l r e a d y d e v e l o p e d a r e c e r t a i n t o h a v e g r e a t effect o n r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y o r g a n i - z a t i o n . I n this logically c o n s t r u c t e d a n d t h o u g h t - f u l essay o n t h e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y a n d its f u - t u r e , it seems t h a t o n e m a t t e r has n o t re- ceived a d e q u a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n ; t h e distinc- t i o n (if it exists) b e t w e e n t h e ways in w h i c h scholars in d i f f e r e n t d i s c i p l i n e s m u s t use b o o k s in t h e i r research. A d m i t t e d l y this is o n e of t h e a r e a s in w h i c h c o n s i d e r a b l y m o r e s t u d y is n e e d e d . I n fact, I k n o w of n o ob- jective s t u d y o n precisely this p o i n t . B u t u n t i l we h a v e m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t re- search use of books, we c a n n o t r u l e o u t t h e possibility t h a t t h e n a t u r e of discovery in t h e v a r i o u s h u m a n i s t i c a n d social d i s c i p l i n e s r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e scholar a n d all of t h e books w h i c h m i g h t conceivably h a v e a n y b e a r i n g o n his s t u d y be b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r . I n these areas t h e r e a r e a t least c e r t a i n types of i n q u i r y w h i c h r e q u i r e t h e e x a m i n a t i o n o r b r o w s i n g a m o n g so m a n y h u n d r e d s of articles, books, d o c u m e n t s , a n d o t h e r writ- ings in widely diverse s u b j e c t fields, t h a t physical r e m o v a l of t h e i n f r e q u e n t l y used m a t e r i a l s f r o m t h e scholar m a y effectively stifle his creativeness, n o m a t t e r h o w g r e a t a c o r p u s of b i b l i o g r a p h i e s h e h a s a t h a n d . If this s h o u l d be t r u e , it is e v i d e n t t h a t re- g i o n a l storage of m a t e r i a l s in these s u b j e c t areas w o u l d n o t b e feasible. W h i l e Fussier a c k n o w l e d g e s t h a t r e m o v a l of i n f r e q u e n t l y u s e d m a t e r i a l m u s t p r o c e e d w i t h c a u t i o n u n t i l we k n o w m o r e a b o u t scholars' n e e d s a n d t h a t i n t e r l i b r a r y c o o p e r a t i o n d e p e n d s o n t h e scholar's a b i l i t y t o establish p r o b a b l e r e l e v a n c y of m a t e r i a l t o his s t u d y t h r o u g h use of b i b l i o g r a p h i e s a n d s i m i l a r lists. Still it seems t h a t a d i s t i n c t i o n in t h e use of ma- t e r i a l by scholars in v a r i o u s disciplines, o r a t least in d i f f e r e n t types of research, m i g h t be m a d e , a n d t h a t c o o p e r a t i v e storage p l a n s m i g h t be based o n this d i s t i n c t i o n . R o b e r t V o s p e r w i t h c h a r a c t e r i s t i c face- tiousness, called t h e n i n t h l e c t u r e "A R a r e B o o k Is a R a r e B o o k . " Its thesis is t h a t since 1938 l i b r a r i a n s h a v e increasingly recognized t h e i m p o r t a n c e of r a r e b o o k s to s c h o l a r s h i p , n o t simply f o r t h e i r text, w h i c h can be p r o - v i d e d e q u a l l y well in r e p r i n t s , b u t also f o r t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e , design, errors, a n d o t h e r q u a l i t i e s w h i c h a r e n o t r e p r o d u c e d in re- p r i n t s . Since this t i m e , l i b r a r i a n s h a v e also ex- h i b i t e d i n c r e a s i n g willingness to p r o v i d e t h e care a n d special t r e a t m e n t w h i c h r a r e books r e q u i r e a n d t h u s h a v e e x c u l p a t e d themselves f r o m t h e e a r l i e r m e r i t e d d e n u n c i a t i o n by R a n d o l p h A d a m s of " l i b r a r i a n s as e n e m i e s of b o o k s . " T h e l i n e b e t w e e n t h e pre-1938 atti- t u d e of l i b r a r i a n s a n d scholars t o w a r d r a r e books a n d t h e c u r r e n t r e c o g n i t i o n of t h e i r v a l u e in t h e u n i v e r s i t y p r o g r a m is n o t as clear a n d m a r k e d as it is d r a w n by V o s p e r , al- t h o u g h n o o n e can d e n y t h a t t h e r e has cer- t a i n l y b e e n a c h a n g e of a t t i t u d e f r o m t h a t c o m m o n l y h e l d in t h e ]920's. T o m e it seems fairly clear t h a t Pierce B u t l e r in 1931, in his c o n d e m n a t i o n of " t h e cult of r a r i t i e s " a n d of " b i b l i o p h i l y , " was r e f e r r i n g t o t h e collection of t h e k i n d of books we n o w call "collectors' i t e m s , " m e a n i n g books t h a t a r e e x p e n s i v e by r e a s o n of p o i n t s i m p o r t a n t o n l y t o t h e collector o r t o t h e a n t i q u e deal- er, n o t to t h e scholar o r s t u d e n t . I t is also possible t h a t A r l t a n d L u n d were r e f e r r i n g o n l y t o p u r c h a s e s of this k i n d , in c o m p l a i n - i n g a b o u t t h e use of t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t f o r this p u r p o s e . V o s p e r a d m i t s these "difficulties in t h e d e f i n i t i o n of t e r m s " in o r d e r t o ex- p l a i n several r e c e n t d e n i a l s by scholars of t h e i m p o r t a n c e of r a r e books to s c h o l a r s h i p . R e c o g n i t i o n s h o u l d also b e m a d e t h a t A r l t a n d L u n d were u n d o u b t e d l y i n f l u e n c e d in t h e i r views by t h e g e n e r a l scarcity of l i b r a r y b o o k f u n d s in t h e 1930's a n d c o u l d h a r d l y b e e x p e c t e d to h a v e t h e l i b e r a l a t t i t u d e to- w a r d e x p e n s i v e a c q u i s i t i o n s w h i c h c o u l d be e n j o y e d in 1957. I n o u r f e a r of b e c o m i n g e n g u l f e d by t h e r a p i d l y r i s i n g flood of p r i n t , n o t even t h e m o s t r e a c t i o n a r y l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r c o u l d ask f o r t h e d i s c o n t i n u a n c e of this p u b l i c a - t i o n . R a t h e r we can o n l y r e g r e t t h a t these lectures c a n n o t b e p u b l i s h e d soon a f t e r e a c h h a s b e e n d e l i v e r e d . I t is u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t a d m i n i s t r a t o r s a n d o t h e r s i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e 512 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y s h o u l d h a v e t o w a i t t w o y e a r s t o r e a d F u s s l e r ' s e x c e l l e n t p a p e r . — Rolland E. Stevens, Ohio State University Libraries. The Great EB The Great EB; the Story of the Encyclopae- dia Britannica. By H e r m a n K o g a n . [Chica- go-^ U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o Press [1958]. 3 3 9 p . $ 4 . 9 5 . W h e n J o h n L e h m a n n , i n The Whisper- ing Gallery, w r i t e s b r i e f l y of his g r e a t - g r a n d f a t h e r a n d t h e f i r m w h i c h l a u n c h e d Chambers's Encyclopaedia, r e a d e r s f o r w h o m r e f e r e n c e b o o k s a r e s t o c k - i n - t r a d e m a y w e l l wish f o r a f u l l e r a c c o u n t . U p o n r e f l e c t i o n , h o w e v e r , o n e r e a l i z e s t h a t t h e h i s t o r y of a n e n c y c l o p e d i a is p e r h a p s less s u i t e d t o M r . L e h m a n n ' s l i t e r a r y style a n d t a l e n t s t h a n t o m o r e j o u r n a l i s t i c a b i l i t i e s s u c h as a r e ex- h i b i t e d i n H e r m a n K o g a n ' s The Great EB. T h a t is n o t t o d e p r e c i a t e M r . K o g a n ' s a b i l - ities, f o r t h e y a r e c o n s i d e r a b l e . I n t h i s story of t h e Encyclopaedia Britannica h e p r e - s e n t s a c o l o r f u l a n d h i g h l y r e a d a b l e n a r - r a t i v e of t h e b i r t h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t of o n e of o u r g r e a t r e f e r e n c e tools. W i t h a l i b e r a l s p r i n k l i n g of a n e c d o t e s a n d i n t e r e s t i n g s i d e l i g h t s , K o g a n t r a c e s t h e p r o g - ress of t h e B r i t a n n i c a f r o m its E d i n b u r g h b e g i n n i n g s a n d t h e l a b o r s of W i l l i a m Smel- lie t o its p r e s e n t b i g - b u s i n e s s s t a t u s w i t h ed- i t o r s e m p l o y i n g t h e m e c h a n i c a l a s s i s t a n c e of " t h e R o b o t . " H e tells of t h e m e n w h o g u i d e d t h e e n c y c l o p e d i a ' s d e s t i n i e s ; of t h e f i n a n c i a l crises w h i c h so o f t e n a t t e n d e d a c h a n g e of o w n e r s h i p ; a n d of t h e E B ' s af- f i l i a t i o n w i t h t h e L o n d o n Times, w i t h C a m - b r i d g e U n i v e r s i t y , w i t h Sears, R o e b u c k a n d C o m p a n y , a n d w i t h t h e U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a - g o . H e h a s c o n t r i v e d t o m a k e t h e a c c o u n t m o v e s m o o t h l y a n d r a p i d l y f r o m e d i t i o n t o e d i t i o n , r e l a t i n g t h e g r o w t h of t h e e n t e r - p r i s e t o t h e e v e n t s of t h e t i m e s , a n d suggest- i n g t h e c h a n g e s a n d a d v a n c e s w h i c h i n f l u - e n c e d t h a t g r o w t h . T h e w h o l e is s p i c e d w i t h n a m e s of f a m o u s c o n t r i b u t o r s a n d q u o t a t i o n s f r o m t h e i r ar- ticles a n d c o r r e s p o n d e n c e ; w i t h e x c e r p t s f r o m r e v i e w s of a n d c o n t e m p o r a r y c o m - m e n t s o n t h e v a r i o u s e d i t i o n s . If t h e r e a r e m o m e n t s w h e n t h e r e a d e r f e e l s u n d u l y " q u o t e d a t , " h e s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r q u o t a t i o n m u s t h a v e b e e n b o u n d l e s s : M r . K o g a n h a s u n d o u b t e d l y ex- e r c i s e d a d m i r a b l e r e s t r a i n t . O n l y i n t h e f i n a l c h a p t e r , " T h e M o d e r n E B : H o w I t Is S o l d , " d o e s t h e r e a d e r ' s in- t e r e s t flag. S i n c e sales m e t h o d s a n d p r o m o - t i o n s figure p r o m i n e n t l y i n t h e n a r r a t i v e , it is a l t o g e t h e r a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t m o d e r n m e t h o d s , t o o , b e c o n s i d e r e d . I t is u n f o r t u - n a t e , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h i s last c h a p t e r is p a d - d e d o u t w i t h b a n a l sales s t o r i e s a n d b i t s of c o m p a n y l o r e , p r o v i n g a n a n t i c l i m a x t o a n o t h e r w i s e a b s o r b i n g h i s t o r y . T h e w o r k i n c l u d e s a b i b l i o g r a p h y w h i c h lists b o o k s , m a g a z i n e a n d n e w s p a p e r r e f e r - ences, as w e l l as u n p u b l i s h e d m a s t e r ' s es- says. R e g r e t t a b l y , a s i n g l e e x p l a n a t o r y n o t e i n t h e b i b l i o g r a p h y is m a d e t o suffice f o r a l l e d i t i o n s a n d s u b s i d i a r y p u b l i c a t i o n s of t h e Encyclopaedia Britannica. T h u s , f o r t h e w o r k u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n w e a r e d e n i e d i m m e d i a t e access t o d a t e s a n d o t h e r b i b l i o - g r a p h i c a l d e t a i l s — i n f o r m a t i o n n o t r e a d i l y g l e a n e d f r o m a n i n d e x e d t e x t . A f u l l b i b - l i o g r a p h i c l i s t i n g (or a t a b u l a r s u m m a r y ) of a l l t h e e d i t i o n s a n d s u b s i d i a r i e s of t h e Britannica w o u l d h a v e b e e n a v e r y d e s i r a b l e a n d v a l u a b l e a d d i t i o n t o t h e b o o k . — E u g e n e P. Sheehy, Columbia University Libraries. Information Indexing and Subject Cataloging Information Indexing and Subject Catalog- ing: Alphabetical: Classified: Coordinate: Mechanical. By J o h n M e t c a l f e . N e w Y o r k : S c a r e c r o w Press, 1957. 3 3 8 p . $6.75. " I t is n o t easy f o r w r i t e r o r r e a d e r t o dis- e n t a n g l e t h e e n t a n g l e m e n t s of i n d e x i n g w i t h f a l s e science, v a i n p h i l o s o p h y a n d mis- u s e d o r u n n e c e s s a r y logic, a n d d o i n g so m a k e s f o r c o n t r o v e r s y a n d c r i t i c i s m , of t h e l o c u s t s w h o h a v e e a t e n t h e years. B u t f o r t h e m t h e s e s t u d i e s w o u l d h a r d l y h a v e b e e n n e e d e d . . . a n d i n d e x i n g a n d its s t u d e n t s w o u l d b e b e t t e r off if t h e r e w e r e f e w if a n y o t h e r a u t h o r i t i e s a c c e p t e d n o w , b e s i d e s D e w - ey a n d C u t t e r of 1876, a n d K a i s e r a n d H u l m e of 1911. B u t o t h e r s a r e a c c e p t e d as a u t h o r i t i e s , a n d w i t h t h e i r p a n a c e a s , c o n - flicting m e t a p h y s i c s , i n c o n s i s t e n t j a r g o n s , SEPTEMBER 1958 513