College and Research Libraries 60 I College & Research Libraries • January 1972 material was hastily written and not re- vised. The sentence structure is often long, involved, and at times so awkward and dis- jointed that the meaning is obscure. As a result of omissions and misspellings of words, some sentences actually defy inter- pretation. The misspelling of words, com- bined with what Geoffrey Lloyd generously refers to in the preface as "philosophical phraseology and classificationist jargon," of- ten lead to confusion. Perreault is fond of words such as: analysable, orderedness, stratigisation, foundational, nontrivially, computerisable, automatisation, profession- ality, etc. When one adds misspellings such as: froundworks, thoughoroughly, and Or- bana, Illinois, the interpretation becomes difficult. In addition to these problems, letters, words, lines, and paragraphs are curiously spaced throughout the book. The reader has no way of knowing in which instances this is for emphasis or is just poor typogra- phy. The reader is never certain of Perreault's purpose in collecting the essays together in this volume. If it is (as Lloyd suggests in the preface) to improve the UDC so that it will be recognized and used throughout the world, such a poorly written book will not help Perreault accomplish his purpose. One only can hope that before Perreault publishes more of his work, he invests in a copy of The Art of Readable Writing and a good editor. Both the UDC and future students of classification deserve better ma- terial than this.-Lucille M. Wert, Univer- sity of Illinois. Donald D. Hendricks. Centralized Proc- essing and Regional Library Develop- ment: The Midwestern Regional Library System, Kitchener, Ontario. Kitchener, The System, 1970. 85p. This report describes the evaluative sur- vey conducted by the author in June 1970. The purpose of the survey was "a general evaluation of the processing center, with special emphasis on the attitudes of the participating libraries on the product of the center, and the feasibility of using this co- operative endeavor as a springboard for the other inter-library efforts (in the region)." Chapter I includes a brief general dis- cussion of library cooperation related to "larger units of service." Hendricks then comments on centralized processing as a particular type of library cooperation, out- lining the advantages and disadvantages of centralization. He cites the authority for co- operative library programs in Ontario (The Public Libraries Act of 1966), mentions factors which may encourage or impede co- operation, and describes the activities of the Midwestern Regional Library System with regard to the regional situation. The bulk of the report discusses the sys- tem's processing center. Evaluative mea- sures used include: processing time lags, quality of the product, "enterability" or compatibility of the processing center prod- uct to previous processing, staffing patterns of member libraries, production considera- tions, and costs of processing. Narrative de- scriptions and charts of the center's order- ing, cataloging, and processing routines are included. Hendricks makes recommenda- tions regarding the space, work layout, and staffing patterns of the center. He concludes that "the development of one aspect of li- brary cooperation (the center) has laid a strong foundation for additional kinds of li- brary interaction." The reviewer was particularly pleased to see the following comment regarding processing time lags and member library complaints: "In order to gain a true pic- ture of the additional delay incurred by dealing with a processing center, a library should first have a documented concept of the time it takes a book to clear its own technical processing depa1tment. Then a comparison with the times for delivery from the processing center would reveal whether the library has a legitimate complaint." Technical processing personnel everywhere -take note! Member and nonmember library reac- tions to the center were elicited through use of an interview schedule during on-site visits. On the basis of the replies and other comments recorded during the course of the study, Hendricks made qualified recommen- dations for regional library activity in areas of: union lists, an expanded telephone net- work, rotating collections of popular ma- terial, delivery service, a central reference service, photocopy of periodicals, selective acquisitions, and a common borrower's card. The appendix lists the cataloging code currently used by the center in cataloging and processing bo-oks for adult and juvenile collections. Hendricks covers a lot of ground in the survey, going from general considerations to a regional and to a specific geographic base. The study seems well planned and well carried out, and the purpose of the study has been met. The survey has a far broader interest group than the system or the region studied. Librarians concerned with regional cooperative projects and cen- tralized processing would do well to read the report. Any group planning an evalua- tive survey of existing and potential coop- erative programs should benefit from the investigator's approach to the problem.- Lawrence E. Leonard, University of Illi- nois, Urbana. The Southwestern Library Association Project Report: ALA Chapter Rela- tionships, National, Regional, and State. Grace T. Stevenson. American Library Association, 1971. 153p. $2.50. Mrs. Stevenson has done a very thorough and intelligent assessment of the library as- sociations of Southwestern United States. While the subject matter does not lend it- self to exciting reading, those persons inter- ested in effective professional organization will find this useful as virtually everything presented may be applied to any library as- sociation. The major recommendations (p.107-09) could be used as a basis for self-analysis and discussion by library associations al- though actual implementation of some rec- ommendations would be exceedingly com- plex due to the disparities from state to state and the proliferation of organizations. One small criticism: This reviewer would have preferred the recommendations to start with the Individual Librarians and work on up to the national, as the key to any progress is the individual. Throughout the study other comments and findings of equal importance are given as related to "where do we go from here." Consequently, the entire report must be read carefully or pertinent points could be missed. For example: On page 93 is a very brief paragraph concerning legislative activities Recent Publications I 61 of regional library associations, which sup- ports the idea that such an activity is inap- propriate at the regional level (this is not to imply fiscal support of national legisla- tive activity is inappropriate!). Also, the devastating outline of activities given on page 95 which are indeed "thin" when placed against not only the dollar cost but also against the effort and energy of the people involved. It is quite conceiv- able that enthusiasm for conferences runs in inverse proportion to experience of direct involvement in the actual preparation of one. Another example is actually one of the most far-reaching conclusions in the report and could easily be overlooked. On page 80 a concept of relationship with ALA is developed that this reviewer has not seen elsewhere. It is worthy of more than pass- ing consideration and should be studied by the regional associations individually and collectively. Especially interesting to this reviewer was the conclusion on page 49 that "More regional meetings within the states, small regional conferences and institutes" were wanted by members but no reference was made to this in the final summary. The re- viewer's interest arises from the fact that in 1972 PNLA plans to proceed with a se- ries of small regional meetings of the work- shop variety in several locations within its region. Already rumblings of dissatisfaction as to such a radical departure are being heard in spite of the fact that the member- ship approved overwhelmingly a constitu- tional change to biennial conferences with the alternate year devoted to workshops! One point all chronic grumblers about associations should read and take to heart is the conclusion beginning on page 36. "There is a further obligation on the indi- vidual members-the obligation to volun- teer. Perhaps we can't expect this of the new, possibly diffident, member, but there are prima donnas in every organization who feel their talents should be sought after rather than offered freely. Over and over again from each state, there was voiced the difficulty of getting people to accept as- signments, or failure to discharge their re- sponsibilities after they had accepted." It is too much to hope that those members of the profession to whom these words apply