College and Research Libraries


(p.29 and 37), raise further questions of re-
liability. 

Shortcomings notwithstanding, this vol-
ume brings together good information, and 
its overall message is unmistakably positive. 
While acknowledging the naysayers, the 
contributors obviously expect multitype li-
brary cooperation to continue as a sig-
nificant influence at all levels, with the 
states as the focal points. The most serious 
hazard, alluded to again and again, is the 
scarcity of stable (state-based) financial sup-
port, and the shining light, also recognized 
repeatedly, has thus far been the bountiful 
but unpredictable Library Services and 
Construction Act, the text of which is given 
in an appendix. An annotated bibliography 
of selected sources covering 1970-75 pro-
vides a useful guide to wider reading.-
Mary A. McKenzie, Executive Director, 
New England Library Board, Hartford, 
Connecticut . 

Thompson, James. A History of the Princi-
ples of Librarianship. London: Clive 
Bingley; Hamden, Conn.: Linnet Books, 
1977. 236p. $10.00 LC 77-3335. ISBN 
0-85157-241-3 Bingley; 0-208-01661-9 
Linnet. 
This is a fascinating book that seeks to es-

tablish the historical foundations for a cur-
rent theory of librarianship. It was written 
by the librarian of the University of Reading 
in England. 

Thompson reveals . seventeen principles of 
librarianship and discusses them in a histor-
ical context. Briefly, these principles are: li-
braries are created by society; libraries are 
conserved by society; libraries are for the 
storage and dissemination of knowledge; li-
braries are centers of power; libraries are 
for all; libraries must grow; a national library 
should contain all national literature, with 
some representation of other national litera-
tures; every fiook is of use; a librarian must 
be a person of education; a librarian is an 
educator; a librarian's role can only be an 
important one if it is fully integrated into 
the prevailing social and political system; a 
librarian needs training and/or apprentice-
ship; it is a librarian's duty to increase the 
stock of his or her library; a library must be 
arranged in some kind of order, and a list of 
its contents provided; since libraries are 

--

Recent Publications I 151 

storehouses of knowledge, they should be 
arranged according to subject; practical con-
venience should dictate how subjects are to 
be grouped in a library; and a library must 
have a subject catalog. 

Each of these principles is treated in 
great detail, and convincing evidence is 
provided from numerous sources. Though 
written from a British perspective, examples 
are given from U.S. library history, as well 
as that of Great Britain, and world library 
history going back 3,000 years. Footnotes 
lead to references at the end of each chap-
ter. A selected bibliography appears at the 
end. The book is written in a readable style, 
though there is at times repetition of con-
tent under the various principles. 

This is a unique approach to library his-
tory and would be a valuable book for all li-
brarians needing reinforcement of the his-
torical traditions of their profession. It 
should be purchased by all libraries having 
even a relatively small library science col-
lection. A History of the Principles of Li-
brarianship would, of course, be of special 
value to students of library history. 

Readers of this work will also want to 
read Thompson's Library Power (1974), a 
companion volume attempting to promote a 
philosophy of librarianship based on certain 
well-proved principles.-G(wrge S. 
Bobinski, Dean and Professor, School of In-
formation and Library Studies, State Uni-
versity of New York at Buffalo. 

Library Budgeting: Critical Challenges for 
the Future. Edited by Sui H . Lee . Li-
brary Management Series, 'no. 3. Ann 
Arbor, Mich.: Pierian Press, 1977. lt1p. 
$10.00. LC 77-85231. ISBN 0-87650-
083-1. 
For those librarians who have slept 

through the past several years and who thus 
have had no opportunity to keep up with 
the vast literature on planning, resource al-
location,. scientific management, and other 
budget-related responses to the current 
fiscal stringencies facing academic libraries, 
here is a slim volume that can fill in the 
lacunae painlessly, provided one is after 
only a brief overview of the field. 

For the wakeful and reading librarian 
there isn't too much here that is new : most