College and Research Libraries COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES Recent Publications Thomison, Dennis. A History of the American Library Association , 1876-1972, re- viewed by Arthur P. Young . ....... ............. ........ ............ ... .. . .. ... ... ......... . ......... 65 Use of Medical Literature, reviewed by Estelle Brodman ...... .... .. .... .... .. .. ...... .. .. .. ... 66 Inter-Library Lending-The Challenge of Cooperation, reviewed by Alice Weaver ...... 67 Saffady, William . Computer-Output Microfilm: Its Library Applications, reviewed by Helen R. Citron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Perreault, Jean M. The Idea of Order in Bibliography, reviewed by Jessica L. Harris .. 69 How to Start an Audiovisual Collection , reviewed by Cathleen C . Flanagan ............... 69 Cabeceiras, James. The Multimedia Library: Materials Selection and Use , reviewed by Cathleen C. Flanagan . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. .. .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .. . 69 The College Library: A Collection of Essays, reviewed by Dorothy F. Thomson .......... 71 Larsgaard, Mary. Map Librarianship: An Introduction , reviewed by Joan Winearls ..... 71 The Information Society : Issues and Answers, reviewed by W. A. Moffett ·...... .... ....... 73 Conroy, Barbara. Library Staff Development and Continuing Education: Principles and Practices, reviewed by Sheila Creth ........................................ :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 National Library and Information Services: A Handbook for Planners, reviewed by Sylvia G. Faibisoff . . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . 75 Books Are For Use , reviewed by Joan K. Marshall ................................................ 75 Morehead, Joe. Introduction to United States Public Documents, 2d ed., reviewed by Yuri Nakata . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. .. .. . . . . .. .. .. . . .. .. . . .. . . .. .. .. . . 76 Downey, James A. US Federal Of.ficial 'Publications: The International Dimension , re- viewed by Alan Edward Schorr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Carpenter, Ray L., and Vasu, Ellen Storey. Statistical Methods for Librarians , re- viewed by Timothy D. Jewell .. .... .... ......... .... .......................... ....................... 78 Haight, Anne Lyon . Banned Books, 387 B .C . to 1978 A.D. , 4th ed., reviewed by Martha Boaz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 The Copyright Dilemma, reviewed by Nancy H . Marshall ............ .... ...... ... .. ........... 80 Seltzer, Leon E. Exemptions and Fair Use in Copyright: The Exclusive Rights Tensions in the 1976 Copyright Act, reviewed by Madeleine Cohen Oakley ........... ............. 81 Dodson , Suzanne Cates, ed. Microform Research Collections: A Guide , reviewed by Leo R. Rift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Rubin, Rhea Joyce . Using Bibliotherapy: A Guide to Theory and Practice , reviewed by Sister Alma Marie Walls ............. .. ........... ........ .. ................. .... .... ....... ........... 83 Bibliotherapy Sourcebook , reviewed by Sister Alma Marie Walls .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . ... .. .. .. . . . . 83 Bramley, Gerald. Outreach: Library Services for the Institutionalized , the Elderly, and the Physically Handicapped, reviewed by Lucille Whalen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 One Book/Five Ways: The Publishing Procedures of Five University Presses, reviewed by Budd L. Gam bee .. . . . .. . .. . . . . .. . . .. . .. . . .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. .. . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . . .. .. .. . . . .. .. . 84 Advances in Librarianship, volume 8, reviewed by William E. Hannaford, Jr. .... ........ 85 "Energy Conservation in Libraries," reviewed by Joseph Z. Nitecki .. . .. .... .... .... . .... .. . 86 Lancaster, F. W. Toward Paperless Information Systems , reviewed by Audrey' N. Grosch ............ .. .... ............. ... ............................. ..... ..... ...... .. .... ................ 88 Townley, Helen M. Systems Analysis for Information Retrieval, reviewed by Stephen M. Silberstein .. ... . . .. . .. .. ... . . .. . ... . ... . ... . .. . .. ... .. .. . .. . . . ..... ... .. . . .. ... . ... . ... . .. . .. . . . . .. .. . 89 Smith, Lynn S. A Practical Approach to Serials Cataloging, reviewed by Judith P. Cannan.. . ....... ... ........... . .. . . ....... ..... .... .... ....................... ............ .. .. . .. ..... .... . 89 Abstracts ................. .. ......... ....... .. ............ .... ............... .............. .. ........ ·. . . . . . . . . . 90 Other Publications of Interest to Academic Librarians .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. 93 64/ , BOOK REVIEWS Thomison, Dennis. A History of the Ameri- can Library Association, 1876-1972. Chicago: American Library Assn. , 1978. 301p. $30. LC 77-27966. ISBN 0-8389- 0251-0. With the publication of Dennis Thomi- son's history of the American Library As- sociation, librarians and others may now take a retrospective glance at the dreams , achievements, failures, and follies of their professional organization. Covering the years 1876-1972, the author has written a selective history highlighting the activities of the association's deliberative bodies and executive leadership . Less atten- tion is devoted to ALA's many divisions and to such important topics as library educa- tion , which have been treated previously in specialized studies. This volume is not a commemorative panegyric; Thomison injects critical assessments of ALA' s performance throughout the text. The year 1876 still must rate as the most significant in the history of American librar- ianship. Fortuitously, most of the elements characteristic of a profession-leadership, organization, communication, and cognitive foundation-converged to ensure the basis for orderly development. Few professional associations were launched with such a su- perb cast. The founding fathers of ALA- Melvil Dewey, William F. Poole, Charles A. Cutter, and Justin Winsor, among the more prominent-are justifiably venerated for their creative contributions. Other elements were publication of the American Library Journal , printing of Dewey's Decimal Classification and Cutter's Rules for a Printed Dictionary Catalogue, and distribution of the U.S. Bureau of Edu- cation's Public Libraries in th e United States . For the next several decades , ALA ex- pended much energy defining the paramet- ers of librarianship and addressing technical matters. Even during the nineteenth cen- tury, problems .emerged and issues were debated that would continue to the present. Among these were censorship, democratiza- tion of the assoc.iation, recruitment, regula- tion of library education, and participation Recent Publications I 65 in the selection of the Librarian of Con- gress. In 1909, ALA felt the sting of fragmenta- tion with the formation of the Special Li- braries Association. ALA's participation in World War I quite unexpectedly trans- formed it from a small professional body with limite9, resources into a public welfare organization serving the library needs of several million soldiers . Euphoric over its wartime successes , ALA fashioned the enlarged program in 1919, a bold plan that encompassed creation of an endowment, adult education, extensive pub- licity, and reforms in library education. Di- visive internal bickering, coupled with- an unresponsive public, proved too difficult to overcome, and ALA suffered a humiliating defeat. Despite this setback, the 1920s signalled the beginning of the association's modern era. A strong executive secretary , Carl Milam, was appointed; international library relations were promoted; library education was more closely monitored; and the adult education movement flourished. The depression years were difficult for everyone, and ALA was confronted by seri- ous problems and critical choices . The as- sociation's Board of Education for Librar- ianship was criticized by many for failing to curtail the supply of graduates in a time of considerable unemployment. Benefactions from the Carnegie Corporation were less generous after the corporation concluded that some ALA activities " may well have surpassed the limits of prudence." Various special committees made propos- als to decentralize the association and to bridge the estrangement believed to exist between the headquarters staff and the membership. Under Milam's prodding, sus- tained support for federal aid to libraries was achieved. Thomison describes the abor- tive attempt to prevent the appointment of poet Archibald MacLeish to the post of Li- brarian of Congress as a "shrill , histrionic outburst." World War II again stimulated the associ- ation's interest in international library af- fairs. During the 1940s an International Re- lations Office was established, and ALA acted as midwife to the birth of the Bib- lioteca Benjamin Franklin in Mexico. Pur- 66 I College & Research Libraries • january 1979 suit of the federal connection was intensified by creation of a Washington office in 1945. Divisional dissatisfaction resurfaced after the war when the Association of College and Research Libraries made forceful demands for more autonomy and improved financial support. By 1948, many in ALA were res- tive over Milam's long tenure and some- times autocratic leadership. Milam's exit was undoubtedly influenced by a committee report, which criticized the association's centralized approach and lax financial man- agement. With varying degrees of courage, ALA faced threats emanating from the virulent anti-intellectualism of the McCarthy era. Loyalty oaths, book labeling, and censorship of library materials in overseas libraries were condemned. In 1953, the eloquent Freedom to Read Statement was adopted, an expression that still guides the associa- tion's commitment to intellectual freedom. Following a decade of struggle, federal aid to libraries became a reality with pas- sage of the Library Services Act in 1956. A cascade of federal library programs, all en- dorsed by ALA, were soon to come. Fur- ther democratization of the association was recommended by a management consulting firm in 1955. More divisions were created, and the Council assumed more policy- making prerogatives. The leadership was clearly uncomfortable about the calls for an organizational re- sponse to the wrenching national debate on human rights during the 1960s. When a 1963 report, Access to Public Libraries, concluded that direct discrimination was found in sixteen southern states and that in- direct discrimination was prevalent throughout the country, many northerners were outraged. By 1968 younger members began a sus- tained assault on what they viewed as ALA's cumbersome bureaucracy, elitism, and in- sensitivity to social issues. Once more committees were appointed, and modest gains were achieved in making the associa- tion more responsive. Perhaps the greatest legacy of this period was an enhanced com- mitment to the principle of intellectual freedom. Clearly, the first hundred years have been a fascinating odyssey. Enduring achievements may be claimed in the areas of standards, education, intellectual free- dom, legislation, and publishing. Still await- ing resolution is the pervasive fragmentation that militates against a shared vision. In passing judgment on the merits of Thomison's volume, one must differentiate the objective of history to educate from the objective to achieve an authentic recon- struction. The writing is felicitous, at times moving, and the conclusions generally sound. Apart from the limitations of over- reliance on secondary sources and question- able omissions, such as a contextual discus- sion of the professionalization of American society, librarians should profit from reading this study. One can readily agree with Edward Hol- ley's prefatory comment that Thomison has identified the persistent issues and thus made it easier to avoid roasting the same chestnuts again. When evaluated as a work of scholarship, some disquieting observations must be noted. Conceptual acuity is sometimes ab- sent. For example, the author fails to ex- plore the early period as a clash between elitists and advocates of the diffusion of knowledge. More than two dozen misspellings and factual inaccuracies have been iden- tified. The names of ALA presidents Linda Eastman and Frances Spain are incorrectly rendered in several places; Frank Hill is re- ferred to as Frederick; the title of the Williamson report of 1923 is inaccurately transcribed; and the American Expedition- ary Force is wrongly named the Allied Ex- peditionary Force. More substantive errors, such as the assertion that ALA first en- dorsed federal library legislation in 1930 (it was 1919), reflect inadequate primary re- search. Regrettably, the $30 price tag will not stimulate the broad exposure needed to prevent a reroasting of those chestnuts. A paperback edition is urgently recom- mended.-Arthur P. Young, University of Alabama. Use of Medical Literature. Editor: L. T. Morton. 2d . ed. Information Sources for Research and Development. London, Boston: Butterworths, 1977. 462p. $24.95. LC 77-30008. ISBN 0-408-