College and Research Libraries Baldwin's Another Country, or Pulitzer Prize winners Elbow Room by James Alan McPherson, Annie Allen by Gwendolyn Brooks, and No Place to Be Somebody by Charles Cordone . It appears the author chose instead to include a number of less popular works from the past century and the 1940s and 1950s. Part II is a dictionary of Afro-American literature and history with too much em- phasis on the latter for what is supposedly a handbook for literature. Notable literary figures omitted are Nikki Giovanni , Addison Gayle, Nick Aaron Ford , Tom Dent, Larry Neal , Joseph A. Walker , Sonia Sanchez , Carolyn Rodgers , Blyden Jackson , and Maya Angelou. Possibly they were omitted in favor of a good many persons and things that have no relationship to Afro-American literature per se. Most entries , particularly historical occurrences , are substantial in content. Part III, containing ninety-four author bibliographies, and part IV, general bibliog- raphies , can assist those interested in fur- ther reading and research. Of the two chronologies following part IV , probably only the second, pertaining to events in Afro-American history and literature , is needed in this volume. Despite its rather startling omissions and superfluous inclusions , Black Plots & Black Characters must be purchased, since it is unique in the field of Afro-American litera- ture. It is hoped that Southgate will revise and expand his handbook in the near future .-Robert Fikes, Jr. , San Diego State University , San Diego , California. Mitchell, Betty Jo; Tanis , Norman E. ; and Jaffe , Jack. Cost Analysis of Library Functions: A Total System Approach. Foundations in Library and Information Science, a Series of Monographs. Volume 6. Greenwich, Conn.: JAI Press , Inc. , 1978. 192p. + 5 fiche in pocket. $23.50. LC 77-2110. ISBN 0-89232-072-9. A cost accounting system specifically lim- ited to library labor costs in time and dpllars developed, implemented, and continuing in the libraries of California State University, Northridge, is carefully described in Cost Analysis of Library Functions in an " at- tempt to provide a . model for libraries to Recent Publications I 369 produce their own set of labor cost data from which sound management decisions can be made and, eventually, from which relevant and meaningful staffing farmulas can be developed" (p .2). The authors also hope that their program will serve as a pro- totype for a generally applicable system that, when implemented in other libraries, would allow for a meaningful comparison of costs. Four years in the making, the CSUN li- brary's ongoing program includes an auto- mated function cost analysis system and a manual task analysis system. The rationale, assumptions , and guidelines are succinctly highlighted by the conclusion that a com- plex library audit such as this must be de- veloped in a library setting if clean , useful data are to be assured. A systems analyst was appointed early on to coordinate the project and to be respon- sible for overall system design. The continu- ing operation of the function cost analysis costs the library, which has 400 employees and 600,000 volumes , about $8,000 a year. Unfortunately , there is no estimate of the costs for the manual part of the program or, more important, for the development of the systems. A concise and cogent discussi9n of the methods used includes, in addition to defi- nition and description, consideration of some of the problems and pitfalls met, such as staff resistance, the discovery that actual library jobs are performed at variance with stated procedures , and the frustration at- tendant on the definition of activities , tasks, and functions to produce valid results-so much so that the authors conclude that "in- stalling major data systems is a slow painful process that requires unending revision and rethinking" (p.43). Documentation of the programs includes the procedures manual for the automated system, forms , punch card formats, a monthly report, and a· cumulative data printout for l976-77. In addition , there are five microfiche with 1976-77 cost data in- cluded. The reader is warned that the program was not designed to be used for cost/benefit analysis where standards of quality have yet to be set, if in fact they can be set at all. The system does, however, generate valid 370 I College & Research Libraries • july 1979 data that let librarians ask questions about productivity and efficiency and give them the tools to begin to analyze library prob- lems and to present a realistic audit. For example, it was determined from the pro- gram that file maintenance cost for 1976-77 was more than $149,000. This was 9 percent of all staff costs and 10 percent of all staff time, clearly an area for further study. It is good to read that a start has been made with a program covering labor and time costs of all library functions. This is necessary, difficult, and costly work, but it can and must be done. This competent, practical account should be useful in show- ing the way.-Barbara R. Healy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. Davinson, Donald. The Periodicals Collec- tion. Rev. and enl. ed. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Pr., 1978. 243p. $18.75. LC 78-17873. ISBN 0-89158-833-7. Perhaps the .biggest problem with this book is determining who will find it useful. Practicing librarians who have worked with periodicals for some time should know most of the material ;- while library school stu- dents may find it difficult to follow without reading many of the references. The begin- ning librarian or the experienced librarian just moving into the periodicals area proba- bly will be its best audience and should find it to be a good introduction with many ref- erences to o,ther material for additional study. The book is divided into three parts. The first section is a history and description of the types of periodicals. While mainly con- cerned with the British viewpoint, it covers the subject thoroughly. Even the experi- enced periodicals librarian undoubtedly will find it informative. Although most of the examples listed are British publications, it should be relatively easy to transfer the in- formation for use in American libraries. The second part covers bibliographic ac- cess to periodicals. Specific publications, e.g., Ulrich's International Periodicals Di- rectory, .Chemical Abstracts, Current Con- tents, Science Citation Index, Union List of Serials, are mentioned and their uses and limitations described. Again the British slant is noticeable, but the titles covered include the major U.S. and European bibliog- raphies. Davin son's comments on the prolif- eration of abstracting and current awareness services are interesting. Because so many more articles are being published now than in the recent past, specialists are finding it . increasingly difficult to read all the material pertinent to their fields and, therefore, are forced to resort to abstracting and similar services. The increases in the size, number, and price of these services, in turn, are causing problems of control for librarians and of production for the publishers. The third part covers the librarian's and the user's contact with the actual periodical. This is the weakest part of the book because Davinson tries to cover too much in too lit- tle space. Only the highlights of purchasing, recording, storing, and displaying peri- odicals receive mention, and the reader is left needing more practical advice to put into immediate use or more theory for fu- ture consideration. The 1978 edition of The Periodicals Col- lection is a revised and enlarged edition of a title w,ith a rather long and apparently evolving history. The 1960 edition, Peri- odicals; A Manual of Practice for Librarians (London: Grafton), was more a practical manual with suggestions on titles to be pur- chased, staffing, and furniture. As time has gone by, the book seems to have become more and more theoretical. Whether or not this edition is needed depends upon the type of information being sought. It is not a how-to-do-it book; it does give the history and purpose behind what is being done'. There are a selected subject and title index and an author index.-Martha Willett, In- diana State University, Evansville. Jackson, Eugene B., and Jackson, Ruth L. Industrial Information Systems: A Manual for Higher Management and Their In- formation Officer/Librarian AIBociates. Publications in the Information Sciences. Stroudsburg, Pa.: Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc., 1978. 314p. + 1 fiche in pocket. $35. LC 78-15890. ISBN 0-87933-328-6. (Distributed by Academic Press.) The present volume is undoubtedly a val- uable addition to the series entitled Publica- tions in the Information Sciences. The pur- pose of this book is to outline the technical