College and Research Libraries Guest Editorial The invitation from C&RL' s current editor to contribute reflections upon my four years as editor was accompanied by an assignment which proved to be impossible: "Select the arti- cle you thought the best during your term and write about it." ''Charles, I have reviewed the twenty-four issues I edited with approximately 125 articles and cannot single out one.'' Reviewing the results of my watch revived many memories. First, of the many hours donated by the members of the editorial board acting as referees, by the book reviewers, and by the letter-to-the-editor writers. These labors in sum vastly exceeded the time spent by the editor, thus making C&RL a journal not only about but also by academic librarian- ship. My second memory is of the redesign-cover, typeface, logo. There were many sur- prises in this process, most owing to the interaction between postal regulations (title must be on the cover for a second class permit) and the National Serials Data Project (if only the logo were on the cover that would constitute the "dread serials title change"). The most · pleasant surprise of the redesign was the discovery that the designer inter alia was a collec- tor of ampersands-she had nearly a hundred from which I could choose. My third mem- ory is the unfailing grace with which authors accepted editorial changes major and minor. I had expected more sensitivity, even ego, but experienced none. My fourth memory is of a failure to identify and secure enough acceptable articles on international aspects of this pro- fession. The difficulty in this area was in equal parts the small number available and their quality. My fifth and, for this purpose, final memory is of the recurring themes of many articles juxtaposed with new topics, for example, status of academic librarians/academic libraries and computer centers . . Which brings me full circle to the current editor's request. "No, I can't select an article, but I can select an issue-my last, May 1984." The editorial in that issue noted that the articles it contained were chosen by the editor without the advice of his board. Taken to- gether these articles reflected what has since become a pervasive concern with impact of technologies-computing and telecommunications-on academic libraries and librarians. Five years later the issues raised by those articles are neither passe nor resolved. Most of the technology therein discussed is now taken for granted, even as it continues to provoke questions. And the questions so provoked inevitably cause us to reflect anew on roles of libraries and of librarians. Le plus c' est change, le plus c' est Ia meme chose. C. JAMES SCHMIDT 505 Where to fil)d special collections and rare books in 6,000 subject areas ... Special Collections in College and University Libraries Compiled by Modoc Press, Inc. Introduction by Leona Rostenberg & Madeleine B. Stern Here's the first guide of its kind-a com- prehensive, detailed directory of the spe- cial collections and rare book holdings of 1,800 colleges and universities. From the 10,000-volume Paskow Science Fiction Collection at Temple University to a complete run of William Morris's Kelmscott Press at Colby College, colleges and univer- sities hold remarkable treasures in their libraries. And now you can tour them all in the pages of this useful and fascinating ref- erence source. Organized for easy access, the book fea- tures in-depth descriptions of the special New! collections and rare book and manuscript rooms open to the public. Here ·are hold- ings of every type: rare first editions, per- sonal papers and manuscripts, incunabula, maps, prints, photographs, music, record- ings, and much more. There are collections devoted to a single individual or genre ... regional or local con- cerns ... institutional and denominational archives ... in print and non-print formats. The entries describe the contents of the collections, list names of donors, authors collected, titles of notable works, and provide essential data on each institution and its library. The introduction is by Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern, who share more than 40 years' experience with rare books and special collections. They describe the pro- cess of building a special collection-with special attention to the roles of donors and booksellers. This is an essential tool not only for librarians and schol- ars, but also for donors and dealers of collections and rare books. 1989 • 639 pages, cloth • indexes • ISBN 0-02-921651-6 • $90. 00 Directly from MACMILLAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 866 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 Attention: Dave Horvath ORDER TOLL-FREE: Libraries/institutions: 1 (800) 257-5755 · Individuals: 1 (800) 323-2884 Price subject to change.