College and Research Libraries


By C A R O L Y N F . U L R I C H 

A Selective Survey of the N e w 
Periodicals during the Year 1942 

Miss Ulrich is chief of the periodicals 

division, New York Public Library. 

OF T H E N E W PERIODICALS a p p e a r i n g during the past year the majority 
are those directly concerned w i t h the 

startling changes and g r o w t h of the w a r 

effort. Publications of technical societies, 

trade journals in special fields, and the 

many new house organs have become indis-

pensable to research and to adult educa-

tion. T e c h n i c a l and scientific publications 

— m a n y of which are restricted at this 

t i m e — a r e directed primarily t o w a r d the 

immediate projects of offense and defense. 

T r a d e journals serve an increased need 

through their record of manufacture and 

distribution of goods, the movements of 

r a w materials, priorities, rationing, price 

fixing, and taxation. House organs, 

steadily gaining w i d e r recognition, often 

give vital information illustrating produc-

tion processes. Representative examples 

are those published by E . I . D u P o n t de 

N e m o u r s & C o . , A m e r i c a n T e l e p h o n e and 

T e l e g r a p h C o . , G e n e r a l M o t o r s Corpora-

tion. 

C r i t i c a l periodicals and those dealing 

specifically w i t h subjects within the hu-

manities have suffered under forced econo-

mies, and the lack of both means and men 

to develop any one field of interest has 

compelled many to cease publication. 

H o w e v e r , interest in universal changes is 

common to all readers, and those periodi-

cals w r i t t e n in a more popular style and 

accompanied by colored and graphic illus-

trations reach a large and g r o w i n g audi-

ence. T h e formerly desired " q u a l i t y " 

group shows a noticeable decline of fiction 

and short stories. 

U n d e r international relations the new 

publications f r o m South America, M e x i c o , 

and C u b a make available more and better 

material, w h i l e w i t h i n our o w n borders 

human relationship is evidenced by w o r t h y 

N e g r o publications and more and more 

space devoted to racial problems through 

articles appearing in established periodi-

cals. L a s t l y , no comment on the year's 

publications w o u l d be complete w i t h o u t 

mention of four w e l l - k n o w n foreign peri-

odicals w h i c h have taken up their exiled 

issuance in this country, n a m e l y : Byzan-

tion, Erkenntnis ( j o u r n a l of unified sci-

e n c e ) , Beaux Arts, and I sis. In attempting 

to review the most valuable additions of 

the year several librarians w o r k i n g w i t h 

collections of specific subjects have been 

asked to contribute their findings. 

Technological Periodicals 

L a u r a A . Eales, head of the technology 

department of the Bridgeport Public L i -

brary, whose experience in that vast w a r 

production center gives authority, con-

tributes the f o l l o w i n g : 

128 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Electronic Industries which appeared this 
November is a monthly edited by D r . 
Orestes H . Caldwell, the former Federal 
Radio Commissioner. Similar in scope to 
Electronics, this publication gives news in-
terpretations and engineering features useful 
to engineers, production executives, and to 
those industries in which electronics equip-
ment is used. Included are new patents, 
abstracts from the world's press, book 
reviews, and the bulletins, catalogs, and 
leaflets of the trade literature. There are 
good illustrations and also many graphs and 
diagrams demonstrating the structure and 
details of various equipment. 

O u t of the acceleration given to aviation 
by w a r conditions three periodicals have 
come which are worthy of mention. Air 
Tech; The Magazine of Aircraft, Main-
tenance, and Operation, v. I, no. I, October 
1942, published in the interests of the U.S. 
Army A i r Forces Technical Training Com-
mand, is self-explanatory in its subtitle. 
T h e feature articles on aeronautical prob-
lems applicable to military planes operating 
all over the world are timely, and the full-
page illustrations of planes which are used 
for combat, transport, and experiment are 
outstanding. Excellent charts and diagrams 
are to be found in each issue. Air Trans-
portation which brought out its first number 
last October is devoted exclusively to the 
subject of shipping-by-air and includes the 
interests of the shippers, manufacturers, 
forwarders, importers, and exporters. T h e r e 
are short news and review articles looking 
toward postwar times when cargo-by-air 
will involve national and international poli-
cies of political, economic, and military mo-
ment. Wings, published by M c G r a w - H i l l 
under contract with the U.S. Bureau of 
Aeronautics and U.S. N a v y and Army A i r 
Forces, is designed to be of practical help 
to the supervisory staff of the manufacturers 
of aircraft and aircraft accessories and is 
not sent to anyone outside of that field. 
Economies and short cuts of production are 
discussed and each method is fully repro-
duced with clear illustrations, diagrams, 
charts, and graphs. T h e Daily Chemical 
Market gives the record and prices of the 
chemical, drug, oil, paint, and plastic in-

MARCH, 1943 

dustries and serves not only the industries 
in the w a r effort but also all those through 
whose hands these commodities pass, in-
cluding the manufacturer and consumer. 
T h e immediate importance of new uses of 
chemicals and synthetic replacement of 
scarce materials gives value to this journal. 
N e w patents and trademarks are listed. 
Promising in value is Resins-Rubbers-
Plastics, which is a loose-leaf monthly 
abstract service edited by H . M a r k and D r . 
E. S. Proskauer. T h e abstracts, averaging 
sixty-four pages, offer up-to-date reference 
literature comprising the chemistry, physics, 
and technology of resins, rubbers, and 
plastics, including cellulose and starch. In 
the latest issues are abstracts from German 
periodicals. Curves, graphs, and diagrams 
increase the value of this great service which 
is rendered unwieldy by the lack of a much-
needed index. T h e Plastics Digest, a 
monthly publication, v. 1, no. 1, January 
1942, also abstracts articles and books and 
covers much the same field as the above but 
in briefer form. T h e Archives of Bio-
chemistry, a very informative bimonthly 
journal which is a definitely technical and 
scholarly treatise, appeared in October 
1942, dealing with the subjects of proteins, 
metabolism, nutrition, hormones, vitamins, 
viruses, photosynthesis, plane chemistry, 
experimental chemotherapy, organic chem-
istry as related to living organisms, and 
colloid science in its biological applications. 
Nutrition Reviews, published by the Nutri-
tion Foundation, Inc., in November 1942, 
and edited by Frederick J. Stare, Ph.D., 
M . D . , assistant professor of nutrition, 
schools of medicine and public health, 
Harvard University, is a monthly abstract-
ing service. Its purpose as stated in the 
Foreword is "to provide an authoritative, 
unbiased, editorially interpreted review of 
the world's current research progress in the 
science of nutrition." 

Natural Science Periodicals 

A m y L . Hepburn, librarian of the 

N a t u r a l Science Libraries of C o l u m b i a 

University, reviewing the periodical publi-

cations in that group, is quoted. 

129 

1 



Four contributions in the periodical field 
have been made to natural sciences in 1942. 
Chief among these is the quarterly entitled 
Federation Proceedings, published by the 
Federation of American Societies for E x -
perimental Biology, which offers the experi-
mental biologist a series of abstracts of 
papers to be presented at the scientific 
sessions of the Federation of American So-
cieties for Experimental Biology, composed 
of the American Physiological Society, the 
American Society of Pharmacology and 
Experimental Therapeutics, the American 
Society for Experimental Pathology, and the 
American Institute of Nutrition. T h i s 
quarterly of some six hundred pages has 
proved a useful contribution in the fields 
of physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, 
pathology, and nutrition. N o t only does it 
contain comprehensive abstracts of papers to 
be presented but in later issues appear "mat-
ter pertinent to federation membership and 
symposiums and other special papers pre-
sented at federation meetings as selected by 
the editorial board." T h e issues are most 
carefully indexed, both authors and sub-
jects included, while in the abstract number 
the papers are grouped under the various 
societies which contribute. Diagrams and 
tables illustrate the longer papers. N e x t 
I should consider as claiming second place 
the Revue canadienne de biologie. In the 
establishment of this bimonthly periodical the 
objective is to bring French and English 
scientists into closer collaboration. Scanning 
the names of the Comite de Collaboration 
Scientifique, made up of about fifty famous 
biologists, we realize the impressive back-
ground of this publication. England, 
France-in-exile, Canada, and several coun-
tries in South America are represented. 
Sponsored by the University of Montreal 
and emanating from that city where neither 
nationality predominates, this brave project 
to give both peoples an equal chance to 
contribute to research in experimental 
biology seems most commendable. Articles 
appear in either French or English. A f t e r 
each are a resume and summary which pre-
sent the gist in both languages. T h e r e are 
comprehensive bibliographies at the end of 
the articles. Some of the contributions are 

profusely illustrated with plates and dia-
grams and although the former do not reach 
the high standard of prewar German 
publications, they are remarkably good for 
a review which cannot spend the large sums 
demanded for the best reproductions. 
Thirdly, the Journal of Animal Science, a 
quarterly, published by the American Society 
of Animal Production, is represented by an 
editorial board of outstanding scientists, 
many of whose names appear in American 
Men of Science. Contributions in the fields 
of animal genetics, nutrition, and physiology, 
particularly as they apply to livestock pro-
duction, appear in its issues. T h e special 
subjects of growth and development are also 
included. Scattered over our country are the 
great agricultural experiment stations where 
vital research is carried on. T h i s journal 
embodies investigation by scientists con-
nected with these institutions as well as 
contributions from members of the staffs 
of the foremost colleges and universities. 
Abstracts of the papers to be presented at 
the annual meetings of the society are in-
cluded. T h e news and notes sections list 
meetings of interest to the readers and per-
sonal items. Lastly, Bole tin del instituto 
botanico de la universidad central de Ecua-
dor. T h i s botanical journal from South 
America is described by one librarian as "a 
good little publication worthy of encourage-
ment." T h e subject matter consists of 
articles on systematic, pathological, and 
cytological botany. A s is customary with 
the rank and file of South American publica-
tions the paper and printing leave much to 
be desired. T h i s is particularly to be de-
plored in the case of the illustrations which 
appear cheap and second class. Following 
the main body of the number, " N o t a s " of 
scientific interest appear and "Seccion Biblio-
grafica." 

Social Science Periodicals 

R o l l i n A . S a w y e r , chief of the econom-

ics division of the N e w Y o r k P u b l i c L i -

brary, w r i t e s : 

Among the new periodicals in the social 
sciences only one can be called outstanding, 

130 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Agenda, a Quarterly Journal of Reconstruc-
tion, published by Humphrey M i l f o r d for 
the London School of Economics and Politi-
cal Science. T h e editor is Professor G . N . 
Clark and the advisory committee consists 
of the governors and officers of the school. 
V . I, no. I, is dated January 1942. It is 
handsomely printed on excellent paper, 
though the type is rather small. T h e intro-
ductory statement says "it will cover the 
whole field of reconstruction, domestic and 
international, political, economic, and social." 
T h e first to deal with subjects already so 
controversial and certain to be bitterly 
disputed after the war, this journal is in-
dispensable. T h e Journal of Legal and 
Political Sociology, v. 1, no. 1-2, was pub-
lished in October 1942. It is to be issued 
semiannually by the Philosophical Library, 
Inc., N e w Y o r k . T h e editor is Georges 
Gurvich of Columbia University and the 
editorial board includes K a r l N . Llewellyn 
and R. M . M a c l v e r of Columbia, Bronislaw 
Malinowski of Y a l e , Roscoe Pound of 
Harvard, R. H . Lowie of the University 
of California, and T . V . Smith of the Uni-
versity of Chicago. T h e Journal "does not 
propose to cover dogmatic techniques or the 
philosophy of law, but rather the problems 
of legal and political behavior and legal 
institutions and symbols in their functional 
relationship with types of groups and inclu-
sive societies." T h e excellence of its edi-
torial board is scarcely equalled by its 
typography. 

Libraries interested in Latin America may 
find the following useful. Revista del banco 
de la republica oriental del Uruguay, 
Montevideo, v. 1, no. 1, April 1942, is a 
monthly with the usual characteristics of 
such journals, economic review of the month, 
and index numbers relating to various aspects 
of the national economy. Orientacao 
economica e financeira is an illustrated 
monthly printed on fairly good paper, pub-
lished in Porto Alegre, Brazil. V . 1, no. 1, 
is dated April 1942. It is devoted to the 
industries, foreign trade, and general eco-
nomic situation of the state of Rio Grande 
do Sul. Revista de economia, finanzes ad-
ministration, Montevideo, v. 1, no. 1, Janu-
ary 1942, is the organ of the Asociacion 

Nacional de Contadores y Peritos Mercan-
tiles del Uruguay, but it contains articles 
of general interest as well as a professional 
section. T h e paper used is only fair. 
Revista national de ciencias politico-eco-
nomico-sociales, Havana, v. 1, no. 1, Decem-
ber 1941. On the cover is printed " E l 
Nuevo evangelico de la reforma cubana." It 
appears to have a definite economic program 
including the creation of a national bank, 
industrialization of agriculture, fishing, and 
mining, and nationalization of wealth; in 
short, a collective economy. Each issue con-
tains many but brief articles. It is printed 
on good paper. T h e editor is J. M . A l v a r e z 
Acevedo. Politico economica; revista mensual 
al servicio de los intereses de America, 
Buenos Aires, v. 1, no. 1, November 1941. 
T h e editorial board includes representatives 
of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, 
Panama, and Uruguay. Inter-American 
commerce is the field of this periodical, 
especially the relations of the countries in the 
basin of the Rio de la Plata with the U.S.A. 
Printed on poor paper. 

Art Periodicals 

Pauline V . Fullerton, chief of the art 

division of the N e w Y o r k Public L i b r a r y , 

discusses t w o new art magazines, both of 

which are published in other countries. 

Ars: revista mensual, v. 1, no. 1, January 
1942, Mexico City. T h e pages of this new 
periodical are open to contributors from all 
the countries of North, Central, and South 
America. Its subject matter is character-
ized by a wide inclusion in the fields of art, 
poetry, music, theatre, and cinema. U s e f u l 
features are notes on contributors and 
record of new books published in the 
Americas. Museu: revista de arte, arqueo-
logia, tradiqoes, v. I, no. I, June 1942, 
published in Porto, Portugal. T h e first 
issue of this quarterly gives promise of mak-
ing important contributions to the bibliogra-
phy of Portuguese art, in both its historical 
and contemporary aspects. It includes re-
views of new Portuguese titles and begins a 
checklist of Portuguese artists with sources 
for information about each individual. 

MARCH', 1943 131 



F i n a l l y , the editor adds the f o l l o w i n g : 

T h e California Folklore Quarterly pub-

lished by the C a l i f o r n i a F o l k l o r e Society 

appeared in J a n u a r y 1942. It constitutes 

a real contribution to the cultural history 

of the Pacific Coast area and is a w o r t h y 

companion to similar journals published 

in the U n i t e d States and abroad. C o m -

petent contributions made this year to his-

torical knowledge and published by their 

respective historical societies are the Ar-

kansas Historical Quarterly, Tennessee 

Historical Quarterly, and Rhode Island 

History. T h e new magazine VVV 

(Triple V) is founded by A n d r e Breton. 

Its editor is the y o u n g A m e r i c a n sculptor, 

D a v i d H a r e . T h e associate editor is 

M a x Ernst, the G e r m a n surrealist painter 

w h o n o w lives in N e w Y o r k . T h e aim of 

the magazine is to unite the creative forces 

of the arts, especially of painting, litera-

ture, and poetry during the crisis of w a r . 

Since A n d r e Breton is the founder of the 

magazine, it has strong surrealist tenden-

cies. Its articles and illustrations deal 

chiefly w i t h the aspects of the dream 

w o r l d and its interrelation to daily activi-

ties. Polish Science and Learning, v. I, 

no. 1, June 1942, is an irregular publica-

tion started by the association of Polish 

scientific leaders in G r e a t Britain. T h e 

purpose is " t o collect and preserve w h a t 

they can of their thousand-ye.ar-old cul-

tural heritage." T h e first issue, which is 

excellent including the format, creates the 

hope that the standard w i l l be maintained 

in f u t u r e issues. T h e Negro Quarterly, 

embodying N e g r o thought and opinion, 

began w i t h the spring issue of 1942 and is 

published by the N e g r o Publication So-

ciety of A m e r i c a . " I t s purpose is to aid 

in f u r t h e r i n g the literary, social, and cul-

tural advancement of the N e g r o people." 

T h e quarterly is a good representation, 

w e l l edited and practicable, w h i l e the 

Racial Digest, v. 1, no. 1, January 1942, 

condenses articles on the N e g r o from a 

w i d e field of interests. Waterways ( R i v e r 

w a t e r w a y s ) , v. 1, no. 1, M a r c h 1942, 

gives the "coordination of railways and 

highways to the end that they may ade-

quately serve the g r o w i n g needs of A m e r i -

can commerce and industry" and is 

graphically expressed by means of surveys 

and diagrams. Revista argentina de his-

toria de la medicina, the official organ of 

the A t e n e o de Historia de la M e d i c i n a , 

v. I, no. 1, J a n u a r y 1942, publishes schol-

arly articles on the history of medicine. 

F o l l o w i n g the main body of the journal, 

" N o t a s y C o m m e n t a r i e s , " courses given 

in the history of medicine in various uni-

versities are discussed. T h e format is at-

tractive. La Cultura en Mexico; boletin 

de la comision mexicana de cooperacion 

intelectual, v . 1, no. 1, January 1942, 

interprets the intellectual and artistic life 

of M e x i c o today. W h i l e less pretentious 

and printed on poorer paper, the content 

compares favorably w i t h Cuadernos 

americanos, published in 1 9 4 1 , and Revista 

de literatura mexicana, in 1940. 

) i 
Periodicals 
Agenda. L o n d o n School of E c o n o m i c s and Political 

S c i e n c e , L o n d o n , i gn. 
Air Tech. P h i l i p - A n d r e w s P u b l i s h i n g Co., 545 F i f t h 

A v e . , N e w Y o r k C i t y . $2.50. 
Air Transportation. J o h n F . B u d d , 10' B r i d g e S t . , 

N e w Y o r k C i t y . $5. 
Archives of Biochemistry. A c a d e m i c P r e s s , 125 E . 

23rd S t . , N e w Y o r k C i t y . $5.50 per v o l u m e . 
A r k a n s a s H i s t o r i c a l Quarterly. A r k a n s a s Historical 

A s s o c i a t i o n , F a y e t t e v i l l e . M e m b e r s h i p . 
Ars: revista mensual. A v . J u a r e z 60, M e x i c o , D . F . 

$22. ( M e x . ) 
Boletin del instituto botanico. U n i v e r s i d a d C e n t r a l 

del E c u a d o r , Quito. P r i c e not g i v e n ( e x c h a n g e 
e n c o u r a g e d ) . 

California Folklore Quarterly. U n i v e r s i t y of Cali-
f o r n i a P r e s s , B e r k e l e y . $1.25 per number. 

Cultura en Mexico. E d i f k i o de la S e c r e t a r i a de Edu-
c a t i o n P u b l i c a , M e x i c o , D . F . P r i c e not g i v e n 
( e x c h a n g e e n c o u r a g e d ) . 

Daily Chemical Market. A t l a s P u b l i s h i n g Co., 133 
W . 21 st St., N e w Y o r k C i t y . $15. 

Electronic Industries. M . C l e m e n t s , 480 L e x i n g t o n 
A v e . , N e w Y o r k C i t y . $3. 

1 3 2 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Federation Proceedings. F e d e r a t i o n of A m e r i c a n 
S o c i e t i e s f o r E x p e r i m e n t a l B i o l o g y , 19 W . C h a s e 
St., Baltimore. $4. 

Journal of Animal Science. K a n s a s S t a t e C o l l e g e , 
M a n h a t t a n . $3. 

Journal of Legal and Political Sociology. Philo-
sophical L i b r a r y , I n c . , 15 E. 40th S t . , N e w 
Y o r k C i t y . $3-50. 

Museu. C i r c u l o D r . Jose de F i g u e i r e d o , P a l a c i o de 
C a r r a n c a s , R u e de D . M a n u e l I I , P o r t o , Portu-
gal. P r i c e not g i v e n . 

Negro Quarterly. N e g r o P u b l i c a t i o n S o c i e t y of 
A m e r i c a , I n c . , 1 W . 125th S t . , N e w Y o r k C i t y . 
$2. 

Nutrition Reviews. T h e N u t r i t i o n F o u n d a t i o n , I n c . , 
C h r y s l e r B u i l d i n g , N e w Y o r k C i t y . $2. 

Orientacao economica e financeira. C a i x a 1044, R i o 
Grande do S u l , P o r t o A l e g r e , B r a z i l . P r i c e 
n o t g i v e n . 

Plastics Digest. P l a s t i c s P u b l i s h i n g C o . , P . O . B o x 
523, N e w B r u n s w i c k , N . J . $20. 

Polish Science and Learning. Association of Polish 
U n i v e r s i t y P r o f e s s o r s , O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 
L o n d o n . 2s. 6d. per number. 

Politica economica. Reconquista 281, B u e n o s A i r e s , 
A r g e n t i n a . $12; 

Racial Digest. C o m m u n i t y P u b l i s h i n g C o . , 446 E . 
W a r r e n A v e . , D e t r o i t . $1. 

Resins, Rubbers, Plastics. I n t e r s c i e n c e P u b l i s h e r s , 
I n c . , 215 F o u r t h A v e . , N e w Y o r k C i t y . $35. 

Revista argentina de historia de la medicina. A t e n e o 
de H i s t o r i a de la M e d i c i n a , E s h e v e r r i a 1606, 
B u e n o s A i r e s , A r g e n t i n a . $6. 

Revista de economia, finanzes y administracion. 
A s o c i a c i o n N a c i o n a l de C o n t a d o r e s y P e r i t o s 
M e r c a n t i l e s del U r u g u a y , A v d a . A g r a c i a d a 1464, 
M o n t e v i d e o , U r u g u a y . P r i c e not given. 

Revista del banco de la republica oriental del Uru-
guay. D e p a r t a m e n t o de I n v e s t i g a c i o n e s Eco-
nomicas, M o n t e v i d e o , U r u g u a y . P r i c e n o t g i v e n . 

Revista nacional de ciencias politico-economico-
sociales. P r a d o 358, H a v a n a , C u b a . $5. 

Revue canadienne de biologie. U n i v e r s i t y of Mont-
real, Canada. $6. 

Rhode Island History. Rhode Island H i s t o r i c a l So-
ciety, P r o v i d e n c e . P r i c e not given. 

Tennessee Historical Quarterly. T e n n e s s e e Histori-
cal Commission and the T e n n e s s e e H i s t o r i c a l 
S o c i e t y , N a s h v i l l e . $2. 

VVV (Triple V). B e r n a r d J. Reis, 10 E . 40th S t . , 
N e w Y o r k C i t y . $4. 

Waterways. Edited by John W . B l a c k , D u B o i s , 
P a . $4. 

Wings. M c G r a w - H i l l P u b l i s h i n g Co., I n c . , 330 W . 
42nd St., N e w Y o r k C i t y . ( N o t f o r general 
distribution.) 

A n n o u n c e m e n t Concerning Dr. Branscomb 

A R E C E N T L Y P U B L I S H E D R E P O R T o f t h e 

President, D u k e University, D u r h a m , 

N o r t h Carolina, carries the f o l l o w i n g an-

nouncement : 

A t the beginning of the year 1941-42 D r . 
Harvie Branscomb resigned as director of 
libraries, to devote himself to his teaching in 
the Divinity School. His resignation, how-
ever, has not terminated his interest in library 
work. W h e n D r . Branscomb accepted the 
position of director in 1934 the library con-
sisted of some 386,000 volumes and was 
beginning to assume the character of a 
university library. A t the time of his resig-
nation the number of volumes had increased 

to 632,000 and the library had taken its place 
among the fifteen major university libraries 
of the country. During D r . Branscomb's 
administration many difficult problems had 
to be faced, and his aid and advice were 
invaluable to the Library Council in the 
formulation of new policies. Besides this, 
he organized the Friends of the Library, 
which now has a membership of over five 
hundred, and was chiefly responsible for the 
development of a program of library co-
operation with the University of North 
Carolina, which has been of great significance 
to both institutions and has attracted wide-
spread notice among librarians and university 
administrators. 

MARCH', 1943 133