College and Research Libraries B y B E S S L O W R Y Reference W o r k and the W a r Ways in which the war has affected refer- ence work, as observed in an active univer- sity library by its reference librarian. BEGINNING w i t h the S u n d a y J a p a n dropped bombs on P e a r l H a r b o r , the U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n i a L i b r a r y , in com- m o n w i t h m a n y o t h e r l a r g e l i b r a r i e s lo- cated a t s t r a t e g i c points t h r o u g h o u t the U n i t e d States, became a busy c e n t e r f o r w a r i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e s h i p y a r d s and o t h e r w a r p l a n t s a r o u n d the S a n F r a n - cisco B a y , the v a r i o u s branches of the a r m e d services w i t h h e a d q u a r t e r s in this area, research l a b o r a t o r i e s , and p r i v a t e c i t i z e n s t u r n e d to the l i b r a r y f o r assist- ance. I t has been the i n t e r e s t i n g task of the m e m b e r s of the r e f e r e n c e division to s u p p l y t h e i r requests f o r i n f o r m a t i o n p r o m p t l y and c o m p r e h e n s i v e l y . S o v a r i e d a n d t i m e l y h a v e been the d e m a n d s f o r r e f e r e n c e service t h a t it m i g h t a l m o s t be said t h a t the h i s t o r y of the w a r has been reflected in the w o r k of this division since D e c . 7, 1 9 4 1 . S o m e of the agencies w h i c h h a v e de- pended u p o n the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y f o r r e f e r e n c e assistance h a v e been the O f f i c e of W a r I n f o r m a t i o n , the O f f i c e of S t r a t e g i c S e r v i c e s , the A r m y M a p S e r v i c e , the F e d e r a l B u r e a u of I n v e s t i g a t i o n , the M i l i t a r y I n t e l l i g e n c e D i v i s i o n , the K a i s e r C o m p a n y , and the R i c h m o n d shipyards. T h e s e o r g a n i z a t i o n s h a v e f r e q u e n t l y asked f o r b i o g r a p h i c a l f a c t s a b o u t indi- v i d u a l s p r o m i n e n t in the n e w s , f o r direc- t o r y i n f o r m a t i o n , f o r the l i b r a r y ' s h o l d i n g s of n e w s p a p e r s f r o m a specific area, o r f o r a list of dictionaries and g r a m m a r s a v a i l a b l e in the l i b r a r y f o r a g i v e n l a n g u a g e o r d i a l e c t . Q u e s t i o n s of this type h a v e u s u a l l y been a n s w e r e d a t once. N o t a l l of their requests, h o w e v e r , h a v e been dis- posed of so r e a d i l y . T y p i c a l of those in- quiries w h i c h h a v e r e q u i r e d an e x t e n s i v e search h a v e b e e n : the e f f e c t of priorities u p o n u n e m p l o y m e n t , c o n v e r s i o n of ships to w a r needs, sea t r a n s p o r t of r e f r i g e r a t e d p r o d u c e in w a r t i m e , a list of r e f e r e n c e s r e l a t i n g to K a m c h a t k a , and the v e g e t a t i o n of the islands in the entire P a c i f i c a r e a . A f t e r r e c e i v i n g n u m e r o u s requests f o r the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of descendants of indi- v i d u a l s f o r w h o m ships w e r e b e i n g n a m e d , it w a s g r a t i f y i n g to h a v e the s u p e r i n t e n d - ent of one of the s h i p y a r d s o f f e r the r e f e r - ence staff passes t o a ship l a u n c h i n g . T h e r e f e r e n c e division has f r e q u e n t l y been c a l l e d u p o n f o r i n f o r m a t i o n to be used in broadcasts or to be published in n e w s p a p e r s . F o r radio use m a n y of the inquiries h a v e r e l a t e d t o the p r o n u n c i a t i o n of a g i v e n w o r d , u s u a l l y a n a m e or place n e w in the n e w s . F r o m the n e w s p a p e r offices the d e m a n d has been f o r p i c t u r e s and f o r g e n e r a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t a g i v e n area, f o r e x a m p l e , its size, p o p u l a t i o n , c l i m a t e , and l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s . T h e need f o r the exercise of i m a g i n a - tion on the p a r t of the r e f e r e n c e l i b r a r i a n is w e l l i l l u s t r a t e d by the f o l l o w i n g inci- d e n t . O n e m o r n i n g a telephone c a l l w a s received f r o m S a n F r a n c i s c o f o r the e x a c t l o c a t i o n in S p a i n of S a n S o r i g e n . I SEPTEMBER., 1944 331 s t a r t e d to v e r i f y the place in Espasa, w h e n I s u d d e n l y r e a l i z e d the i n q u i r e r m u s t be c o n f u s e d by sans origine. I asked h e r if she h a d received a cable w i t h this designa- tion. W h e n she replied in the a f f i r m a t i v e , I e x p l a i n e d t h a t it w a s the t e r m used on cables to s h o w t h a t the p o i n t of o r i g i n h a d been deleted in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h censorship r e g u l a t i o n s . I t has been g r e a t l y to o u r a d v a n t a g e to h a v e a file of the Engineering Index sup- p l e m e n t a r y c a r d s , as this service is m o r e up to date t h a n o u r o t h e r t e c h n i c a l a n d scientific b i b l i o g r a p h i e s . T h i s r e c o r d has been used as the source f o r r e c e n t r e f e r - ences on e l e c t r i c w e l d i n g m a c h i n e s ; flight test p r o c e d u r e s ; i n d u s t r i a l uses of syn- t h e t i c r u b b e r s ; uses of plastics f o r a i r c r a f t c o n s t r u c t i o n , to c o n s e r v e r u b b e r , and to replace m e t a l s ; and t h e use of creosote m i x t u r e s in D i e s e l engines. T h e p r o c e d u r e r e l a t i n g to one of the t e c h n i c a l questions of a c o n f i d e n t i a l n a t u r e m a y be of interest. F o r s e v e r a l days one of the assistants and I spent c o n s i d e r a b l e time s e a r c h i n g f o r p e r i o d i c a l r e f e r e n c e s w h i c h w e r e a b s t r a c t e d at once by a m e m - ber of the e n g i n e e r i n g f a c u l t y , if an a b s t r a c t w a s not r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e . H e f o r w a r d e d his notes to W a s h i n g t o n and received a t e l e g r a m r e q u e s t i n g the sources used f o r the r e f e r e n c e s , w h i c h w e r e p r o m p t l y supplied. T h e a b s t r a c t s w e r e then sent to someone in E n g l a n d , w h o c a b l e d i n q u i r i n g w h e r e in E n g l a n d files of the Engineering Index c o u l d be f o u n d . B y c o n s u l t i n g the World List of Scientific Periodicals, an E n g l i s h p u b l i c a t i o n , w e f u r n i s h e d the desired i n f o r m a t i o n . W e n a t u r a l l y s h o u l d l i k e to k n o w , b u t prob- a b l y n e v e r shall, w h y the U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n i a r a t h e r t h a n some o t h e r li- b r a r y w a s c a l l e d u p o n f o r this r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e . Topics of Questions T h e interest of the s t u d e n t s and the t a x p a y e r s in the w a r and defense p r o g r a m has been reflected in their questions. A t first their inquiries w e r e in r e g a r d to such topics as air r a i d p r e c a u t i o n s , c h e m i c a l w a r f a r e , i n c e n d i a r y bombs, b l a c k o u t s , e f f e c t s of the d r a f t , a n d the results of the a l u m i n u m d r i v e ; then, as t h e w a r pro- gressed, they s h o w e d interest in c o m m a n d o tactics, p r o p a g a n d a , o u r aid to the allies, uses of plastics, c o m m u n i s m a n d the w a r , v i c t o r y g a r d e n s , a n d c a n n i n g of f r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s . A n d r e c e n t l y W i l s o n ' s F o u r - teen P o i n t s and the u n d e r l y i n g p r i n c i p l e s of the L e a g u e of N a t i o n s h a v e been r e v i e w e d . T h e r e has been an increased d e m a n d by the n o n t e c h n i c a l r e a d e r f o r t e c h n i c a l books on b l u e p r i n t s , m a c h i n e tools, m o l d s used in c a s t i n g , s h i p b u i l d i n g , a n d p r o d u c - tion c o n t r o l . H e has also been interested in " r e f r e s h e r " m a t e r i a l t o aid h i m in re- v i e w i n g e l e m e n t a r y m a t h e m a t i c s , physics, a n d c h e m i s t r y . P o s t w a r p l a n n i n g has been one of the s u b j e c t s f o r w h i c h t h e r e h a v e been f r e - q u e n t inquiries f r o m the students, the g e n e r a l p u b l i c , and c i v i l i a n e m p l o y e e s of the service b r a n c h e s . T h i s is e n c o u r a g i n g , as l i b r a r i a n s m u s t be a w a r e of the prob- l e m s to be solved a f t e r the w a r . J u s t as l i b r a r i e s aided i n d u s t r i a l c o n c e r n s by f u r n i s h i n g r e f e r e n c e s on the c o n v e r s i o n of p l a n t s to w a r t i m e p r o d u c t i o n , so m a y t h e y e x p e c t to be c a l l e d u p o n f o r l i t e r a t u r e r e l a t i n g to r e c o n v e r s i o n a f t e r the w a r . A l t h o u g h t h e o r e t i c a l l y the a s s i g n m e n t s f o r the m e n in the A r m y a n d N a v y t r a i n - i n g p r o g r a m s h a v e been l a r g e l y to t e x t - books, the r e f e r e n c e division has been c a l l e d u p o n f r e q u e n t l y f o r g u i d a n c e in t h e i r studies. R e q u e s t s f r o m the N a v y trainees h a v e been f o r s u g g e s t i o n s f o r v 332 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES books to be used in r e v i e w i n g m a t h e - matics, physics, a n d c h e m i s t r y ; f o r biog- raphies of the a u t h o r s of books read f o r book r e p o r t s ; and f o r a d v i c e on the selec- tion of s u b j e c t s f o r talks in public s p e a k i n g classes. N o w t h a t the A r m y ' s f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e p r o g r a m has a d v a n c e d f r o m an intensive l a n g u a g e s t u d y into a s u r v e y of the g e o g - r a p h y and c u l t u r e of a g i v e n area, the s t u d e n t s are a s k i n g f o r assistance in f i n d - i n g r e f e r e n c e s r e l a t i n g to the a g r i c u l t u r e , the e c o n o m i c and social conditions, a n d the politics and g o v e r n m e n t of their as- signed c o u n t r i e s . M a n y of these s t u d e n t s h a v e expressed a p p r e c i a t i o n of the l i b r a r y ' s u n u s u a l l y fine c o l l e c t i o n of f o r e i g n periodi- cals a n d d o c u m e n t s . I n a d d i t i o n to r e f e r e n c e service to the trainees on c a m p u s , requests f o r lists of r e f e r e n c e s on a w i d e v a r i e t y of s u b j e c t s h a v e been received f r o m men stationed in camps w h i c h h a v e l i m i t e d l i b r a r y facilities. W a r r e f e r e n c e w o r k has not been w i t h - o u t its h u m o r o u s situations. A w o m a n telephoned f r o m S a n F r a n c i s c o one day a s k i n g f o r the p a y and subsistence r a t e of an officer of a g i v e n g r a d e in the N a v y . A f t e r I a n s w e r e d her question, she said, " Y o u m a y be interested in k n o w i n g w h y I am r e q u e s t i n g this i n f o r m a t i o n . " T h e n she w e n t on to say t h a t she had r e c e n t l y seen an a n n o u n c e m e n t in the paper of the p r o m o t i o n of h e r e x - h u s b a n d and she w o n d e r e d h o w m u c h m o r e a l i m o n y she m i g h t e x p e c t . Maps T h e i m p o r t a n c e of a w e l l - o r g a n i z e d , e x t e n s i v e c o l l e c t i o n of m a p s has been d e m o n s t r a t e d in the a l m o s t daily use of the resources of o u r m a p c o l l e c t i o n by m i l i t a r y and f a c u l t y personnel. B a t t l e s h a v e been f o u g h t in regions n e v e r b e f o r e e n v i s a g e d as of m i l i t a r y i m p o r t a n c e and r a r e l y , if ever, visited by E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g persons. M a p s h a v e been essential in the intensive search f o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t these r e m o t e areas. S u p p l e m e n t a l to the maps h a v e been the h u n d r e d s of i m p o r t a n t bits of i n f o r m a t i o n l o c a t e d in t r a v e l e r s ' descriptions, in reports of scientific expedi- tions, and in technical periodicals. B e f o r e the v i r t u a l e m b a r g o on the ship- m e n t of maps issued by m i l i t a r y agencies in f o r e i g n countries, w h i c h preceded the o u t b r e a k of the w a r by s e v e r a l m o n t h s , the l i b r a r y had m a d e good progress in its deliberate p r o g r a m of c o l l e c t i n g such f o r e i g n maps. A s a result the A r m y M a p S e r v i c e has l o c a t e d here s e v e r a l h u n d r e d maps w h i c h m e r i t e d r e p r o d u c t i o n and w h i c h w e r e not discovered e l s e w h e r e in the U n i t e d S t a t e s . O t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h h a v e used o u r m a p c o l l e c t i o n h a v e been the W e s t e r n D e f e n s e C o m m a n d , the M i l i t a r y I n t e l l i g e n c e D i v i s i o n , and the O f f i c e of S t r a t e g i c S e r v i c e s . T w o l a r g e b u l l e t i n b o a r d s near the e n t r a n c e s to the m a i n r e a d i n g r o o m h a v e presented a series of l a r g e - and small-scale maps and c h a r t s selected to i l l u s t r a t e the progress of the w a r . T h e maps h a v e been c h a n g e d as the r e g i o n a l emphasis of the w a r n e w s has s h i f t e d . I n t e r e s t in these m a p displays has been s h o w n by the n u m - ber of i n d i v i d u a l s w h o have stopped to s t u d y t h e m as w e l l as by the inquiries r e g a r d i n g the maps and their possible acquisition. Pamphlets and Posters T h i s l i b r a r y , designated as one of the w a r i n f o r m a t i o n centers, receives display p a m p h l e t s and posters of W o r l d W a r J I interest. P o s t e d on a special b u l l e t i n b o a r d , they are g r o u p e d by o r g a n i z a t i o n issuing the m a t e r i a l , f o r e x a m p l e , the SEPTEMBER., 1944 333 U . S . O f f i c e of W a r I n f o r m a t i o n , the B r i t i s h I n f o r m a t i o n Services, and F i g h t i n g F r a n c e . T h e s e exhibits a r e c h a n g e d on the first a n d f i f t e e n t h of e v e r y m o n t h . S o m e of the s u b j e c t s e m p h a s i z e d h a v e been economics of peace and w a r , h e a l t h , recrea- tion, p o s t w a r p l a n n i n g , and the N e t h e r - lands, the l a s t n a m e d b e i n g a t i m e l y e x h i b i t a r r a n g e d f o r P r i n c e s s J u l i a n a ' s recent visit. A c o l l e c t i o n of R u s s i a n p e r i o d i c a l s and p u b l i c a t i o n s of l e a r n e d societies, o u t s t a n d - i n g in the W e s t , has enabled the l i b r a r y to p r o v i d e the results of research by the R u s s i a n s on s y n t h e t i c r u b b e r and on s u r g e r y at the f r o n t a n d , c u r i o u s l y e n o u g h , a r t i c l e s on their discoveries r e l a t i n g to t r o p i c a l m e d i c i n e . O n e v e r y p r a c t i c a l request w a s f o r de- scriptions in G e r m a n and R u s s i a n of anti- a i r c r a f t g u n s . A s p a r t of the lend-lease p r o g r a m , a m e r c h a n t ship f r o m R u s s i a w a s b e i n g equipped w i t h g u n s of this type. T h e m e n responsible f o r t h e i r care and o p e r a t i o n k n e w no E n g l i s h , so t h a t it w a s necessary f o r us t o assemble a r t i c l e s pub- lished in R u s s i a n and G e r m a n , w i t h w h i c h they w e r e f a m i l i a r . T w o R u s s i a n sailors, w i t h an i n t e r p r e t e r , came to the l i b r a r y f o r the r e f e r e n c e s w h i c h w e h a d selected and also f o r t e c h n i c a l dictionaries. W h e n the m a t e r i a l s w e r e r e t u r n e d , the i n t e r p r e t e r expressed the g r a t i t u d e of the R u s s i a n s , w h o smiled and n o d d e d a p p r o v a l . S o m e a c c o u n t of the w a r w o r k of the R e f e r e n c e D i v i s i o n of the U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n i a L i b r a r y has been g i v e n by sug- g e s t i n g the v a r i e t y and i m p o r t a n c e of the r e f e r e n c e questions. T h e a c t u a l w o r k in- v o l v e d has been a h i g h l y s t i m u l a t i n g ex- perience to the m e m b e r s of the s t a f f . T h e y h a v e h a d a sense of rich r e w a r d in the r e a l i z a t i o n of an a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n in the w a r e f f o r t . T h e f u t u r e h o l d s the responsibility of s e r v i n g in u n p r e d i c t a b l e w a y s the personnel a l r e a d y c o n c e n t r a t i n g w i t h d e t e r m i n e d purpose in this key area a d j a c e n t to the P a c i f i c theatres of w a r . A Library Reorganises through (Continued from page 321) state b o a r d of e d u c a t i o n . I t p r o v i d e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t the s u p e r i n t e n d e n t of p u b l i c i n s t r u c t i o n w o u l d be i n c l u d e d as an ex officio m e m b e r of the b o a r d and t h a t the state l i b r a r y w a s to be the a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c e n t e r f o r state p u b l i c l i b r a r y d e v e l o p m e n t . A s w i t h a n y d e v e l o p i n g i n s t i t u t i o n , the r e o r g a n i z a t i o n of the state l i b r a r y is as y e t i n c o m p l e t e . T h e g o a l set f o r a c o m - p l e t e service in the n e w b u i l d i n g as of 1 9 4 1 i n c l u d e d a staff of t h i r t y - t w o pro- fessional a n d t h i r t y - o n e positions of o t h e r c h a r a c t e r and a b u d g e t of at least $200,000. T h e s e h a v e n o t y e t been a c h i e v e d , a l t h o u g h s u b s t a n t i a l progress has Building been m a d e . A c o m p a r i s o n of a d v a n c e s m a d e in the decade, h o w e v e r , s h o w v e r y definite, sustained i m p r o v e m e n t , and the prospects of the l i b r a r y ' s r e a c h i n g a period of e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g u s e f u l n e s s to the com- m o n w e a l t h are, e v e n n o w , e n c o u r a g i n g . I n c o n c l u s i o n it m a y be said t h a t the l i b r a r y has been e x t r e m e l y f o r t u n a t e in h a v i n g been able to m a k e a p l a n n e d reor- g a n i z a t i o n f o r a n e w b u i l d i n g r a t h e r t h a n h a v i n g been f a c e d w i t h a s u d d e n r e o r g a n i - z a t i o n in u n p l a n n e d q u a r t e r s . O c c u p a n c y of the b u i l d i n g has m o d i f i e d in n o m a j o r respect the r o u t i n e and o r g a n i z a t i o n that w e r e d e t e r m i n e d at the b e g i n n i n g s v 334 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES