College and Research Libraries N e w Research Guide Guide to Research in Educational History. By W i l l i a m W . B r i c k m a n . N e w Y o r k , N e w Y o r k U n i v e r s i t y B o o k s t o r e , 1949. ix, 220p. $2.50. T h e a c a d e m i c disciplines of e d u c a t i o n and l i b r a r i a n s h i p h a v e m a n y t h i n g s in c o m m o n . B u t t h e i r one s t r i k i n g s i m i l a r i t y lies in t h e i r f i r s t f u n c t i o n w h i c h is t h a t of f a c i l i t a t i n g t h e a p p r o a c h e s to k n o w l e d g e . T h i s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h p a v i n g t h e r o a d s to l e a r n i n g is g e n e r a l l y viewed w i t h condescension by t h o s e c o l l e a g u e s in t h e a c a d e m i c c o m m u n i t y w h o a r e w h o l l y engaged in t h e fields of l e a r n i n g f o r t h e i r o w n sake. H e n c e t h e u n i v e r s a l s t r u g g l e f o r s t a t u s in w h i c h s c h o l a r s a n d t e a c h e r s of h i g h e r l e a r n - ing j e a l o u s l y g u a r d t h e i r p r e s e r v e s , and " e d u c a t o r s , " i n c l u d i n g l i b r a r i a n s , p e r e n n i a l l y a t t e m p t invasions of t h e p r o m i s e d l a n d . I n t h e p a s t , t h e o u t g r o u p p r o f e s s i o n s h a v e w o r k e d h a r d developing t h e philosophy, sociology and h i s t o r y of t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s w i t h t w o l a r g e p u r p o s e s in m i n d . T h e f i r s t h a s been to lay d o w n t h e g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s u n d e r - lying p r o f e s s i o n a l p r a c t i c e . T h e second h a s been t o e n l a r g e t h e ego of g r o u p s p r a c t i c i n g t h e u n d e r d o g p r o f e s s i o n s . T h i s t a c t i c h a s n o t been w i t h o u t its suc- cesses. I t m i g h t h a v e h a d g r e a t e r successes w e r e it n o t f o r t h e f a c t t h a t p r a c t i c a l neces- sities of b o t h e d u c a t i o n and l i b r a r i a n s h i p h a v e t e n d e d to e m p h a s i z e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d m e t h o d o l o g y a t t h e expense of t h e o r y and b a c k g r o u n d . I n t e a c h e r s ' colleges, b a c k - g r o u n d m a t e r i a l h a s been w a t e r e d d o w n and, a t t h e m o m e n t , is p r e t t y m u c h in t h e r o l e of a stepchild in t h e c u r r i c u l u m . I n schools of l i b r a r i a n s h i p , t h e q u e s t i o n is in t h e b a l a n c e , and a c l e a r decision is n o t to be expected f o r s o m e t i m e . T h e n e w c u r r i c u l a , in an e a r n e s t e f f o r t to e n h a n c e t h e s t a t u s of l i b r a r i a n s as w e l l as t o r a i s e t h e level of i n s t r u c t i o n , a r e b r i n g i n g principle and s u b j e c t m a t t e r to t h e f o r e . P r a c t i c i n g l i b r a r i a n s , f e a r f u l of a d e a r t h in t h e supply of r e a d y - m a d e t e c h n i - cians, a r e e x p r e s s i n g t h e i r u n e a s i n e s s via an u n d e r c u r r e n t of d e p r e c i a t i o n a n d scoffing. I t is in t h e c o n t e x t of such t u g of w a r t h a t D r . B r i c k m a n p r e s e n t s his Guide. H e p l e a d s w i t h t h e e d u c a t i o n i s t s " t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e f a c t t h a t p r o f e s s i o n a l respect can only be e a r n e d in t h e open m a r k e t of s c h o l a r s h i p . " P o i n t i n g o u t t h a t m o s t e d u c a t i o n a l h i s t o r i a n s h a v e in t h e p a s t c o n c e n t r a t e d on t h e p r o - f e s s i o n a l a n d p e d a g o g i c a l aspects of t h e i r s u b j e c t , t h e a u t h o r a r g u e s t h a t e d u c a t i o n a l h i s t o r y is, a f t e r all, a b r a n d of h i s t o r y , a n d s h o u l d be studied w i t h p r i m a r y e m p h a s i s on h i s t o r i c a l c o n t e n t a n d scientific m e t h o d . E x p e r i e n c e d t e a c h e r s a n d l i b r a r i a n s k n o w f u l l w e l l t h a t it t a k e s m o r e t h a n a r e a d y and w i l l i n g s t u d e n t t o m a k e a s c h o l a r . T h e y k n o w also t h a t it needs m o r e t h a n m a n d a t e and e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o p r o d u c e c a r e f u l f r u i t f u l r e s e a r c h . D r . B r i c k m a n ' s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e process by w h i c h k n o w l e d g e a b l e a n d intelli- g e n t people m a y be t r a n s f o r m e d into c o n t r i b - u t o r s t o l e a r n i n g is a step-by-step g u i d e o v e r t h e h u r d l e s and a r o u n d t h e p i t f a l l s . H e l e a d s his s t u d e n t ( a f t e r e x p l a i n i n g to h i m t h e m a n y b y - p r o d u c t v a l u e s of r e s e a r c h as a w a y of l e a r n i n g ) f r o m t h e selection of a topic, t h r o u g h t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of an o u t l i n e , to t h e use of r e f e r e n c e tools a n d l i b r a r y c a t a - logs w h i c h l i b r a r i a n s k n o w so w e l l b u t w h i c h l i b r a r y u s e r s k n o w so l i t t l e . H a v i n g t o u r e d r a t h e r c a r e f u l l y a n d inclusively t h e g e n e r a l a n d specific s o u r c e s of r e f e r e n c e a n d bibli- o g r a p h y , he p r o c e e d s t o an e x p l o r a t i o n of t h e m a n y types of s o u r c e m a t e r i a l s w h i c h s h o u l d be m i n e d in t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n of d a t a and ideas. B u t D r . B r i c k m a n is n o t satisfied w i t h a quick g l a n c e a t t h e s u r f a c e s of g r e a t reposi- t o r i e s of t h e stuff t h a t m a k e s h i s t o r y . H i s aim is t o develop t h e h a b i t of c r i t i c a l e v a l u a - tion as w e l l as s o u n d , c o n s t r u c t i v e use of m a t e r i a l s . H e t h e r e f o r e stops f r e q u e n t l y to p o i n t o u t t h e good and t h e bad, t h e c a r e f u l and t h e c a r e l e s s in specific pieces of w r i t i n g . N o r does he h e s i t a t e to t a k e " s t a n d a r d " w r i t e r s t o t a s k f o r s h a l l o w t h i n k i n g as w e l l as f o r t h e i r i r r e s p o n s i b l e p e r p e t u a t i o n of e r r o r s i n i t i a t e d by e a r l i e r w r i t e r s in t h e i r s u b j e c t . H i s c h a p t e r on " a p p l y i n g t h e his- t o r i c a l m e t h o d of r e s e a r c h t o e d u c a t i o n " w i l l m a k e exciting r e a d i n g t o i n t e r e s t e d s t u d e n t s a n d s h o u l d be richly s u g g e s t i v e to b u d d i n g h i s t o r i a n s of l i b r a r i a n s h i p as w e l l . A1 of w h i c h l e a d s u s t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e e x a c t n a t u r e of this book's i m p o r t a n c e t o college, r e s e a r c h and o t h e r l i b r a r i a n s . T h e f i r s t t h i n g t h a t o c c u r s to t h e r e v i e w e r is t h a t D r . B r i c k m a n ' s g u i d e is a m o s t v a l u a b l e APRIL, 1950 18 7 a d d i t i o n t o t h a t genre of r e f e r e n c e w o r k w h o s e p u r p o s e it is to give t h e l i b r a r y p a t r o n a good s t a r t t o w a r d t h e m a s t e r y of a s u b j e c t in w h i c h he e x p e c t s t o h a v e a s u s t a i n e d i n t e r - est. I t fits i n t o t h a t c a t e g o r y w h i c h a l r e a d y c o n t a i n s , in a d d i t i o n to a l a r g e n u m b e r of w o r k s in h i s t o r i o g r a p h y , such i t e m s as L o u t t i t ' s Handbook of Psychological Litera- ture, M e l l o n ' s Chemical Publications, S o u l e ' s Library Guide for the Chemist, a n d P a r k e ' s Guide to the Literature of Mathematics and Physics. A s a b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l s t a r t f o r t h e w r i t e r of a t e r m p a p e r o r a f u l l - f l e d g e d d i s s e r t a t i o n in e d u c a t i o n a l h i s t o r y , it d o e s its w o r k w e l l . T h e r e a r e f e w o m m i s s i o n s of w h i c h t h e r e - v i e w e r w o u l d w i s h t o c o m p l a i n . A m o n g t h e c o m p i l e r ' s o v e r s i g h t s a r e The Literature of Adult Education, by B e a l s and B r o d y , and t h e issue of t h e Review of Educational Research ( O c t o b e r 1936) on t h e " H i s t o r y of E d u c a t i o n and C o m p a r a t i v e E d u c a t i o n . " I t e m 290 of D r . B r i c k m a n ' s b i b l i o g r a p h y l e a d s the r e a d e r to t h e issue of Review of Educational Re- search w h i c h c o v e r s t h e s a m e field f o r t h e y e a r s 1936 t o 1939, b u t s o m e h o w o m i t s t h e basic b i b l i o g r a p h y published t h r e e y e a r s p r e v i - ous. N e e d l e s s to say, t h e r e is a g r e a t d e a l of o v e r l a p p i n g b e t w e e n t h e 1936 Review of Educational Research, w h i c h o f f e r s 975 b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l items, and t h e book u n d e r r e v i e w a t t h e m o m e n t . I t s h o u l d also be n o t e d t h a t t h e f o r m e r , b e c a u s e of its r u n n i n g c o m m e n t a r y a n d s u b j e c t b r e a k d o w n s , is in m a n y r e s p e c t s a m o r e u s a b l e b i b l i o g r a p h y t h a n D r . B r i c k m a n ' s . T h e Guide a p p r o a c h ( w h i c h lists i t e m s by f o r m of i s s u e ) m u s t c e r - t a i n l y r e l i n q u i s h m a n y of t h e a d v a n t a g e s of s u b j e c t and period divisions. T h e a u t h o r f e e l s t h a t his d e t a i l e d t a b l e of c o n t e n t s a n d s u b j e c t i n d e x ( t o t h e b i b l i o g r a - phy o n l y ) o b v i a t e this difficulty and, in f a c t , " m a k e a c o m p l e t e index u n n e c e s s a r y . " F r o m t h e u s e r ' s point of v i e w , no index could be t o o c o m p l e t e . F o r a l t h o u g h t h e b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l items a n d t h e i r a n n o t a t i o n s r e v e a l " t i m e " and " p l a c e " v a l u e s excellently, t h e index does n o t l i g h t t h e w a y t o t h e m w e l l e n o u g h . M a n y of D r . B r i c k m a n ' s ablest c r i t i c a l e v a l u a t i o n s of i n d i v i d u a l s o u r c e s a p p e a r in t h e t e x t u a l p o r t i o n of his book. A n e x p a n s i o n of t h e index to include t h e s e w o u l d g r e a t l y e n h a n c e t h e v a l u e of t h e book w i t h o u t s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n c r e a s i n g its b u l k . T h o s e w h o look to this Guide f o r a s s i s t a n c e in t h e a r e a of l i b r a r y h i s t o r y — w h i c h , a f t e r all, is a b r a n c h of e d u c a t i o n a l h i s t o r y — w i l l be d i s a p p o i n t e d w i t h its m e a g e r c o v e r a g e . T h e five m o n o g r a p h i c w o r k s in l i b r a r y h i s t o r y which D r . B r i c k m a n h a s included a r e ap- p a r e n t l y selected f o r t h e i r b r o a d c o v e r a g e and because they m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s of m o d e r n h i s t o r i c a l s c h o l a r s h i p . T h e y a f f o r d a fine e n t r e e i n t o s o m e aspects of l i b r a r y h i s t o r y b u t a r e not sufficient. I t w o u l d be h e l p f u l if, in a f u t u r e edition, t h e c o m p i l e r could at l e a s t do m o r e w i t h t h e b i b l i o g r a p h y of l i b r a r y h i s t o r y . H e h a s n o t even listed C a n n o n ' s Bibliography of Library Economy and t h e v o l u m e s of Li- brary Literature w h i c h b r i n g it u p to d a t e . P e r h a p s w e s h o u l d n o t c o m p l a i n so m u c h of neglect w h e n w e o u r s e l v e s a r e g u i l t y of h a v i n g n e g l e c t e d t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h o r o u g h l y t h e p a s t of o u r p r o f e s s i o n . T h e r e is a special need f o r g u i l t f e e l i n g s in a g r o u p w h i c h is so w e l l t r a i n e d t o h a n d l e s o u r c e m a t e r i a l s . I t is s u r e l y o v e r o p t i m i s t i c to hope t h a t e d u c a t i o n f o r l i b r a r i a n s h i p , in its c u r r e n t t r a n s i t i o n t o w a r d a g r e a t e r c o n c e r n w i t h principles and b a c k g r o u n d s , w i l l e m p h a s i z e t h e r e s e a r c h p o i n t of v i e w . O n e h i n t given l a s t y e a r by P r e s i d e n t H a r o l d T a y l o r of S a r a h L a w r e n c e C o l l e g e , a t a m e e t i n g of t h e N e w Y o r k L i b r a r y C l u b , is t h a t it m a y be possi- ble to do a s i z a b l e p a r t of t h e j o b of t r a i n i n g f o r t h e p r o f e s s i o n by r e q u i r i n g l i b r a r y school s t u d e n t s to d o m e a n i n g f u l s u b j e c t p r o j e c t s w h i c h involve t h e e x t e n s i v e use of w e l l - a r r a n g e d libraries.—Sidney Ditzion, College of the City of New York Library. Communications Research Communications Research, 1948-49. E d i t e d by P a u l F . L a z a r s f e l d a n d F r a n k N . S t a n - t o n . N e w Y o r k , H a r p e r and B r o t h e r s , 1949. xviii, 332p. $4-50. I n a s m u c h as t h e e d i t o r s of this t h i r d v o l u m e of a series b e g u n in 1941 u n d e r t h e title of Radio Research h a v e f o u n d it de- s i r a b l e t o use a m o r e g e n e r a l t e r m f o r t h e t i t l e of t h e first p o s t w a r v o l u m e , it s h o u l d be i n t e r e s t i n g and i n s t r u c t i v e t o m a k e at 176 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES