College and Research Libraries


B y M A R Y D . H E R R I C K A N D A D E L A I D E C . H I L L 

Problems of Bibliographical Control 
for an Area Research Program 

Miss Herrick is associate librarian, and 

Dr. Hill is administrative assistant and re-

search associate with the African Research 

Studies Program, Boston University. 

' - p H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F an inter-discipli-

n a r y area p r o g r a m , p a r t i c u l a r l y if the 

area is as g e n e r a l l y u n f a m i l i a r as A f r i c a , 

brings out in bold relief the s t r o n g depend-

ence of a u n i v e r s i t y on its l i b r a r y resources. 

T o single out f o r discussion the dependence 

upon its l i b r a r y of a u n i v e r s i t y p r o g r a m of 

any type suggests the l e v e l of a b s u r d i t y n o t 

u s u a l l y r e w a r d e d by p u b l i c a t i o n . H o w e v e r , 

it is precisely this r e g u l a r i t y of e x p e c t a n c y 

and r e w a r d s w h i c h has d u l l e d our perception 

as to its necessity and the intricate mecha-

nism i n v o l v e d in a c h i e v i n g this relationship. 

A l l institutions f u n c t i o n on the basis of 

f a m i l i a r p a t t e r n s and established r o u t i n e s ; 

this is no less t r u e w i t h u n i v e r s i t y - l i b r a r y 

i n t e r a c t i o n . S c h o l a r s and w o u l d - b e scholars 

l e g i t i m a t e l y e x p e c t a " g o o d " l i b r a r y to pur-

chase and house the required l i t e r a t u r e in a 

g i v e n field of interest. L i b r a r i a n s con-

versely anticipate routine request f o r avail-

able m a t e r i a l on the part of the scholars and 

a s p i r i n g scholars. A s a r u l e such m u t u a l 

expectations are m e t — a t least to the e x t e n t 

of m a i n t a i n i n g the f u n c t i o n of the institu-

tion. N o r is there a b r e a k d o w n in the proc-

ess should a d e p a r t m e n t i n t r o d u c e a n e w 

course e m p h a s i z i n g f a m i l i a r but p r e v i o u s l y 

u n w a n t e d materials. A s h i f t f r o m B a c o n to 

J o y c e m e r e l y e x t e n d s the l i b r a r y facilities 

and perhaps t e m p o r a r i l y inactivates c e r t a i n 

others. T h e o b l i g a t i o n of i n t r o d u c i n g n e w 

courses to prepare students f o r the n e w e r 

fields of s t u d y such as electronics or psy-

chosomatic medicine m a y i n v o l v e , perhaps, 

some r e - e v a l u a t i o n , some displacement and 

disruption in the smooth routine of l i b r a r y -

f a c u l t y interaction, b u t , on the w h o l e , if 

f u n d s are available the process is g r a d u a l and 

d e v e l o p m e n t a l , a f f e c t i n g perhaps o n l y one or 

r a r e l y more t h a n three m e m b e r s of a depart-

m e n t . 

I m a g i n e , h o w e v e r , the s i t u a t i o n of a 

g r o u p of d e p a r t m e n t s h a v i n g , it is true, a 

c o m m o n interest in a p r o b l e m or problems, 

but l a c k i n g the f a m i l i a r i n s t r u m e n t s of 

w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r , l a c k i n g all too f r e q u e n t l y 

m o r e than the m i n i m u m u n d e r s t a n d i n g of 

one a n o t h e r ' s orientations, techniques, basic 

sources, et cetera, a t t e m p t i n g to s t u d y A f r i c a 

and e x p e c t i n g the f a m i l i a r assistance f r o m 

the l i b r a r y . I n i t i a l l y there emerges the 

p r o b l e m of the accessibility of such m a t e r i a l , 

w h i c h , w h i l e not necessarily vast in a m o u n t , 

is scattered t h r o u g h o u t the w o r l d . T h e f a c -

tors of location, c o m m u n i c a t i o n , distance, 

even changes of personel m u s t be o v e r c o m e . 

T o be m o r e specific, our c o n t a c t w i t h 

A f r i c a , t h o u g h e x t e n d i n g back to the 1 7 t h 

and 18th centuries, is neither broad n o r pro-

d u c t i v e in a l i t e r a r y w a y . M o s t of the E u r o -

pean p o w e r s in their 500 y e a r s or m o r e of 

A f r i c a n c o n t a c t h a v e amassed a w i d e r a n g e 

of publications in m a n y d i f f e r e n t l a n g u a g e s 

and n o w located in m a n y d i f f e r e n t places. 

A s i d e f r o m these v a l u a b l e historical sources, 

an A f r i c a n p r o g r a m m u s t expect its l i b r a r y 

to possess the d a t a n o w r e g u l a r l y p r o d u c e d 

by the r a p i d l y g r o w i n g n u m b e r of research 

institutes located in E u r o p e , in the U n i t e d 

K i n g d o m and in A f r i c a . A s a g e n e r a l r u l e 

JULY, 1955 291 



the institutes in A f r i c a are c o n s i d e r a b l y 

u n d e r s t a f f e d and f r e q u e n t l y they l a c k the 

facilities s y s t e m a t i c a l l y to p u b l i c i z e or cir-

c u l a r i z e m u c h of their d a t a . T o some ex-

tent c h a n g e s f o r the better are indicated, 

but there is still the real p r o b l e m of estab-

lishing f o r these institutes the s t r e n g t h they 

w i l l need to d e v e l o p t h e m as sources of re-

search. 

A s most of A f r i c a is, or has been, u n d e r 

the j u r i s d i c t i o n of E u r o p e a n p o w e r s , m u c h 

v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n is in the f o r m of official 

reports and is a v a i l a b l e o n l y t h r o u g h the 

official g o v e r n m e n t s and g o v e r n m e n t offices 

c o n c e r n e d . T h e f a m i l i a r b u r e a u c r a t i c head-

aches become " t h e o r d e r of the d a y . " 

I n d e e d , f a r m o r e t h a n g e n e r a l l i b r a r y 

efficiency can absorb, each o r d e r c o u l d re-

quire an i n d e p e n d e n t c o n t a c t . T h e u s u a l l y 

reliable dealers on w h o m any good l i b r a r y 

must depend are less u s e f u l f o r these m a t e r i -

als because they h a v e not in the past had 

the need to d e v e l o p c o n t a c t s w i t h these re-

mote sources. W h i l e in r o u t i n e acquisitions 

a dealer c o u l d f u l f i l l w i t h some r a p i d i t y all 

the usual s u b j e c t requests, n o w the l i b r a r y 

staff m u s t f r e q u e n t l y initiate and m a i n t a i n 

n u m e r o u s i n d e p e n d e n t contacts. A n d this 

does not e x h a u s t the p r o b l e m . T h e s t i m u l u s 

of a t t e m p t i n g to c o v e r the needs of a r a p i d l y 

c h a n g i n g society c o n s t a n t l y creates n e w j o u r -

nals and special reports and eliminates the 

need f o r others. T h e l i b r a r i a n s ' e x p e c t a t i o n 

for c o n t i n u i t y in the p u b l i c a t i o n s of serials 

is f r e q u e n t l y f r u s t r a t e d . 

M a t e r i a l once received, the p r o b l e m of 

u s e f u l and p e r m a n e n t c a t a l o g i n g emerges. 

H o w most e f f e c t i v e l y can these n e w m a -

terials be fitted i n t o established h e a d i n g s ? 

H o w can the loss of v a l u a b l e h i d d e n contri-

butions be f u r t h e r a v o i d e d w i t h o u t recourse 

to m i n u t e s u b j e c t a n a l y s i s ? H o w can the 

l a r g e r a m o u n t s of so-called f u g i t i v e m a t e r i -

a l s — p a m p h l e t s , speeches, short reports and 

g o v e r n m e n t d o c u m e n t s — b e m a d e accessible 

f o r r e a d y r e f e r e n c e ? T h e s e are b u t a f e w 

of the p r o b l e m s of b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l c o n t r o l 

t h a t o c c u r in the d e v e l o p m e n t of a special 

area p r o g r a m . P r e s e n t m e t h o d s of s u b j e c t 

analysis can p r o v i d e good c o r r e l a t i o n be-

t w e e n a book c o l l e c t i o n and the t r a d i t i o n a l 

d e p a r t m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n in a u n i v e r s i t y . 

I n t h e o r y , a l l f a c e t s of inter-relationships 

can be expressed, a c c o r d i n g to R a n g a n a t h a n 

and T a u b e . I n f a c t , h o w e v e r , w e do not 

have these m e t h o d s a v a i l a b l e f o r use. 

T h e a r e a p r o g r a m , as it orients a l l k n o w l -

edge a b o u t the spatial unit, presents a w i d e r 

and m o r e basic c h a l l e n g e in p r o v i d i n g f o r 

adequate and e c o n o m i c a l s u b j e c t analysis 

than w e h a v e had h e r e t o f o r e . T h e publica-

tions are dispersed t h r o u g h o u t history, an-

t h r o p o l o g y , s o c i o l o g y , religion and the arts. 

W i s e l y , the area specialists at B o s t o n U n i -

v e r s i t y r e j e c t e d the c h i m e r a of the develop-

m e n t of a special classification scheme to 

keep all the m a t e r i a l s t o g e t h e r . E n t i c i n g as 

this appears at first g l a n c e , if p u t into op-

e r a t i o n it w o u l d r e m o v e a l l the v a l u e t h a t 

m i g h t be gained by the presence of mate-

rial f o r c o m p a r a t i v e studies. I t w o u l d also 

s e g r e g a t e a l a r g e a m o u n t of i n f o r m a t i o n 

t h a t c o u l d be used by s t u d e n t s in other 

p r o g r a m s . 

T h e present day philosophy of book clas-

sification supports the principle both of 

" b r o a d " and " c l o s e " classification. W h a t -

ever m e t h o d is f o l l o w e d , s u b j e c t p l a c e m e n t 

of m a t e r i a l is p a r a m o u n t . B e c a u s e book 

classifications are necessarily linear, the sub-

j e c t c a t a l o g is the o n l y source f o r the expres-

sion of m u l t i - s u b j e c t c o v e r a g e of a v o l u m e . 

T h e basic p r i n c i p l e of p r i m a r y e n t r y u n d e r 

specific s u b j e c t is u s u a l l y accepted as it is in 

classification. T h e r e is, of course, represen-

tation of g e o g r a p h i c a l areas, b u t w h e n the 

s u b j e c t transcends g e o g r a p h i c a l or political 

l i m i t s these areas are s u b o r d i n a t e to the 

s u b j e c t . F o r e x a m p l e , r e l i g i o n , a r t and 

philosophy are s u b d i v i d e d g e o g r a p h i c a l l y in 

t r a d i t i o n a l s u b j e c t c a t a l o g s . T h u s w h i l e po-

l i t i c a l history of the G o l d C o a s t is f o u n d in 

292 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



a s u b j e c t c a t a l o g u n d e r G o l d C o a s t — P o l i -

tics and G o v e r n m e n t , the education of the 

A f r i c a n s in the G o l d C o a s t w i l l be f o u n d 

u n d e r E d u c a t i o n — G o l d C o a s t . 

T h e high costs of p r o v i d i n g detailed anal-

ysis of m a t e r i a l s [ f r o m t w o to five d o l l a r s 

per t i t l e ] makes it almost impossible f o r the 

a v e r a g e l i b r a r y to s a t i s f y f u l l y the d e m a n d s 

of either the g e o g r a p h i c a l area specialist or 

the s u b j e c t specialist. T h e r e m a i n d e r of 

this paper w i l l present a description of the 

steps taken in one m e d i u m - s i z e d u n i v e r s i t y 

l i b r a r y system to p r o v i d e a p a r t i a l solution 

f o r the area specialist. 

T h e A f r i c a n Studies P r o g r a m w a s insti-

t u t e d in the s p r i n g of 1 9 5 3 but its w o r k w a s 

not o r g a n i z e d u n t i l the director a r r i v e d at 

the s t a r t of the 1 9 5 3 / 5 4 a c a d e m i c year. I t 

is, t h e r e f o r e , in a b e g i n n i n g stage of opera-

tion and its policies and lines of direction 

b a r e l y f o r m u l a t e d . W i t h a research staff 

busily concerned w i t h s e t t i n g up c o n t a c t s 

abroad, and d r a w i n g up courses and areas 

of study at home, t h e r e is l i t t l e time to w o r k 

w i t h the l i b r a r y on i n d i v i d u a l items as they 

come in. A l m o s t daily c o n f e r e n c e s f o r the 

first f e w w e e k s helped to establish m u t u a l l y 

agreeable means of c o m m u n i c a t i o n , under-

s t a n d i n g of j o i n t p r o b l e m s and the g e n e r a l 

type of t r e a t m e n t required f o r books, pam-

phlets and serials. W e c a n n o t n o w , nor at 

a n y foreseeable f u t u r e time, prepare the 

depth of s u b j e c t i n d e x i n g to the c o l l e c t i o n 

t h a t is possible in other fields, such as pro-

vided by Chemical Abstracts. W e are, h o w -

ever, w o r k i n g t o w a r d an expansion of the or-

d i n a r y p r o c e d u r e s used in our g e n e r a l cata-

l o g i n g . A l l books and serials are treated as 

a n y other l i b r a r y materials. T h e y w o u l d 

not, of course, o r d i n a r i l y receive a t w o w a y 

approach of e n t r y both u n d e r place and 

u n d e r topic. T r u e , there are possibilities of 

a chain connection by "see r e f e r e n c e s . " 

T h e r e c o u l d be c a r d s in the s u b j e c t c a t a l o g 

u n d e r A f r i c a s a y i n g A f r i c a — B i r d s — s e e 

B i r d s — A f r i c a ; A f r i c a — A r t — s e e A r t ; So-

cial i n s u r a n c e — s e e I n s u r a n c e , S o c i a l — 

A f r i c a ; and f o r a l l the other s u b j e c t aspects 

that are n o t u s u a l l y represented d i r e c t l y 

u n d e r the name of a g e o g r a p h i c a l area. T h i s 

is cumbersome, but to p r o v i d e d u p l i c a t e 

entries u n d e r both A f r i c a and the topic 

w o u l d be p r o h i b i t i v e l y expensive in labor, 

m a t e r i a l s and in space requirements in a 

g e n e r a l l i b r a r y c a t a l o g . A t N o r t h w e s t e r n 

U n i v e r s i t y w h e r e a p r o g r a m of A f r i c a n 

studies has been in existence since 1 9 4 8 / 4 9 

there is a separate a u t h o r and area c a t a l o g of 

this m a t e r i a l . T h e s t a t e m e n t is m a d e t h a t 

" i t is planned to h a v e a s u b j e c t - m a t t e r clas-

sification c a t a l o g m a d e as soon as the 

necessary a d d i t i o n a l cards can be ob-

tained and s o r t e d . " 1 A l t h o u g h it happens 

that B o s t o n U n i v e r s i t y ' s s u b j e c t c a t a l o g is in 

a classified r a t h e r than an alphabetical ar-

r a n g e m e n t the problem of s u b j e c t analysis is 

the same. T h e solution being tested is a 

simple one. I t is w h a t w e have chosen to 

c a l l an " A f r i c a n O r i e n t e d I n d e x " to our 

collection. H e r e t o p i c s — i . e . , T r i b e s , C i t i e s , 

R e g i o n s , as w e l l as g e n e r a l s u b j e c t — a r e 

listed in alphabetical o r d e r s u b o r d i n a t e d to 

A f r i c a , and each time a n e w aspect is re-

corded the list is a n n o t a t e d . I t does not list 

titles, but o n l y records location symbols as 

they appear in the classified s u b j e c t c a t a l o g . 

T h u s it does not require any l a r g e expendi-

ture to accomplish its purpose. U n d e r 

A f r i c a at present w e have o v e r five h u n d r e d 

separate topics listed w i t h their a p p r o p r i a t e 

n u m b e r symbols. A r e f e r e n c e to the c a t a l o g 

u n d e r a n y one of these s h o w s at once the 

items that r e f e r w h o l l y or in p a r t to t h a t 

topic. T o p r e v e n t this index b e c o m i n g un-

w i e l d y in such areas as E t h n o l o g y ( w h e r e 

almost e v e r y part of A f r i c a is r e p r e s e n t e d ) , 

w e affix a note i n d i c a t i n g that there is gen-

eral area c o v e r a g e here. T h i s a l l o w s us to 

omit the l i s t i n g of separate colonies and 

countries, b u t indicates to the s t u d e n t he can 

1 N o r t h w e s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y . P r o g r a m of A f r i c a n stud-
i e s , 1 9 4 9 / 5 3 . ( E v a n s t o n , 1 1 1 . : 1 9 5 3 , P- N ) . 

JULY, 1955 293 



be sure of f i n d i n g s o m e t h i n g on each place. 

I n o t h e r topics, h o w e v e r , w h e r e there is not 

as yet a n y extensive collection, such as T a x -

ation, the e x a c t areas represented are listed. 

T h e reason f o r this is t w o - f o l d , it serves as 

a g u i d e to the s t u d e n t e x p l o r i n g the field f o r 

a topic to a l l o w h i m to j u d g e if it o f f e r s 

e n o u g h m a t e r i a l f o r s t u d y ; and it also serves 

as a guide to the f a c u l t y s h o w i n g the l i m i t a -

tions of the holdings. W h e n the s t a t e m e n t 

of extensive c o v e r a g e is g i v e n , as u n d e r 

E t h n o l o g y , the p r o b l e m of acquisition of 

m o r e m a t e r i a l s is o n l y one of c o n t i n u e d 

steady g r o w t h , but if a topic s h o w s sparse o r 

spotty representation it m a y d r a w a t t e n t i o n 

to the need f o r stepped-up acquisitions or 

possibly the d e v e l o p m e n t of a research s t u d y 

to help p r o v i d e better c o v e r a g e . A brief 

e x c e r p t f r o m this i n d e x is g i v e n b e l o w : 

C h a d D T 5 4 6 . 4 
Children H Q 7 9 2 . A 3 5 
Cities and towns H T 1 4 8 

Planning 
Nairobi, N A 9 2 7 4 . N 3 

Commerce HF3971-3980 
C o n g o D T 6 3 9 

Belgium D T 6 4 1 - 6 6 5 
Bibliography Z3631-3635 
Constitutional history JQ3600-3619 
Economic policy H C 5 9 1 . K 7 
French D T 5 4 6 

Cooperation 

T a n g a n y i k a H D 3 5 6 3 . T 3 
Copper mines 

L a b o r H D 9 5 3 9 A 3 5 
C u l t u r e D T 1 4 
C u l t u s BL2400 
C u s t o m a r y l a w G N 4 9 3 . 4 

I n a d d i t i o n to the c a t a l o g e d c o l l e c t i o n 

there are a b o u t five h u n d r e d pamphlets not 

at present s e p a r a t e l y c a t a l o g e d . T h e y in-

c l u d e m a t e r i a l m o r e v a l u a b l e t h a n t h a t usu-

a l l y kept in a v e r t i c a l file. M u c h of it is 

f r o m the offices of the c o l o n i a l g o v e r n m e n t s , 

reports of field studies or brief m o n o g r a p h i c 

studies. T h e p a m p h l e t c o l l e c t i o n is ar-

r a n g e d on the basis of a r e a and is o n l y rep-

resented in the card c a t a l o g by g e n e r a l r e f e r -

ences to these areas, i n d i c a t i n g there is a 

collection of pamphlets a v a i l a b l e . In o r d e r -

i n g p a m p h l e t m a t e r i a l s a f o u r - p a r t m u l t i p l e 

f o r m is used. O n e of these f o r m s goes to 

the dealer, and w h e n the item is received the 

others a c c o m p a n y it to the c a t a l o g i n g depart-

m e n t . H e r e the area n u m b e r , such as 

D T 5 1 1 ( G o l d C o a s t ) is put on the slips 

and on the p a m p h l e t . T h e r e m a i n i n g slips 

are d i s t r i b u t e d , one to the d i r e c t o r of the 

p r o g r a m , t w o to a separate p a m p h l e t cata-

l o g . T h i s p a m p h l e t is kept w i t h the collec-

tion and serves as an index to it. I t is in 

t w o files, the one by n u m b e r serves as s h e l f -

list, and the o t h e r is an a l p h a b e t i c a l s u b j e c t 

index. S o m e of the p a m p h l e t s do not re-

quire representation in the second f i l e ; f o r 

e x a m p l e , a g e n e r a l s t u d y of N i g e r i a is suf-

ficiently a v a i l a b l e w i t h a slip in the n u m b e r 

file, but if the s t u d y is c o n c e r n e d p r i m a r i l y 

w i t h the cooperatives in t h a t area it w i l l 

also be represented in the s u b j e c t file. T h e s e 

slips are used j u s t as they c o m e f r o m the 

order d e p a r t m e n t ; they u s u a l l y h a v e an 

acceptable b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l f o r m of e n t r y but 

no l o n g reach is m a d e to i d e n t i f y t h e m or is 

any a t t e m p t g e n e r a l l y made to edit them to 

b r i n g t h e m in line w i t h official headings. 

T h e file is o n l y a f i n d i n g device, kept as 

simple and as inexpensive as possible. I n 

this w a y w e are able to provide w o r k a b l e 

access to this c o l l e c t i o n w h i l e it is reasonably 

s m a l l . A s it g r o w s w e expect to i n c o r p o r a t e 

some of the m o n o g r a p h s i n t o the book col-

lection. W h e n it becomes a p p a r e n t t h a t w e 

are r e c e i v i n g a serial r e g u l a r l y , it is r e m o v e d 

and separately c a t a l o g e d . S o m e m a t e r i a l , as 

it becomes o u t d a t e d , m a y be r e m o v e d to "his-

torical f i l e s , " w i t h d r a w n or stored as the 

p r o g r a m d i r e c t o r r e c o m m e n d s . 

T h e n e x t step is a j o i n t one, w i t h the 

p r o g r a m staff b e a r i n g the m a j o r p a r t of the 

w o r k load. T h e staff plans to e x p l o r e 

m e t h o d s by w h i c h a s u b j e c t specialist f r o m 

the p r o g r a m m i g h t do f u r t h e r s u b j e c t a n a l y -

sis in c e r t a i n areas and w i t h selected parts 

294 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



ijof the l i b r a r y collection. E v e r y a t t e m p t w i l l 

be m a d e to keep the t e r m i n o l o g y and f o r m 

of this s u b j e c t analysis in line w i t h c a t a l o g -

i n g principles w h e r e v e r possible. T h e re-

sponsibility of the l i b r a r y w i l l be to f o l l o w 

the w o r k of the staff m e m b e r , to c o n f e r on 

choice of t e r m s and to p r o v i d e links f r o m 

the s u b j e c t c a t a l o g to the analysis file, or if 

the a n a l y t i c s are put into the c e n t r a l c a t a l o g , 

to see that they are edited and i n t e g r a t e d 

into the m a i n s u b j e c t index. 

W e f e e l that a recognition of the c o m p l e x -

ity of the p r o b l e m at hand is c r u c i a l to its 

s o l u t i o n — t h o u g h not its solution. W h e n 

several specialists have an i m p o r t a n t stake 

in the successful solution of a p r o b l e m , a 

m e e t i n g of the minds, a w i l l i n g n e s s to under-

stand one a n o t h e r ' s difficulties, to p e r m i t a 

flexibility in established procedures all com-

bine to set the stage f o r this v i t a l l y i m p o r t a n t 

operation. I t is no l o n g e r feasible m e r e l y 

to entertain expectations. Discussions 

a r o u n d a c o n f e r e n c e table f r o m time to time 

b e t w e e n l i b r a r y staff and p r o g r a m staff can 

do m o r e than a n y t h i n g else to m a i n t a i n the 

i m p o r t a n t respect and cooperation w h i c h 

w i l l ensure the success of the p r o g r a m and 

the g r o w t h of the l i b r a r y as the repository 

of its m a j o r collections of research ma-

terials. 

A m e r i c a n University Libraries, 1955-2005 

(Continued from page 290) 

but they quite p r o b a b l y w i l l still be so ex-

pensive in 2005 t h a t o n l y a f e w libraries w i l l 

be able to a f f o r d t h e m ; ( 3 ) there m a y be a 

l i m i t to the a m o u n t of speed and efficiency 

f a c u l t y members w i l l accept. 

L i b r a r i a n s w i l l not a p p r o v e of this ap-

parent b a c k w a r d n e s s on the p a r t of scholars, 

but it w i l l be the result of habits of t h o u g h t 

w h i c h are hard to c h a n g e . If a m a n is g o i n g 

to spend a period of six m o n t h s to six years 

in p r o d u c i n g a piece of research, it c a n n o t 

m a k e m u c h d i f f e r e n c e to him if the li-

b r a r i a n is able to assemble and to present 

h i m w i t h the m a t e r i a l s he needs w i t h i n a 

period of t w o days instead of a period of 

t w o w e e k s . 

I t m i g h t be w o r t h w h i l e to t u r n to some 

of the less m e c h a n i c a l w e a p o n s employed by 

u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y staffs in f i g h t i n g the battle 

f o r b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l c o n t r o l of f a c t s and ideas. 

I f card c a t a l o g s g r o w m u c h in size, they w i l l 

s u r e l y be broken in pieces; some have al-

ready lost sizable chunks. W i l l these breaks 

f o l l o w s u b j e c t lines, f o r m a t or l a n g u a g e 

lines, or lines that divide the books a c c o r d i n g 

to date of p u b l i c a t i o n ? W i l l the c a t a l o g 

some day describe only those m a t e r i a l s not 

described in printed b i b l i o g r a p h i e s ? G u e s s e s 

about the f u t u r e of the w e a p o n s to be used 

in b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l w a r f a r e c o u l d easily m a k e 

a book in themselves. 

T h e present discussion should come to a 

stop b e f o r e it, too, becomes a book. L e t it 

close, h o w e v e r , w i t h the expression of a hope 

t h a t l i b r a r i a n s w i l l n o t a l l o w their guessing 

about the f u t u r e to stop as books do, b u t 

w i l l e x t e n d it indefinitely, in the m a n n e r of 

the healthier serials. 

JULY, 1955 295