College and Research Libraries By GLADYS W A L K E R W H I T E The H u m a n Relations Area Files LIBRARY S C I E N C E , like medical science, is a d v a n c i n g n o t t h r o u g h the dis- covery of a u n i v e r s a l c u r e - a l l , b u t t h r o u g h the g r a d u a l solution of small problems, o n e by one. I n the h u n d r e d s of years which have elapsed since the frenzied search f o r t h e f o u n t a i n of youth, average life expectancy has great- ly increased. T h o u g h the f o u n t a i n was never f o u n d , m a n y smaller problems have been solved m e a n w h i l e , w h i c h con- t r i b u t e to the same end. I n the field of l i b r a r i a n s h i p , t h e H u m a n R e l a t i o n s Area Files comprise o n e such solution w i t h i n a l i m i t e d area. Carrying the analogy a bit f u r t h e r , the medical m a n of today c a n n o t h o p e to master all the diverse specialties of his science, b u t even the r u r a l general p r a c t i t i o n e r needs to k n o w of their ex- istence, in o r d e r to m a k e p r o p e r r e f e r r a l of the occasional, u n u s u a l case. T o place it in its p r o p e r perspective, it m u s t be observed t h a t the H u m a n R e l a t i o n s Area Files also w o u l d serve only a m i n o r p o r t i o n of library patrons, b u t because of its h i g h q u a l i t y a n d h i g h degree of specialization, it is very i m p o r t a n t t h a t these occasional p a t r o n s should be di- rected to the service which can be of such great h e l p to them. For this rea- son, librarians dealing w i t h the general public, a n d more especially those deal- ing w i t h scholars, should k n o w of the existence of this service, a n d have some idea of w h o can use it, a n d how. T h e H u m a n R e l a t i o n s Area Files (hereafter referred to as H R A F ) seem to Mrs. White is Assistant Catalog Librar- ian, New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell Univer- sity. represent a u n i q u e compromise between the old-fashioned research library a n d the latest mechanized developments. I n the following description a n d explana- tion of the H R A F , it should be n o t e d that the mechanical e q u i p m e n t is sim- ple, a n d t h a t there is provision for flexi- bility, insertion, a n d growth. A t the same time, there is a great saving f o r the l i b r a r i a n in space, processing, a n d op- e r a t i n g costs, a n d a great saving for the scholar in time a n d energy r e q u i r e d to retrieve basic d a t a . H e a d q u a r t e r s of the H R A F are in New H a v e n , Connecticut. F r o m there, complete sets of d u p l i c a t e materials are d i s t r i b u t e d to the several g o v e r n m e n t agencies a n d sixteen m e m b e r universi- ties, which are especially interested in subjects p e r t a i n i n g to h u m a n relations. T h e s e universities include Cornell, H a r - vard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, a n d Yale in the East; N o r t h Carolina, in the South; Chicago, Iowa, a n d I n d i a n a , in the Midwest; O k l a h o m a , in the South- west; Colorado a n d U t a h , in the West; a n d S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a a n d Washing- ton, on the Pacific Coast. T h e Univer- sity of H a w a i i is also a m e m b e r . T h e H R A F is a research tool. I t is a new k i n d of library for use p r i m a r i l y by social researchers. I n this library t h e material has all been analyzed in d e t a i l a n d shelved, n o t v o l u m e by volume, b u t page by page; r e p r o d u c t i o n s of the same page r e a p p e a r i n g in as m a n y places as necessary if it m e n t i o n s a diversity of topics. T h e a p p r o a c h to the m a t e r i a l is n o t t h r o u g h a card catalog, b u t t h r o u g h two guidebooks. O n e lists the m a i n clas- sifications—countries, cultures, peoples, or societies—and the o t h e r lists a n d de- fines the subject headings t h a t utilize MARCH 195 8 111 the terminology painstakingly developed to serve the needs of researchers in hu- m a n relations. Designed to supply fac- t u a l d a t a to social scientists, it has been used p r i m a r i l y by students of a n t h r o - pology, sociology, political science, con- servation, psychology, a n d history. B u t as it develops by the a d d i t i o n of sub- stantial a m o u n t s of material, it becomes increasingly u s e f u l to others as well. W h i l e still very incomplete, it has been used by representatives of at least twen- ty-seven di fferent disciplines, to date. Established " t o collect, organize, a n d d i s t r i b u t e i n f o r m a t i o n of significance to the n a t u r a l a n d social sciences a n d the h u m a n i t i e s , " 1 this library "consists of a c t u a l r e p r o d u c t i o n s of scholarly a n d scientific m a t e r i a l so processed, organ- ized, a n d filed t h a t it gives the s t u d e n t of h u m a n i t y easy a n d r a p i d access to the significant i n f o r m a t i o n k n o w n " 2 con- c e r n i n g his topics in specific cultures. It has also been described as "a reposi- tory for h u m a n knowledge t h a t gathers these materials i n t o one easily accessible place, translated, analyzed, coded, a n d compactly organized." 3 E X A M P L E O F U S E T h e best way to m a k e clear the use of these files seems to be first to give a n e x a m p l e : Professor George Peter Mur- dock, an established anthropologist, was asked to p r e p a r e a n article on "Family Stability in N o n - E u r o p e a n C u l t u r e s . " A f t e r t h i n k i n g over the subject, he de- cided his best p r o c e d u r e w o u l d be to analyze d a t a o n m a r r i a g e a n d divorce f r o m eight countries in Asia, eight in Africa, a n d a like n u m b e r in Oceania, N o r t h America, a n d South America. First, he used the h a n d b o o k listing the societies which have already been in- c l u d e d in the still incomplete H R A F (Outline of World Cultures). Needless 1 Guide to the Use of the Files, p. 4. 2 H u m a n R e l a t i o n s Area Files. Function and Scope. t p. 5j. 3 H.R.A.F., p. 8. to say, h e drew u p o n his own back- g r o u n d in m a k i n g his selection in such a way t h a t it w o u l d represent a balanced sample f o r his purposes. A f t e r selecting the societies h e wished to cover, he t h e n t u r n e d to the o t h e r h a n d b o o k (Outline of Cultural Materials) which lists a n d defines "categories" (corresponding to l i b r a r i a n s ' subject headings), a n d n o t e d the code the n u m b e r s of those p e r t i n e n t to his subject. T h e materials he n e e d e d were filed geographically, by n a m e of c o u n t r y or e t h n i c g r o u p , a n d there b r o k e n d o w n by categories, so t h a t very little time was r e q u i r e d to p u l l f r o m the files the pack- ests of 5 x 8 slips p e r t a i n i n g to his sub- ject, a l t h o u g h they may have represent- ed d a t a f r o m several h u n d r e d sources. I n twelve h o u r s of actual working time, his study was completed; n o t a super- ficial j o b , b u t o n e t h a t the editor to w h o m it was s u b m i t t e d considered a "real c o n t r i b u t i o n , " w h i c h may be con- firmed by r e f e r r a l to the article itself in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, C C L X X I I (1950), 195-201. Professor M u r d o c k figured t h a t with- o u t the labor-saving aid of the H R A F , t h r e e or f o u r weeks of intensive research would have b e e n r e q u i r e d , whereas w i t h this aid, his research time was cut by 95 per cent. H e does n o t claim t h a t this is a typical example, b u t t h i n k s p r o b a b l y a b o u t a n 80 per cent saving of time is m o r e nearly average. H e points o u t t h a t these files e n a b l e the users to devote their "research time to c o n c e n t r a t e d cre- ativeness, free of the r o u t i n e d r u d g e r y of t r a d i t i o n a l scholarship." 4 I n this way, they m a k e a positive c o n t r i b u t i o n to the a d v a n c e m e n t of research. W h i l e there are m a n y projects for which these files are n o t a p p r o p r i a t e , 4 G. P. Murdock. Feasibility and I m p l e m e n t a t i o n of Comparative Community Research; W i t h Special R e f - erence to the H u m a n Relations Area Files. ( I n American Sociological Review, X V ( 1 9 5 0 ) , 720. 112 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES SOURCE N U M B E R Sample File Slip Showing Features of Filing System EVALUATION ( E t h n o l o g i s t s , o r i g i n a l w o r k ) AREA FILE CODE CATEGORY NUMBERS I n c o m e a n d D e m a n d R e a l P r o p e r t y A c c u m u l a t i o n of W e a l t h Classes ( B r a c k e t s f o r s i n g l e s e n t e n c e r e f e r e n c e ) S a v i n g a n d I n v e s t m e n t L a b o r S u p p l y a n d E m p l o y m e n t 13: Fei & C h a n g E-5 (1938-1943) 1945 AF1 C h i n a AF1 3 0 2 E A R T H B O U N D C H I N A 434 423 556 that exists, it is i n c o n c e i v a b l e that a b r o t h e r ' s f a m i l y s h o u l d b e al- l o w e d to p e r i s h i n such a w a y . B u t , so l o n g as t h e c u s t o m a r y prin- c i p l e of e q u a l i n h e r i t a n c e a m o n g s i b l i n g s exists, t i m e is a s t r o n g d i s i n t e g r a t i v e force i n l a n d h o l d i n g . E v e n t h e o w n e r s of s i z a b l e f a r m s m u s t b e o n t h e w a t c h for a n y o p p o r t u n i t y to e n l a r g e t h e i r h o l d i n g s , i n o r d e r to i n s u r e t h e f u t u r e of their d e s c e n d a n t s . T h e q u e s t i o n t h u s arises: H o w can t h e p e a s a n t s a c c u m u l a t e e n o u g h w e a l t h for the a c q u i s i t i o n of land? F o l l o w i n g o u r a n a l y s i s a b o v e , it is clear that, f o r a n a v e r a g e farmer, it is a l r e a d y difficult t o w i n s u b s i s t e n c e f r o m t h e l a n d . If there is a c e r t a i n s u r p l u s , it w i l l easily b e e x h a u s t e d i n p e r i o d i c a l c e r e m o n i e s . M o r e o v e r , t h e r e are f a m i n e s , b a n d i t s , a n d p e r s o n a l m i s f o r t u n e s . T h a t l a n d b r e e d s n o l a n d is all t o o true. T h o s e w h o seek f o r security l o o k b e y o n d a g r i c u l t u r e . A m b i t i o u s p e o p l e l e a v e t h e v i l l a g e t o find f o r t u n e s e i t h e r by o b t a i n i n g a p o s i t i o n i n t h e g o v e r n m e n t , by r i s k i n g t h e i r l i v e s by j o i n i n g t h e army, or by e n g a g i n g i n e v e n m o r e d a n g e r o u s a d v e n t u r e s i n i l l e g a l traffic. If o n e is s h o c k e d by h e a r i n g of t h i s u n h a p p y c h o i c e of w a y s of a t t a i n i n g w e a l t h , h e s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h a t i n the t r a d i t i o n a l e c o n o m y t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of w e a l t h usu- a l l y takes p l a c e o u t s i d e of i n d u s t r y a n d a g r i c u l t u r e . " T h r o u g h p o w e r to w e a l t h " is t h e g e n e r a l f o r m u l a i n a p r e c a p i t a l i s t i c so- ciety. T h e b a s i c t r u t h is t h a t e n r i c h m e n t t h r o u g h t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n of l a n d , u s i n g t h e t r a d i t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y , is n o t a p r a c t i c a l m e t h o d f o r a c c u m u l a t i n g w e a l t h . O p p o r t u n i t y i n i n d u s t r y a c q u i r e s , t h e r e f o r e , a n e w s i g n i f i c a n c e i n a n a g a r i a n s i t u a t i o n . T h i s s i g n i f i c a n c e resides i n t h e fact t h a t t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of w e a l t h t h r o u g h v i o l e n c e or p o w e r d o e s n o t l e a d t o f u r t h e r a c c u m u l a t i o n of w e a l t h a n d t h u s is m a i n t a i n e d w i t h difficulty. A n official m a y b e c o m e rich; b u t , u n l e s s h e c a n in- vest h i s w e a l t h i n g e t t i n g m o r e p o w e r a n d b e c o m i n g richer, h e w i l l g r a d u a l l y b e g i n to sink w h e n h e retires t o t h e v i l l a g e a n d be- c o m e s a l a n d o w n e r . B u t i n d u s t r y is d i f f e r e n t . T h r o u g h it, w e a l t h c a n b e a c c u m u l a t e d c o n t i n u o u s l y . W h e n t h e w e a l t h o b t a i n e d f r o m i n d u s t r y is u s e d to b u y l a n d , t h e o w n e r c a n c o n t i n u e t o b u y , a n d t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i n g f o r c e of d i v i s i o n t h r o u g h i n h e r i t a n c e is n o l o n g e r e f f e c t i v e . T h e l a n d o w n i n g class t h u s b e c o m e s m o r e or less p e r m a n e n t . II. INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE IN RURAL ECONOMY ^ C j ^ T h e a n a l y s i s of rural i n d u s t r y i n Part I I is s i g n i f i c a n t at t h i s p o i n t i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n . R u r a l i n d u s t r y h a s t w o bases: o n e t h e 4 6 4 n e c e s s i t y f o r f i n d i n g e m p l o y m e n t o n t h e part of t h e farmers, a n d [565] MARCH 1958 113- they have been used in such diversified ways as the following: By a student of d r a m a who was interested in the f u n c t i o n of d r a m a in the life cycle of primitive p e o p l e ; by a writer who needed b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n for a novel a b o u t an island in the Pacific; by a botanist p r e p a r i n g a bibliography on the flora of O c e a n i a ; by an anthropologist p r e p a r i n g a cross-cultural study of the structure a n d f u n c t i o n of kinship g r o u p s ; a n d by a psychologist interested in test- ing hypotheses a b o u t the relation of child training practices to various aspects of a d u l t culture. T h e y have also been used in the p r e p a r a t i o n of guides a n d hand- books on p e o p l e s a n d cultures through- out the world a n d by personnel f r o m gov- ernmental a n d other agencies who needed b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n on particular so- cieties.5 D E T A I L E D D E S C R I P T I O N Any o n e of the sixteen universities h a v i n g m e m b e r s h i p in H R A F now has over twenty-seven drawer-filing cabinets, each d r a w e r c o n t a i n i n g two rows of 5 x 8 slips similar to the accompanying sam- ple. All the books, articles, a n d m a n u - script materials processed f o r these files, if n o t w r i t t e n in English, have been translated i n t o English. It is possible to consult the complete book or article, re- p r o d u c e d on 5 x 8 file slips, filed consec- utively, w i t h the pages in straight nu- merical order, preceded by a biblio- graphical slip giving, in a d d i t i o n to all customary b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l data, a n an- n o t a t i o n on the coverage a n d n a t u r e of the complete work. However, the prin- cipal utility of the system derives f r o m the topical categories n u m b e r i n g some 700 in which the d a t a o n each society are placed. T h e researcher wishing to use the files proceeds generally as Professor M u r d o c k did. T h a t is, b e f o r e coming to the files, he will have decided u p o n the p r o b l e m he wishes to study, the a p p r o a c h he in- 5 Guide to the Use of the Files, p. 6-7. tends to use, the size a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n of his sample or c o m p a r a b l e considerations. I n the H R A F r o o m he will consult the Outline of World Cultures, to identify the areas or e t h n i c g r o u p s he i n t e n d s to include. H e will t h e n proceed to the O u t l i n e of W o l d C u l t u r e s I n d e x File, which will indicate the availability of processed m a t e r i a l o n the cultures h e wishes to study. T h e next step is to search the Outline of Cultural Materi- als f o r the categories, or subject head- ings, p e r t i n e n t to his topic. I n using this volume, he will n o t e the definitions of the categories, t o m a k e sure they apply to w h a t he has in m i n d , a n d will also check a d d i t i o n a l categories to which they are cross-referenced as well as ad- j a c e n t categories which may also be rele- v a n t to his subject. I n this connection, it m i g h t be n o t e d t h a t there are now 707 categories, a n d t h a t new m a t e r i a l is con- stantly b e i n g a d d e d to the files. T h e scholar is t h e n ready to w i t h d r a w f r o m the files those packets of file slips p e r t i n e n t to his study. T h e y may n o t be removed f r o m the room, b u t the r o o m is p r o v i d e d w i t h work tables a n d r a t h e r generous space f o r typing or o t h e r note- t a k i n g by several people at a time. It should n o t m a k e any difference to o u r scholar which of the sixteen mem- ber universities is giving h i m this oppor- tunity. All have equally complete files. However, some are m o r e c o m p e t e n t t h a n others at keeping t h e m u p to d a t e a n d p r o v i d i n g convenient a n d c o m f o r t a b l e w o r k i n g quarters. All the file slips have been p r e p a r e d at H R A F h e a d q u a r t e r s , according to the following steps: 1. Selection of source materials for inclu- sion is m a d e by research associates (sub- ject specialists), who also designate the h e a d i n g u n d e r which the c o m p l e t e text will be placed. 2. T h e p u b l i c a t i o n is x e r o g r a p h e d ; i.e., each p a g e is r e p r o d u c e d photographi- 114 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES cally on a mat f r o m which it can be printed on 5 x 8 slips. 3. An analyst (subject specialist) reads a n d codes the mats. T h i s coding is checked by another analyst, then re- turned to the first for reconciliation of points on which there may be dis- agreement. 4. T h e bibliographical slip a n d cross-ref- erence slips are p r e p a r e d . 5. Mats are then used to print, on 5 x 8 file slips, sufficient copies so that there will be one to go with the complete text, a n d one for each category coded, for each of the member institutions. 6. T h e slips are collated and sorted. 7. T h e y are s h i p p e d to the member in- stitutions, a n d filed uniformly by code numbers (categories).6 Each m e m b e r university has a set of instructions for o p e r a t i n g the files, a n d receives s u p p l e m e n t a r y instructions as innovations are developed at h e a d q u a r - ters. T h e r e is no o p t i o n as to the system by which the m a t e r i a l should be filed. However, local practices differ as to w h o may use the files. Some are restricted to g r a d u a t e students a n d faculty members, others are o p e n also to u n d e r g r a d u a t e s a n d to outsiders. A n o t h e r m a t t e r left to local decision is the ext ent to which H R A F m a t e r i a l should be i n c l u d e d in the general card catalog. Location of the files is also a m a t t e r f o r local d e t e r m i n a t i o n . A recent survey indicates t h a t those located in the general library of a university are a p t to be most used.7 L I M I T A T I O N S AND A S S E T S T h e system has b o t h limitations a n d assets. P e r h a p s chief a m o n g the f o r m e r is t h a t its effectiveness is limited to fac- tual d a t a . It does n o t lend itself well to theoretical material. Secondly, a question m i g h t be raised as to w h e t h e r a real scholar is willing to trust others w i t h the m a n i p u l a t i o n of eIbid., p. 7. 7 F. W . Moore. Report on a Survey of File Use at Eight Member Universities. [P. 5j. the d a t a o n which his work is based. However, since n o abstracting is done, a n d since the researcher may always re- fer to the complete text, r i g h t o n the premises, if he ever suspects that the coding has n o t been d o n e to his f u l l satisfaction, this criticism seems invalid so long as the selection a n d analysis d o n e at h e a d q u a r t e r s is c o m p e t e n t . Incompleteness of coverage may be most d e t r i m e n t a l , especially w h e n the would-be user finds t h a t materials on some of the cultures he wishes to study have n o t yet been processed. W i t h in- creased financial s u p p o r t a n d time in which to e x p a n d their work, these u n t o u c h e d areas may be substantially reduced. I n certain types of studies, however, it may be desirable for the re- searcher to cover n o t only the back- g r o u n d material, b u t also the most recent p u b l i c a t i o n s concerning his sub- ject. I n d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r the H R A F m a t e r i a l is sufficiently up-to-date for this purpose, or w h e t h e r he will have to seek recent m a t e r i a l elsewhere, the researcher can readily ascertain dates of b o t h field work a n d p u b l i c a t i o n of processed ma- terial o n his subject by consulting the p e r t i n e n t b i b l i o g r a p h i c slips. Of course, the H R A F is not, a n d can never be, complete. N o m a t t e r how fast a n d how h a r d their staff works to ap- proach this objective, there will always be new discoveries, new relationships, new publications, to invalidate any claim of absolute completeness, except that which is limited to a specific sub- topic as of a specific date. 1. It serves the scholar by saving his time a n d energy while assuring him of reliable coverage of the primary d a t a available for the areas which it includes. 2. It serves the administration of the member institutions by p r o v i d i n g ma- terial already expertly selected a n d processed, requiring only clerical per- sonnel to service it locally. MARCH 1958 115- 3. It provides unmodified r e p r o d u c t i o n s of primary material, thereby r e d u c i n g to a m i n i m u m possible mistakes in emphasis or interpretation such as may result f r o m abstracting. 4. C o m p l e t e texts are available, in a separate section of these same files, to clear u p any d o u b t s which may be caused by s e p a r a t i n g some pages from their context, a n d full bibliographical citations also m a k e it possible for the user to look u p the original publica- tion. 5. All processed material o r i g i n a t i n g in another l a n g u a g e has been translated into English a n d it is the English- l a n g u a g e version which has been coded. However, the user may consult the complete text in either English or in the original l a n g u a g e , both of which are included adjacently in a separate section of the files. 6. Cross-reference slips direct the re- searcher to d a t a from u n e x p e c t e d sources, where his subject may have been m e n t i o n e d incidentally in works devoted chiefly to a different topic and which, consequently, he might not have discovered for himself. 7. Sources are evaluated at headquarters, the evaluation being noted, by code, on each slip. Where there is a multi- plicity of material, the best is selected, but where there is a paucity of ma- terial, it may be necessary to use poor material rather than neglect the area. T h e researcher may benefit from the experience of the experts at H R A F h e a d q u a r t e r s whose j u d g m e n t may sometimes surpass his own. 8. Material is a r r a n g e d by country, so- ciety or p e o p l e (with possibly chrono- logical subdivisions, where appropri- ate), then broken down by subject headings especially devised for h u m a n relations area materials. 9. T h e process of xerography used for reproduction facilitates copying not only the printed p a g e but also manu- scripts, charts, pictures and other types of illustrations. 10. T h e whole device is sufficiently flex- ible to permit insertions a n d changes while retaining the basic framework. 11. Absence of d a t a on some topics for cultures which have been processed for the files, so far as available ma- terial permits, " e x p o s e s g a p s in our knowledge a n d provides a b l u e p r i n t for original investigations." 8 H I S T O R Y T h i s set-up was n o t o r i g i n a t e d by li- brarians. Its inception is described as follows: T h e great sociologist William G r a h a m Sumner, following in the footsteps of H e r b e r t Spencer, was p e r h a p s the first to f o r m u l a t e in specific terms the goal to- ward which H R A F is now striving. Sum- ner was convinced that e n d u r i n g generali- zations a b o u t h u m a n behavior will emerge from a context comprised of the facts a b o u t the ways in which the different peoples of the world live their lives. Even in Sumner's time much useful data, in the form of recorded observations of different ways of life, were available. B u t nowhere were they brought together a n d m a d e available for study by scientists a n d other scholars. What was needed was a storehouse of organized i n f o r m a t i o n to which could be a d d e d new observations as they were m a d e . Such a storehouse would provide the student of humanity with . . . d a t a jwhichj would exist in p r i n t e d texts a n d pictures, classified by topics; each society would have its own shelf. Once the many relatively small bits of knowledge were ordered into a consist- ent, cross-cultural scheme new figures could be expected to emerge f r o m the p a t t e r n . 9 T h e initial step was the d e v e l o p m e n t of the Cross-Cultural Survey at the In- stitute of H u m a n R e l a t i o n s of Yale Uni- versity, b e g i n n i n g in 1937. T h e system of abstracting used originally has now been a b a n d o n e d by the H R A F , which evolved f r o m the Cross-Cultural Survey, b u t the system developed there for clas- sifying the c u l t u r a l , behavioral, a n d 8 H u m a n Relations A r e a Files. Function and Scope. CP. 6 : . 9 Ibid. [pp. 6 - 7 ] 16 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n of societies led directly to the topical classification in the Outline of Cultural Materials, the b a c k b o n e of the H R A F system. T h e original set-up existed only at Yale University. D u r i n g W o r l d W a r I I , several g o v e r n m e n t a l offices sought its cooperation in studies of L a t i n Ameri- can a n d of Pacific cultures. Later, the Yale organization cooperated w i t h the University of N e b r a s k a to apply the Outline of Cultural Materials to infor- m a t i o n o n ten I n d i a n tribes, p r o d u c i n g identical files for b o t h universities. Sub- sequently, the present organization was developed, w i t h the aid of the Social Science Research Council a n d the Car- negie C o r p o r a t i o n . I n 1949, the H R A F was i n c o r p o r a t e d as a non-profit agency. Since then, a n u m b e r of projects have been u n d e r t a k e n for Federal agencies. R e m u n e r a t i o n u n d e r these contracts has facilitated recent e n l a r g e m e n t of the files, as have grants f r o m the N a t i o n a l Science F o u n d a t i o n , F o r d F o u n d a t i o n , W e n n e r - G r e n F o u n d a t i o n , R u b i c o n F o u n d a t i o n a n d Carnegie F o u n d a t i o n . P L A N S AND O B J E C T I V E S U n t i l lately, the a m o u n t of m a t e r i a l in the files was very limited, a n d the use m a d e of the files confined almost entirely to anthropologists, for which reasons the directors avoided w h a t they consid- ered p r e m a t u r e publicity, n o t wishing to a t t r a c t people to the files w h o w o u l d be d i s a p p o i n t e d in them. N o w t h a t they have wider coverage a n d have been used productively by a n u m b e r of disciplines, they are b e g i n n i n g to seek wider pub- licity, desiring acceptance in libraries as a basic tool for inter-disciplinary re- search. A m o n g their plans is o n e to issue a microfilm edition, which will p r o b a b l y be available on a yearly subscription basis. T h e H R A F is also p u b l i s h i n g a series of bibliographies, of c o u n t r y surveys, a n d of behavior science m o n o g r a p h s , o u t l i n e s , r e p r i n t s , a n d translations. T h e s e publications my be p u r c h a s e d in- dividually, by anyone. M a n y are a p t to be f o u n d o n the tables in the H R A F rooms of m e m b e r institutions. F u t u r e developments are likely to be influenced by contracts a n d grants. F o r example, the interest of the Federal G o v e r n m e n t is reflected in the recent m a t e r i a l o n the " h o t spots" of the Mid- dle East. However, if n o t too m u c h of their financial backing has strings at- tached which w o u l d p u l l t h e m f r o m their course, it may be a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t the H R A F will gradually a p p r o a c h their u l t i m a t e objective, which is to make available all the significant facts a b o u t a n a d e q u a t e sample of the world's so- cieties, b o t h historic a n d c o n t e m p o r a r y . C O N C L U S I O N Consideration should surely be given to the claim m a d e by H R A F t h a t this is "a m a j o r research tool of far greater d e p t h a n d scope t h a n any single scholar- ly resource created by a n i n d i v i d u a l uni- versity."1 0 I t may also be desirable to give fur- ther t h o u g h t to this m e t h o d of organiz- ing materials, in view of its possible ap- plication to o t h e r fields. N o t e that, un- like some of the recent technological de- velopments, it requires no investment f o r mechanical, p h o t o g r a p h i c , or elec- tronic devices a n d consequent e x p e r t servicing at the m e m b e r institutions. Moreover, it really works, a n d its use- fulness is constantly b e i n g increased. It is certainly a good e x a m p l e of cur- r e n t efforts to develop means of retriev- ing i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h m a x i m u m cover- age of p e r t i n e n t sources a n d m i n i m u m e x p e n d i t u r e of time, energy, a n d money o n the p a r t of the scholars using t h e ma- terial as well as the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n pro- viding it. 10 H.R.A.F., p. 4. MARCH 1958 117-