College and Research Libraries


which are discussed in detail to help sub-
stantiate the author's central point. 

Serious questions, however, are raised by 
some other examples included and some 
that have been excluded. Given the limited 
influence of the Columbia Library School 
during the period under consideration, one 
wonders about its inclusion as additional 
evidence, especially in such detail. And 
since the Association of American Library 
Schools had as its sole interest the educa-
tion of librarians and the development of 
library schools, one wonders why it is not 
given more detailed and systematic treat-
ment. The same disappointment is experi-' 
enced because there is no treatment of the 
serious curriculum questions which were 
raised by the Special Libraries Association. 

Although the volume adds further infor-
mation about the history of library educa-
tion, much more is rightfully expected of 
one who has devoted some years to a study 
of the subject.-Charles D. Churchwell, 
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Is-
land. 

Nichols, Harold. Map Librarianship. Lon-
don: Clive Bingley; Hamden, Conn.: 
Linnet Books, 1976. 298p. $12.50. (LC 
75-40141) (ISBN 0-85157-204-9 Bing-
ley; ISBN 0-208-01530-2 Linnet) 
In a review of recent literature in the 

field of map librarianship (SLA Geography 
& Map Division Bulletin no. 101, Sept. 
1975, p.32-37) I drew attention to the fact 
that there was not yet a manual or text on 
map librarianship, something that several 
of the map library associations had been 
promising. Mr. Nichols' book now fllls that 
gap though possibly mainly for our British 
colleagues as it makes recommendations 
generally for British libraries based largely 
on British experience (as indicated in the 
references). Nevertheless, though a little 
disappointing to the North American read-
er, this book is well-written, discusses some 
topics in greater detail than ever before, 
and generally shows the author's profound 
understanding of maps in libraries. 

One-third of the book is devoted to con-
sideration of the selection policy for cur-
rent, local, and early maps and sources for 
their acquisition. Although much of the 
emphasis appears to be on maps for public 

Recent Publications I 75 

libraries, the author is not afraid to outline 
a basic policy for British libraries, which 
many other writers have not done. At the 
same time, he devotes a considerable por-
tion of the section to a description of 
sources in terms of bibliographies, publish-
ers' lists, accessions lists, etc. His section on 
official mapping agencies discusses the 
products of fifteen sample countries and has 
the advantage of being up-to-date and con-
siderably more accurate than M. Lock's 
Modern Maps and Atlases (Bingley, 1969) 
on which it is probably based. There is no 
mention of either budgets for acquisition 
or costs of modern maps, an unfortunate 
omission as these are major problems in 
map libraries today. 

Chapter 5 is a good argument for the ac-
quisition of early maps in whatever form 
possible (original, facsimile, photocopy, or 
slide) for those studying earlier landscapes 
and the evolution of cartographic tech-
nique. Sources for the acquisition of all 
these types are given. 

The chapter on storage considers the 
various types of map cabinets, horizontal 
and vertical, wood and metal, and lists 
manufacturers. Though the author de-
scribes these very clearly, illustrations 
should have been included for clarity, and 
probably few beginners will understand 
these descriptions. There are, in fact , no il-
lustrations at all in the book, and this seems 
somewhat abnormal in a discussion of such 
a visually-oriented format. Again, there is 
no chapter on planning the layout of the 
map collection or the other facilities and 
equipment to be provided in the map room, 
though this may well reflect the situation 
of small budgets, old buildings, and little 
space. A short chapter on care and preser-
vation is included at the end. 

The section on cataloging and classifica-
tion, about half of the book, is excellent. 
Both current and early maps are covered 
in detail. Eight classification schemes are 
discussed in sufficient detail to assist any 
beginner, and the questions of classified 
catalogs vs. dictionary catalogs as well as 
author vs. area entries are thoroughly and 
clearly discussed. In the chapter on catalog-
ing, the author alerts the reader to the 
typical mistake of trying to enter individual 
topographic sheets of a series separately 



76 I College & Research Libraries • January 1977 

and to the temptation of making what be-
comes an endless number of additional en-
tries for parts of an area contained on one 
map for which one term is usually economi-
cal. 

In the chapter on the classification of 
local maps, the author takes on the prob-
lems of very small areas within cities and 
parishes and suggests using the British na-
tional topographic series numbering (na-
tional grid) at scales up to 1 : 1,250 to 
break down these areas; this is an obvious 
solution for a country that has such a de-
tailed topographic series. The chapters on 
the cataloging of early and local maps and 
dating early maps border on carto-bibliog-
raphy, but give excellent advice to the gen-
eral librarian who must handle these 
materials. 

As I have found usual in the literature 
on map librarianship, there is no chapter 
on reference work or on the type of staff 
and their training. However, the author 
shows clear evidence of a thorough knowl-
edge of maps and in some of his examples 
suggests a broad range of questions and 
user requirements for maps. Possibly dis-
cussion of this topic is not needed in a 
country where citizens are taught from an 
early age to understand and use maps and 
as adults are generally twice as familiar 
with this format as are North Americans. 
Certainly Mr. Nichols reflects this under-
standing and appreciation of maps in this 
first and excellent text on map librarian-
ship.-]oan Winearls, Map Librarian, Uni-
versity of Toronto. 

d'Olier, J. H., and Delmas, B. Planning Na-
tional Infrastructures for Documentation, 
Libraries and Archives: Outline of a Gen· 
eral Policy. Documentation, Libraries 
and Archives: Studies and Research, 4. 
Paris: Unesco Press, 1975. 328p. $12.50. 
(ISBN 92-3-10114-8) 

Function and Organization of a National 
Documentation Centre in a Developing 
Country, by a FID:_DC Working Group 
under the direction of Harald Schiltz. 
Documentation, Libraries and Archives: 
Studies and Research, 7. Paris: Unesco 
Press, 1976. 218p. $9.25. (ISBN 92-3-
101240-1) Both publications available 
from Unipub, Box 433, Murray Hill Sta-

tion, New York, NY 10016. 

These two recent publications in the 
Unesco series, Documentation, Libraries 
and Archives, treat various aspects of the 
planning and development of national in-
formation centers. 

The volume, Planning National Infra-
structures for Documentation, Libraries and 
Archives, presents two separate reports. 
The first, by J. H. d'Olier, deputy director 
of the Documentation Centre, Centre Na-
tionale de la Recherche Scientifique 
(France), deals with the planning of infra-
structures for documentation and libraries; 
and the second, by B. Delmas, keeper of 
the Archives N ationales de France, deals 
with the planning of infrastructures for ar-
chives. (The word "infrastructure," inci-
dentally, is not defined in the volume; but 
it apparently refers to the underlying foun-
dation or basic framework of each nation's 
information system.) 

Both reports in this volume are intended 
for government authorities responsible for 
planning national programs, and for plan-
ning experts, documentalists, librarians, and 
archivists who must give advice on plan-
ning their respective services as well as 
participate in plan implementation. The 
study explains planning methodology in de-
tail, assesses the experiences of countries 
at different development levels, and consid-
ers the recommendations of various regional 
meetings of experts. In more pragmatic 
terms, the book attempts to explain how 
each nation can make its own present in-
adequately developed information system 
more comprehensive and effective. 

The volume, Function and Organization 
of a National Documentation Centre in a 
Developing Country, produced by the FID 
Developing Country Working Group, under 
the direction of Harald Schutz, presents a 
statement of the nation's role in establish-
ing and managing national documentation, 
information, and library systems. The tasks 
and functions of a national documentation 
center are explained as well as its principal 
fields of activity and recommended docu-
mentation techniques. Helpful appendixes 
give examples of model statutes, organiza-
tion charts, abstract standards, forms, sam-
ples, specimens, and fee schedules. 

The strengths and weaknesses of these