College and Research Libraries


etc.; a common costing approach for 
before-and-after comparisons; and the appli-
cation of the MARC format to serials and · 
music and sound recordings . 

The typewritten final report discusses the 
work of the entire project in eight sections : 
(1) project background and overview, (2) 
implementation of the automated cataloging 
system in the three original libraries, (3) 
computer system and data b<:ise overview 
and detailed description of system modules, 
(4) cost analysis methodology and before-
and-after cost comparisons in the three orig-
inal libraries, (5) analysis of feasibility of ex-
panding system participation to other librar-
ies, (6) proposed order system module (and 
expansion of the cataloging system), (7) 
project publicity activities, and (8) .conclu-
sions . Appendixes include project staff, 
BLCMP programs and macros, project 
documents, and a key to symbols used in 
flowcharts. There is an index . 

The final report is very much like a case 
study of a cooperative library automation 
project. The reader will find an amazing 
amount of historical detail, presented in a 
chatty, easy-to-read manner, especially in 
those sections dealing with the cost studies, 
the computer system and data base, and the 
implementation decisions and strategies in 
each of" the three original libraries . In the 
brief conclusions section, the reader is given 
a glimpse of future activities planned for the 
cooperative venture (deemed a success by 
the participating libraries), i~cluding direct 
data input and increased access to the data 
base. 

Since the report deals with events and 
decisions begun almost eight years ago and 
finished three years ago, it cannot he 
viewed as a how-to guide for those libraries 
wishing to begin a shared computer system 
today, especially in light of networking de-
velopments in this country, such as the 
Ohio College Library Center (OCLC). 
However, the sections dealing with the im-
pact of the computer system on the indi-
vidual libraries and the reason decisions 
were made as they were, plus the detailed 
description of the cost analysis meth-
odology, could be useful for libraries con-
templating automation today.-Eleanor 
Montague, University Librarian, University 
of California, Riverside. 

Recent Publications I 141 

Bibliotheek en documentatie. Handboek ten 
dienste van de opleidingen . Onder redac-
tie van Th . P. Loosjes and others. Bib-
liotheek en documentatie, vol. 1 De-
venter: Kluwer/van Loghum Slaterus, 
1977. 421p. Hfl. 65. LC 77-481892. ISBN 
90-311-0012-9. 
Despite the fact that this hook is written 

in Dutch for the use of Dutch librarians, it 
deserves wider attention. The concept of a 
comprehensive text and handbook for the 
field has not been tried in America for quite 
some time, but various plans for such a ven-
ture are being discussed at the present. 

Written by a team of some forty spe-
cialists for use in various library training 
programs, the book's emphasis is on 
academic and special libraries. 

The opening chapter deals, appropriately, 
with library materials as physical objects. 
There is a useful glossary of types of mate-
rials with French, German, and English 
equivalents, a brief description of manu-
scripts, old and modem, and a section on 
graphic techniques, including reprographics. 
After a discussion of types of libraries, li-
brary education, physical planning, shelv-
ing, and preservation, there is a chapter on 
collection development. It is, acknowl-
edgedly, based on Redenbacher' s excellent 
(yet untranslated) contribution in Milkau' s 
Handbuch der Bibliothekswissenschaft (2nd 
ed., 1961), but this compilation is most in-
formative. It underscores the lack of any in-
troductory literature in the English lan-
guage . The chapter on internal library or-
ganization and technical services procedures 
does not offer any new viewpoints. Of 
interest should be the European approach 
in separating bibliographic description from 
subject treatment in cataloging practice. 

A good part of the volume is devoted to 
documentation techniques as applied in 
European special libraries of which, of 
course, there are so many. The chapters on 
public services pay attention to user studies 
as well as library instruction. The book con-
cludes with contributions on national and 
international library organizations, library 
legislation, and copyright. 

There are obviously problems in the dual 
approach to a text as well as a handbook. 
There are even greater problems in trying 
to arrive at a uniform treatment while using 



142 I College & Research Libraries • March 1978 

so many different specialists. Comprehen-
siveness within page limitations is , of 
course, an additiomal problem. I would 
have liked very much, for instance, to see 
attention paid to professional concerns, the 
literature of librarianship, as well as to cur-
rent areas of research in library and infor-
mation science. 

The editors have succeeded in an admira-
ble fashion to find a balance between these 
problems, and the book should be a real 
help for quite some time to come for many 
in the profession . As an example of what 
can be accomplished, this is an important 
contribution and I hope that it will stimu-
late American efforts in the same 
direction.-Hendrik Edelman, Cornell Uni-
versity Libraries , Ithaca , New York. 

On-Line Bibliographic Services-Where We 
Are, Where We're Going. Proceedings of 
an All-Day Meeting at the Centennial 
Conference of the American Library As-
sociation, Chicago , 18 July 1976, or-
ganized by the Information Retrieval 
Committee of the Reference and Adult 
Services Division. Edited by Peter G. 
Watson , Chicago: American Library 
Assn., Reference and Adult Services Di-
vision, 1977. 91p . $3.00. ISBN 0-8389-
6342-0. 
The management of computerized on-line 

retrieval services is a subject of growing 
concern. To the librarian doing on-line 
searches, to the librarian referring patrons 
for searches, and to the administrators who 
must plan, allocate resources, and decide 
whether, when, and how the library will 
offer on-line searches , the proceedings of 
this meeting have much to offer. 

Part II, " Shaping On-Line Services-
Some Operational Considerations, .. contains 
the most interesting articles: "Basic Equip-
ment Needs for On-Line Activity," by 
Philip L. Long; "Planning for On-Line Serv-
ices : the Administrator's Needs," by Jean 
Coberly; "Integration of On-Line with Exist-
ing Reference Service," by Dan uta A. 
N itecki; " Training Librarians to Conduct 
On-Line Literature Searches, .. by Guy T. 
Westmoreland; "The Costs of Charging for 
Information Services," by Douglas Fer-
guson; "User Education and Publicity for 
On-Line Services," by Anne G. Lipow; 
"Evaluation of Computer-based Search 

Services ," by Peter G. Watson. Of equal 
interest is the concluding section : "Man-
agement Implications of Introducing Innova-
tive Reference Services," by Richard M. 
Dougherty. 

Less comprehensive or prescriptive than 
David Wax' On-Line Bibliographic Search 
Services (ARL, Office of University Library 
Management Studies Occasional Paper No. 
4, June 1976), these papers address, from a 
variety of viewpoints, the new issues that 
plague us and the opportunities they pre-
sent. 

Anne Lipow' s paper covers the elements 
necessary to interpret the on-line service to 
potential users and describes such an inte-
gration at the University of California, Ber-
keley, within a seminar for faculty on "How 
to Use the Library for Advanced Research 
in the Social Sciences and Humanities. , 

As might be expected with a new area, 
most of the authors introduce their topics 
well and summarize the state of the art, but 
as with any rapidly changing field, many 
questions do remain unanswered. 

Peter Watson's paper outlines areas of 
concern in evaluating an on-line search sys-
tem before contracting for it and relates 
these to organizational considerations. 
Richard Dougherty reminds us that in-
novators must be prepared for a variety of 
responses and need to prepare a climate fa-
vorable to the acceptance of those re-
sponses. 

It is the attitudinal climate of the middle 
1970s that is the focus of the first section, 
which consists of surveys reported by Carlos 
Cuadra, Dan uta N itecki, and Pauline Ather-
ton. Both the Cuadra and Nitecki papers 
repeat material published elsewhere (Judith 
Wanger, Mary Fishburn, and Carlos A. 
Cuadra, On-Line Impact Study [System 
Development Corporation, 1976], and 
Danuta A. Nitecki, "Attitudes Toward Au-
tomated Information Retrieval Services 
Among RASD Members," RQ 16:133-44 
[Winter 1976]). 

The Atherton paper reports the impact on 
library reference staff, on library directors, 
and on library clientele. All seem to point 
toward rising professional status for the li-
brarian, some changes in priorities by li-
brary directors, and increasing use of collec-
tions by clients. 

This spiral-bound soft covered volume is