College and Research Libraries


260 I College & Research Libraries • May 1982 

monly well organized. Dr. McCrimmon has 
included a chronology extending from 1753 
to 1979 that relates her story not only to seri-
ous political events, but also to its social envi-
ronment by including such dates as the open-
ing of H. M. S. Pinafore and Bond's 
introduction of electric light . in the great 
reading room. Power, Politics, and Print is 
far more than the history of a catalog; it is an 
important account of the success of an intel-
lectual enterprise of vast ramifications.-
Douglas W. Bryant, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Hubbard, William J. Stack Management: A 
Practical Guide to Shelving and Maintain-
ing a Collection. Chicago: American Li-
brary Assn., 1981. 102p. $7. LC 80-28468. 
ISBN 0-8389-0319-3. 
Stack Management is a fine example of 

clear, concise writing and good organiza-
tion, representing sound thinking and rea-
soned advice. It is an excellent guide for the 
new stack manager and a handy reference 
tool for the experienced librarian. In a quick 
consultation, one can discover that 86 per-
cent full is considered maximum stack capac-
ity, learn the advantages and disadvantages 
of several types of compact shelving, and de-
termine how best to shelve kits and games. 

Hubbard has revised an earlier work by 
W. H. Jesse called Shelf Work in Libraries 
(1952), and this new edition reflects and 
stresses the current concern with access and 
availability of collections. Other contempo-
rary issues such as problems of security and 
the use of detection systems, online circula-
tion systems, and the increasing need for re-
mote storage facilities are addressed at ap-
propriate points in the new text. There are 
two minor points which I would draw atten-
tion to regarding the revision, however: one 
is the occasional use of the term "shelf 
worker" instead of the more current 
"shelver" or even "stack attendant" or 
"stacker"; and the second is a lack of any 
mention of physical access for the handi-
capped user and how that affects stack aisles 
and stack placement. 

The book is divided into eight chapters 
and proceeds logically from the broadest as-
pect, collection management (shelf arrange-
ment, open or closed stacks, and shelving of 
different types of materials) through succes-
sive chapters on more specific topics. These 

topics are sorting and shelving routines, 
moving and shifting books (everything from 
how to plan space requirements to how to 
shelve), shelving types and arrangements (in-
cluding lighting, book trucks and signs), and 
weeding, storing, and paging, with particu-
lar emphasis on the desirability of storage 
collections and how to plan and select for 
them. Hubbard's good sense and directness 
are particularly evident in this comment on 
off-site storage facilities: "Regardless of the 
frequency of trips, the schedule must be 
maintained if the service is to retain its credi-
bility with patrons. Nothing destroys confi-
dence in a library faster than broken prom-
ises through fluctuating schedules" (p.67). 
The remaining chapters deal with how to 
handle, clean, and repair books, missing 
books (how to search and inventory them), 
and finally some practical words on supervis-
ing stack personnel. 

There is an appendix of basic information 
on using sampling to collect statistics on the 
quantity of work performed, book availabil-
ity, and collection characteristics. The book 
is indexed. A comprehensive bibliography at 
the end, however, or all chapter references 
grouped at the conclusion of the individual 
chapters would have been preferable to the 
scattered footnotes throughout. Stack Man-
agement, is definitely useful and a worth-
while investment.-]ean W. Farrington, 
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. 

Dessauer, John P. Book Publishing: What It 
Is, What It Does. 2d ed. New York and 
London: Bowker, 1981. 230p. $23.95 
cloth; $13.95 paper. LC 81-10065. ISBN 
0-8352-1325-0 cloth; 0-8352-1326-9 pa-
per. 
John P. Dessauer's book is a superb exposi-

tion of the workings of the American book 
publishing industry. Dessauer describes in 
successive chapters how books are created, 
manufactured, marketed, stored, and deliv-
ered. He also goes into some detail on the fi-
nancing, planning, and management of book 
publishing enterprises. 

Dessauer presently serves as chief statisti-
cian for the Book Industry Study Group 
(formed in 1976 as a research organization 
for the publishing community), and this sec-
ond edition incorporates much information 
from the group. Although the book has the 
same structure as the previous edition (e.g.,