College and Research Libraries


and periodicals to a departmental library, 
with the explanation that there simply 
wasn't any more shelving space. I n two 
weeks the required expansion was pro-
vided. 

Gradually, by methods running the 
gamut of persuasion all the way from 
presidential ukase to subterfuge, univer-

sity librarians are taking over the depart-
mental libraries. Library schools are 
working toward the day when they will 
develop departmental librarians who are 
specialists in the subject itself as well as in 
its bibliography. I t is a goal worth striv-
ing for, although in this feverish age it 
seems impossible of attainment. 

A Handbook of Medical Library 
Practice 

AH A N D B O O K O F M E D I C A L L I B R A R Y P R A C T I C E is in preparation by a com-
mittee of the Medical Library Associa-
tion. Based on a preliminary manuscript 
by M . Irene Jones of the medical science 
department, Detroit Public Library, this 
book will be the result of the combined 
efforts of a group of medical librarians 
who are trying here to collect and present 
in orderly fashion those differences in ma-
terial and procedures which distinguish a 
medical library from a general one. 
T h e i r intention is to give chiefly the added 
information a general librarian needs upon 
entering the medical field. F a r from be-
ing a complete manual of procedure, the 
volume presupposes some general knowl-
edge of library methods and tools. It 
will form, as its title indicates, a supple-
mentary handbook of special practices and 
reference equipment for medicine. 

Particularly full treatment will be given 
subject headings, classification, reference 

books, rare books, and the history of 
medicine. T h e contents will comprise the 
following chapters: I. T h e medical library 
and the librarian, by J u d i t h W a l l e n 
H u n t ; I I . Selection and ordering of books 
and periodicals, by Bertha B. H a l l a m ; 
I I I . Cataloging, by L . Margueriete 
P r i m e ; I V . Subject headings, by Isabelle 
T . Anderson; V . Classification, by M a r y 
Louise Marshall and M . Irene Jones; 
V I . Reference, by Eileen R. C u n n i n g h a m ; 
V I I . Pamphlets, pictures, microfilm, etc., 
by Eleanor Fair and Lillia M . D . T r a s k 
with the collaboration of Ethel W i g -
more; V I I I . Rare books and the history 
of medicine, by Chauncey D . Leake and 
G e r t r u d e L . Annan. 

T h i s editorial committee, under the 
chairmanship of J a n e t Doe, hopes for 
publication in the spring of 1941. In-
quiries may be addressed to the secretary 
of the association, Anna C. H o l t , 25 Shat-
tuck St., Boston. 

240 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES