ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


September 1 9 9 4 /5 0 7

Letters
M aking n e w  books a v a ila b le  quickly
To the Editor:

I hope you will let me comment on an 
article that appeared some time ago in C&RL 
News: “Patron access to on-order and in-pro- 
cess titles,” by Elizabeth Ten Have and Denise 
Forro (December 1992). In it the authors note: 
“In the past this type of assistance was rela­
tively unknown in academic libraries. A search 
of the library literature shows that even in 
today’s automated libraries, with the benefits 
of integrated systems, this is a fairly unique 
service. Many libraries do not offer access to 
materials that are waiting for cataloging, let 
alone items that are on order.”

I believe, through a glitch in L ibrary Liter­
atu re, two articles (and perhaps more) that 
dealt with browsing and circulating newly 
acquired, uncataloged books have been lost 
to researchers. As the author of one of the 
articles, “Backlog to Frontlog” ( L ibrary  Jo u r ­
n al, September 1, 1969), 1 would like to 
amend the record. Daniel Gore, then librari­

an of MacAlester College, adapted my ap­
proach for an academic environment. He pub­
lished an article in LJ (September 1, 1972) 
with the great title, “In Hot Pursuit o f 
FASTCAT.”

For browsing (and many books are select­
ed by browsing), my Frontlog System shelved 
uncataloged books in a public area in “acces­
sion” number order. Gore added the appro­
priate LC classification prefix letters to divide 
the Frontlog/FASTCAT book by broad sub­
ject categories.

The Orange (NJ) Public Library still uses 
the Frontlog System. All adult books await­
ing cataloging are on public shelves available 
for browsing and borrowing. I suspect even 
in academic libraries newly published books 
circulate better than older books.

In this era o f “Customer Service” we all 
should consider making new books browsable 
and available for circulation.— M arvin  H. 
S cilken , The U.N.A.B.A.S.H.E.D Librarian ■

instruction in academic or research libraries, 
originality, timeliness, and quality o f writing.

E ligibility. Publications include journal ar­
ticles, books, and book chapters. Submitted 
publications may be authored by on e or 
more individuals, a group, organization, or com­
mittee. BIS publications are not eligible for con­
sideration for the award. Publication year is de­
fined as September through August of the year 
preceding the year the award is given.

S u bm ission  p ro ced u re: Submit a two-page 
summary, a copy of the publication, and nomi­
nation form (available from the committee chair) 
to: Lori Arp, University of Colorado, Norlin Li­
brary, Campus Box 184, Boulder, CO 80309- 
0184; (303) 492-3901.

D ead lin e. December 1, 1994.

O b e rly A w a rd  for Bibliography in 
Agricultural Sciences
The biennial Oberly Award is given in odd- 
numbered years for the best English-language 
bibliography in the field of agriculture or a 
related science.

A w ard: The cash award and citation are 
made possible by a fund established in 1923

by colleagues in memory of Eunice Rockwood 
Oberly, late librarian of the Bureau of Plant 
Industry, United States Department of Agricul­
ture. The award is administered by the ACRL 
Science and Technology Section.

E ligibility : English-language bibliographies 
in the field of agriculture or a related science 
compiled during the two-year period preced­
ing the year in which the award is made.

C riteria: Bibliographies submitted for award 
consideration are judged on accuracy, scope, 
usefulness, format, and special features: ex­
planatory introductions, annotations, and in­
dexes. To be eligible for the 1995 award, a 
bibliography must have been published in 
1993 or 1994. {E d . n ote: See page 471 for tips 
on preparing award-winning bibliographies.)

S ubm ission  p ro ced u re: Nominations may be 
made in the form of a letter and should point 
out the reasons the bibliography should be 
considered for the award. A copy of the bibli­
ography should accompany the nomination. Send 
nominations to: Mike Haddock, Oberly Jury Chair, 
3005 Wilson Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502-3257; 
(913) 532-7418.

D ea d lin e: December 1, 1994. ■