College and Research Libraries analytical or critical bibliography. For a period its definition swelled, rather than grew, until one bibliographer, Peignot, said: "Since bibliography is the most inclusive and most general of all human disciplines, anything ap- pears to fall into the field of work of the bibliographer." In the return to reason, bibliography was deflated, so that by the time of Georg Schneider it could be defined in a narrow sense as the study of lists of litera- ture. About the turn of the century, or perhaps around World War I, new forces in the form of the bibliography of ideas came to the fore, and these brought with them the need for better handling and transmission of information in recorded form, and the field of documentation was born. While the au- thor would be the first to disclaim exhaustive treatment of any one or all of the component parts of this broader field, he does an excel- lent job of introducing the student to postwar trends in the recording, handling, organizing and transmission of recorded knowledge. Starting, as is customary, with the "argu- ment from mass," the author discusses the programs and plans for universal recording of literature, the breakdown in various im- portant services owing to wars, the efforts by users and librarians alike to develop plans and programs for more orderly organization of literature and of its intellectual content; the development of publishing and of bibliogra- phy in the sciences and the social sciences; inadequacies of publication attributable to costs of printing, to unsystematic publication, to publication in too-small editions or too late, and the possible solutions to these prob- lems in mechanical methods for first publica- tion and single copy services. H e goes on to discuss difficulties in transmission of knowl- edge attributable to copyright systems and to language and translation problems. The prin- cipal subjects discussed under inadequate rec- ords are: incompleteness of coverage; place of periodical indexes in providing coverage; union catalogs and union lists; abstracting services; guides to academic research and to general research; and the possibilities of as- sistance from the machines. On the question of accessibility the author treats levels of ac- cessibility and of interlibrary cooperation. It is probably impossible to compress so broad a field as this into 106 text pages without some oversimplifications and even, possibly, some minor errors. Also, some of the state- ments which are probably true with respect to the United Kingdom are not applicable to other parts of the world. Nevertheless, bear- ing in mind the fact that this book represents a series of lectures for library school stu- dents at the London School of Librarianship and Archives, the possible oversimplifications and the differences of practice are understand- able. The author does point repeatedly to inadequacies of conventional classification for modern bibliographic purposes, but does not include much information about the experi- mental work being done in this field. Whether that is by accident or design, this reviewer does not know, but the only area in which the treatment of evolving methods and sys- tems seems to be slighted appears to be this one of classification. All in all, Mr. Staveley and The Library Association are to be congratulated. They present here a large amount of information about trends in bibliography, readably and in brief compass. It is a stimulating and thought provoking summary.—Ralph R. Shaw, Gradu- ate School of Library Service, Rutgers Uni- versity. Public Relations Financial Public Relations: For the Business Corporation. By Herman S. Hettinger. N e w York, Harper, 1954. 204P. $3.50. Because a library may be judged as su- perior or mediocre by its success or deficiency in public relations policies, and because the literature on this subject is found only oc- casionally in the form of journal articles or among the closing pages of books on library administration, it is necessary for those seek- ing enlightenment in this vital area to reach out to other fields and to their experts. Mr. Hettinger is vice president of D. M . S. Hegarty & Associates; and this is the most recent title in Harper's American Series of Public Relations Books. Industry has been the leader in recognizing the value of effective public relations pro- grams. Since World War II, the business corporation has been giving increasing at- tention to this aspect of administration, di- recting its attention to two principal groups —stockholders and the financial community. Although Mr. Hettinger's counsel is based on JANUARY, 1955 109 factors common in the life of the business corporation, his theories and resolutions would appear to be generally applicable to most college and research libraries as well. When the author states, for example, that there is a growing relationship between com- pany profitability and understanding, with a subsequent increase in public relations think- ing, the librarian need only substitute "In- creased Appropriations" for "Profitability" and add "Cooperation" to "Understanding" to feel affected by the discussion of that sub- ject. Similarly, for the "Financial Com- munity" one might substitute "Friends of the Library," the "Library Profession and Other Interested Persons"; for "Stockholders," "Ad- ministration, Staff (for 'Family'), and Readers." The error made most frequently is to as- sume that public relations need only be used for matters warranting a newspaper story. Planned continuity is emphasized in this book as the most significant tenet of a sound con- ceptual design. Ultimately it is more im- portant than any single constituent in the program. Information is disseminated by three chief methods: i ) financial publicity, general and special, 2) specially prepared ma- terial directed to specific groups, and 3) personal contact activities. A basic report, the annual report, interim reports, special bulletins (including survey reports), article reprints and reprints of speeches comprise the standard media for written information, supplemented by prompt releases to the press, when new information is announced. The organization's story, with regard to history and progress, services, prospects, etc. should be available in the basic report, which is, ideally, something of a readable reference manual about the institution. Although the annual report is important, it tends to be poorly used; its presentation often lacks imagination, and there is too large a reliance on it to serve when a continuing program in public relations is, in fact, needed. The re- port should be attractively prepared, with attention given to size, format, color, ( ! ) typography and paper. It should be easily identifiable with the institution; and the information it contains should be pertinent, frank, concise—and interesting. Personal contact in public relations is seen in organization tours, regional and other forms of committee meetings, press and indi- vidual interviews, in general correspondence, and in the administrator's availability for reasonable requests of his time. It has been suggested elsewhere that good library public relations is good library service, publicly ap- preciated. This presupposes a comprehensive collection, a comfortable and efficient physical operation, and an able and affable staff. An institution should know the traits which designate it a public character, and these qualities should be employed to advantage when public relations plans are being con- ceived. Continued position in the community is a likely point of emphasis; also the im- portance of research in the field served by the group; special services and materials avail- able; institution history as a means of reflec- ting progress; management and directors— that shadow of an individual or group whose efforts have distinguished it. Being vastly experienced in the field of business, Mr. Hettinger does not write an original book about a practical subject. H e defines, explains and proposes, and this is done with clarity and verbal economy. Parts of his book are applicable only to the business cor- poration; and there are potential areas for effective public relations in libraries which have no equivalent in the considerations of a business corporation, particularly in the large category of personal contact, and to a lesser extent in the use of motion pictures, radio, television and exhibits. Nevertheless, this book would be useful to the library adminis- trator as an advanced general review of prin- ciples and ideas.—Ervin Eatenson, Columbia University Libraries. Medical Bibliography The Development of Medical Bibliography. By Estelle Brodman. Baltimore, Waverly Press, 1954. ix, 226 p. $5.00. (Medical Library Association, Publication No. 1.) Miss Brodman in her monograph limits her discussion to lists of books or periodicals, relating to medicine in general, but not to the specialities in particular. T h e important definite medical bibliographies of a general character of the sixteenth century, including Champier, 1506, Brunfels, Fuchs, Gesner, Gallus and Spach, 1591, are discussed in de- 110 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES