College and Research Libraries


persuasive plea for sheet microfilm, which 
embodies some of the best features of ribbon 
microfilm and micropaper. Included in the 
paper is a "Survey of Microfiche Publishing 
Activity" listing the outstanding companies 
prepared to produce microfiche. The last 
paper is on "Microcard" by C. D. Gelatt of 
the Microcard Corporation. As far as this 
reviewer knows, this is the first time that we 
have been able to read something by the 
man who did so much to implement Fre-
mont Rider's basic ideas. Besides noting the 
Microcard Corporation's current program, 
he mentions some future developments: a 
facility for the production of Microcards by 
small units such as libraries, and a print-out 
device for Microcards. 

These papers are followed by a transcrip-
tion of the discussion period that is as in-
teresting and valuable as the previous sec-
tion. There are four appendixes. The first is 
a report of a meeting with Fremont Rider in 
May 1959 which gives some interesting foot-
notes on the early history of Microcards. In 
the course of this meeting Dr. Rider makes 
some statements that may be open to ques-
tion, especially by some of his competitors. 
Appendix II is a "Supplementary List of 
Micro-Opaque Cards and Microfilm Pub-
lishers." Appendix III is the "Statement of 
Views" formulated by the Council on 3 De-
cember 1959, reporting their opinion that 
"the 5" X 3" micro-opaque card should be 
regarded as the standard form for the publi-
cation of material to be issued in a microtext 
edition of a number of copies produced at 
one time." Appendix IV is a Microcard edi-
tion (two cards) of the proceedings prepared 
by Recordak Division of Kodak Ltd. 

Microtext in the Form of Opaque Cards and 
Transparent Microfilm/Review of Progress 
1959. By Geo. H. Davison. Moorgate, 
Rotherham, Yorkshire, England: Swinden 
Laboratories, The United Steel Companies, 
Ltd., [1960]. 82p. On request. 

In 19S4 Mr. Davison began his annual re-
view of progress on Microcards with a three-
page report. In 1958 he added microfiche, 
and his survey had grown to twenty-two 
pages. The current issue is still produced by 
mimeograph, but is a worthy addition to any 
library engaged in acquiring micropaper and 
microfiche editions. A file of this ~~.ries will 

be of utmost value to anyone writing the 
history of the development of these two 
processes. The 1959 review has a wealth of 
material-well indexed-that would require 
much painstaking digging to unearth from a 
long shelf of material that would most likely 
not be in most libraries. 

"The Literature of Document Reproduc-
tion." By Allen B. Veanor. In The Lit-
erature of Library Technical St;_rvices 
(University of Illinois Library School Oc-
casional Papers, No. 58), pp. 25-37. Urbana, 
Ill.: University of Illinois Library School, 
1960. On request. 

Mr. Veaner is specialist for documentary 
reproduction at the Harvard University Li-
brary. He notes two trends in photoduplica-
tion: "First is the significant role which 
office reproduction methods are beginning to 
play in the library. Second is the disappear-
ance of the sharp cleavage between micro-
reproduction and full size copying .... " 
This puts a greater burden on librarians in 
that it requires a wider knowledge of techni-
cal writings. 

Included in his bibliography are some 
seventy titles, covering a very wide spectrum 
of the literature on the subject of photo-
duplication and its tangential fields. Each 
item is given a brief and helpful annotation. 
This is a "must" item for all library schools, 
as well as recommended reading for those 
who have been out in working libraries for 
many years. 

john Benjamin Dancer . ... By L. L. Ardern. 
(Library Association Occasional Papers, 
No. 2) London: The Library Association, 
1960. 22p. illus. On request. 

This little booklet will be of interest to 
those who want to know more about Dancer, 
the originator of microphotography. Letters 
and other documents are quoted at length, 
and an outline of his many achievements 
and activities is given. There is a frontispiece 
portrait of Dancer in 1860 that is not as 
stiff as those usually published, and a tail-
piece illustration of the first microphoto-
graphic slide that he made for sale in 1853. 
An appendix lists the 106 microphotographs 
known to be extant out of some 485 listed in 
a contemporary catalogue of his productions. 

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