College and Research Libraries HERBERT POOLE Teletypewriters in Libraries: A State of the Art Report A literature survey was made of articles indexed in Library Literature and Library Science Abstracts which dealt with teletypewriter applica- tions in all types of libraries. The survey is presented in a condensed form which summarizes and discusses dates of teletype installation, operations performed by these machines, and advantages and disadvantages accru- ing from their use. The most important findings of the survey were that libraries using .teletypewriters employed them in six basic operations which contained thirteen inherent advantages, but that the paucity of reporting by libraries using teletypewriters greatly limits any true under- standing of their importance. THE usE of the teletypewriter as a means of long distance communication between libraries is a subject about which little has been written. Many li- brarians are even ignorant of the fact that some libraries have used teletype- writers. Since 1927 at least 142 libraries in Europe and North America have, at some time, employed teletypewriters for data communication. What types of li- braries use teletypewriters? In what ca- pacities are these machines used, and what types of traffic pass over their cir- cuits? What are the advantages and dis- advantages librarians have found in us- ing them? In an attempt to answer these ques- tions, a survey was made of library peri- odical literature. The results of the survey are presented here in a report which summarizes and comments on teletype operations in libraries as de- scribed in the literature since 1951, the first year in which an article on the subject appeared. Fewer than two score Mr. Poole is Director of Libraries, Guil- ford College, Greensboro, North Carolina. articles have been published on this sub- ject. Many of those were so barren of in- formation that they could not be in- cluded here. Some evidence of the need for greater publishing efforts in this area can be understood when it is stated that the only criterion for inclusion in the present report was that an article say slightly more than .. Library So and So has a teletypewriter." In fact, of the 142 libraries in Europe and North America using the teletypewriter, only fifteen have been reported on sufficiently to al- low them to be included here. In the summarized case studies of these fifteen libraries or library-related operations, the libraries have not been categorized, since this is obvious from their titles. They are however, divided by country. Dates of initial operation are supplied when they could be deter- mined. Uses for and advantages accruing from the use of the teletypewriter are given, as are the references from which the information was taken. These refer- ences constitute the most comprehensive bibliography on this subject at the pres- ent time. j283 2841 Coll~ge & Research Libraries • July~ 1969 SuMMARIZED CASE STUDIES oF FIFTEEN LmRARY oR LmRARY-RELATED TELETYPE OPERATIONS United States 1. University of California libraries Installed: 1953 Operations: Interlibrary loan General communication with libraries on other University of California campuses Advantages: Speed Reference: "Teletype Installation," UCLA Librarian, VI (August 14, 1953), 95. 2. Detroit public library Installed: 1951 Discontinued: 1953 Operations: Reference services Cooperative interlibrary loan network with Michigan State Li- brary and its Extensions, Ryerson Public Library in Grand Rapids, and Univers~­ ty of Michigan Library. Only the .um- versity of Michigan Library contmues to operate a unit. Advantages: Speed Increased resources Increased range of services Improved library coopera- tion References: David Jolly, "The TWX in American Libraries," Libri, IV ( 1954), 302- 307; Roy W. Schlinkert, "Detroit Urges Wider Use of Teletype," Library Journal, LXXVI (August 1951), 1190; "Teletype Service," Michigan Librarian~ XVII ( Oc- tober 1951), 6. 3. University of Kansas library Installed: 1953 Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with the Midwest Inter- Library Center and its member libraries Advantages: Speed Increased resources Reference: "Facts on the Double," Kan- sas Library Bulletin, XIII (March 1953) , 9-10. 4. Lehigh University library Installed: Not determined from litera- ture Operations: Interlibrary loan Requesting title locations from the Philadelphia Union Catalog Advantages: Speed Accuracy of a written mes- sage Allows clarity in foreign language transmission without mispro- nunciation Prompt service enhances public relations Offers same flexibility as the telephone Costs less than telephone Reference: James D. Mack, "Teletype Speeds Interlibrary Loans and References," Library Journal, LXXXIII (May 1, 1958), 1325-29. 5. Midwest Inter-Library Center Installed: 1953 Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with member libraries. Only MILC continues to operate a unit. Advantages: Speed References: Ralph T. Esterquest, "Tele- type Network Problems," Midwest Inter- Library Center Newsletter, IV (July 31, 1953), 2; Jolly, loc.cit.; Mack, loc.cit. 6. Missouri state library Installed: 1953 .Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with University of Mis- souri Library, Kansas City Public Li- brary, St. Louis Public Library, and Linda Hall Special Library Advantages: Speed Increased resources Reference: "TWX to Rescue of Inter- Library Loans," Show-Me Libraries, IX (October 1957), 4-5. 7. New York state library Installed: 1958 Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with seventeen other li- braries in the state Advantages: Speed Simultaneous written rec- ord Accuracy of a written mes- sage Reference: W. P. Robinston, ·'TwX Lends New Wings to Interlibrary Loan and Reference Service," New York Library As- sociation Bulletin, LIII (September 1960) , 177-80. 8. University of North Carolina library at Chapel Hill Installed: 1958 Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with North Carolina State Library Providing title locations from North Carolina Union Catalog in Chapel Hill Requesting title locations from the National Union Catalog at the Library of Congress Advantages: Speed Accuracy of a written mes- sage Reference: .. TWX in Operation," North Carolina Interlibrary Center News, VI ( Oc- tober-November 1958), 1. 9. Philadelphia free public library Installed: 1927 Operations: Internal, closed-circuit com- munications for stack attendants Advantages: Speed Accuracy of a written mes- sage Allows clarity in foreign language transmission without mispro- nunciation Costs less than telephone References: Jacques Bramhall, Jr., .. Au- tomation for the Reading Public," Office Executive, XXXV (May 1960), 18.--, "Library Uses Teletypewriter," Journal of Business Education, XXXVI (October 1960), 25-26. 10. Philadelphia Union Catalog Installed: 1957 Operations: Providing title locations Advantages: Speed Accuracy of a written mes- sage Reference: Mack, loc.cit. 11. Racine public library Installed: 1950 Operations: Cooperative interlibrary loan network with Milwaukee Public Library Reference services General communications Advantages: Speed Increased resources Simultaneous written rec- ord Teletypewriters in Librliries I 285 Increased range of services Costs less than telephone References: Esterquest, loc.cit.; Arthur Pethybridge, .. RACMIL-TELETYPE," PLD Reporter, V (November 1956), 31-32; , .. RACMIL-Five Years Lat- er," Library Journal, LXXIX (November 1, 1954), 2089-92; Stillman K. Taylor, A Sur- vey of the Adult Department of the Racine Public Library, Racine, Wisconsin. Racine: The Library, 1952, p. 16; Frederick Weze- man, .. RACMIL, an Experiment in Library Cooperation," Libri, I (1951), 215-18. 12. U.S. Library of Congress Installed: 1952 Operations: Communication with New York representative, Copyright Office, Office of the U.S. Quarterly Review, and publishers Servicing title location re- quests to the National Union Catalog Advantages: Speed Efficiency References: Esterquest, loc.cit.; U.S. Li- brary of Congress, Information Bulletin, X (October 22, 1951), 11-12; ibid., XI (Au- gust 4, 1952), 8-9; ibid., XII (July 27, 1953)' 12-13. Canada 13. Toronto public libraries Installed: 1962 Operations: Interlibrary loan Requesting title locations Advantages: Speed Reference: .. Toronto Public Libraries Re- port a High Degree of Success with Telex," Wilson Library · Bulletin, XXXVIII ( Oc- tober 1963), 126. Europe 14. Manchester Central library (United Kingdom) Installed: 1955 Operations: Interlibrary loan Communication with pub- lishers Advantages: Speed Simultaneous written rec- ord Accuracy of a written mes- sage Allows clarity in foreign 2861 College & Research Libraries • July, 1966 language transmission without mispro- nunciation Costs less than telephone Can use codes and pre- punched tapes to reduce toll costs Provides automatic round- the-clock answer service References: "The Manchester Public Li- braries: Telex Service," North West News- letter, XXXV (September 1955), 11; Brian Rogerson, "Telex," Assistant Librarian, LIII (September 1960), 177-80. 15. Technical University library at Delft (Nether lands) Installed: 1957 Operations: Interlibrary loan Communication with pub- lishers Advantages: Speed Accuracy of a written mes- sage Costs less than telephone Can use codes and pre- punched tapes to reduce toll costs References: G. Schuurmans Stekhoven, "The Linking of Libraries with the Aid of Teleprinters," Library Association Record, LXI (June 1959), 144-55; --,"Inter- Library Communications by Teleprinter," UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries, XII (Au- gust-September 1958), 216-17. DISCUSSION While it is interesting to learn that li- braries have been using teletypewriters since 1927, it will be more important to librarians considering installation of these machines to consider to what uses these machines are being put and what the advantages or disadvantages are in using them. No pattern of use by academic, public, or special libraries ought to be defined, since fifteen libraries out of 142 hardly constitute a valid sample. The admixture of fifteen institutions in the present sur- vey does show that all types of libraries make use of teletypewriters. Though they may have been expressed in a variety of terms, the survey found that basically there were six applications of teletype in library situations. As could be expected, the application most often cited was that of interlibrary loans or of interlibrary-loan related operations. Ninety-three per cent of the available sample used their units in this capacity. Forty-six per cent of the units were used in cooperative networks designed to aug- ment holdings on a reciprocal basis. Thirty-three per cent of the machines were used for general communications with other libraries or with publishing houses. Likewise, 33 per cent were used in some connection with union catalogs, either to request information or to supply it. Reference services were performed on 13 per cent of the units, and only 6 per cent were used for internal, closed- circuit communications. Of the fifteen cases studied, and the thirteen advantages cited, 100 per cent indicated that speed of communication was the primary advantage in using a teletypewriter. Forty-six per cent re- ported that the accuracy of this type of communication was also of great ad- vantage. Other advantages and their per- centages were: costs below those of the telephone, 33 per cent; increased re- sources through cooperative networks, 26 per cent; clarity of foreign language transmissions, 20 per cent; the conven- ience of a siiJlultaneous written record, 20 per cent; increased range of services to the public, 13 per cent; the ability to use codes and prepunched message tapes to reduce toll charges, 13 per cent; and improved library cooperation, public re- lations, and efficiency, each 6 per cent. A round-the-clock automatic answer ser- vice and a flexibility of communication equal to that of the telephone were also cited by 6 per cent of the sample. Just what do these percentage figures tell us? First, it can be said that there is a direct relation between the advantage of speed and the application of the _ma- chine to interlibrary loans. The reason for this is quite plain to librarians with (Continued on page 290) 2901 College & Research Libraries • July, 1966 for rare book service. The Fellows have not emerged from the program as sea- soned veterans, fully qualified rare book librarians, but they have had training not available elsewhere in such a rela- tively compressed period of time, and this training has given them a good start on the road to rare book librarianship. Indiana University had been the first to admit that its program was not well defined the first year, or the second or' TELETYPEWRITERS ... (Continued from page 286) experience in interlibrary loans. Every- one wanting an interlibrary loan is in a hurry, and the quicker the library can supply the patron's needs, the happier the patron and the better the library image. In fact, for every use to which teletypewriters are put there are distinct, directly related advantages, as can be seen from a study of any individual case study in this report. The only disadvan- tage noted was that of cost caused by an increase in toll rates in the United States in 1953. This increase in rates caused several units to discontinue operation; such was the case of the Detroit public library. Librarians considering the installation of a teletypewriter will naturally need to analyze the requirements of their par- ticular libraries in order to determine which machine applications should be made and what advantages would ac- crue, and whether these advantages would justify the costs. For instance, in the case of a foreign library with much long distance or international traffic, the use of an optional accessory such as a tape perforator would be desirable, since one of the library's fundamental con- siderations would be methods of conserv- ing toll costs, which leads to another point. Even in the fifteen existing case studies, little data on costs have been even the third. It was improvised as it proceeded. From this trial and error experience, however, sufficient informa- tion was gained to devise a more exact- ing program in the future. The experi- mental period financed by the Lilly En- dowment expired with the end of the academic year 1963-64. It is hoped that the future will bring financing on a permanent basis. •• published. tft is an established ~act that teletypewriter costs are lower than tele- phone tolls, but exact figures are diffi- cult to find, and when found are usually out-of-date or invalid because of geo- graphical peculiarities. That fifteen libraries or library-related organizations have advantageously and successfully used teletypewriters since 1927 would indicate that this type of communication device is fairly well established in library operations. A re- cent census of the Teletypewriter Ex- change Service (TWX) which appeared in Library Journal indicates that the use of this means of data communication is increasing.1 It is difficult to predict what the future holds for the teletypewriter and its func- tions as a library tool. Continued use in its present capacities is probably assured. Research is presently being done by at least one manufacturer in the area of computer and teletypewriter related ap- plications. If these experiments prove to be successful, it could be that the auto- mated libraries of the present and future will continue to find uses for the types of operations which the teletypewriter can perform. • • 1 James D. Mack, "More Libraries Using Teletype for Interlibrary Loans," Library Journal, LXXXIX (De- cember 15, 1964), 4880.