College and Research Libraries The Monteith College Library Experi- ment. By Patricia B. Knapp. New York: Scarecrow Press, 1966. ix, 293p. $7 ( 66- 13747). The ultimate purpose of the Monteith Library Program of which the pilot project is here reported by the project director, is to "stimulate and guide students in develop- ing sophisticated understanding of the li- brary and increasing competence in its use ." In no area of academic librarianship could a solid piece of pioneering research be more valuable than in the instruction of students in the use of the library. Here the argument of instruction versus information thrives and even the advocates of instruc- tion are frequently weary, frustrated, and dissatisfied with the state of the art. One suspects that the difficulty of finding a suit- able situation for a thoroughgoing experi- mental study has been a prime stumbling block to the development of a respectable body of research. Only a relatively small, experimental college like Monteith stressing general, liberal education and committed to developing in the student a growing respon- sibility for his own education would prob- ably have been hospitable to library in- structional coordination on such an unprece- dented scale as the Monteith Library Pro- gram. The project called for participation of the project staff in the planning of college courses and cooperation with the faculty in devising assignments which would involve extensive and meaningful student use of library resources. One specific objective of the pilot project was an appraisal of the structure set up to achieve this new library instructional relationship. The chapter re- porting the analysis of social structure in the Monteith Library Project and the re- vision of the organizational structure which took place after a period of testing is of first significance for future research and of particular interest to college librarians who may feel that the revised structure would be in essence transferable to projects set up in more conservative situations. Other specific objectives of the pilot proj- Book Reviews ect were an exploration of new methods of relating the library to the instructional program and a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of these methods. Dr. Knapp records the experimentation of the first year in which fourteen curriculum-re- lated library assignments were carried through and an intensive study made of a small random sample of students who had been exposed to the initial program. The understanding acquired through these ef- forts in planning library assignments, re- inforced by the result of the small sample study, led to assignments in the following year which represented a new approach. This approach is reflected in a model pro- gram of instruction in the use of the library which is unprecedented. The outstanding concept of the model program is the framework for college in- struction in the use of the library which centers on the intellectual processes in- volved in retrieval of information and ideas from a highly complex system embracing both library organization and the networks of scholarly communication. For teaching purposes the library is viewed as a system of "ways." While the model program is designed specifically for the Monteith curriculum it is adaptable to other undergraduate liberal arts programs. The pilot project is intended to serve as the basis for a plan for the second phase of the Monteith Library Program "if and when funds become available." One hopes prompt support will be forthcoming.-H elen M. Brown, Wellesley College. Handbook of American Resources for African Studies. By Peter Duignan. (Hoover Institution Bibliographical Series, XXIX). Stanford, California: Stanford University, The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace, 1967. 218p. $6 (66-20901). Peter Duignan, director of African Studies at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace has performed a use- ful service by bringing together these de- scriptions of American resources for African /445 446 I College & Research Libraries • November 1967 Studies, many of which had previously ap- peared in the pages of the African Studies Bulletin, an organ of the Mrican Studies Association. While acknowledgely incom- plete, it is a start in the right direction, and, hopefully, we may look for a near-complete record in the future. Gathered largely by responses to questionnaires, the Handbook describes the African resources of 95 library and manuscript collections, 180 church and missionary libraries and archives, 95 art and ethnographic collections, and 4 business archives. Entries range from a laconic line- and-a-half to a very extensive description (40 pages) of the holdings of the National Archives compiled by Morris Rieger, di- rector of the National African Guide Project, which will appear later as a separate mono- graph, and by E. J. Algoa of the National Archive·s of Nigeria. Americans-particular- ly those new to African Studies-will be surprised at the extent of American involve- ment in Mrica prior to the Civil War. There is a very extensive index which will be a big help to reference and interlibrary loan libraries. A correction needs to be made. On page 125 the Handbook states "Stanford Univer- sity is a member of the Association for Research Libraries which maintains the Center for Research Libraries (formerly the Midwest Interlibrary Center at Chicago.)" Not so! The Center is, and has been all along, a private corporation maintained by a number of important libraries. It has co- operated with the ARL in many important collecting projects and recently all ARL members were urged to become members of the Center. Interestingly enough this typographically pleasing volume was printed in Hong Kong by the Cathay Press.-David Jolly, North- western University. Metropolitan Public Library Planning Throughout the World. By H. C. Camp- bell. Oxford: The Pergamon Press. 1967. xi, 168p. $8 ( 66-29370). Harry C. Camp bell has performed yoe- man's service for the profession in compil- ing such a substantial body of information concerning a number of metropolitan public library systems throughout the world. He has also identified and described many at- tendant problems. As chief librarian of the Toronto public library, one of the most progressive on the North American conti- nent, the author is in an enviable position to b·eat this subject authoritatively. He has not only first hand experience in a metro- politan public library system; he has traveled extensively to observe many of the specific situations he has included in his book and to discuss them with those re- sponsible for their planning and implemen- tation. Because one of the major problems facing the profession in general and public library administrators in particular at this period in library history relates to metro- politan and suburban problems, it is es- pecially helpful to have this information so well organized and presented. The metro- politan problem is widespread and involves jurisdictional, economic, political, adminis- trative, and sociological factors. All have been discussed in this treatise. Mr. Campbell makes it clear that there are a wide variety of organizational patterns and structures which have evolved through the years. The early chapters describe them and the role and function of public library systems in the metropolitan areas, as well as background information. The remainder of the book is devoted to a description of li- brary planning in nineteen metropolitan areas and to the future of metropolitan li- brary planning. The relationship to public library systems of state, national, academic, and school libraries is placed in proper per- spective. Growing concern on the part of responsible librarians everywhere as to pat- terns of use of libraries is apparent. We must know more about how people use books and information if we are to develop effective libraries. Mention is made con- cerning the need to extend the system con- cept of library organization to academic and school libraries in urban areas. As one studies the metropolitan problem this fact becomes increasingly obvious. It is en.couraging to see more in print about the interdependence of the various types of libraries, and emphasis being placed on the fact that there is not a great difference between large public library sys- tems and academic, business, and research libraries, with respect to their collections. While each library serves a particular func-