College and Research Libraries


l 

ship.-Arthur P. Young, State University of 
New York, College at Cortland. 

Library Science. By John Farley and Stan-
ley Lewis. New York: College Notes, 
Inc., 1969. 101p. $2.95. 

In a brief preface to Library Science, it 
is stated, "We would like to thank the nu-
merous college faculty members through-
out the country who have requested that 
this type of book be published to supple-
ment the textbook in their classes." Ap-
parently the purpose of this publication is 
to supplement instruction in the use of li-
braries at various academic levels. It cannot 
be questioned that there is a need for good 
publications to accomplish this purpose. 

However, it is regretted that Library Sci-
ence is the publication that has evolved 
to meet this need, for this publication pre-
sents libraries and librarianship in a nega-
tive and frequently erroneous manner. It 
could do nothing but discourage students 
from considering the field of librarianship 
as a career. 

Even though the copyright date of the 
publication is 1969, it is assumed that the 
manuscript was completed early in 1967. 
All statistics given are for 1966 or earlier 
and all bibliographies and suggested read-
ing lists (with the exception of one entry) 
are dated 1966 or earlier. As a matter of 
fact the majority of the entries in the sug-
gested reading lists are in the 1940s and 
1950s. In discussing reference books and 
encyclopedias, generally no dates or edi-
tions are given. However, it is unfortunate 
that when some editions are given the latest 
edition is not identified, as new editions 
have appeared since the preparation of the 
manuscript. It is also regretted that there is 
minimal discussion of standards for various 
types of libraries. Those referred to have 
frequently been superseded. 

In an attempt to cover the total field of 
librarianship in this publication, which un-
fortunately is titled Library Science, the 
brevity of statements frequently causes mis-
understanding or results in statements 
which are misleading or redundant. Brevity 
has not been a blessing in this publication. 
I quote one paragraph completely to illus-

Recent Publications I 355 

trate this point. "Environment, a combina-
tion of many factors, affects reading. The 
availability of reading matter is an obvious 
environmental factor affecting reading." 
(p. 69). Many other examples of verbiage 
with little meaning could be given. 

Library Science is a typical "College 
Notes" publication. It is paperbound, with 
very cheap paper, frequent typographical 
errors, both in the text and in the suggested 
readings. If it were current and up-to-date, 
if all statements were correct, and if the 
challenge of contemporary librarianship and 
the excitement of the changing scene of li-
brarianship due to the educational explo-
sion and the related problems of informa-
tion organization and control were con-
veyed to the reader, this volume might 
have had merit.-]ohn T. Eastlick, Univ er-
sity of Denver. 

Books for Junior College Libraries; a 
Selected List of Approximately 19,700 
Titles. Camp. by James W. Pirie. Chi-
cago: American Library Association, 
1969. 452p. $35.00. 

Intended primarily for transfer, or liber-
al arts programs, with emphasis on support 
of curriculum, Books for Junior College Li-
braries (B]CL) " ... endeavors to present, 
as any good college library collection does, 
a microcosm of the world around us ... 
rbutJ does not attempt in any way to cover 
the vast area of terminal and vocational 
courses offered in junior and community 
colleges." (Preface.) Limited to books, it is 
a good selection of titles backed by sub-
stantial authority. The method by which 
it was compiled is logical-start with the 
shelflists of three outstanding junior col-
lege libraries, winnow the best from these, 
and add significant new titles. This proce-
dure, plus extensive use of authorities from 
the various disciplines, points to a quality 
product. 

This is a quality product, but is it the 
product which is needed? A comparison of 
BJCL with Books for College Libraries 
(BCL) reveals that, if pre-1964 titles are 
discounted, there is an overlap between 
the two of more than 70 percent. It will be 
remembered that BCL purposely omitted