College and Research Libraries 320 I College & Research Libraries • July 1971 useful for anyone engaged in research in librarianship or book publishing. R. R. Bowker Co. is advertising this work as the International Bibliography of the Book Trade and Librarianship, a much bet- ter English title than "The Literature about the Book-and Librarianship," which was the title provided by the publisher, Verlag Dokumentation. The ads are misleading, however, because it is not made clear that this tool requires some knowledge of Ger- man to be useful. Incidentally, this particu- lar work comprises volume two of a ten-vol- ume series entitled "Handbuch der Tech- nischen Dokumentation und Bibliographie." -Guenter A. Jansen, Suffolk Cooperative Library System. The Enduring Desert; a Descriptive Bib- liography. Elza I van Edwards. Foreword by Russ Leadabrand. Los Angeles: The Ward Richie Press, 1969. 306p. $27.50. E. I. Edwards is not new to the field of desert bibliography. His first desert bibliog- raphy appeared in 1940 under the title, The Valley Whos e Nam e Is D eath. Then followed Desert Treasure ( 1948), Desert Voices ( 1958) , and Desert Harvest ( 1962). The present volume is an expan- sion of selected material which appeared in the author's previous works with addi- tional material added, including periodical articles, pamphlets, and ephemera. For each item presented in this publica- tion the author has provided an annotation which is descriptive of the work and its contents. However, there seems to be little attempt to critically evaluate each item, and often the author's own personal reac- tions are included. The predominance of the items listed are historical or biograph- ical with few entries in the sciences or na- tural history. Aside from these minor stric- tures, the work as a whole is not only de- lightfully interesting to read, but has a wealth of material which can be found in no other source on California desert lore. The author is unquestionably familiar with his material. The annotations may dis- cuss all or part of the book and in most cases are sufficient to let a reader know if he wishes to examine the work. The Enduring Desert is not wholly lim- ited to desert subjects, as there is an abun- dance of material on other western subjects, particularly the gold rush, mines and min- ing, railroads, etc. This nondesert material is easily accessible through the extensive in- dex. In addition, a supplemental reference section lists books containing only inciden- tal desert mention and a record of journals and diaries. The volume must also be classed as an example of modem fine print- ing for which The Ward Richie Press is of- ten noted. The Enduring Desert might best be de- scribed in the words of Russ Leadabrand from the foreword: Readers . . . will find The Enduring Desert a rich and satisfying experience. There is material here for a hundred monologs on desert history, folklore and traditions .... Go now and enjoy The Enduring Desert. Read it at leisure as you would savor a fine wine or a rich steak. You'll find the rewards are without number. -A. Dean Larson, Brigham Young Univer- sity. The Plateglass Universities. Michael Bel- off. Cranbury, N.J.: Associated Univer- sity Presses, 1970. 208p. Establishing university campuses is a fa- miliar activity in the United States; it has also been an academic preoccupation in Britain as discussed in this book. The "Plateglass" universities are institutions opened in the 1960s to make room for the rapid increase of students. Traditionally, few university degrees were earned in Brit- ain, and in recent years efforts have been made to increase degrees by establishing new campuses and by grants to students. The new universities are scattered about the English countryside. Most are near the coast, and some of the seven are near an- cient cathedral towns or other historically important centers. They are the first univer- sities to be established with government funds rather than private backing. They have been able to grant degrees from the start and have not been controlled by oth- er universities. Differing from "Oxbridge" with medieval roots or "Redbrick" in the centers of the industrial revolution, the new universities have developed an architectural style and educational elan that the author feels is caught by the term "Plateglass." The first years of an institution are the experimental years in Beloff's view, and an early examination will reveal the develop- ing character. Similarities are discussed first, with later chapters trying to detail the individual character of the schools. Resi- dence is an important feature of all, as is indicated by the choice of sites, and in this way they are more like Oxbridge than the civic universities. Lord Snow's concern for the two cultures has had its impact on the curricula which depart from the traditional British practice of narrow specialization. The author suspects that the innovative spirit may successfully contest the eminence of Oxford and Cambridge which has with- stood previous challenges. The lack of library collections in all the "Plateglass" universities is the most telling criticism in this book. A restriction of edu- cational budgets has slowed buildin·g and equipment spending, but there is also a question of priorities. Beloff states: c'The basic problem has less to do with a lack of sophisticated laboratory equipment than with a lack of that primary academic com- modity-:-books." In spite of the experimen- tation, "one cannot draw a new map with blunt pencils.'~ Few aspects of life on the various cam- puses are missed. There is a wide variation in the organization of faculties. Student housing arrangements vary from almost random placement to close association in the college. Regulation of students differs as does studenf ·involvement in administra- tion. Instructional programs may be tutpri- al, seminar, or lecture-oriented. Many, id1eas have been adopted or adapted from Ameri- can experience. It is somewhat difficult to see each of these universities as unique as the author tries to do, but they have been allowed to develop freely in their own ways. The problem of student unrest is ·given ample space and impartial coverage, al~ though the author observes that some are at the university to learn and some to teach. This activity has had its effect on the support and ·acceptance of the new univer~ sities by the nation; much of the publicity has been sensational and has obscured their real academic progress. Still, Beloff feels that the dynamic ·qualities of these schools may bring a redefinition of the role of uni- versities and a realization of the role of · Recent Publications I 321 higher education in producing innovative individuals. The author, an Oxford don with Ameri- can , teaching experience, develops a fasci- nating series of pictures which seem · to catch the spirit as well as the facts. Some words and passages will be difficult for American readers not familiar with British higher education. Even though this is not a book of deep analysis of curricula and theory, it gives enough insight into the new universities so that the reader can under- stand their problems and potentials.-Jack E. Hibbs, Bowling G1·een State University. The United Nations Library: Its Origin and Development. Doris Cruger Dale. Chicago: American Library Association, 1970. 236p. $10.00. This adaptation of an impressive disser- tation · seeks to trace the history of the Unit- ed Nations Library c'from its birth in 1945 to its maturity in 1961." The author says . she "has attempted to answer nine ques- tions which relate to the basic problems and divisions of the library." There is some question as to whether she has really an- swered the questions in the text though she has listed the questions and given a sum- marized answer in the conclusion. A sketchy history of the League of Nations Library in Geneva and UNCIO Library in San Francisco is traced and gives important insight into the predecessors of the United Nations Library. This work, very readable at times and very tedious at times, should be interesting to all librarians. Surely the time has arrived to ·give attention to how some of our im- pbrtant libraries have developed and grown. Perhaps it would be good also to ex- amine some of these libraries to see if they have been performing commensurate with the investment of human endeavor. This book will certainly enable us to take a good look at all significant facets of the United Nations Library except performance. · The author often takes the reader to the brinkof revealing the political machinations that have troubled the United Nations Li- brary through the years, and then drops him. In other words, Dale seems more in- terested in being inoffensive than in revea'l-