College and Research Libraries


BOOK REVIEWS 

Lancaster, F. Wilfrid, ed. Proceedings of 
the 1972 Clinic on Library Applications 
of Data Processing: Applications of On-
Line Computers to Library Problems. 
University of Illinois, Graduate School 
of Library Science; London: Clive Bing-
ley, 1972. 169 p. 

The papers presented at the ninth an-
nual clinic represent a welcome continua-
tion in this series. Reports and demonstra-
tions were given on a wide range of library 
applications of on-line computers and re-
flected uses in libraries of various types and 
sizes. Examples of applications were given 
on a variety of jobs which cut across library 
operations from acquisitions, cataloging, 
and serials control to circulation systems 
and the retrieval of biomedical information. 

The traditional conference scheme was 
followed by a keynote address (from a mar-
keting representative), and a summation 
(from a network manager) . Between these 
talks were sandwiched the reports on how 
things work at home. Some flavor was 
added to this clinic, however, with the talk 
by Ellsworth Mason entitled "Automation 
or Russian Roulette." Mason has tried to 
dissolve the smoke screen which has obfus-
cated the cost considerations in library au-
tomation, especially in on-line applications. 
His arguments are telling: library cost stud-
ies are not plentiful nor reliable, while care-
ful comparisons of manual versus machine 
costs are virtually non-existent. Mason's 
part of the program was handled brilliantly 
in the summation by Glyn T. Evans, one 
of our most articulate spokesmen for net-
works. He said: 

Mason is a brilliant performer. His en-
viable command of the language, his ele-
gant turns of phrase, the dismissive wave 
of the hand, his unremitting rhetoric, be-
dazzle and bemuse us to our-and his-
loss. For his supporters are hypnotized by 
the silken glitter of his top hat as he soft 
shoes his cane-twirling, spats-twinkling, 
white-spotlit way across the stage. And his 
opponents, infuriated and goaded, attack 
the shadow of his cape and not the sub-
stance of his argument ( p. 158). 

134/ 

Recent Publications 
Evans goes on to deal speci£cally with 

Mason's points, and agrees that the cost/ 
benefit factor is the critical aspect of on-line 
application. In a clinic devoted to applica-
tions of on-line computers to library prob-
lems, one could expect to see a presentation 
on the largest and most predominant inter-
active system for shared cataloging-that 
of the Ohio College Library Center. Per-
haps it was thought that OCLC has been 
represented sufficiently at meetings and in 
the literature. 

The shared access to various data bases 
within a network organization is a problem 
of manifest administrative and technologi-
cal concern. Although Pizer touches on this 
one area in dealing with "On-Line Tech-
nology in a Library Network," a fuller 
treatment of these questions somewhere in 
this work would have been welcomed. 

Generally, each discussion of the individ-
ual application is clear, concise, and help-
ful. The clinic papers read like one of the 
few conferences about which one could say, 
"I wish I had been there."-Donald D. 
Hendricks, Director of the Library, The 
University of Texas Health Science Center, 
Dallas. 

Burke, John Gordon, and Wilson, Carol 
Dugan. The Monthly Catalog of United 
States Government Publications; an In-
troduction to Its Use. Hamden, Conn.: 
Shoe String Press, 1973. $6.50. 
Don't buy this book. Unless you have 

$6.50 to waste. Of the 113 pages in the 
book, approximately 36 are useful in terms 
of the stated purpose of the book. 36 is 
generous. 

Chapter I contains four pages of original 
text describing the essential bibliographic 
elements which may be found in the 
Monthly Catalog. These pages are clear and 
well written and useful in helping someone 
who needs basic instruction. Accompanying 
these pages are three sample pages from 
the Monthly Catalog, one from the index, 
the second a typical page, and the third a 
sample order blank. The first two samples 
are quite useful as each bit of information 
is clearly identified; they illustrate the text 



well. Reproduction of the order blank is 
superfluous as there is one in each issue of 
the Monthly Catalog and the authors sup-
ply no explanatory information. 

Chapter II is made up of three pages of 
text describing the indexing and features. 
These give very little help to the user. No 
mention is made of the fact that Monthly 
Catalog indexes are made up of key-words, 
subjects, issuing agencies and, since 1964, 
personal authors. Further, there is no men-
tion of the two Decennial Cumulative In-
dexes, 1941-1950 and 1951-1960, unless 
these were mistakenly referred to as .. de-
cennial personal author indexes" by the au-
thors. Omitted also is the fact that Monthly 
Catalog indexes list material under such 
headings as "atlases," "directories," and 
"ephemerides." The omissions noted are in-
excusable as the information mentioned 
above is essential for effective and efficient 
use of the Monthly Catalog. 

Chapter III, two pages of text, mentions 
additional sources for government publica-
tions: Government Reports Index, Bibliog-
raphy of Agriculture, Index Medicus, Re-
search in Education, and CIS Index, each 
with a short description of contents and 
use. Chapter IV describes in the same fash-
ion sources for historical documents-
Greely, Poore, Ames, the 1909 Checklist, 
and the Documents Catalog. Chapter V 
lists seven popular guides to the use of gov-
ernment publications, namely, Andriot, 
Boyd & Rips, Leidy, O'Hara, Schmeckebier, 
Wisdom (Popular Names of U.S. Govern-
ment Reports, 1966, which, incidently, was 
superseded in 1970 by a catalog with the 
same title by Bernier and David of the Li-
brary of Congress, LC 6.2:G74/970), and 
Wynkoop. 

These five chapters take up 21 pages and 
contain the only useful information on using 
the Monthly Catalog. 

The rest of the book is appendices. The 
first is a reproduction of the List of Classes 
of U.S. Government Publications Available 
for Selection by Depository Libraries (31 
pages) . Including this is akin to writing a 
pamphlet on how to use the card catalog 
and appending the LC class schedules. Ap-
pendix II is a short explanation of the 
SUDOCS classification scheme; Appendix 
III is an agency index to the classes. These 
two, without the List af Classes, are suffi-

Recent Publications I 135 

cient for users of the Monthly Catalog. 
Appendices IV and V have to do with de-

pository library laws and practices which 
may or may not help the user. Appendix VI 
is an incredible 34i page reproduction of the 
"List of Depository Libraries" as of Sep-
tember 1971. Anyone having need for this 
guide is presumably using the Monthly Cat-
alog, and could easily turn to the Septem-
ber issue and get the latest list. 

My advice to the prospective buyer is 
"Wait till it comes out in paperback," hope-
fully with the appendices omitted, and a 
bright, attractive cover saying "How to Use 
the Monthly Catalog." You could drill a 
hole in it, tie a string through the hole, and 
hang it next to the Monthly Catalog where 
it could really be used. ERIC has such a 
guide for twenty-five cents, AEC distributes 
their Guide to Nuclear Science Abstracts 
free.-]oyce Ball, University of Nevada, 
Reno. 

Becker, Joseph, and Pulsifer, Josephine S. 
Application of Computer Technology to 
Library Processes: A Syllabus. Metuch-
en, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1973. 173 p. 
$5-.00. 
In 1970 James Kortendick and Elizabeth 

W. Stone reported on the results of a re-
search project entitled "Post-Master's Edu-
cation for Middle and Upper-Level Person-
nel in Libraries and Information Centers." 
One of the educational needs they identi-
fied through a sample survey of federal li-
brarians was the need for a post-master's 
course in library automation. Using data 
elicited in the sample survey and a systems 
approach to curriculum development, Beck-
er and Pulsifer have prepared an outline for 
such a post-master's course, which they pre-
sent in this syllabus. 

The course is divided into eight units of 
study: a general introduction, computer 
technology, systems analysis, the MARC 
program, library clerical processes, refer-
ence and SDI services, related technologies, 
and library networks. Each unit includes 
a discussion of behavioral objectives for the 
unit, an outline of the topics covered, a 
course syllabus, and a bibliography. A list 
of general sources of information and an 
additional bibliography comprise the re-
mainder of the work. There is no index, but 
the introductory outline to each unit facili-