College and Research Libraries


238 j College & Research Libraries • May 1975 

might be best used in particular circum-
stances.-Robert K. Bruce, Carleton Col-
lege, Northfield, Minnesota. 

Farber, Evan Ira, and Walling, Ruth, eds. 
The Academic Library: Essays in H01l0f' 
of Guy R. Lyle. Metuchen, N.J.: Scare-
crow, 1974. 171p. $6.00. 
This gift to Guy Lyle of twelve essays 

that describe the academic library scene 
serves several purposes. First, of course, it 
is a beautiful tribute that reflects the 
warmth and respect of Mr. Lyle's col-
leagues and friends. But beyond that, ~e 
volume serves as an exact and accurate rrn-
age of where academic libraries are in 
1975. Some librarians will be surprised, 
perhaps, that the library "establishment" 
is concerned and aware of the problems 
that they confront daily. But administrators 
will be heartened by this confirmation that 
their problems are universal academic li-
brary problems. 

So this volume becomes both handbook 
and inventory as written by members of the 
academic community. Service, recently re-
discovered as the academic library problem 
of the seventies, is highlighted in Evan Ira 
Farber's "College Librarians and the Uni-
versity Library Syndrome" and in Ruth 
Walling's survey of attempts at " ... Quan-
titative Reference Standards." Eldred 
Smith's "Impact of the Subject Specialist 
Librarian . . ." does not directly address the 
service problems but acknowledges that as 
collections grow, some direct and personal 
way must be found to link the user with 
the complexities of collection development. 

Academic library administrative prob-
lems are addressed in David Kaser's "Dia-
lectic for Planning in Academic Libraries" 
and Jerrold Orne's "Future Academic Li-
brary Administration." Four other essays 
reflect concern with interlibrary cooperation 
and faculty-library relationships. The ever 
present problem of the library and the 1!-
brary school is described in Jack Dalton s 
essay. 

The "Core Collection" concept is exam-
ined carefully by Paul Bixler. His article, 
while it may not solve the problem of the 
undergraduate library that has become a 
small research library, does refocus on ob-
jectives and goals and becomes an incisive 

outline for those who may wish to rethink 
Core Collection implementation. 

The Academic Library may have raised 
more issues than it settles. One feels the 
tension of being on the edge of "break-
through" without a sense that resolution 
will follow quickly. 

An example is the article by Irwin Simp-
kins, "The National Collection: Its Growth 
and Accessibility," which strongly defends 
a fee system for interlibrary loan. (This 
kind of move toward corporate thinking 
and "self-sustaining" service units could 
lead, in the extreme, to catalog depart-
ments selling catalog cards to the reference 
department.) Mr. Simpkins suggests that 
a fee system will help libraries limit the de-
mand for interlibrary lending. Is there a 
"proper" quantity of interlibrary lending 
beyond which libraries should not respond? 
Who will determine a "right" price for ser-
vice or a "proper" quantity of service? 

Questions are raised, also, in the discus-
sion of the "university library syndrome." 
Will we ever be in a position to question 
the validity of that syndrome in the univer-
sity library? It isn't difficult to follow Far-
ber to his conclusion that the university li-
brary syndrome has eroded the mission of 
the college library. The "breakthrough" 
may come when we can recognize that 
what Farber describes is also destructive 
to the university library. 

It would seem that these and other is-
sues must be addressed with a commitment 
to conclude that change is both desirable 
and urgent. The Academic Library is the 
place from which we can start.-Nina Co-
hen, Associate Director, University of 
Washington Libraries, Seattle. 

Harmon, Gary L., and Harmon, Susanna 
M. Scholar's Market: An International 
Directory of Periodicals Publishing Lit-
erary Scholarship. Columbus, Ohio: 
Publications Committee, The Ohio State 
University Libraries, 1974. 703p. (73-
620216). (ISBN 0-88215-033-2). 

After a literary scholar has written a 
piece of criticism, he or she faces the hurdle 
of deciding where to submit it for publica-
tion. Beyond PMLA and a few other well-
known general journals, and after exhaust-
ing certain specialized titles concentrating