College and Research Libraries


262 I College & Research Libraries • May 1977 

viously announced files of System Develop-
ment Corporation's ORBIT and Lockheed 
Information System's DIALOG systems, the 
directory already needs several update 
modifications reflecting vendor additions. 

Overall, this work is recommended for 
any library which provides an active search 
service capability. To ensure its viability, 
it is urged that after the original one-year 
purchase, updated and additional pages be 
provided by ASIS at a nominal fee to the 
original subscribers.-Patricia E. Vaughan, 
Coordinator, NASIC, New England Board 
of Higher Education, Wellesley, Massa-
chusetts. 

Pitkin, Gary M. Serials Automation in the 
United States: A Bibliographic History. 
Nletuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1976. 148p. 
$6.00. LC 76-18116. ISBN 0-8108-0955-
9. 
According to the introduction, "the pur-

pose of this book is to provide, in one place, 
access to all information published on the 
automation of serials control functions in 
the United States and cited in Library Lit-
erature." The book is an annotated, biblio-
graphic history, covering the period from 
1949 to 197 4. Each entry, numbered and 
in chronological order, is annotated and 
contains complete bibliographic informa-
tion. In addition, each entry briefly notes 
the major automation application, such as 
ordering, claiming, binding, etc., and the 
type of library, including the categories of 
academic, government, industry, medical, 
military, public, and secondary schools. 

The annotations are well-written and in-
formative, varying in length from one to 
four paragraphs, with ample quotes from 
the original item. The appendixes contain 
an index of the articles by serials control 
function (binding, claiming, holdings in-
formation, etc.), and there is also a com-
plete author index. 

This book will help anyone considering 
serials automation by providing concise in-
formation on the way in which other li-
braries faced the challenges of serials 
automation and by locating specific articles 
relevant to the library's particular automa-
tion needs. Its usefulness is diminished by 
its 197 4 closing date for entries and the 
limitation to the United States. 

Admittedly, most libraries contemplating 

the automation of their serials control func-
tions will have Library Literature at their 
disposal. However, this book, reasonably 
priced at $6.00, provides a reliable, anno-
tated literature survey and is highly recom-
mended for any library or organization 
involved with serials automation.-]ean 
Hawks, Director of Public Services, North-
ern Arizona University Libraries, Flagstaff. 

Sheehy, Eugene P. Guide to Reference 
Books. Compiled by Eugene P. Sheehy, 
with the assistance of Rita G. Keckeissen 
and Eileen Mcilvaine. 9th ed. Chicago: 
American Library Assn., 1976. 1015p. 
$30.00. LC 76-11751. ISBN 0-8389-
0205-7. 
It is difficult to consider doing a review 

of Kroeger/Mudge/Winchell/Sheehy with-
out a feeling of reverence. Memories of the 
earlier editions from library school days on 
through years in the library profession 
bring proud recognition that the Guide has 
been a work of consistent excellence by li-
brarians for the entire learning world. As 
one reads through the pages of this latest 
edition, there is the pleasure of recalling 
massive sets of volumes on shelves and of 
remembering authors whose careful work 
is always within reach and students whose 
puzzling questions have been answered. 

As noted in the preface, very little has 
been dropped from the previous edition 
and much has been added. This fact was 
confirmed by checking sections throughout 
the cumulated index of Supplement 3 of 
the eighth edition with the index of the 
ninth. The omission of reference works on 
individual authors appears to be the major 
deletion. One can sympathize with com-
promises because of space requirements, 
but the omissions seem not to be done as 
consistently as would be desirable. 

Inclusions are said to be classical writers 
and "a few indisputably major authors" 
(Pre£. p.x). This decision results in rw list-
ing for American authors (there were 
twelve in the eighth), and only Goethe is 
left for German writers-Hegel, Heine, 
Kafka, Mann, Schiller having been dropped. 
Corneille, Moliere, and Racine remain of 
fourteen French authors in the eighth. 
There is a satisfactory explanatory note as 
to the treatment of this type of reference 
work in the English literature section; a