College and Research Libraries 290 I College & Research Libraries • May 1979 after reading the chapter entitled "Statutory Law," where the various materials falling under this topic-federal, state, and other statutory law and their finding tools-are described and where statutory research methodology is outlined, the readers turn to the appropriate tape and, following the very detailed instructions, move from one book to the next and take the steps lawyers pre- sumably will take in the solution of an ac- tual problem. The purpose of this approach is to create a "similarity to an actual re- search endeavor" and thereby to augment the interest of the students. The problem selected for use throughout this publication is the question of liability of a credit card holder for purchases made by others with his or her lost or misplaced card. For this question, lawyers would nor- mally first consult one of the available looseleaf services, e.g. , Commerce Clearing House's Consumer Credit Guide or Prentice-Hall's Consumer and Commercial Credit-Installment Sale s Reporter, and might find that it is the only source needed. In other words, each legal problem calls for individually tailored research strategies for its most effective resolution . The strategies furthermore often have to be tailored not only to the legal problem involved but also to the range of legal research materials that are available, and they always are affected by the knowledge and experience of the person doing the research. The value of the audiotapes could have been enhanced substantially if thoughts along these lines had been included . Since such information is lacking, the tapes are mainly a reiteration of instructional mate- rials that are already available in the gener- ally excellent pamphlets that the publishers of the various units of the legal bibliography make freely available to law students. Whether novices fare better reading these instructions in those pamphlets or lis-" te ning to them through earphones (which would be an essential requirement in a _li- brary) is an open question and probably a matter of individual taste. For this re- viewer , the question is resolved in favor of the written instructions because they can be read much faster than they can be heard on the tapes. Even if the aural instruction offered by these tapes were favored, questions remain as to the utility of the written component of the publication. Both in content and in style, the booklet does not compare favor- ably to any of the books on legal bibliogra- phy that are currently available: viz., Co- hen, Hou; to Find the Late, 7th ed. (West Pub., 1976) and Legal Research (West Pub., 1978); Jacobstein and Mersky, Fundamen- tals of Legal Research (Foundation, 1977); Price and Bittner, Effectit:.e Legal Research, 4th ed. forthcoming (Little, Brown, 1979); etc. It is, of course, desirable that all general libraries contain basic information on the legal bibliography. Since they generally lack the law books that are required for studying the legal literature with the help of this publication , however , its utility anywhere but in a law library would be minimaL- Anita K. Head , Unir;ersity of Kansas, La terence. Saflady , William. "Facsimile Transmission for Libraries : Technology and Application Design. " LeClercq , Angie. "One-half- Inch Videocassette Equipment for Library Use." Library Technology Reports 14 :445-546 (Sept.-Oct. 1978 ). $48 for single issue. (Available from American Library Assn., 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. ) A new generation of facsimile-transfer equipment has recently appeared , reviving hopes that inexpensive systems that can rapidly transmit readable copy may soon be a practical library investment. William Saf- fady reviews the basic design of these image-transmission systems, explaining how facsimile -transfer occurs between locations. He also outlines decisions that must be made prior to acquisition of a system and suggests how alternative designs may re- duce costs or improve transmission quality. Further , Saffady discusses compatibility among competing producers and with more traditional information-transferral systems. Saffady' s analysis of the state of facsimile transfer concludes with specifications for nine different facsimile systems . While his argument that library administrators should take a fresh look at facsimile transfer is rea- sonable, his analysis of the state of the art seems to confirm that the transfer of quan- • When information is needed in the scientific, technical, or business manage- ment fields . . . a search isn't complete without one or more of these major sources of specialized information. Whether your search is print or online, invaluable data is available to you in the six major databases described below: are you sure your last iiiformation search was complete? CONFERENCE PAPERS INDEX Latest international research findings in the life sciences, medicine, engineering and technology, chemistry, and the physical sciences. Cited, indexed. Print and online. ISMEC International mechanical engineering, production engineering, and engineering management information, cited and indexed. Print and online. POLLUTION ABSTRACTS The undiluted source to world developments in the environmental sciences. Ab- stracted and indexed. Print and online . OCEANIC ABSTRACTS The most comprehensive coverage of the world's technical marine literature avail- able today. Abstracted and indexed. Print and online. PHARMACEUTICAL NEWS INDEX The latest news in the U.S. pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and medical device fields, cited and indexed from the major FDC Reports publications. Print and online. ABI/INFORM The first database of business information essential to management and adminis- trative decision-makers. Online. Retrieval services now available. ps: For complete information ... write, phone, or telex: GD DATA COURIER, INC., the database company 620 South Fifth Street • Louisv ille , KY 40202 U .S.A. Phon e: 502/582-4111 • Wats : 800/ 626-2823 • T elex: 204235 ONLINE USERS: Our revised and expanded User Aids are now available for each of the above product lines. Contact us for FREE copies. 292 I College & Research Libraries • May 1979 tities of hard copy via any of these systems remains impractical for all but the best- funded libraries. The March 1976 Library Technology Re- ports contained an analysis by Angie LeClercq of ¥2-inch reel and %-inch video- cassette recorders. Since that issue a third format, ¥2-inch videocassette, has propelled its way into the American marketplace. LeClercq supplements her earlier analysis of video equipment by outlining the positive and negative features of this new video for- mat. Direct comparisons are made to %-inch videocassette recorder/players, which have become the standard for most institutions. LeClercq's analysis makes the new 1/2-inch format most attractive. (Three different systems are compared; however , none is compatible with another.) The ¥2-inch videocassette basic recorder/ player , accessories, and raw tape are sig- nificantly less expensive then %-inch cas- sette brands. Also , longer recording time can be achieved. The equipment itself is smaller and more easily portable than %-inch equipment. The biggest advantage the V2 -inch videocassette format has over %-inch competitors is its wide range of Available readily available, prerecorded programming. Mass production of ¥2-inch-cassette pro- gramming, geared to the home video mar- ket, makes these products affordable for li- brary acquisition. LeClercq does identify enough disadvantages so that librarians will not want to discard their %-inch equipment. Any extensive commitment to ¥2-inch videocassette systems should wait for fur- ther design refinements and standardiza- tion.-Thomas L. Bonn , State Unit>ersity of New York , College at Cortland . As Much to Learn as to Teach: Essays in Honor of Lester Asheim. Edited by Joel M. Lee and Beth A. Hamilton. Hamden , Conn.: Linnet Books , 1979. 273p. $12.50. LC 78-11313. ISBN 0-208-01751-4. The title of this volume, which honors a distinguished librarian and scholar, was taken from a piece he wrote about the ALA International Relations Office that was pub- lished in the Library Journal fifteen years ago. "As Much to Learn as to Teach" is in- dicative of Les Asheim's own personal phi- losophy and is .so evident in his teaching and his re lationships with his fellowmen and women. fOr the firSt The Bibliography of Agriculture tl·me eVer• Retrospective Cumulation on Microfiche, •1970-1978 with annual updates. THE ORYX PRESS introduces a retrospective cumulation of all citations created and issued by The National Agriculture Library since 1970. This cumulation is produced from the July 1978 corrected retrospective CAIN file. All the Main Entry citations for 1970-1978 are cumulated into a single integrated file. A completely new Subject Index cumulation, based on the newly revised 1978 AGRICULTURAL TERMS vocabulary, covers all8 years. An 8-year retrospective Author Index is included as well. Annual update service on microfiche is available. An Annual Update Service on microfiche, beginning with Volume 43 (1979 edition), is available to those subscribing to the complete retrospective cumulation. Order today through your subscription agent or from THE ORYX PRESS. $1350 (Retro 1970-1978), $150 per year for the annual updates. c 0 o QRYX PRESS 3930EastCamelbackRoad 0 ¢ • ~Q Phoenix, Arizona 85018 • (602) 956-6233 Q • ';), Visit THE ORYX PRESS at ALA in Dallas, Booth #885