This subject has been so fully treated in recent years, notably by Mr.
Lane in an address at Oberlin college in June, 1908, and in several
reports of the Association of college librarians, that only an outline
will be attempted here.
[9] Abstract.
A natural preliminary inquiry presents itself: Is reference work in
all its phases adequately performed already? With a well trained
library staff, whose work may be supplemented by the inter-library
loan; by writing letters; by the use of the priceless though incessant
telephone; or by seeking the aid of some such bureau of inquiry as that
of Thos. Nelson's Sons, The Boston Transcript, The New York Times or
Notes and Queries, are we keeping our public satisfied, and the voice
of conscience still?
If not, and if the question of creating some central agency for
auxiliary reference service is to be discussed, shall this central
agency take the form of a central lending library, with its permanent
building, book reservoir and staff to administer it, or of a central
reference bureau, which will receive all kinds of inquiries, and
answer them, as far as possible, by consultation in libraries already
existing, or in other institutions which may possess the desired
information?
That a central lending library, equipped and maintained under the
auspices of the A. L. A. is today or even tomorrow impracticable, can
scarcely be denied by intelligent librarians. The writer believes
that no adequate endowment could be secured; that if any funds were
obtained for this purpose, years would be required to build up a useful
collection; that such a collection would, to a great extent, duplicate
existing material; that running expenses would be far greater than
for an information bureau, and that there are, in short, other more
pressing needs.
If a central reference bureau is to be established, what form shall it
take? Shall it be attached to some institution already in operation
or exist independently? The latter seems preferable, as it could
then maintain a consistent policy, unhampered by political or other
undesirable influences; proceed unhampered with singleness of aim and
method; be governed by persons disinterested and none others; and
restrict its collections exclusively to the purposes which its founders
intended it to pursue.
Where should such an agency be established? At some library center like
Boston, New York, Philadelphia or St. Louis? At A. L. A. headquarters?
At the Library of Congress or under the auspices of some active state
library commission? The two institutions specifically mentioned are
already doing a large work in this direction.
The duties and opportunities of this bureau would be: to collect and
co-ordinate the public-service records of American libraries and
cognate institutions (e. g. supply information on special collections,
subject bibliographies, reading lists, etc.); by questionnaires, visits
and in other ways obtain supplementary information along these and
similar lines; to get results printed and disseminated; to furnish
definite information on lending conditions now obtaining in American
libraries, and, when possible, to improve them; and to serve as a
free registration and employment agency for librarians and library
assistants. Although this last suggestion has not been proposed, to the
writer's knowledge in earlier schemes, its importance as a practical
measure, is obvious. To the large body of faithful and efficient
workers who have not enjoyed the benefits of a library school training
such an agency would render signal service.
The unfortunate but frequently recurring repetition of reference
research would, in large measure, be prevented if librarians were
enabled to derive prompt assistance, in case of knotty problems, from
a competent central agency. Their duty to dispatch to this agency
solutions to such questions of probably common interest as they had
themselves discovered, would be equally obvious.
The trend of library thought in the thinking world today is toward
centralisation and co-ordination of effort; witness the sense of the
Brussels conference of 1910 that central information bureaus should be
established in all countries of progressive library spirit; the success
and practical value of the gigantic Gesammtkatalog; and the expected
benefits from the youthful Boston co-operative information bureau.
That American librarians are looking toward a fuller development of
inter-library loans, and away from a central reference bureau, is the
consensus of the recent (1910, March and May) symposium conducted
by the Library Journal. Our duty now is, by sympathy, interest and
contribution, to forward the work of the Library of Congress and the
A. L. A. headquarters, and to make our own lending conditions the most
generous in our power.
Mr. C. H. Gould, chairman of the committee on co-ordination, stated
that the subject just presented had a close relation to several matters
before his committee, and gave a résumé of their report submitted in
print to a general session of the conference.
Dr. Andrews, as a member of the Committee, added that in his opinion
photographic reproductions might prove a satisfactory substitute for
many inter-library loans. The installation of a cameragraph in the John
Crerar library had proved of much more use than had been anticipated,
not only in regard to the number of copies made, but also in regard to
the scope of the material thus copied. It had been found in many cases
that these photographic reproductions could be furnished for less than
the cost of transportation of the volume, and that besides they gave a
permanent record to the borrower. The only obvious limitation was the
impossibility of reproducing copyright material.
After further discussion, the chairman asked Dr. W. K. Jewett,
librarian of the University of Nebraska, to serve as chairman of the
nominating committee and to select two others to serve with him. The
session then adjourned.