Search results

Ib her article about catalogues and bibliographies of periodicals in the September 1958 issue of the Journal of Documentation, Muriel E. Hammond writes (p. 127): ‘It has not been possible to locate all the Scandinavian bibliographies known to have been published.’ She cites from Denmark three publications, from Finland two, from Norway three, but from Sweden only one. This is a pity, because Sweden can show several important union lists and bibliographies of periodicals—more in fact than the other Scandinavian countries—and, what is more important, some of these raise some fundamental questions regarding union catalogues in general. This is why I should here like to give some information supplementary to her article.

Björkbom, c. Bokanskaffning och sambibliotek. (Acquisitions and library co‐operation.)Biblioteksbladet, vol. 41, no. 1, 1956, pp. 8–12. [In Swedish with English summary.] [Participation in a union catalogue has important implications which are not always realized. For it means that the stocks of all other participating libraries are available to the library's readers, either by interlibrary loan or by means of photocopies. This fact must be taken into account in drawing up the acquisition policies of individual libraries. The author discusses various ways in which such a rationalization of acquisitions could be effected and also different methods of bringing new acquisitions to the attention of other libraries.]

AT the very outset of this paper it is necessary to make clear that it is not an attempt to compile an exhaustive bibliography of literature relating to special librarianship. Neither space nor time permit this. In fact, the references given can only claim to be a sample of the wealth of material on the subject and this paper is submitted in the hope that it will stimulate others to more scholarly efforts. Reference numbers throughout this paper refer to items in the ‘Select list of references to the literature of special librarianship’, section 2 onwards.

It has often been said that a great part of the strength of Aslib lies in the fact that it brings together those whose experience has been gained in many widely differing fields but who have a common interest in the means by which information may be collected and disseminated to the greatest advantage. Lists of its members have, therefore, a more than ordinary value since they present, in miniature, a cross‐section of institutions and individuals who share this special interest.

By courtesy of the author we are enabled to print the following extracts from a translation of his paper ‘Filmen i biblioteksteknikens tjänst’ (Uppsala, Sverigcs Allmänna Biblioteksförening, 1951) which was originally presented at the 6th meeting of Scandinavian Librarians held at Uppsala in June 1950.

The Syllabus of the Examinations of the Library Association is being modified to suit the needs of librarians employed in various kinds of libraries. In the nature of things no syllabus can be regarded as satisfactory for all types of library. We talk easily of libraries under three categories, public, university and special, but within each there is a wide diversity and the business of the syllabus must, therefore, be to provide a working foundation on which these varied interests may rightly develop. There is nothing exceptional in this. All training must begin by having regard to general principles, leaving the application of these principles to the judgment of the individual who applies them. Hence, what follows is based on the assumption that librarians in whatever library they are employed will be people who are capable of making a reasonable judgment on principles to suit their particular cases.

The word documentation, by which this journal describes its scope, is a partial synonym of bibliography, and the history of both words, through eighty years in one case and through four hundred in the other, reflects the development of highly significant ideas. This paper begins by discussing bibliography in the light of R. Blum's exhaustively learned treatise, and continues with an original exposition of documentation, which cannot claim to reach Blum's standard of thoroughness but does, it is hoped, set out correctly the important things.

Summary The International Federation of Library Associations (I.F.L.A. and F.I.A.B. in English and French respectively) and the International Federation for Documentation (F.I.D.) each have a committee on professional training. Unesco wants to promote co‐operation between these two committees. This preliminary report states the F.I.D. position.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

King, A. General Policy of E.P.A. O.E.E.C. European Productivity Agency. Report on the second meeting of technical information officers, 1955, pp. 59–65. [The information activities of the E.P.A. fall into two categories: the exchange of information and the promotion of new developments through personal contacts. An example of the latter is the study being made of all aspects of automation. It is not enough to exchange technical information between scientists, it must be taken to non‐technical persons, and the small firms must be encouraged to make use of it. In addition there is need of more study of the non‐technical aspects of productivity: production engineering, work study, and the economic, social, and psychological implications. These are best tackled by teams of experts drawn from different disciplines.]