Balachandran, Sarojini

College and Research Libraries

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Mechanised In-House Information Systems (Book Review)

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84 I College & Research Libraries • January 1980 research methodology at Yale. The guide lists and annotates 543 refer-ence tools including bibliographies, ency-clopedias, dictionaries, indexes and abstracts, guidebooks and manuals, catalogs, commentarie:;, and a few monographs con-taining extensive bibliographies. It is lim-ited primarily to English-language works of recent vintage. Of necessity, some older works that have not been superseded have been included. While there are some references to world religions broadly, the primary coverage is that of the Judeo-Christian tradition, includ-ing both Protestant and Catholic Chris-tianity. The basic framework follows the classic theological divisions of biblical studies, systematic theology, historical studies, and practical theology. In addition to these, there are sections on bibliography; encyclopedias and dictionaries; and a gen-eral section on biography, almanacs, direc-tories, yearbooks, quotation and poetry in-dexes, and style manuals. Each of the 543 entries is given a terse descriptive annotation indicating the con-tents, purpose, scope, arrangement, depth, and perspective of the work. No attempt is made to give critical evaluations of the items. There is a comprehensive author and title index. There are brief but helpful introductions to each of the chapters giving some de-finitions and guidelines as to the usefulness of the various kinds of tools listed in each section. Where there is unevenness in the coverage of a particular section, we believe that this reflects unevenness in the tools available to the researcher rather than any lack of perspective in the compilation. The guide includes both secular and reli-gious works of value in the field. Where an item has application in more than one sub-ject area, a cross-reference is given. This book should be a basic piece for the study of theological bibliography and should be found in any significant reference collection as well as many a pastor's study.-John B. Trotti, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, Richmond. Morrow, Carolyn Clark. A Conservation Policy Statement for Research Libraries. University of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science Occasional Papers, no.139. Urbana: t.Jniv. of Illinois Gradu-ate School of Library Science, 1979. 23p. $2 (prepaid). ISSN 0073-5310. The preface of the Conservation Policy Statement contains a sentence that sums up its major flaw: "It was personally more fun to outline a positive program (even if fic-tional and wildly unrealistic) than to de-scribe the very real limitations." This per-sonal statement of the ideal conservation program does have unrealistic aspects, and these may deter a library from any conser-vation efforts. Rather than encouraging basic preserva-tion efforts, with a staff and budget that can be expanded as necessary, the author out-lines a massive program and emphasizes how expensive conservation is. The organi-zation chart for the conservation department shows eighteen full-time staff members (five librarians and thirteen clerical or technical workers) and fifteen student workers. Even with a staff of this size, binding is done out-side the library, and departmental librarians do minor 'repairs for their own areas. The Conservation Policy Statement can be helpful for conservation planning in academic libraries if the policymakers are already familiar with preservation theory and practice. The lists of "Principles of Con-servation" and "Priorities of the Conserva-tion Program" suggest areas of activity that a library could pursue. The bibliography of sixty-four readings provides some useful ci-tations although the standard reference works by Bernard Middleton, George and Dorothy Cunha, and Howard Winger and Richard Smith are not included. For a more practical approach to a re-search library policy and pr~gram see the University of Wisconsin-Madison Statement on the Conservation of Library Materials. The recently published Toward a California Document Conservation Program, by ]: Michael Bruer, demonstrates how many facets of Morrow's ideal library conservation program could be assumed by a statewide or regional center.-Catherine Asher, In-diana University, Bloomington. Rowley, J. E. Mechanised In-House Infor-mation Systems. London: Clive Bingley; New York: K. G. Saur, 1979. 208p. $17.50. ISBN 0-85157-259-6 Bingley. Computer-based retrieval systems have had such a tremendous impact on our cur-rent practices of librarianship it is essential that everyone concerned understand the ac-tual role mechanization plays in the process of information transfer. Many different sys-tems are in operation today, providing up-to-date or retrospective information, often in the form 6f bibliographic references or statistical data. While each system has its own peculiarities and is designed to satisfy specific needs, certain features are basic to most, if not all, of the systems. Rowley's volume, in part, identifies and explains all such common components in ali effort to provide a theoretical background for understanding the factors involved in the input, processing, and output of mechanized in-house information retrieval. The author provides a lucid narrative of the current state of the art in the following areasr system design and specification, de-finition of objectives, feasibility studies and cost-benefit analysis, information structure and citation, abstracting, indexing and Recent Publications I 85 thesaurus construction, classification software, searching, and retrieval. The first part of the book concludes with a selective bibliography on the various as-pects of theoretical framework covered thus far. Part 2 contains a description of a series of individual systems currently in operation, which include ASSASSIN, CAIRS, CAN/ SDI, CAN/OLE, ENLIST, ITIRC, LAB-STAT, MORPHS, SCORPIO, and TOTAL. These case studies deal variously with the type of information that is stored, storage systems, methods of search and retrieval, and the nature of output. Samples of search requests, formats, and output are thought-fully provided. Brief references are made to factors such as costs, user education, and audience reaction. This reviewer would have liked a little more attention given to these aspects. Admittedly, the author makes no effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the various sys-tems. That, however, is not. the purpose of the book; it is to provide an introduction to the subject for students of information sci-Library Development Consultants LoNDON BATH WASHINGTON Announces a series of continuing education seminars of special interest to administrators of academic and research libraries BUDGETING ALTERNATIVES: Effective approaches to library budget preparation. Selection of appropriate methodologies for optimum cost benefit in given situations. March 17, Victoria, BC. March 19, Denver. April 25, New Brunswick, NJ. May 15, Hamilton, ONT. May 16, Minneapolis. Michael Koenig, Seminar Director. COMPUTER ALTERNATIVES: Evaluation of costs and advantages of large-scale central processing, time-sharing, and mini-computer systems. Attention to flexibility and expandability of each system, reversibility, capability to generate satellite products or services, and interaction possibilities with national networks. March 5, Victoria, BC. March 21, Tampa. April4, Houston. April 25, Minneapolis. Herbert White, Seminar Director. RESEARCH TECHNIQUES FOR LIBRARY MANAGEMENT: Description of quantitative and analytic methods which enhance cost effectiveness . Approaches to evaluation and measurement of services as well as internal procedures. Feb. 22, El Paso. March 7, San Jose, CA. March 28, Santa Fe, NM. Aprll11, Detroit. April 14, Wichita. Kenneth Beasley/Terence Crowley, Seminar Directors. Institutions cooperating in these presentations include Libraries Unlimited, Rutgers University, Sam Houston State University, San Jose State University, University of South Florida, The University of Texas at El Paso, and Wayne State University. Each seminar Is six hours: 9:30am- 12:30 pm and 1:30- 4:30 pm. For details about spring, 1980 seminars, please write Library Development Consultants, North American Office, 349 0 Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024 86 I College & Research Libraries • January 1980 ence and beginning practitioners. This pur-pose seems to be adequately fulfilled. The author is to be congratulated on adopting a case study approach, which is best suited to bring out the many salient features of in-house systems. The book is therefore rec-ommended as an excellent companion vol-ume to the many general textbooks available in this area, including the author's recent contribution entitled The Dissemination of Information (Westview, 1978).-Sarojini Balachandran, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. American Women Writers: A Critical Refer-ence Guide from Colonial Times to the Present. In Four Volumes. Ed. by Lina Mainiero. New York: Ungar, 1979. V.1 (601p.) $45. LC 78-20945. ISBN 0-8044-3151-5 (V.1). "Three hundred years of women writers . Thousands of women who took pen in hand. . . . Voices coming from every town and village. From every region of America. From every social class. From every variety of religious and political belief. Women who cared passionately about civil and human rights, about their fellow human beings and their God. Women who wrote eloquently about motherhood, marriage, and home. Women who wrote to other women-to caution, to instruct, to inspire." In these words from her brief preface to American Women Writers (V.1: A to E, on which this review is based), Lina Mainiero celebrates the subject of the four-volume dictionary. Characterizing the publication as a "pioneering reference work that would in-form and illuminate," she praises con-tributors, consultants, publishers, and li-brarians, who receive special thanks for their commitment to the project. Editor Mainiero also wisely recognizes the guide's indebtedness to earlier biographical dic-tionaries, especially Notable American Women, 1607-1950 (incorrectly dated 1951 instead of 1971). According to the publisher's foreword to the first volume, which provides a more de-tailed description of the work, American Women Writers is a critical reference guide from colonial times to the present and dif-French Periodical Index (Repertorlex) VIVE lA FRANCE! by Jean·Pierre Ponchie The fifth volume of this series (French B~fipdicallndex, 1978) continues to provide students of French, teachers, librarian$';· ijij$.Jness and professional people with ac· cess to events in contemporary Fraf)#e iiliMhe French point of view on subjects ;h:g~:~tf;~: :~:h:~:;: ::~ti:~v~r=fnt~~:lllllilrench language journals are indexed: L 'Actualitf/, Les Dossiers et docum6,'(1,ts aiJ\Wpnde, L 'Express, Le Franfiais dans le Monde, Jeune Afrique, Le Monde de l'fldutf,j:tfflh, Le Monde hebdomadaire, Le nouvel French Perioc:lgFtndlil'''lR•pertoriex), 1978 ISBN 0·87305-122-X Li~~~ll':i,li~::Jf 285 pp. $25.00 The preceding volumes (1973-74, 1975, 1SJ~'; and 1977) are also available. Write for a copy of our Publications Catalog. F. W. FAXOn COmPAnY, InC. Publications Division 15 Southwest Park . Westwood. Massachusett s 02090 

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Mechanised In-House Information Systems (Book Review)

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