Encyclopedias

The new edition of the Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia is a luxury for a business organization and need not be considered in this list, but the business library must have a general encyclopedia, and the best one for the American business office is without doubt the New International Encyclopedia, published by Dodd, Mead and Company in 23 volumes, latest edition 1916. Price bound in library buckram, $7.50 per volume.

Its advantages for business use over the new edition of the much recently advertised Encyclopedia Britannica, are that the point of view of the articles covers American needs better, that all information is alphabeted under the most specific subject word, so that no index volume has to be consulted as is the case in using the Britannica, and that there are ample "see" references, if the subject looked up is entered under a different terminology.

In regard to its authority, comprehensiveness, illustrations, maps and bibliographical references at the end of the articles, the New International ranks in the first class of encyclopedia productions. It can be purchased printed on the much exploited India paper if the saving of shelf space means more to the business office than does the rapid turning of leaves. The India paper leaves are apt to stick together and also crumple easily. The most desirable binding is library buckram rather than flexible leather, which some business libraries have been unwise enough to purchase. Dodd, Mead and Company also issue an excellent annual encyclopedia entitled the New International Year Book, as a supplement to the New International Encyclopedia, which brings the Encyclopedia down to date at a cost of $6.50 per volume.

The World Almanac and Encyclopedia, published for the New York World both in cloth and paper binding at 50 and 35 cents per volume, is an invaluable addition to the business library, no matter how well supplied it may be with pretentious encyclopedias. It is strong on statistics of all kinds which are brought down to date and contains a wide range of miscellaneous information which cannot be found readily in more expensive handbooks. It has an excellent index and is generally the best book to consult in a hurry in answering the many miscellaneous questions which arise in a business office. It has been estimated that it will answer 25% of the questions which come up in every day business experience.

Lippincott's New Gazetteer of the World, a geographical dictionary, Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1906, price $10.00, is useful but much out of date in its statistics.

The United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce publishes each year the Statistical Abstract of the United States at 50 cents per volume, paper binding, or it may be had in cloth. This abstract gives tabulated statistics covering a number of years on the natural resources and various economic activities of the United States. This Bureau also publishes annually a valuable volume of statistics entitled Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States, which gives statistics of imports and exports of different classes of merchandise with rates of duty, quantities and value.

For commercial, political and statistical information about foreign countries the Statesman's Year Book, a British publication issued annually by Macmillan, at $7.50 per volume, is a valuable addition to any business library. It also gives a list of the best books on each country and its most important government publications, and includes a list of books relating to the war and a diary of its principal events. Maps of the different countries are also included.

The American Newspaper Annual, a directory published by Ayer and Son, Philadelphia, price $10.00, gives a list of all newspapers and periodicals published in the United States and territories, Canada, Cuba, West Indies, arranged by states and cities, with maps of the states and information about the industries and institutions of each city. It gives the population of cities and towns of the United States and Canada whose population is over 3,000. It lists all publications in foreign languages printed in different states of the United States and also gives a list of trade papers for certain industries. A mid-year supplement is free to subscribers.

Rand McNally's Commercial Atlas of America, published annually, price $35.00, is the best atlas of its kind on the market for a business office. The maps are indexed, and information on population, express offices, United States money order stations and the railroads of each town and city are given. This atlas has maps of the largest cities. Steamship and interurban lines are also shown.

Another valuable guide is the Official Hotel Red Book and Directory of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Hawaii, West Indies and South American cities, published annually by the Official Hotel Red Book and Directory Company, New York City, price $6.00. This guide lists hotels under cities with brief notes on accommodations and rates.

Another similar guide is American Travel and Hotel Directory, published annually by Harold W. Phillips, 1133 Broadway, New York City, at $5.00 per volume.

The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, also time tables of railroads in Central America, is published monthly by the National Railway Publication Company, New York City, $14.00 per year. It gives the current time tables in effect and the maps of the various railroads with indexes of their stations, and a general alphabetical index of all railway stations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, showing on what railroads a given place is located, with a similar index for points reached by water routes.

United States Official Post Office Guide, issued annually with eleven monthly supplements at $1.00 per year, gives information about mail rates and post office rulings, and also gives a complete list of the post offices in the United States.

The business library will find it helpful to obtain a single volume published by the Census Bureau entitled Abstract of the Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, which may be procured from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C., at the cost of $1.00. This abstract gives in condensed form with explanatory text, statistics to be found in the eleven volumes report of the 1910 census covering population, agriculture, manufactures and mining of the United States as a whole, individual states and principal cities. This abstract volume is issued in special editions for each state of the United States, which give special statistics pertaining to that state.

In regard to population figures, it is probably not generally known that the Census Bureau has issued bulletins giving estimates of the population of cities for each year subsequent to 1910, so that population figures for 1910 need not be considered as the latest official figures available. The 1920 census is being compiled as this volume goes to press.

The reference collection of a business library must be strong in books which will serve as directories of persons and industries, in order to answer questions on "who is who" and "where and what" are certain business organizations. The important point for consideration in selecting directories for a business library is that they must be not only accurate but as nearly up-to-date as possible, to be of real value.

Who's Who in America, a biographical dictionary of notable living men and women of the United States, giving brief biographical data and addresses of over twenty thousand Americans prominent in business and public affairs, professional life, or as authors, published biennially by A. N. Marquis and Company, Chicago, $7.50 per volume.

There are also similar brief biographical dictionaries published for certain states and cities which will be well known to the public libraries in those particular localities, and which will not be listed here as they are not of general interest to all localities; for example, The Book of Chicagoans, Who's Who in New England, Directory of Directors in the City of New York.

Every business library will need the latest edition of the Congressional Directory, as all business firms have at some time correspondence with, or need information on, congressmen, committees, departments and bureaus of the Government, also diplomatic and consular service. This volume may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C., for 60 cents, in cloth binding.

The membership lists of national organizations representing different professions and industries are also very valuable, such as the membership of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, and other associations devoted to business interests as well as to professional work. The city directory and telephone list of any community must not be forgotten as helpful reference aids, also state gazetteers, and the collection of directories of various cities to be found at the public library will be found most useful.

G. P. Putnam Sons, New York City, publish a handbook called Directory of Mailing Lists, Obtainable in Book or Pamphlet Form, price $2.50, which tells where printed mailing lists of certain industries or classes of people may be obtained free or at a reasonable price.

Public Affairs Information Service, a weekly or bi-monthly cumulated service, according to the needs of subscribers, and cumulating in an annual volume, published by the H. W. Wilson Company, New York City, is a subject index to articles in current periodicals, pamphlets and books covering current economic problems. Price upon application. It is a valuable index to consult at the public library, as it is too expensive for the small business library.

Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers—"first hands in all lines"—is an indispensable directory. It is published annually by the Thomas Publishing Company, New York City, price $15.00. The entries are in three main sections. The first section classifies the manufacturers according to their products, in an alphabetical subject list; the second section lists the manufacturers alphabetically by their names, gives addresses, branch offices and officials for many of them; the third section lists all the popular trade names alphabetically, and there is an alphabetical index of subjects at the beginning of the volume, with plentiful cross references to all the subjects listed in section one.

Hendricks' Commercial Register of the United States is similar to Thomas' Register, but is especially devoted to the interests of contracting and construction industries. It is published annually by S. E. Hendricks Company, New York City, price $12.50.

Exporters and importers will find most useful, Kelly's Directory of Merchants, Manufacturers and Shippers of the World, 1921, Kelly Publishing Company, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City, price $20.00.

The organization, personnel of management, earnings and financial history of industrial corporations in the United States are given in Moody's Manual of Railroad & Corporation Securities, published annually by Poor's Publishing Company, New York City. The publisher expects to issue the 1921 edition in four volumes as follows:

Vol. I—Railroads.
Vol. II—Public Utilities.
Vol. III—Industrials.
Vol. IV—Mining and Oil Companies.

The 1921 price will probably be $15.00 per volume.

Moody's Analyses of Investments is published in four parts as follows:

Part I—Steam Railroads.
Part II—Industrials.
Part III—Public Utilities.
Part IV—Government and Municipals.

These volumes cover much the same ground as the manuals just noted with the addition of ratings. They are published by John Moody, 35 Nassau street, New York City, at $15.00 per volume.

The Manual of Statistics Stock Exchange Handbook, similar in contents to the Poor & Moody volumes but not as full, is published annually by The Manual Statistics Company, New York City, at $12.00 per volume.

Investment Bankers and Brokers of America, issued annually by Sites Publishing Company, 441 Pearl Street, New York City, $17.50 per volume, is a useful directory to be used to supplement Rand McNally Bankers' Directory, issued semi-monthly in January and July, Chicago, price $25.00 per year, or the Bankers' Encyclopedia, issued semi-annually in March and September, New York, price $10.00 per volume.

Money and Investments, by Montgomery Rollins, "a reference book for the use of those desiring information in the handling of money or the investment thereof," is an excellent dictionary of financial terms, published by Financial Publishing Company, Boston, Mass., edition 4, price $3.00.

For the business firm who wishes to keep up to the minute on the latest information of what is going on in the world as affecting trade and finance, the Standard Statistics Company, 47 West street, New York City, issues Standard Daily Trade Service at a cost of $120.00 per year, which delivers each morning by first class mail a conveniently indexed and itemized digest of the important news regarding crops, commodities, countries, legislation, taxation, Federal trade regulation, transportation, etc., and in addition gives the subscriber the benefit of a Personal Service department for special information of value to him individually which does not appear on the daily report sheet.

In addition to the Daily Trade Service, the Standard Statistics Company also issues a similar daily service entitled Corporation News Service, which summarizes all the corporation news of the country. It also issues a Corporation Card and Bond Card Service which furnish daily revised card descriptions of corporations and bond issues.

The Federal Trade Information Service, 31 Nassau street, New York City, is similar in frequency and form of issue to the standard Daily Trade Service but is not as comprehensive in scope, as it covers only the activities of the Federal Government.

There is scarcely any industry which has not put out a reference handbook or directory covering its special field, and it is impossible in a brief treatise to list all of the reference books which pertain to a large number of industries. The best printed list from which to determine what directories and handbooks have been issued for certain industries is 2400 Business Books, which has been previously noted. Consult also the trade journals, and above all, do not forget to use the reference facilities to be found at the public library.

CHAPTER IX
THE ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS OF THE
BUSINESS LIBRARIAN

Thoughtful consideration of what the business library does will inevitably lead to one conclusion, namely, that the librarian, who is the director and inspiration of the work, must have greater educational qualifications than can be found in the average office employe who is engaged either in the capacity of stenographer or file clerk. The qualifications which are necessary to make a successful business librarian may be definitely stated as follows:

1. A college education or its equivalent.
2. A library school education or its equivalent.
3. Certain innate mental and social traits.
4. The business man's point of view.