REFERENCES FOR ADDITIONAL READING
Leffingwell, W. H.
The office through a microscope. National efficiency quarterly August 1918, p. 85-111.
Library Bureau
Library supplies catalog no. L1018.
Unit wood book shelving catalog no. 70314.
Unit filing cabinets in wood catalog no. 8929.
Steel book stack catalog no. 70814.
CHAPTER VIII
REFERENCE BOOKS FOR THE BUSINESS LIBRARY
All business organizations, whether they employ a librarian or not, have need of some reference books for general information as well as for special information along the lines of their individual work. If a librarian is not employed the reference books are not so valuable as they might be, because there is generally no one at hand so skilled in manipulating their indexes and contents, that the exact information required is immediately forthcoming; for it is in the field of reference books particularly that the business librarian acts as "Open Sesame" to the business man. The ability to find information is a matter of training; it does not suffice merely to possess books or to be told of existing resources. This truth was stated in a homely fashion some time ago by a practical engineering journal, which said:
"Books are just as much engineering tools as wrenches, hammers, or cold chisels, and it takes practice to successfully manipulate them. We have all probably laughed at the novice's first attempt to use a monkey wrench, a can can be just as clumsy with the books that he consults to assist him in solving his problems. Just as it took considerable time to acquire skill in handling tools about the plant, it also takes a lot of time to acquire the knack of getting information out of books," or to state the case in the words of the founder of the famous Poole's index system, "The facile proficiency in the use of books does not come by intuition."
It is the purpose of this chapter to make some practical comments on the best reference books for business libraries, from which each individual business library can make a selection according to its special needs.
The list aims to include only such reference books as have been found to be of actual use, and to exclude all references to books which although excellent in their lines, have no place in the work of the business library, and no further apology will be made for their omission.