The business organization builds up its own library, first, on account of the convenience of having close at hand the information constantly needed by its workers, and subject to no borrowing restrictions, which would be inevitable even if the facilities of outside libraries were available; and second, on account of the necessity for careful selection of material particularly adapted to its individual needs. Business organizations have for many years collected information in a desultory manner, but it has been only in the last few years that some of them have awakened to the fact that more was needed than mere collection of printed information, and for the same reason that they were availing themselves of all modern devices for the quick and adequate handling of their various products and were systematizing their methods to obtain more efficient results, so they must lay hold of modern library methods under experienced supervision if they were to keep up with the steadily growing and important mass of printed information. Therefore we find business organizations securing the services of professional library workers, trained to use books in the broadest and most practical manner. Some hesitation was at first expressed in various quarters as to whether so-called professional library methods used in public and university libraries were suited to business library needs, and as to whether library workers educated for general library work would adequately meet the business library situation. In fact it was intimated that the business librarian was a worker of a different brand than the ordinary librarian and therefore he had both knowledge and needs which set him apart from his library fellows, in a special class by himself. Out of four years' experience as a business librarian the speaker takes pleasure in stating that practical experience has proved the fallacy of both of these conceptions. It is true that business librarians are called upon to exercise certain functions which the librarians of public and university libraries are not, but which any efficient head of a public or university library would be quite capable of exercising if the occasion demanded it. In fact the recent rise of library interest in business men and their needs can be directly traced to the heads of some of our public libraries and the work they have inaugurated in making their libraries as helpful as possible to all classes of citizens.
The characterization of the function of libraries in business organizations by the word "expanding" in the title assigned to this paper by the President of the American Library Association, is most apt, and indicative of the real status of the case. The business library is in a process of evolution, and just what the final result will be, it is a little too early in its development to state.
The elemental idea of the function of a business library that was held by the officers of the business organization with which the speaker is most familiar, was to have the books and data which were the property of the company, classified and cataloged so that material could be found quickly, and a librarian was employed solely on the basis of this need.
With the acquisition of a librarian the library situation soon changed from the inquiry for certain definite books and periodicals, to the inquiry as to whether the company had any specific information on a given subject, and if not as to whether printed information on the subject was available elsewhere and how quickly it could be obtained.
The evolution in the function of a library from that of furnishing a definite book asked for, to furnishing all the information obtainable on a given subject as quickly as possible is decidedly expensive, and the what, how and where of the case would furnish ample material for a separate paper.
The evolution in the function of the library did not stop at this point; for it was soon expected that the librarian would understand the specific interests of the members of the organization, and to a certain degree think for them in keeping up with the field of print and in bringing to their attention, without a request on their part, certain facts of which they would like to be cognizant. To this duty was added the forecasting of possible future needs, and the collection of information in advance of rush demands.
The magnitude of the work of modern business organizations requires the division of labor into a number of departments, and the workers in any one department may not always be acquainted with the information which may be available in another department. The library, by keeping in touch with individuals in all departments, becomes a central bureau of information in being able to refer the members of one department to those in another who possess the particular information desired.
The business library also assembles and files the manuscript data of original research conducted by members of the organization, materials which constitute one of its valuable assets. Research data in the possession of business corporations is often a worthy contribution to scholarship. An illustration of this fact was recently brought to the attention of the speaker, by the statement of a university student, who said that in making a study of the drinking waters of a certain state the only analyses of waters on record were those which a railroad had made primarily for the purpose of ascertaining the suitability of the waters for boiler use on locomotives.
In addition to these briefly outlined functions, which are more or less technical, attention should be directed to several others, lest a mistaken impression be given that business library work is entirely technical in its nature.
Business men are often called upon to serve the public as good citizens in various capacities, and also to serve as officers or on committees of national business organizations, and thus have interests outside of their regular company work. Their librarian is expected to assist in any need which arises by reason of these outside interests, and not only may be called upon to furnish information but also to do editorial work in preparing material for publication.