Evening star., 1938-02-09
LIBRARY EXTENDS
COPY|ST SERVICE
Rockefeller Foundation Gift
Enables institution to
Widen Assistance.
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETr.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
DR.. Herbert Putnam, librarian Of
Congress, announced today that
through the gift OF the Rockefeller
Foundation the copyist service Of the
Library of Congress soon can be ex-
tended to scholars throughout the
world.
The foundation, he explained, has
furnished funds sufficient to make
possible reproduction Of books, manu-
scripts and photographs which, at
cost, may be supplied to research
ers and investigators wherever they
may be working.
DR.. Putnam said "The grant Is to
provide at the library competent
apparatus for microfilming and other
photo duplicating processes which make
possible facsimiles Of material which
cannot be lent for use outside of
Washington and which. therefore.
could not be issued under the usual
system OF interlibrary loan"
Small fees to cover the actual ex-
pense Of the Aim reproductions will
be charged, but the foundations gift
Is designed to make. the library's
facilities available to hundreds of
scholars who find it infeasible to
come to Washington to use them per-
sonally
Through the use Of the photostat,
and, though ir meager way, the use
OF the film. some such service has al
ready been in operation. But, DR..
Putnam's announcement suggests, in
providing for really adequate plant
representing the latest developments in
such apparatus the foundation will
enable the Library to extend far more
widely the benefit of its huge collec-
tions, now, in the aggregate, exceeding
those elsewhere under any one roof.
The advantage OF the photostat
process over hand-copying lays not
merely in economy, but In the produc-
ton OF facsimiles; the advantage of
the microfilm over the photostat is
that the facsimile produced is not
merely less expensive, but far more
compact Ind wieldy. For the reading
OF such film, hand apparatus is avail
able. but there is available also ap-
paratus which will protect the text in
dimension legible by the naked eye
Many libraries are already possessed
Of such projecting apparatus. and very
shortly all American research libraries,
as we'll as many individual investiga-
tors. are likely to be. A few such
libraries themselves have microfilming
apparatus. Others are ambitious to
acquire 1t. In selecting the National
Library for this grant. the foundation
had in view the desirab bility Of concen-
trating its assistance in the institution
likely to be subject to the greatest
number OF serious demands, with COL
lections (not merely within Its own
walls, but otherwise available in Wash
ington most nearly capable Of meet
ing them and with an obligation to
a national service.
The service cannot. of course, be
gratuitous. but, as in the case of
photostats heretofore furnished, there
will be small charge covering cost
Of materials and operation. and re-
ceipts from such fees will be applied
to reimburse section Of the grant
applicable as revolving fund for the
purchase Of material and the operat-
ing personnel. The service at the
library will be under the direction of
G. A. Schwegnnann, jr., director Of
the librarys Union Catalog. in con-
nection with the international use
of which much of the demand for
reproduction is experienced. Mr..
Schwegmann is now placing orders
for the equipment. some of which,
incorporating the latest Improvements,
will have to be made to order.