Abstract
IN these days of minute specialisation in science and technology, and of a multitude of books, both general and specific, the problem of selecting the most worthy anuitable works for a library is so difficult that some librarians give it up in despair, while others are content with a solution of it which satisfies their needs and yet does not conform to any particular postulates or propositions bearing upon the principles of selection. As a matter of fact, there are no definite or accepted standards by which the worth of such books can be accurately measured; but the same comment might reasonably be made of works in any other branch of literature —fiction, art, history — with which libraries are concerned. Of the thousands of works of fiction published, what determines their admission to or exclusion from the shelves of public or other libraries? Chiefly the reputation or authority of the authors. So it must be with books on science and technology. When an author is known to have devoted particular attention to the subject of his book, then the work is obviously one to be given serious consideration. A careful compilation may be just as useful an addition to a library, but it cannot have the same authority and therefore belongs to a different category.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GREGORY, R. Standards of Book Selection in Science and Technology1. Nature 120, 518–520 (1927). https://doi.org/10.1038/120518a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/120518a0