50 • SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I07 



Washington libraries. Some, however, were prepared for the Board 

 by the cooperating committees and by individuals. Leila F. Clark, 

 Smithsonian Librarian, prepared an extensive bibliography on Tri- 

 politania, and Raymond Kennedy, of Yale University, furnished one 

 on disease and health conditions in Netherlands East Indies. 



Although the Board did its best, under the circumstances, to get 

 satisfactory references in terms of the particular request, it is almost 

 impossible to make any adequate judgment of the quality of the 

 coverage. To say the least, no complaints were received, and there 

 were many notes of thanks. However, some features distinguished 

 the bibliographical service. Practically every request was answered 

 with at least one reference and usually with several. Furthermore, 

 the replies were sent with minimum delay. An example is seen in 

 a letter from Dr. Collins to Lieutenant Starr dated June 25, 1943: 

 "In response to your request of yesterday for literature on Italian 

 Somaliland and adjacent territories, we are sending you nine issues 

 of the Bulletin of the Royal Geographical Society of Italy containing 

 articles on this area." This not only illustrates speed, but also another 

 feature, namely, that the books themselves were often sent. If it 

 were not possible to send the books, or if they were not wanted im- 

 mediately, the Board indicated their location in Washington libraries 

 and gave the call numbers. 



As an aid to the requester, the bibliographies were annotated to in- 

 dicate illustrations, maps, and general quality. When necessary, titles 

 of pictures and sometimes significant passages were translated into 

 English. As a general example, a list of publications on the Nicobar 

 Islands was sent with the comment that the first four were best. A 

 week later another reference was sent which was "even better than 

 any of the first list." Good books would be called to the attention of 

 the liaison officers. Finally the staff's area interest and knowledge 

 provided a true understanding of the nature of such requests. In 

 March 1943, Dr. Collins sent Lieutenant Terry eight numbers of 

 "Mocambique Documentario Trimestral." These were selected be- 

 cause they illustrated and described cities, harbor installations, ship- 

 ping, aviation fields, road construction, railroads, bridges, military 

 maneuvers, etc. It was also noted that other numbers of the same 

 review while containing some materials, were not so well illustrated. 

 There is no doubt that this type of service was deeply appreciated 

 by the Army and Navy. 



