Scientific Societies of North America

Abstract

THE U. S. National Research Council has produced a fourth edition of its “Handbook of Scientific and Technical Societies and Institutions of the United States and Canada”(Bull. 106, Jan. 1942. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences). This well-bound volume of 389 large pages contains information relating to 1,269 bodies in the United States and its dependencies, and 143 in Canada, which “contribute to the advancement of knowledge through their meetings, publications or other resources”, and are included in the wide field of natural sciences, technology and more general organizations supporting scientific research. Agencies of the Federal Government, organizations directly controlled by universities, bodies which act through grants rather than direct by conducting research, and industrial research laboratories are excluded. In each case there are given the name and address of the organization, the chief officers, a brief history, its objects, particulars of membership, meetings, research funds and medals, and serial publications. The data have been compiled from information received from the bodies concerned. The entries are arranged alphabetically in two sections, one for the United States and one for Canada. There are subject and personnel indexes for each section. The only comparable publication in Great Britain is the “Official Year-Book of the Scientific Societies of Great Britain and Ireland”, published by Messrs. Charles Griffin and Co., Ltd., for many years, but discontinued since the beginning of the War. Such reference books are of much value in the library and elsewhere.