State of the Art Survey of Reference Materials in the Biological Sciences

Abstract

Communication of information in the biological sciences is becoming increasingly complex as the number of users multiplies and as science becomes more and more interdisciplinary. Libraries play a major role in this communication of scientific information. This role is being threatened by increasing publication rates coupled with increasing costs and decreasing resources. Even the most illustrious science libraries are finding that their resources have decreased in real money and as a result of inflation. The Bowker Annual of Library and Book Trade Information, editions 8–20, 1962–75, graphically shows the increases in publishing rates and in price. The Bowker statistics are broken down into large categories; unfortunately biology falls between the categories of agriculture and medicine. The increases found in both medicine and agriculture are relevant for the subcategory of biology. Books published in agriculture have risen from 78 in 1960 to 196 in 1974. Books published in medicine have gone from 520 in 1960 to 2,281 in 1974. During the same time period the average price of these same books has gone from $8.54 to $18.43. The picture for the near future is no brighter. Librarians will have to be more and more selective and clever in purchasing materials that will be used by patrons.