Physics and Mechanics. Bibliographic Index of Articles in Foreign Journals, 1951, Nos. 1–7, Foreign Literature Publishing House (IL), 1951, price 2 rubles 50 kopecks.

Timely and properly organized scientific information is one of the most important elements in the organization of science. Among the various kinds of this information, perhaps the most essential are abstract journals of the type of Physikalische Berichte, Science Abstracts, Chemisches Zentralblatt, and so forth. These journals, as is well known, systematically abstract newly appearing works, trying to cover as completely as possible the scientific literature in all languages. The usual length of an abstract in physical abstract journals is from \( \frac{1}{4} \) to \( \frac{1}{2} \) of a page of small print, and in rare cases a page. In chemical abstract journals the size of the abstract is even smaller. Thus these abstracts give only the most general idea of a work. If one takes into account the difficulty and high cost of publishing such journals, the new tendency in scientific information that appeared after the war becomes understandable. An example of the new approach is provided by the Bulletins (Bulletin Analytique) published in France by the “National Center for Scientific Research” (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), organized by F. Joliot-Curie. In these Bulletins, for each work the title and the briefest characterization of its content are given—literally in two or three lines. The purpose of this brief characterization is merely to explain what the work is about, not to present its content. Thus, on the basis of the title and the brief characterization, the reader can judge whether he needs the given work or not. In the former case he has the opportunity, for a very modest fee, to obtain a photostat copy of the work—usually in the form of microfilm—and in this way to judge the work not from an abstract, which in the end is always a surrogate, but from the author’s own exposition.

The All-Union State Library of Scientific Literature has undertaken the publication of bibliographic indexes of works published in foreign journals in various sciences, including physics (together with mechanics; editor of the physics section: N. A. Raiskaya; of the mechanics section: L. A. Stebakova). In character these indexes are close to the type of French bulletins just mentioned, and not to the type of abstract journals. Namely, in systematic order the surname in the original transcription, the title of the journal, an exact reference, and then a Russian translation of the title of the article are given. For example:

History of Physics

1. Jollot-Curie I. et F., Atomes, 1951, No. 58, pp. 9–12, Discovery of artificial radioactivity.

2. Schmille, Elektron, 1950, H. 12, pp. 409–412. Fifty years of quantum theory.

From this example it is clear that, from the description, one can judge the subject of the article being described. If this article has been published in a journal accessible to the reader, then by means of the reference he can acquaint himself with it in the original. If, however, the work has been published in a journal that is not widely distributed, then a scientific worker working in the provinces can, of course, postpone acquaintance with the article until a business trip to Moscow. This, however, is not always advisable. In such cases, and also in many others—for example, when it is necessary to have the work at hand in the laboratory or in the office all the time—the possibility of quickly obtaining photocopies in one form or another is especially important. Unfortunately, this aspect of the matter is still insufficiently organized. At any rate, there are no data on the possibility of obtaining photocopies, their price, the procedure for ordering them, etc., in the issues of the Index that have appeared. The All-Union State Library of Foreign Literature, having undertaken the organization of so important a matter, ought to carry this organization through to the end, since the possibility of ordering photocopies by any scientific worker using this Index would enormously enhance its significance.

The Index began to appear in 1950, at first in the form of large issues covering half a year, beginning with 1948. Thus three issues were published, in which works up to June 1949 were systematized. In 1951 the same Index adopted a more flexible form. It began to be published in notebooks, twice a month each. In the first issue, articles in journals received by the VGBIL from January 1 to March 1, 1951, were systematized, while in the subsequent ones the journal numbers are presented as they arrive at the library. At the end of each issue there is a list of the journals used and of the abbreviations adopted in the references. From this list one may conclude that 75 journals are used. Regarding the list, it may be noted that, generally speaking, it is desirable to indicate the place of publication of a journal. For example, not everyone knows that Journal of Scientific Instruments is published in England, while Review of Scientific Instruments is published in America, that Chimia is a Swiss journal, etc.

In conclusion, it should be noted once again that the publication of these indexes is a matter of the highest importance. The All-Union State Library of Foreign Languages deserves gratitude for the initiative it has shown. It goes without saying that the Library should be given every possible assistance in developing and improving the important work it has begun.

E. V. Shpolsky