Reviewed by Homer H. Burkett University of Mississippi

The Herwood Library of Accountancy is the book version of a catalog which was compiled for a private library. The library was owned by Herman Herwood, and he must have devoted much time and effort to both the collection of the library and the compilation of the catalog.

In the preface of the book-catalog, Mr. Herwood indicated that he viewed the library as consisting of two parts. He called one part of the library the collection. The other part contained books dealing with the history and bibliography of accounting and apparently was used as a guide to identify candidates for the collection and to cata¬log books with missing or defective title pages.

The book-catalog has 1,300 entries. Of the 1,300 entries, there are 1,233 entries for the collection and 67 entries for the books dealing with history and bibliography. Except for 40 of the books dealing with history and bibliography, the entries are for books which were printed between 1494 and 1900.

Entries for the 1,233 books in the collection include accounting and bookkeeping texts, other books with sections allotted to ac¬counting and bookkeeping instruction, and miscellaneous books which were considered by the collectors to be associated with ac¬counting. In the latter category are entries for keys and auxiliary books devised to accompany texts, manuals for private use, un-copyrighted works on accounting and auditing procedure issued by private firms, financial reports issued by businesses and govern¬mental agencies, and account books designed for specific phases of economic activity.

For the collection, the entries in the book-catalog are arranged into seven geographical divisions on the basis of initial place of publication. Within each geographical division, the entries are ar-ranged alphabetically according to the name of the author, associa¬tion, or institution. For the history and bibliography books, the en¬tries are arranged alphabetically according to the name of the author.

Each entry in the book-catalog represents a separately bound book, but a separately bound book which was printed between 1494 and 1900 might have contained either one or two literary works or a set of blank forms. Each entry clearly describes the nature of the book.

The book-catalog is valuable for at least two reasons. First, it can be used by accounting historians as a reference to check the accuracy and completeness of certain citations. Second, it can be used to locate a book of interest in the library.

The book-catalog should be a useful reference because Herwood seems to have been one of the more devoted collectors of account¬ing curiosa. Dr. Joseph C. Myer, late dean of St. John’s University, School of Commerce, participated to some extent in the collection effort. His interest in accounting history is demonstrated in an arti¬cle which was published in the March, 1931 issue of The Account¬ing Review. Myer and Herwood coauthored a check-list of early bookkeeping texts from books which were owned by them. For some unknown reason, the name Herrmann Herskowitz was used for the co-author. In part, they developed the check-list because of perceived deficiencies in a check-list which was coauthored by Hatfield and Littleton and published in 1932. The Myer and Her¬wood check-list was published in the April, 1933 issue of The Certi¬fied Public Accountant.

The value of the book-catalog is enhanced because the library does exist; although it may not be identical to the one which existed in 1938. Mr. Herwood bequeathed his library to the University of Baltimore Library, and the Herwood Library of Accountancy became a special collection in 1971.

Hatfield and Littleton mentioned a number of University and so¬ciety libraries and private collections and misspelled Myer’s name in their 1932 check-list. They did not mention the University of Baltimore Library. In the future, authors of similar check-lists should be aware of the special collection because the Herwood Library of Accountancy is remarkable. The book-catalog also is re-markable and is of special value to those interested in the historical background and development of accounting.