Excerpt from A Union List Of Collections On European History In American Libraries: Compiled For The Committee On Bibliography Of The American Historical Association; Alphabetical Subject Index

A number of requests having been made for a subject index, this index was planned by Dr. Walter Lichtenstein and made by Dr. A. H. Shearer. It consists simply of the identical titles printed in the list, arranged accord ing to subjects. No attempt has been made to improve the original some what rough editing of these titles, for which the Chairman of the Committee is responsible. Dr. Shearer has done admirably careful work so far as he is concerned, and is not to be held responsible for errors. Every historical student who has had occasion to work with historical collections, will know the difficulty of doing satisfying work, where, by the nature of the things, a very large percentage of the books cannot be directly consulted and infor mation must be had through bibliographical aids only. It is only by the good fortune of having soccmpetent an expert to do this unremunerative work, that the Committee is able to present so good an index.

The preparation of such practical aids to research, carried out in the ideal fashion which scientific historical or bibliographical method calls for, has been found in general experience unpracticable without huge expense. It has been found on the other hand, that lists of this sort executed with care, but without attempt at finality, are possible at very slight expense, and it is estimated that they serve ninety - five or perhaps ninety-eight per cent. Of the practical purposes of more meticulous work. They make, in fact, all the difference between getting a useful thing done fairly well and not getting it done at all. The Committee has, therefore, at various times put itself on record in favor of these brief and less finished aids on pure practical grounds, believing that it is no compromise of the standards of rigorous scientific method so long as they pretend to be only what they are.

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