Mareh 26, 1960
Dear Dr. Bronk:

As Chairman of the National Science Board, I feel I owe you a copy of
the enclosed letter to Dr. Waterman, and the more so as we conmunifeate also
in other capacities, e.g. the NAS Space Science Beard. I hope you will under-
stand my reasons for deferring additional responsibilities, and not tem think,
too harshly of me for this.

In connection with the NSF, may I take advantage of the opportunity to ask
whether the Board has organized particular subcommittees, and especially who
would have special cognizance of problems of documentation? T am very much
disturbed at the situation we are getting into, the indigestibility of the
scientific literature, which can frustrate a lot of the creative effort we
try to apply. I think the suggestion embodied in the enclosed paper is an
especially ingenious one, and ought to be the most fruitful (partial) solution
that could be devised for a limited amount of money. It is especially apt as
it would require very little skilled manpower. It has been some time since
Garfield put this out (if you don't recall his name Be is also the publisher
of Current Contents), but I gather he has had something less than enthusiastic
encouragement from the several government agencies he has discussei this with.
The problem is too urgent for a possible solution to be delayed or diverted by
procedural technicalities, and I am hoping that some fairly high-level insight
and authority might help to cut the Gordian knot, If there is some parti-
cular member or subcommittee of the Board who £m has particular responsibility
‘for questions of documentation and information I would anpreciate your referrinz
me thereto, s

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

P.S, We have been very gratified to hear
that reports of your recent indisposition
ean be belied,