In 1940 the Library of Congress enlisted the aide of two outside consultants, Sergius Yakobson (1901–1979) and Francis J. Whitfield (1916– 1996), to assess the Slavic collections. Complaints revealed that the Library was not meeting the needs of government agencies or the scholarly community in the area of Slavic and East European Studies. Their recommendations for a total reworking of the Division and its acquisitions and processing procedures eventually led to the disbanding of the Division in 1944. The reports highlight the Division's accomplishments amidst the extra stress of an internal reorganization. The chief of the Slavic Division in the 1940s was Nicholas R. Rodionoff (1930–1944).
Below are images of selected items acquired by the Slavic Division during 1940-1943.
Martin Kukučín. Sobrané spisy Martina Kukučína . 1924-1949. Most volumes acquired in 1942. Library of Congress General Collections.
Figure 12 from Franz Wähner. Das erdbeben von Agram am 9. november 1880. Acquired in 1940 as a transfer from the U.S. Geological Survey. Library of Congress General Collections.
M. A. Šimáček. Chci žít, román. 1924. Acquired via purchase in July 1942. Library of Congress General Collections.
