ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 230 M cDonough C ondem ns Proposed F ed eral B udget C uts for L ib raries “Proposed cuts in the federal budget for aid to libraries would result in drastically reduced funds being available for public libraries, school libraries, and other types of libraries. Li­ brary services to the public would inevitably suffer,” David H. Clift, Executive Director of the American Library Association, said in Chi­ cago April 21. He firmly endorsed the views expressed earlier by Roger H. McDonough, President of the American Library Association, at a press conference in New York City. Mr. McDonough, who is Director of the New Jersey State Library, condemned the pro­ posed budget slashes in the federal budget for aid to education and libraries as recommended in the President’s April 15th message to Con­ gress. Mr. McDonough spoke at a press con­ ference held at the Overseas Press Club in New York City. Noting that the reductions in library pro­ grams amount to fully 25 per cent of the total cuts, Mr. McDonough termed it “ironic that the release of these recommendations ap- Armor books are paperbacks which have been library- bound in hard covers to the standards of the Library Binding Institute. They cost less than hardback editions and w ill provide library-bound service at lowest cost per circulation. Many books not available in hardbacks may be obtained in Armor quality because pa­ perbacks are obtainable and we w ill bind to your order. Make up your list and send it to us. Write today for a sample of Armor Books — no obligation. Armor Books® Division of Reynolds Bindery 1703 Lister, Kansas City, Mo. 816 CH 1-0163 peared almost simultaneously with the Presi­ dent’s National Library Week message in which he said ‘… never have our libraries played a more prominent role in our campaign against ignorance and for fullness of educa­ tional opportunity . . . by extending their serv­ ices throughout America, our libraries immeas- ureably advance our goals and perform the highest public good.’ “But according to the Undersecretary of Health, Education and Welfare,” Mr. Mc­ Donough continued, “programs for books and equipment are considered ‘low priority.’ This is clearly a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the manner in which these funds have been employed. “Under Title II of the Elementary and Sec­ ondary Education Act, for example, spectacular advances have been made in the improvement of school libraries and instructional media cen­ ters. The threatened cuts will seriously curtail the amount and quality of materials made available to all schools, public and private, and will be particularly damaging to those schools serving disadvantaged youth in our in­ ner-core cities. “The cutbacks proposed in Title I of the Library Services and Construction Act will seri­ ously cripple innovative outreach library pro­ grams to urban poor, migrant workers and oth­ er disadvantaged groups in all parts of the country. “The 1970 Johnson Budget request for major library programs—ESEA Title II, Higher Edu­ cation Act Title II, and LSCA—amounted to $134,500,000. The new recommendations, if ac­ cepted by Congress, would provide only $46,209,000, which is $88,291,000 less than the January budget and $433,891,000 less than the amounts authorized for these programs in fiscal year 1970 (beginning July 1, 1969). “Looking at it another way, almost twenty- five per cent of the recommended reductions in funding for activities under the Office of Education would come out of the principal li­ brary programs. Keep in mind, too, that this does not take into consideration the money al­ ready lopped off by the January budget pro­ posal, which cut out NDEA Title III (equip­ ment and instructional materials) and HEA Ti­ tle VI (equipment and materials for higher education), both of which benefited library users. The 1969 appropriations for Title III was $78,740,000, and for Title VI it was $14,500,000. As it now stands, these programs would be terminated. 231 Elementary & Secondary Educ. Act Title II—School Library Resources, Textbooks, and Other Instructional Materials . . . Library Services and Construction Act Title I—Public Library Services ................ Title II—Public Library C onstruction.......... Title III—Interlibrary Cooperation .............. Title IVA—State Inst. Library Servs............. Title IVB—L. Servs. to the Phy. Handicapped Higher Education Act Title II—College Library Assistance and Li­ brary Training and Research ................... Part A—College Library R esources.............. Part B—Lib. Training, including Institutes —Research ..................................... Part C—LC Acquisition and Cataloging “If no effort is made to override these recom­ mended cuts, the prospects for even minimal aid for library resources for school, public and academic library users will be dismal indeed. There will be no funds at all for the school library program under Title II of the Ele­ mentary and Secondary Education Act. Half of the Title I funds for public library services and all of the Title II construction money will be withdrawn from programs partially supported by the Library Services and Construction Act. And half of the college library resources fund will be cut out of the HEA Title II-A program, leaving only enough money to make basic grants of $5,000; training opportunities for li­ brarians will be reduced by more than fifty per cent under Title II-B; and the Library of Congress acquisition and cataloging activities now assisted by the Title II, Part C program will be reduced by $2,856,000.” L IB R A R Y T E C H N O L O G Y P R O G R A M M A R K S 1 0 T H A N N IV E R S A R Y May marks the 10th anniversary of the Li­ brary Technology Program of the American Li­ brary Association. In a statement issued on the occasion, Forrest F. Carhart, Jr., director of the Library Technology Program, said, “I am proud of the accomplishments of the Library Tech­ nology Program over the past 10 years. LTP has, I believe, made many worthwhile contri­ butions to the library community in the areas of testing, research, publishing, invention, standards and product evaluation. In a profes­ sion,” he continued, “that 10 years ago had few guidelines or tools available to help the li­ brarian make decisions on technical matters, Revised Budget January Budget FT ’70 ecommendation Recommendation Authorization —0— $42,000,000 $200,000,000 $23,209,000 $49,894,000 $166,000,000 $17,500,000 $35,000,000 $ 65,000,000 —0— 9,185,000 70,000,000 2,281,000 2,281,000 12,500,000 2,094,000 2,094,000 12,500,000 1,334,000 1,334,000 6,000,000 $23,000,000 $42,606,000 $114,100,000 12,500,000 25,000,000 75,000,000 4,000,000 8,250,000 28,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 4,500,000' 7,356,000 11,100,000 LTP has made a significant impact. Its work is now known in many countries of the world—as nearby as Canada, as distant as Australia. It gives assistance and information free—and free­ ly—to all who seek its help, whether it concerns a $1,000 expenditure on audiovisual equipment, or the manufacture of rustproof paper clips.” Carhart recalled that the idea of a technical project to serve the needs of the library world originated with the Council on Library Re­ sources, Inc., and out of this idea grew a pro­ posal that the Council undertake a research- testing-standardization program in the field of library supplies, equipment, and systems. A grant of $136,395 from the Council transformed the idea into a reality on May 1, 1959. “How well the idea and the reality have matured is seen today in the range of LTP’s activities,” continued Carhart. “They encompass an in­ formation service, a subscription service, the development of standards, product develop­ ment and testing, publishing and international cooperation. “On this 10th anniversary of the Library Technology Program, I am particularly proud that we have been able to stimulate industry to bring to the market place products that an­ swer the needs of librarians. We have done this in many ways, from speeches and informal talks, to marketing our own LTP inventions. I am proud, too, of Library Technology Reports, that every two months brings to subscribers much important information about products, and current technological news of interest to li­ brarians. Its impact on the profession and on the library equipment and supplies manufactur­ ing industry has been considerable, bringing with it an awareness by both groups of the need for better quality products and more in­ telligent purchasing. In another area,” he R