College and Research Libraries I ! By R. WEBB NOYES Local Imprints in Libraries of . State Universities and Other 1-. Higher Institutions An answer is here given as to what atten­ tion some college and university libraries are paying to the development of printing in their geographical 'areas. A NY QUESTION of collecting imprints, as ~ such, can scarcely be considered vital to the winning of the war. For the dura­ tion emphasis is properly placed, even here where no cities have been bombed, on the preservation of records. One of our post­ war duties, however, will be to insure that our source materials are in the hands of those especially equipped to house and ad­ minister them, for many, among them the writer, are gloomy enough to expect another World War within the span of a genera­ tion. Next time our shores may not be immune to invasion and destruction. A satisfactory definition of "local im­ prints" (for our purposes) is almost as challenging as a good definition of "the law." What now is in mind is printed materials of almost every kind which issue fr'om the presses of an ascertained locality. "Collecting" is used both passively and ac­ tively. There is little question about the importance of this type of acquisition to municipal, county, state, and, especially, historical and antiquarian, libraries, but there is some doubt about its relative use­ fulness in college and university libraries. Concern with local imprints as such is not a primary function of academic institutions, while it most certainly is of the other types of libraries mentioned. Just how valuable "such collections are in various situations could be determined only by a complete survey of the scene, in­ cluding the policies and practices of all types of libraries, the history and purpose of the practices, and the attitudes of ad­ ministrators and patrons. Such a survey and such investigations are obviously not a task for one person. The work must ' be done-probably has a~ready been done to some extent-cooperatively and under the aegis of an organization that can raise the funds and supply the personnel. Whether any group would interest itself, sometime, in such a project depends upon the pros­ pect of support from the institutions con­ cerned. In this paper an endeavor has been made to discover some trends and attitudes in the collecting of local imprints by certain institutional libraries. The findings are uneven and often meager but they may serve as straws to show which way the wind is blowing and as some indication of the probable success of a larger effort. En­ quiries were sent to all the state universities, to some state colleges, and, as of possible in­ terest by way of contrast, to the oldest privately-endowed college or university in each state where one exists. 232 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 1 Fifty-three state universities and col­ leges were approached and forty-three pri­ vate . ones, making a total of ninety-six. Only thirty-five (the fair average of one­ third) replied, among them being three or four which had nothing to report. Of these thirty-five, twenty-seven were state univer­ sities. Only eight non-state institutions re­ sponded in any way. Putting it the other way around, six.ty-one out of the ninety-six libraries solicited failed to reply; twenty­ six of these were state universities ( arbi­ trarily designated hereafter as universities) and thirty-five were non-state institutions, usually privately endowed (designated as colleges). There is no need to go into the reasons for this disparity at length, ~ut sometimes recently it has been observed that the privately-endowed colleges and uni­ versities are hard put to it to maintain incomes to compare with those of state universities. It is certain, of course, that among the non-state institutions are men's colleges whose healthy existence has been depending in great measure on the school program of the military. Now that . this program is to be drastically curtailed, it is understandable if the m:hter now under consideration seems not pertinent to some librarians. The following table of statistics reveals some significant reactions, notably the good representation from New England and the complete lack of it from the Middle At­ lantic States, which include New York. In the questionnaire, "collecting," "lo­ cal," and "imprints," were closely and con­ spicuously defined. And yet throughout the returns there were some replies that betrayed failure to grasp the meaning of these terms. In any case, most of the in­ stitutions stated at once that they made a conscious effort to collect imprints for their localities, although four, including two col- · leges, said that they did not. The curious thing about it is that four universities were quite noncommittal. As would be expected, with state universities stealing the show, TABLE I INSTITUTIONS REPLYING AND NoT REPLYING United South New Far l\1id- Middle States England West west Atlantic Total Number Approached 96 3I I4 23 2I 7 State Universities 53 I8 7 I2 I2 4 Non-State Institutions 43 I3 7 II 9 3 Tota1 Number Replying 35 I3 8 8 6 0 ~ State Universities 27 II 3 7 6 0 Non-State Institutions 8 2 5 I 0 0 Total Number Not Replying 6I I8 6 I5 I5 7 State Universities 26 7' 4 5 6 I 4 Non-State Institutions 35 II 2 IO 9 3 JUNE~ 1945 233 the great majority of these reporting in­ stitutions consider the state the happy hunt­ ing ground for local imprints. Three of the eight colleges try to cover their mu­ nicipalities, though four of them also try to cover the state. One privately-endowed college is interested in early Americana (hardly local), while one university and a college attempt a regional coverage. Over half of all the libraries reporting fail to describe their methods of seeking im­ prints. Most of those answering on this matter say that their routine is a part of their routine for ordering most items, and supposedly this is the case with the silent majority also. In only two instances is the soliciting left to nonlibrary or teaching members of the institutional staff. Only a half dozen, including one college, have been more than ordinarily successful, while five or six each say results have been "good" or "fair." Several, includi~g most of the colleges, make no reply on this point, and three universities find it impossible to be definite. A question as to personal con­ tacts with influential persons was also ig­ nored by several, bu~ two universities and a college assert that they make no contacts, while four of the former are militant about it. Five meet with varymg success. Special Quarters Most of the universities have special quarters for housing their imprints, but so many .of these are special rooms for the "ana," or space set aside in the regular stacks, that it may be questioned whether they are not for all kinds of material about the states in question rather than for items printed in those states. A few institutions, including four colleges, have no special fa­ cilities for their imprints, and three (one college) take care of the matter through separate records only. Two in each case do not reply. The personnel assigned to the care of imprints and to the superintendence of their quarters is usually submerged by other work, such as that of an order depart­ ment, but sometimes it is in addition to the regular force and even, in one instance, out­ side the library. No Cooperative Arrangements After years of effort a~ong progressive librarians to reach helpful understandings among themselves on regional collecting, it is disappointing to find that over half the reporting libraries have no cooperative ar­ rangement on imprints with other colleges and universities. A handful admit such general exchange understandings as are probably common to most, while a half dozen leave the collecting more or less to other institutions in their own areas. In some of the preceding paragraphs there is described, with comment, what ac­ tually goes on among the thirty-five col­ leges and universities. These practices do not necessarily, of course, represent policies. They probably are a mixture of what li­ brarians want done and what they have to do. The respondents have some defi­ nite ideas, however, on questions of policy and they have stated them. Fourteen (in­ cluding those at three colleges) believe that their libraries should collect local imprints as extensively as possible. Half this number (including representatives of two colleges) are of the opinion that the respon:. sibility for collecting on a state-wide basis should be assumed but should be shared with others, while those at two colleges observe a similar . policy with regard to municipalities. A librarian of one great state university observes that it is impos­ sible to say how extensive collecting should be "until it is known what other libraries are doing." The funds needed to implement collect­ mg, however extensive, vary from $300- COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 234 TABLE II CHARACTER AND NUMBERS OF PIECES IN LOCAL IMPRINTS COLLECTIONS Numerals in curves indicate number of institutions reporting for each heading Universities Colleges Books Excellent (3); Fair (2). Several hun­ Fair (I) dred volumes (I); 3000. (I); I2ooo. (I) Pamphlets Excellent (I); Good (I). 4000 (I); Very good (I); Fair (I). Several ssoo (I); 6ooo (I) hundred (I) Almanacs Excellent (2); "Fair to Good" (I); Excellent (I); Poor (I) Poor (I). Less than Iooo (2) Newspapers Excellent (I); Good (2); Fair (I). "About :ps state newspapers" (I); I6I. (I); over soo. (I); I5oo-2ooo. (I) Official government Excellent (3); Good (2); Strong in Excellent (I) documents state documents (2) Broadsides and broad- Replies so scattering as to indicate little appreciation of their value as local sheets, and commercial imprints catalogs and announce­ ments Music scores; maps and Interest in these from imprint standpoint so uncertain as to be questionable charts; atlases Other classes of mate- About Ioo v. each of magazine and periodical titles (2), (one university rial emphasizing the Southern states.); Theses (2); Publications of constituent schools and coll~ges (2); "Reports of historical, agricultural, and patriotic societies, operatic librettos, and political literature" (I); An excellent collection of town reports (I) $soo a year, according to some universities, to $2,000-$3,500, according to others. Li­ brarians in two universities and a college believe · a "modest" stipend would be enough, while two others think no special fund is needed. More money is necessary, a few concede, but just how much remains a mystery. Funds, of course, are also the wherewithal of adequate personnel. Sev­ eral librarians would like to have one full­ time assistant for such work, while two think they could use more. Two others, including one at a college, see no need for additional help, while eight universities and one college made no reply. What provision would have to be made to house an ideal growing collection depends, of course, upon the conditions peculiar . to the library in question. Librarians are re­ luctant to express themselves on this matter. Eight do not comment at al~ and six (in­ cluding one representing a college) say no special provision is required. The respond­ • ents ~at four universities and two colleges want more space in the stacks or in their . special rooms, while those at three others suggest entirely new rooms. Obviously, these estimates apply to local needs and JUNE, 1945 235 provide no general criteria for the housing of "an ideal growing collection." It seems hardly possible that useful estimates could be devised. For many years the National Association of State Libraries has discussed the feasi­ bility of central clearinghouses in states or regions to receive and distribute printed matter for appropriate participating mem­ bers. Such a clearinghouse for local im- . prints has the approval of t~irteen of the libraries in the present group (including two colleges) , and it is worth considering whether state libraries and academic in­ stitutions could not join forces in one com­ mon age'ncy in each designated area. Some of the librarians here consulted (two of them at colleges) are lukewarm about a clearinghouse; two, both at colleges, are against it; and three of those at universi­ ties express no opinion. A wide variation of figures and estimates, both exact and indefinite, was returned in answer to an itemized enquiry into the strength of local imprints collections. Rather than to generalize and summarize here as in the foregoing paragraphs, a pres­ entation of the answers in tabular form may be more effective. In a dozen instances . no statistics were given or available. With one exception, all of these were cases at state institutions. Extended College Library Service to Teachers (Continued from page 205) put for the enrichment of teaching. In­ can be extended, not only beyond the cam­ stances could be multiplied indefinitely but pus, but beyond the intangible bounds of one is sufficient to show how' the service~ of the actual curriculum of the institu­ the library in a teacher-training instifution tion. COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES