College and Research Libraries B y D O R O T H Y C H A R L E S Salary and Tenure of Catalogers' IN A N O T H E R e r a t h e e n c y c l o p e d i s t s m a d e k n o w l e d g e a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h s y n t h e s i s ; in t h i s d a y t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e r v e s o c i e t y in a s i m i l a r m a n n e r is o p e n t o n o g r o u p in g r e a t e r m e a s u r e t h a n t o l i b r a r i a n s . T h e u n i q u e c o n t r i b u t i o n of t h e l i b r a r i a n t o t h e g r o u p or t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l is his k n o w l e d g e of b o o k s . H o w a n d w h a t t o b u y f o r a b o o k c o l l e c t i o n , h o w t o o r g a n i z e a n d c a t a l o g t h e c o l l e c t i o n , a n d h o w t o d r a w f r o m t h e c o l - l e c t i o n w h a t e v e r is r e q u i r e d a t a p a r t i c u l a r t i m e f o r a p a r t i c u l a r p u r p o s e is t h e e x p e r t a p p l i c a t i o n of t h a t m a n y - f a c e t e d k n o w l e d g e of b o o k s . W i t h s u c h a v i e w p o i n t of l i b r a r i a n s h i p , t h e c o l l e c t i o n of f a c t s r e g a r d i n g t h e c o n - t e m p o r a r y s t a t u s of t h e c a t a l o g e r / c l a s s i f i e r , o n e v a r i e t y of t h e g e n u s l i b r a r i a n , h a s s i g - n i f i c a n c e o n l y as a n i n d i c a t i o n of t h e possi- b i l i t y u n d e r t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s of w o r k i n g a n d l i v i n g f o r t h e c a t a l o g e r / c l a s s i f i e r t o m a k e h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n a d e q u a t e t o t h e n e e d s of t h e i n s t i t u t i o n a n d c o m m u n i t y as w e l l as t o g r o w a n d d e v e l o p in p e r s o n a l w i s d o m . I n o r d e r t o a t t r a c t t h e p e r s o n i n t e r e s t e d in a n d d e v o t e d t o a l i f e a n d c a r e e r a m o n g b o o k s ( u s i n g b o o k s as t h e n a m e f o r a l l k i n d s of r e c o r d s of t h e t h i n k i n g of m e n ) it s h o u l d be p o s s i b l e t o p r e s e n t a p i c t u r e of t h e p a t t e r n of s u c h a l i f e . T h a t p i c t u r e m a y e x i s t i n t h e m i n d s of l i b r a r i a n s w h o h a v e h a d c o n t a c t w i t h p e o p l e in t h o s e p o s i t i o n s in a v a r i e t y of l i b r a r i e s o v e r a p e r i o d of y e a r s . A n a s s e m b l a g e of t h e f a c t s are, h o w e v e r , u n a v a i l a b l e t o t h e y o u n g s t u d e n t s e a r c h i n g f o r h i s n i c h e . 1 Paper presented at the meeting of the Division of Cataloging and Classification, A m e r i c a n Library- Association, S a n Francisco, J u l y i , 1947. I n o r d e r t o r e m e d y t h i s l a c k in p a r t , a series of q u e s t i o n s w a s p r e p a r e d b y a g r a d u - a t e s e m i n a r a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o in t h e w i n t e r of 1 9 4 5 - 4 6 . T h e g r o u p i n - c l u d e d a c a t a l o g e r f r o m a p r o g r e s s i v e m e d i u m - s i z e d p u b l i c l i b r a r y in t h e M i d d l e W e s t , t w o u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y a s s i s t a n t s , o n e of w h o m w a s a c a t a l o g e r f r o m a n e a s t e r n c o l l e g e , t h e o t h e r a c l a s s i f i e r f r o m a P a c i f i c c o a s t u n i v e r s i t y , a n d f i n a l l y a y o u n g l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r . T h e i r s e l e c t i o n of t h e f a c t s t o be s e c u r e d , t h e i r r e c o g n i t i o n of t h e l i m i t s o f i n f o r m a t i o n l i k e l y t o be a v a i l a b l e as w e l l as t h e l i m i t s of t i m e a n d i n t e r e s t of t h o s e w h o w o u l d a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s , a n d t h e i r p h r a s i n g a n d r e p h r a s i n g of t h e q u e s t i o n s t h e m s e l v e s is r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e p r i m a r y v a l u e of t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e . H e l p f u l c r i t i - c i s m c a m e f r o m s e v e r a l c a t a l o g e r - a d m i n i s - t r a t o r s w h e n a p r e l i m i n a r y d r a f t w a s r e a d y ; i n t e r e s t f r o m A . L . A . H e a d q u a r t e r s s t a f f ; a n d , u l t i m a t e l y , s p o n s o r s h i p of t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e b y t h e d i v i s i o n ' s S p e c i a l C o m - m i t t e e o n R e c r u i t i n g c o n t r i b u t e d i n n o s m a l l w a y t o t h e f u r t h e r a n c e of t h e s t u d y . H e a d c a t a l o g e r s w e r e a d d r e s s e d in t h e h o p e t h a t t h e i r v i t a l c o n c e r n f o r t h e i n - f o r m a t i o n w o u l d b r i n g a f u l l r e s p o n s e . T h e b e l i e f s e e m s t o be w a r r a n t e d b y t h e r e t u r n of 1 3 3 a n s w e r s , w h i c h is s l i g h t l y b e t t e r t h a n 6 0 p e r c e n t of t h e 2 0 9 q u e s t i o n - n a i r e s s e n t o u t . S i n c e t h e r e is n o l i s t of c a t a l o g e r s l a t e r t h a n L u c i l e M . M o r s c h ' s c o m p i l a t i o n of 1 9 3 7 a v a i l a b l e , t h e s e c r e t a r i e s of t h e r e - g i o n a l g r o u p s w e r e a s k e d f o r l i s t s of m e m - b e r s of t h e g r o u p s . P r o m p t a n d g r a c i o u s c o o p e r a t i o n c a m e f r o m t h e g r o u p s a l t h o u g h 54 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES the lists t h e m s e l v e s p r o v e d in some cases t o be s o m e w h a t i n f o r m a l , a n d a f u r t h e r c h e c k - i n g a g a i n s t the A . L . A . Handbook w a s m a d e in the e n d e a v o r to address head c a t a l o g e r s o n l y — a n d at their latest addresses. T h e 2 0 9 n a m e s are those of heads of c a t a l o g d e p a r t m e n t s w h o are m e m b e r s of A . L . A . a n d m e m b e r s of r e g i o n a l g r o u p s . T h i s s a m p l e , w e m a y assume, represents the most a l e r t and p r o f e s s i o n a l interest a m o n g c a t a - l o g e r s . I t is also r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t w e n t y of the states p l u s the D i s t r i c t of C o l u m b i a a n d the P r o v i n c e of B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . E a c h section of the c o u n t r y is represented a l t h o u g h several M i d d l e W e s t e r n states w h e r e l i b r a r i a n s are a c t i v e are s t r a n g e l y absent. K i n d s and sizes of libraries i n c l u d e u n i v e r s i t y , c o l l e g e , special ( t h e s e l a s t w e r e u s u a l l y of r e f e r e n c e a n d research n a t u r e and w e r e g r o u p e d w i t h the c o l l e g e a n d u n i - v e r s i t y libraries in the a n a l y s i s ) a n d p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s — a l l in p r o p o r t i o n s w h i c h resemble the d i s t r i b u t i o n of those libraries t h r o u g h - o u t the c o u n t r y . No Need for Larger Sampling A p r e l i m i n a r y analysis of the first 80 per c e n t of the r e t u r n s w a s m a d e , a n d as this s h o w e d l i t t l e v a r i a t i o n f r o m the f i n a l analysis of the n o usable a n s w e r s , it is f a i r to assume t h a t a l a r g e r s a m p l e w o u l d add l i t t l e to the r a n g e of i n f o r m a t i o n secured or w o u l d c h a n g e the results in no signifi- c a n t f a s h i o n . T h e m a j o r i t y of the a n s w e r s are c o n c e r n e d w i t h c o m p a r a t i v e l y s m a l l d e p a r t m e n t s — a l s o r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the t o t a l p i c t u r e of l i b r a r y c a t a l o g i n g t h r o u g h - o u t the w h o l e c o u n t r y and an aspect w h i c h s o m e t i m e s seems n e g l e c t e d in discussions of c a t a l o g i n g p r o b l e m s per se. D i f f e r e n c e s in d e p a r t m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n , -allocation of duties, a n d p r o b l e m s of special t y p e s of b o o k c o l l e c t i o n s ( a l t h o u g h neither questioners nor a n s w e r e r s w e r e u n a w a r e of t h e s e ) w e r e n o t considered in the s t u d y . T h e y are a p a r t of the p a t t e r n to be presented to the possible r e c r u i t u n d o u b t e d l y b u t m o r e is a v a i l a b l e in p r i n t on t h a t s u b j e c t t h a n on the m o r e e c o n o m i c aspects of t h e c a t a - l o g e r / c l a s s i f i e r w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e the present c o n c e r n . S i z e of l i b r a r y in the a n a l y s i s w a s meas- ured in t e r m s of v o l u m e s as reported in the American Library Directory of 1945—not too f a r r e m o v e d f r o m O c t o b e r 1 9 4 6 w h e n this i n f o r m a t i o n w a s secured. L a r g e li- braries are those o v e r 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s . T h r e e in the u n i v e r s i t y g r o u p a n d f o u r in the p u b l i c are f o u n d here. M e d i u m - l a r g e represents the 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 g r o u p w i t h 8 u n i v e r s i t y libraries a n d 7 p u b l i c libraries r e p o r t i n g . M e d i u m libraries are 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s w i t h 3 2 c o l l e g e a n d u n i v e r s i t y libraries a n d 2 1 p u b l i c li- braries. T h e s m a l l e s t size is of libraries u n d e r 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s ( m e a n i n g as l o w as 2 0 , 0 0 0 ) w i t h 2 3 c o l l e g e s a n d 1 2 p u b l i c libraries. A f a i r b a l a n c e of k i n d s of li- braries occurs in each size g r o u p and the s a m p l e s ' t o t a l s of the v a r i o u s size g r o u p s m a y w e l l be r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e w h o l e t o t a l s . Salaries R e c a l l i n g t h a t the A . L . A . B o a r d on P e r - sonnel A d m i n i s t r a t i o n in its " S a l a r y P o l i c y S t a t e m e n t " published in the O c t . 1, 1 9 4 6 Bulletin, p. 2 9 1 - 9 2 , r e c o m m e n d e d a m i n i - m u m or base s a l a r y of $ 2 1 0 0 f o r a b e g i n - n i n g position in the p r o f e s s i o n a l service, it is s o m e w h a t d i s c o n c e r t i n g to f i n d ( i n t h a t same m o n t h ) t h a t the m i n i m u m salaries re- p o r t e d f o r head c a t a l o g e r s ( w h o are a l m o s t n e v e r b e g i n n e r s ) w a s $ i 5 0 0 - $ 2 2 0 0 f o r p u b l i c libraries in the t w o s m a l l e r b r a c k e t s a n d $ I 4 5 0 - $ I 8 0 0 f o r c o l l e g e s libraries in the same brackets. M i n i m u m s in the 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 1 ,ooo,ooo-volume libraries are $ 2 7 0 0 in p u b l i c and $ 3 0 0 0 in c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y libraries. M a x i m u m s f o r these same b r a c k e t s a r e : JANUARY, 1948 55 $2460—small public $3924—100,000-500,000 public $4500—500,000 to 1,000,000 public $335°—small college $4902—100,000-500,000 college $5905—500,000 to 1,000,000 university S i n c e some q u e s t i o n n a i r e s o m i t t e d sala- ries, as i n s t i t u t i o n s s o m e t i m e s h o l d t h a t as c o n f i d e n t i a l i n f o r m a t i o n , the s a l a r y r a n g e s m a y n o t be c o m p l e t e , b u t since o n l y a f e w o m i t t e d a n s w e r i n g this q u e s t i o n the s m a l l e r n u m b e r p r o b a b l y does not p e r c e p t i b l y s k e w the t r u t h . W i t h the sole e x c e p t i o n of the l o w m i n i m u m of $ 1 2 0 0 a p p e a r i n g in the 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 - 5 0 0 , o o o - v o l u m e p u b l i c l i b r a r y the salaries progress w i t h the size of the l i b r a r y . M a x i m u m s in the g r o u p r e p o r t o f t e n o v e r - l a p m i n i m u m s of the n e x t h i g h e r g r o u p . G o v e r n m e n t libraries w h i c h appear in the u n i v e r s i t y g r o u p u s u a l l y a c c o u n t f o r the h i g h e s t salaries. T h i s w e k n o w to be p a r - t i c u l a r l y t r u e in the last f e w years. A s s i s t a n t c a t a l o g e r s ' salaries are not re- p o r t e d f o r the s m a l l e s t p u b l i c libraries b u t f o r the t w o m i d d l e g r o u p s the salaries r a n g e f r o m $ 1 4 7 0 to $ 3 1 2 0 and $ 1 8 0 0 to $ 3 3 6 0 . I n the c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y c a t e g o r i e s the s m a l l e s t libraries pay assistants' salaries of $1200 to $ 3 3 5 0 , the 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 5 0 0 , o o o - v o l u m e l i b r a r y pays $ 1 6 7 5 to $ 3 3 9 7 and the 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 1 , 0 0 0 , o o o - v o l u m e l i b r a r y pays $ 1 8 0 0 to $ 4 9 0 2 . Longest Service, Largest Salary? T h e r e l a t i o n of l e n g t h of t e n u r e to s a l a r y requires a m o r e m e t i c u l o u s analysis t h a n is easy to report o r a l l y , b u t it c a n be said t h a t a l o n g service is n o t a l w a y s a c c o m p a n i e d by the l a r g e s t s a l a r y . O n the o t h e r h a n d the l a r g e s a l a r y does s o m e t i m e s a c c o m p a n y the l o n g y e a r s a n d up to a c e r t a i n p o i n t a posi- t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n of the t w o f a c t o r s m i g h t be d i s c o v e r e d . B u t as J o s e p h L . W h e e l e r once p o i n t e d o u t , it is o f t e n the w i l l i n g n e s s to m o v e w h i c h raises salaries. A nice discus- sion ( t h o u g h e n d l e s s ) c o u l d be s t a r t e d on the q u e s t i o n of the v a l u e of c o n t i n u i t y versus m o b i l i t y in a p r o f e s s i o n a l c a t a l o g i n g career. T h a t head c a t a l o g e r s do n o t m o v e f r o m one l i b r a r y to a n o t h e r w i t h a n y g r e a t f r e q u e n c y m u s t be the c o n c l u s i o n d r a w n f r o m the n u m b e r of years r e p o r t s as " i n this p o s i t i o n " by the head c a t a l o g e r s . T h e l o n g e s t t e n u r e reported is t h i r t y - t h r e e years. T h e r e are, of course, instances of head c a t a - l o g e r s h i p s v a c a n t or held f r o m one to t h r e e y e a r s by the present i n c u m b e n t , b u t the u s u a l report is of an i n c u m b e n c y of b e t w e e n ten and t w e n t y years. F i r s t assistants in the l a r g e r libraries do not m o v e m u c h m o r e t h a n their c h i e f s , a l - t h o u g h there are f e w e r first assistants in o u r t o t a l p i c t u r e and t h e i r less impressive t o t a l of years in office t h e r e f o r e s h o w s t h e m as a class m o r e like the " s e n i o r c a t a l o g e r s " t h a n like their c h i e f s . T h i s f a c t of l o n g t e n u r e in the position of head c a t a l o g e r , w h i l e a d v a n t a g e o u s to the i n s t i t u t i o n a n d n o t u n - n a t u r a l f o r the i n d i v i d u a l w h o reaches t h a t s t a g e a f t e r the years w h e n c h a n g e of p l a c e a n d w o r k l o o m as a t t r a c t i v e m a y a c c o u n t in some m e a s u r e f o r the static q u a l i t y of salaries. W h a t a d m i n i s t r a t o r is g o i n g o u t of his w a y to boost the w a g e s of the g o o d service he is sure o f ? T h e l a w s of need a p p l y here w i t h t e l l i n g f o r c e . S o the head c a t a l o g e r , d e s i r i n g a p e r m a n e n t h o m e , u n - d e r s t a n d i n g b e t t e r t h a n a n y one else on the s t a f f , p r o b a b l y , the v a l u e s w h i c h a c c r u e to the e x p e d i t i o u s h a n d l i n g of her w o r k f r o m e x p e r i e n c e in the p a r t i c u l a r s i t u a t i o n , m u s t seek o t h e r l e v e r s to keep her s a l a r y in line w i t h t h a t of o t h e r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e officers and to insure a d e q u a t e c o m p e n s a t i o n t o those positions w h i c h are necessarily sub- o r d i n a t e t o hers. ( I t h i n k the f e m i n i n e p r o n o u n c a n s t i l l be used w i t h t r u t h . ) S a l a r y s c h e d u l e s or classification and p a y p l a n s are f o u n d c o n s i s t e n t l y t h r o u g h o u t all b r a c k e t s of p u b l i c libraries m o r e f r e q u e n t l y t h a n in c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y libraries. O n l y one p l a n w a s f o u n d a m o n g the 2 3 56 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES s m a l l e s t c o l l e g e libraries w h i l e 7 of the 1 2 small public libraries reported plans. I t is also in the p u b l i c l i b r a r y g r o u p t h a t plans are reported u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n b y li- braries not n o w a d h e r i n g to t h e m . R e g u l a r r e v i e w of salaries also seems to be m o r e p r e v a l e n t in p u b l i c libraries t h a n in c o l l e g e libraries. I t w a s in response to the question on r e g u l a r r e v i e w of salaries t h a t those a n s w e r i n g the q u e s t i o n n a i r e resorted f r e - q u e n t l y to c o m m e n t : as " N O " in c a p i t a l s , or a d e s p a i r i n g s o u n d i n g " I o f t e n t h i n k n o t . " O n e p u b l i c l i b r a r y in the 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 b r a c k e t m a d e the sole report t h a t the p a y classification p l a n w a s based on a j o b analysis. P o s s i b l y m o r e m i g h t h a v e reported s i m i l a r l y had the specific question been asked. T h e l a r g e s t libraries in b o t h g r o u p s u n a n i m o u s l y report classifi- c a t i o n plans. T h e r e is v a r i a t i o n in hours w o r k e d per w e e k : 3 6 to 4 4 hours is the c o m p l e t e r a n g e , b o t h e x t r e m e s b e i n g f o u n d in the c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y g r o u p , w i t h o n l y one in- stance of the l o w 3 6 hours and three of the 4 4 hours. A l m o s t half of all the libraries reported a 4 0 - h o u r w e e k , and j u s t as m a n y u n d e r 40, the s m a l l f r a c t i o n re- m a i n i n g w e r e o v e r 4 0 hours. M u c h g r e a t e r v a r i a t i o n is f o u n d in v a c a t i o n pro- visions. M a n y versions of a m o n t h in t e r m s of d a y s ( 2 6 days b e i n g the m o s t f r e - q u e n t l y n a m e d ) is the usual v a c a t i o n in the c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y and in the l a r g e r p u b l i c l i b r a r y . T h e p u b l i c li- b r a r y up to 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s reports a t w o - w e e k v a c a t i o n as o f t e n as a m o n t h v a c a t i o n . T h e s m a l l e r college l i b r a r y by c o n t r a s t m e n t i o n s school h o l i d a y s and even s u m m e r c l o s i n g of t w o and three m o n t h s ( u s u a l l y u n p a i d in the last i n s t a n c e ) . U n p a i d leaves of absence f o r s t u d y purposes m a y be a r r a n g e d in all t y p e s of libraries, b u t the s a b b a t i c a l f o r l i b r a r i a n s is p r a c t i c a l l y u n - heard o f . A l l o w a n c e of t i m e f o r a t t e n d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l m e e t i n g s is o f t e n m e n t i o n e d . A l l o w a n c e of time f o r illness is e n t i r e l y u n s t a n d a r d i z e d . I n d e f i n i t e a r r a n g e m e n t s , s l i d i n g scales d e p e n d i n g on m e r i t of indi- v i d u a l cases, 6 days to 1 5 0 , are the e x t r e m e and no c o n t r o l t e n d e n c y discernible. Agreement on Initial Requisites T h e r e is a l m o s t u n a n i m o u s a g r e e m e n t on c o l l e g e degree, l i b r a r y school degree, and experience as requisites for initial appoint- ment. A p p a r e n t l y e x p e r i e n c e m u s t be g a i n e d as j u n i o r c a t a l o g e r s in the l a r g e r libraries. T h i s m a y point to a need f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of these agencies as p o s t g r a d u - ate t r a i n i n g schools or as internship e x p e r i - ence. P e r h a p s a question m a y be raised r e g a r d i n g the rigid e n f o r c e m e n t of the re- q u i r e m e n t s c l a i m e d — t h e y m a y h a v e been n a m e d as desirable r e q u i r e m e n t s . T h e g e n t l e m a n ' s a g r e e m e n t seems to be the p r e v a i l i n g basis f o r l i b r a r y e m p l o y m e n t . O n l y a s c a t t e r i n g of c i v i l service and a n n u a l c o n t r a c t s appear in the reports. T h e pre- v a l e n c e of a t h r e e - or s i x - m o n t h p r o b a t i o n - a r y period and one year a n d three y e a r p r o b a t i o n s ( a m o n g the c o l l e g e and u n i v e r - sity l i b r a r i e s ) m a y be a s u r p r i s i n g f a c t . I a m even t e m p t e d to question w h e t h e r this p r o b a t i o n a r y period is m a d e k n o w n to the c a n d i d a t e f o r a position a l t h o u g h it m a y be a c l e a r l y - h e l d reservation in the e m p l o y e r ' s m i n d . I n d e f i n i t e t e n u r e is c l e a r l y the v e r y g e n e r a l p r a c t i c e as is also the absence of a n y system of r a t i n g the m e r i t of w o r k . T h e report of a r e t i r e m e n t p o l i c y is n e a r l y u n a n i m o u s . T h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e did not c a l l f o r an e x p l i c i t s t a t e m e n t of age or r e t i r e m e n t b u t some v o l u n t e e r e d 6 5 and some 7 0 as the age of r e t i r e m e n t f r o m t h a t l i b r a r y . O n e s t a t e m e n t of a r e t i r e m e n t p o l i c y as o p t i o n a l g a v e some cause f o r m e d i t a t i o n . P e n s i o n systems or insurance provisions to w h i c h both the i n s t i t u t i o n and the i n d i v i d u a l c o n t r i b u t e are a l m o s t u n i - v e r s a l . F o u r c o l l e g e libraries reported in- s t i t u t i o n a l l y s u p p o r t e d pensions a n d one JANUARY, 1948 57 p u b l i c l i b r a r y an e n d o w e d pension f u n d . S t a f f associations are so i n f r e q u e n t t h a t t h e y m a y be c o n s i d e r e d rare w i t h the e x c e p - t i o n of the p u b l i c l i b r a r y of f r o m 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 to 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s . A l l of the libraries in this g r o u p r e p o r t e d staff associations. Need for Interviews R e a s o n s f o r c h a n g e of position as listed do n o t , I f e e l , g e t at the real m o t i v e s , f o r the m o s t f r e q u e n t l y n a m e d reason is " T o a n o t h e r p o s i t i o n . " T h a t this i n v o l v e d b e t t e r s a l a r y , d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h the k i n d of w o r k , or e v e n s u c h f a c t o r s as h o u s i n g c o u l d be established b y i n t e r v i e w a n d a s t u d y of c a t a l o g e r s ' a t t i t u d e s ( s u c h as t h a t b e i n g m a d e f o r nurses b y t h e U . S . B u r e a u of L a b o r s t a t i s t i c s ) . " M a r r i a g e , " a n d " t r a n s f e r to a n o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t " are n a m e d a n y n u m b e r of t i m e s as reasons f o r l e a v i n g c a t a l o g i n g positions. O n c e this t r a n s f e r of d e p a r t m e n t s w a s specified as p r o m o t i o n to head l i b r a r i a n s h i p ( s i n c e no s u c c e e d i n g l i b r a r i a n h a d been a p p o i n t e d in this case, d o u b t l e s s the t r a n s f e r s i m p l y m e a n t a d d i t i o n a l d u t i e s ) . A v a r i e t y of reasons appeared in i n d i v i d u a l cases, t h e t o t a l of d e a t h , babies, A r m y , N a v y , R e d C r o s s , school, h o m e , u n s a t i s f a c t o r y w o r k , a n d " t e m p e r a m e n t a l m a l a d j u s t m e n t " ap- p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l l i n g the c a t e g o r y of t r a n s - f e r to a n o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t . I suspect the v a l u e of a s t a t i s t i c a l c o u n t of these a n s w e r s as it w a s a p p a r e n t t h a t c l e r i c a l and sub- p r o f e s s i o n a l c h a n g e s had been i n c l u d e d in the a n s w e r s . A m o r e t r u l y d e f i n i t i v e s t u d y is needed on this p o i n t . I s there, in this m a z e , a p a t t e r n t o h o l d u p f o r a s t u d e n t ' s i n s p e c t i o n ? H e r e is a career w i t h w e l l - d e f i n e d e d u c a t i o n a l q u a l i - f i c a t i o n s r e q u i r e d , p l u s an a l m o s t u n l i m i t e d v a r i e t y of q u a l i t i e s t h a t c a n p r o v e u s e f u l , w h i c h m a y best be e n t e r e d as an assistant, s a l a r y still $ 1 4 5 0 - $ ! 8 0 0 , w h e r e one m a y c o n t i n u e f r o m t w o to nine a n d e v e n t w e n t y - nine years, possibly a d v a n c i n g or m o v i n g to senior assistantships and t h e n to first assistantships or to headships of s m a l l e r li- braries, a n d , f i n a l l y , in a f e w cases, to h e a d - ships of l a r g e l i b r a r y d e p a r t m e n t s w i t h a possible m a x i m u m of $ 8 0 5 9 , b u t m o r e f r e - q u e n t l y a m a x i m u m b e t w e e n $ 4 0 0 0 a n d $ 5 0 0 0 . T h e l a r g e r l i b r a r y u s u a l l y p a y s the l a r g e r s a l a r y . C o - w o r k e r s a n d c h i e f s are l i k e l y to r e m a i n w i t h one in the d e p a r t - m e n t or l i b r a r y f o r c o n s i d e r a b l e periods or y e a r s . How Recruit? T h e r e is m o r e l i k e l i h o o d of classification and p a y s c h e d u l e s in p u b l i c t h a n in aca- d e m i c libraries b u t m o r e v a r i a t i o n in v a c a - tions a n d h o l i d a y s in the a c a d e m i c t h a n in the p u b l i c libraries. F i n a l l y , t h o u g h this has l i t t l e interest f o r the b e g i n n e r , there w i l l be a pension p l a n w h i c h w i l l p r o v i d e a basis f o r s u p p o r t u p o n r e t i r e m e n t . C a n these bare f a c t s entice the r e c r u i t ? N o t a l o n e ; possibly alone, t h e y repel. F o r - t u n a t e l y or u n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e y do n o t s t a n d alone and as I read the f e w c o m m e n t s c o n - t r i b u t e d in the i n e v i t a b l e space f o r c o m - m e n t on a n y q u e s t i o n n a i r e , c a t a l o g e r s still s t a n d in dire need f o r the d i s p e l l i n g of the m y t h and a t t i t u d e t h a t t h e y and t h e i r w o r k are d r y , d u l l , a n d d e m a n d i n g . J u s t n o w it is f a s h i o n a b l e t o l a y m a n y of the ills of the l i b r a r y p r o f e s s i o n a t the door of the l i b r a r y school. I a m i n c l i n e d to b e l i e v e t h a t w e w o u l d f i n d , as did the nurses, t h a t the personal i n f l u e n c e a n d e n t h u s i a s m of some m e m b e r of the p r o f e s s i o n is the m o s t d e c i d i n g cause in t h e c h o i c e of a p r o f e s s i o n by a y o u n g b e g i n n e r . I t b e h o o v e s us i n d i v i d u a l l y t o a v o i d b e c o m i n g " C a s s a n d r a s " if w e w o u l d a t t r a c t c o m p e t e n t assistants in a d e q u a t e n u m b e r s to c a r r y on the l e a d e r s h i p and the p r o f e s s i o n . 58 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES