College and Research Libraries


Optimum Size of Libraries: 
A Symposium 

TH E f o l l o w i n g f o u r p a p e r s w e r e p r e s e n t e d a t t h e g e n e r a l s e s s i o n o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f C o l l e g e a n d R e f e r e n c e L i b r a r i e s , 1 9 4 9 A n n u a l A . L . A . C o n f e r e n c e , A t l a n t i c C i t y , 
O c t . 6 , 1 9 4 9 . 

B y C H A R L E S F R A N C I S G O S N E L L 

Systematic Weeding 
Dr. Gosnell is State Librarian and Assist-

ant Commissioner of Education, New York. 

IN MY p r e l i m i n a r y m u s i n g o n t h i s a s s i g n -m e n t , I w a n d e r e d r a t h e r f a r a f i e l d . I 
t h o u g h t of m y f a t h e r ' s v a r i o u s s t o r i e s a b o u t 

f a t p e o p l e a n d t h e i r t r o u b l e s , e s p e c i a l l y in 

t r y i n g t o r e d u c e . 

I t h o u g h t , t o o , o f a s t o r y t o l d m e b y t h e 

o l d a s s i s t a n t l i b r a r i a n a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of 

R o c h e s t e r L i b r a r y , y e a r s a g o . H e h a d a l o n g 

w h i t e b e a r d , p a r t e d in t h e m i d d l e — a n d I w a s 

a f r e s h m a n p a g e in t h e c o l l e g e l i b r a r y . H i s 

s t o r y w a s a b o u t a m a n w h o l e a r n e d a l l t h e 

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of s o m e 20,000 b o t a n i c a l s p e c i -

m e n s , b u t w h e n e v e r h e l e a r n e d m o r e n e w 

o n e s a f t e r t h a t h e f o r g o t s o m e of t h e o l d 

o n e s . T h e m o r a l w a s t h a t t h e m i n d is l i k e 

a s p o n g e — i t c a n o n l y s o a k u p so m u c h . I t 

t h e n o c c u r r e d t o m e t h a t m a y b e r e a d i n g i t s e l f 

is b e c o m i n g o b s o l e t e — w h a t w i t h m o v i e s , t e l e -

v i s i o n , p i c t u r e m a g a z i n e s , a n d e v e n c o m i c 

b o o k s . 

M y g r a n d f a t h e r u s e d t o q u o t e t h e s a y i n g , 

" A m a n of w o r d s a n d n o t of d e e d s , is l i k e 

a g a r d e n f u l l of w e e d s . " W e l l , I a m h e r e 

t o t a l k a b o u t w e e d s . I h o p e I s h a l l p r o v o k e 

s o m e of y o u t o d e e d s . 

T h e s i z e of a l i b r a r y is a m a t t e r of s i m p l e 

a r i t h m e t i c . T h e s i z e a t a n y t i m e e q u a l s t h e 

n u m b e r of b o o k s y o u h a v e , p l u s t h o s e y o u b u y 

o r g e t g i v e n t o y o u , l e s s t h o s e y o u l o s e o r 

t h r o w o u t . Y o u r s i z e d e p e n d s on h o w y o u 

c o n t r o l t h e i n c o m e a n d t h e o u t g o . I t is o n e 

of t h e g r e a t i n d i c t m e n t s of o u r m o d e r n c i v i l -

i z a t i o n t h a t w e g i v e so m u c h a t t e n t i o n t o t h e 

a c c o u n t a n t ' s b a l a n c e s h e e t . W e l o o k a t t h e 

o u t - o f - p o c k e t d o l l a r c o s t a n d f o r g e t a b o u t t h e 

h i d d e n c o s t in d o l l a r s , t i m e , a n d o t h e r l e s s 

t a n g i b l e b u t n o l e s s v a l u a b l e a s s e t s . 

W h e n I w a s a c o l l e g e l i b r a r i a n t h e o n l y 

c h e c k - u p I e v e r h a d by a m a n w h o w a n t e d t o 

find o u t if w e w e r e g i v i n g d u e s e r v i c e , w a s 

t o s e e w h e t h e r w e c o l l e c t e d a l l t h e l i b r a r y 

fines. H e w a n t e d t o m a k e s u r e t h a t w e g o t 

e v e r y n i c k e l . B u t he p a i d n o a t t e n t i o n t o w a s t e d 

m i n u t e s o r p o s s i b l e i n e f f i c i e n c i e s in s e r v i c e . 

W h e n w e b u y b o o k s , w e s c r u t i n i z e t h e c o s t 

v e r y c a r e f u l l y — b o o k s c o s t m o n e y . B u t w h e n 

w e k e e p u s e l e s s b o o k s a r o u n d , w e t h i n k o n l y 

of t h e c o s t of d i s c a r d i n g t h e m . 

T o a p p l y t h e s i n g l e f o r m u l a of s i z e p l u s 

i n c o m e a n d l e s s o u t g o , w e m u s t first d e f i n e 

s i z e . S i z e m a y be s t a t e d b a d l y as so m a n y 

v o l u m e s — a h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d , fifty t h o u s a n d , 

a m i l l i o n , o r w h a t w i l l y o u . 

B u t s i z e is b e t t e r d e f i n e d in t e r m s of t h e 

o b j e c t i v e s of t h e l i b r a r y a n d t h e d e m a n d s on 

it. W h a t b o o k s d o . s t u d e n t s a n d f a c u l t y 

w a n t ? Y o u k e e p t h e one^ t h e y u s e , b u y m o r e , 

a n d t h r o w o u t w h a t is n o t u s e d . 

N o w i t is c l e a r t h a t t h e r e is a d e f i n i t e 

r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e a g e of a b o o k a n d 

t h e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t it w i l l b e u s e d . I t ' s l i k e 

t h e A r m y — y o u h a v e a l i n e of n e w r e c r u i t s 

w a l k i n g in a n d a l i n e of d i s c h a r g e s a n d r e -

t i r e d m e n w a l k i n g o u t . 

S o m e y e a r s a g o , L e w i s S t i e g , w h e n h e w a s 

a t H a m i l t o n C o l l e g e L i b r a r y , s h o w e d a d e f i -

n i t e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e a g e s of b o o k s 

a n d t h e c h a n c e s t h e y w o u l d be u s e d . 1 T h e a g e 

d i s t r i b u t i o n of b o o k s in t h e S h a w a n d M o h r -

h a r d t l i s t s o f b o o k s f o r c o l l e g e a n d j u n i o r c o l -

1 S t i e g , L e w i s , " C i r c u l a t i o n Records and the S t u d y 
of College-Library Use." Library Quarterly 12:94-108, 
J a n u a r y 1942. 

APR1L, 1950 137 



lege l i b r a r i e s , s h o w s t h e s a m e kind of s t a t i s t i -
c a l c u r v e . T h i s c u r v e is j u s t as definite as 
l i f e i n s u r a n c e m o r t a l i t y t a b l e s . Y o u can tell 
h o w m a n y people w i l l die, b u t n o t w h i c h ones. 
W e can see h o w m a n y books w i l l g e t o u t of 
d a t e , b u t n o t a l w a y s w h i c h ones. 

T h e S h a w and M o h r h a r d t lists set o u t to 
define o p t i m u m collections. T h e y j u s t picked 
good college l i b r a r y books. B u t by s t a t i s t i c a l 
analysis w e can find u n d e r l y i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s 
t h a t a r e g e n e r a l l y applicable. 

L e t us g e n e r a l i z e f i r s t by saying t h a t t h e 
age c u r v e of books in a college l i b r a r y s h o u l d 
be like this f a m i l y of c u r v e s — t h a t is, t h e 
d a t e s of p u b l i c a t i o n s h o u l d s h o w a p a t t e r n , 
w i t h r e c e n t t i t l e s p r e d o m i n a t i n g . 2 

I n o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n t h e c u r v e f r o m y e a r 
t o y e a r , you will h a v e to w e e d o u t old titles, 
and t h e c u r v e o r t a b l e will tell you a b o u t h o w 
m a n y . Y o u can plot t h e a c t u a l c u r v e a g a i n s t 
t h e ideal. 

T h e d i f f e r e n c e is w h a t n e e d s t o be w e e d e d . 
If you h a v e a big l u m p on y o u r c u r v e a r o u n d 
1910-1912, it is n o t t h a t t h e r e a r e m o r e good 
books t h a t w e r e published in those y e a r s — i t 
is t h a t t h e b u d g e t w a s g e n e r o u s in t h o s e y e a r s 
o r t h a t somebody g a v e you a lot of t h o s e 
books. T h e chances a r e you do n o t need t h e m . 
T h e y t a k e up v a l u a b l e space, and, w o r s e still, 
they o b s c u r e t h e good b o o k s . 3 

I t is possible to s c h e d u l e w e e d i n g q u i t e 
d e f i n i t e l y — p e r h a p s a n n u a l l y . M a k e it a g o a l 
t o t a k e o u t as m a n y as you t a k e in. O r 
periodically, e v e r y t h r e e to five y e a r s , go 
s y s t e m a t i c a l l y t h r o u g h y o u r stacks, b e a r i n g 
in mind t h a t f e w u n d e r g r a d u a t e s use books 

2 Gosnell, C . F . "Obsolescence of Books in College 
L i b r a r i e s . " College and Research Libraries 5 : 1 1 5 - 2 5 , 
M a r c h 1944; and Gosnell. " O b s o l e t e L i b r a r y B o o k s . " 
Scientific Monthly 64:421-27, M a y 1947-

3 Gosnell. " B o o k s of Exceptional A g e . " College and 
Research Libraries 9:33-40, J a n u a r y 1948. 

o v e r 30 y e a r s old. I n m a n y fields books o v e r 
five to 10 y e a r s old a r e positively m i s l e a d i n g . 

I t is l i k e w i s e possible to define c a t e g o r i e s 
f o r w e e d i n g — o l d t e x t b o o k s and anthologies, 
u n l e s s you a r e definitely collecting this s o r t 
of m a t e r i a l . A n d r e m e m b e r t h a t such special 
collections w i l l s h o w l u m p s on y o u r c u r v e . 

I n N e w Y o r k S t a t e w e h a v e p u t o u t a 
p a m p h l e t on w e e d i n g , f o r public l i b r a r i e s . 4 

I t h a s 10 p a g e s l i s t i n g g r o u p s of books t h a t 
c a n be t h r o w n a w a y . C o n v e r s e l y , w e tell all 
such l i b r a r i e s to h a n g on to t h e i r local his-
t o r y , o r t o send it t o us in A l b a n y . W e a r e 
glad to g e t back files of n e w s p a p e r s and e x t r a 
copies of o u t - o f - p r i n t s t a t e p u b l i c a t i o n s to be 
r e d i s t r i b u t e d to l i b r a r i e s t h a t w a n t t h e m . 

I n c i d e n t a l l y , this is n o t h i n g n e w f o r A l b a n y . 
I n my f e w y e a r s t h e r e I h a v e l e a r n e d t h a t 
M e l v i l D e w e y and his associates t h o u g h t of 
e v e r y t h i n g . T h e y conceived of t h e S t a t e L i -
b r a r y as a s o r t of r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y and 
d u p l i c a t e e x c h a n g e 60 y e a r s ago. A n d they 
s t a r t e d a u n i o n c a t a l o g so a m b i t i o u s t h a t they 
called it a " u n i v e r s a l " c a t a l o g . 

I d a r e s a y t h a t w e a r e t h e m o s t g e n e r o u s 
of all l i b r a r i e s in l e n d i n g o l d e r , r a r e and m o r e 
expensive m a t e r i a l to o t h e r l i b r a r i e s . W e sent 
o u t some 30,000 i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s l a s t y e a r , 
and paid o u t g o i n g p o s t a g e on t h e m too. 

W e e d i n g m u s t be posited on accessibility to 
a c e n t r a l s o u r c e t h a t does keep t h e m a t e r i a l 
t h a t e v e r y b o d y else w e e d s . W e t r y to do t h a t 
in A l b a n y . 

S y s t e m a t i c w e e d i n g is one key to a good 
book collection of o p t i m u m size. 

A l i b r a r i a n w h o buys and n e v e r w e e d s 
w i l l h a v e a l i b r a r y f u l l of w e e d s . 

4 N e w Y o r k State. L i b r a r y Extension Division. Care 
of the Book Collection. A Manual of Suggestions. 
Weeding, Mending, Binding. Discarding. A l b a n y , T h e 
U n i v e r s i t y of the State of N e w Y o r k P r e s s , 1949. 

By B L A N C H E P R I C H A R D M c C R U M 

Book Selection in Relation to the Optimum 
Size of a College Library1 

Miss McCrurn is bibliographer, Library of 
Congress. 

BOOK selection f o r t h e college l i b r a r y , a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e o p t i m u m size of t h e r e s u l t -
ing book collection, c a n n o t be c o n s i d e r e d in 

1 A b r i d g e d . 

a v a c u u m . I n s t e a d , this f u n d a m e n t a l p r a c t i c e 
in t h e l i b r a r i a n ' s p r o f e s s i o n m u s t be c a r r i e d 
on u n d e r c o n d i t i o n s c r e a t e d by d i f f e r e n t types 
of i n s t i t u t i o n s as w e l l as u n d e r t h e influence 
of t r e n d s both economic and e d u c a t i o n a l as 
t h e s e w a x a n d w a n e in this p r e s e n t w o r l d 
of t i m e and place. 

138 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



F o r e x a m p l e , the u n d e r g r a d u a t e l i b r a r y on 
a u n i v e r s i t y c a m p u s l e g i t i m a t e l y m a y limit it-
self to t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n of a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l 
c o r e collection of books m o s t f r e q u e n t l y r e -
q u i r e d by most u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s . Selec-
tion of such books may t a k e place in t h e 
c o m f o r t a b l e c e r t a i n t y t h a t d e m a n d s on t h e 
u n d e r g r a d u a t e l i b r a r y w i l l be t r a n s f e r r e d to 
t h e m a i n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y , w h e n t h e t i m e 
c o m e s to w r i t e h o n o r s p a p e r s , s e m i n a r r e p o r t s , 
senior theses, o r to develop o t h e r specialized 
i n t e r e s t s . A g a i n , a p r o g r e s s i v e or e x p e r i m e n t a l 
college, f r e e of t r a d i t i o n a l p a t t e r n s in its 
o r g a n i z a t i o n , m a y find it w i s e to use s o m e 
a d a p t a t i o n of t h e long v a c a t i o n of t h e E n g l i s h 
u n i v e r s i t y f o r t h e p u r p o s e of sending s t u d e n t s 
a w a y t o use t h e r e s o u r c e s of l a r g e r e s e a r c h 
l i b r a r i e s , w i t h c o n s e q u e n t relief f o r t h e h o m e 
l i b r a r y . H o w e v e r , t h e typical A m e r i c a n con-
t r i b u t i o n to e d u c a t i o n , t h e i n d e p e n d e n t f o u r -
y e a r l i b e r a l a r t s college, is in a v e r y d i f f e r e n t 
s i t u a t i o n , since it m u s t supply all o r n e a r l y 
all of t h e books r e q u i r e d by t e a c h e r s f o r 
t e a c h i n g and by s t u d e n t s f o r l e a r n i n g . I t is, 
t h e r e f o r e , t h e m o r e difficult book selection f o r 
t h e l a t t e r type of college l i b r a r y t h a t w i l l be 
considered in the f o l l o w i n g p a r a g r a p h s . 

By w a y of r o u g h i n g in a b a c k g r o u n d f o r 
t h a t c o n s i d e r a t i o n , it m a y be w e l l to r e m i n d 
o u r s e l v e s t h a t t h e f o u r - y e a r l i b e r a l a r t s col-
lege itself is at p r e s e n t s u b j e c t to t w o opposing 
t e n s i o n s : ( a ) rising costs, accompanied by an 
u n c e r t a i n f i n a n c i a l f u t u r e ; ( b ) n e w p l a n s f o r 
i m p r o v e d c u r r i c u l a , n o w a l m o s t epidemic in 
t h e p o s t w a r w o r l d . I n c r e a s e d costs, ac-
c o m p a n i e d by p r o b a b l e decline in l a r g e g i f t s , 
h a v e r e s u l t e d in l a r g e r c h a r g e s f o r t u i t i o n . 
E n d o w m e n t c a m p a i g n s , some of t h e m slow in 
b r i n g i n g r e s u l t s , a r e in f u l l swing. A n d still 
t h e m a t t e r of m e e t i n g each y e a r ' s bills as they 
come is a p t t o r e m a i n f o r some t i m e a s u b j e c t 
of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p r a y e r and f a s t i n g . 

L i b r a r y costs h a v e f o l l o w e d t h e u p w a r d 
s w i n g in t h e w h o l e i n s t i t u t i o n . I t is p r o b a b l y 
c o n s e r v a t i v e t o e s t i m a t e t h a t books cost 35 
per cent m o r e t h a n they cost 10 y e a r s ago. 
I n t h e s a m e p e r i o d , s a l a r i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y a t 
t h e b e g i n n i n g level, h a v e in some i n s t a n c e s 
risen as m u c h as 75 to 100 p e r c e n t . If a 
n e w l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g becomes n e c e s s a r y t h e 
c a p i t a l e x p e n d i t u r e , o u t of all p r o p o r t i o n to 
t h e e n d o w m e n t of the college, m a k e s t h e 
w h o l e p r o j e c t a s s u m e t h e c h a r a c t e r of a 
t r a g e d y . N o w o n d e r t h a t l i b r a r i a n s a r e t r y -
ing to s t r e a m l i n e t h e i r l i b r a r i e s , f o r p r o t e c t i o n 

a g a i n s t s u r g e r y which o t h e r w i s e m a y be ap-
plied f r o m w i t h o u t because of a d m i n i s t r a t o r s ' 
financial difficulties. 

O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e opposite tension 
e x p r e s s e d in n e w c u r r i c u l a r p l a n s p r o v i d e s 
an u n e q u a l e d o p p o r t u n i t y f o r i n t e g r a t i n g t h e 
l i b r a r y w i t h the t e a c h i n g p r o g r a m . I n d e p e n d -
e n t r e a d i n g f o r c r e d i t , i n t e r d e p a r t m e n t a l 
m a j o r s , b r o a d e n e d h o n o r s w o r k , increased 
e m p h a s i s on responsibility f o r s e l f - e d u c a t i o n 
— a l l of t h e s e and v a r i o u s o t h e r e l e m e n t s in 
t h e n e w p l a n s c o n s t i t u t e a tide to be t a k e n 
a t its flood unless t h e risk of losing its f o r c e 
is to be r u n . W h a t , t h e n , has book selection 
to c o n t r i b u t e to e q u a l i z i n g t h e s e o p p o s i n g 
stresses, and at t h e s a m e t i m e to e s t a b l i s h i n g 
t h e o p t i m u m size of the l i b r a r y ? 

F i r s t of all, I should like to s u g g e s t f o r 
y o u r c o n s i d e r a t i o n the g e n e r a l notion t h a t it 
is n o t t h e selection of t h e best books t h a t 
r e s u l t s in s w o l l e n book collections. R a t h e r 
w h a t w e h a v e to f e a r is o u r m i s t a k e s in 
selection t h a t b r i n g in t h e m e d i o c r e , tepid, 
savorless, m a c h i n e - m a d e books, t u r n e d o u t in 
g r e a t n u m b e r s by t h e presses of t h e "World -
and a d v e r t i s e d p e r s u a s i v e l y on all sides. T h e 
p r e s s u r e u n d e r w h i c h w o r k h a s to be done 
n o w is also conducive t o h a s t y , i m p r e s s i o n i s t i c 
selection unless c o n s t a n t vigilance is exercised. 
P r o b a b l y , also, in spite of o u r best e f f o r t s to 
select wisely and critically, w e s u f f e r f r o m 
t h e l i n g e r i n g r e s u l t s of o u r c u s t o d i a l responsi-
bilities w h i c h h a v e tended t o m a k e us feel 
t h a t a book is a book is a book is a book, 
w h e t h e r or n o t w e a r e a l w a y s so s u r e t h a t 
a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. 

M o r e o v e r , a m o n g the d a n g e r s t h a t h a v e 
dogged o u r f o o t s t e p s a r e t h o s e t h a t come 
f r o m too m u c h f a i t h in t o t a l c o v e r a g e , in-
clusive listings, n o n d i s c r i m i n a t i n g c o m p l e t e -
ness, w h e r e a s m o r e r i g o r o u s s t a n d a r d s o r 
e v a l u a t i o n m i g h t w e l l h a v e r e s u l t e d in r e -
duced n u m b e r s of v o l u m e s w i t h o u t d a m a g i n g 
c o n t e n t . If such a r e s u l t can still be achieved, 
w e s h a l l h a v e f o u n d t h e j e w e l in t h e t o a d ' s 
h e a d of o u r h a r d necessity f o r c o n t r o l l i n g 
costs and i n c r e a s i n g excellence at t h e s a m e 
t i m e . T o this hope w e m a y w e l l d i r e c t o u r 
best e f f o r t s as l i b r a r i a n s , including in t h e s e 
e n d e a v o r s o u r specialized b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l 
k n o w l e d g e , o u r love of books f o r g e n e r a l 
r e a d i n g , and o u r a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h p r i m a r y 
s o u r c e s . 

Specialized b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l k n o w l e d g e seems 
to m e to r e q u i r e c o n t i n u i n g s t u d y on t h e p a r t 

APR1L, 1950 139 



of t h e w h o l e p r o f e s s i o n a l staff in e a c h s u b j e c t 
field r e p r e s e n t e d in t h e c u r r i c u l u m . A c c e s s 
t o b a s i c h i s t o r i e s , t o c u r r e n t w o r k s t h a t i n -
c l u d e b i b l i o g r a p h i e s in b o o k s by s p e c i a l i s t s , t o 
s c h o l a r l y r e v i e w s in j o u r n a l s as t h e s e a p p e a r , 
as w e l l a s c o n s t a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e q u a l i -
fications of w r i t e r s c a n be w o r k e d i n t o a 
p a t t e r n w h i c h in t i m e , if f o l l o w e d f a i t h f u l l y , 
w i l l r e s u l t in r e a l b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l s c h o l a r s h i p . 
N o r d o e s it s e e m o v e r a m b i t i o u s t o b e l i e v e 
t h a t t h e e v a l u a t i o n w h i c h e m e r g e s f r o m t h e 
u s e of s o u n d m e t h o d s of b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l p r o -
c e d u r e w i l l e s t a b l i s h f o r u s c e r t a i n t y c o n -
c e r n i n g t h e r e a l l y first-rate, i n d i s p e n s a b l e , 
b a s i c w o r k s , a n d d e f i n i t i v e e d i t i o n s t h a t m u s t 
be s e c u r e d . I h a v e l o n g b e e n a n a d m i r i n g 
s p e c t a t o r of t h e a r t of s u c h s e l e c t i o n , a n d I 
r e c a l l p a r t i c u l a r l y o n e o c c a s i o n w h e n a p r o -
f e s s o r a n d a l i b r a r i a n w e r e p l a n n i n g a d d i t i o n s 
t o l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s f o r s u p p o r t of a r e a d i n g 
c o u r s e n e v e r b e f o r e o f f e r e d in t h e c o l l e g e . 
A t one s t a g e of t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n , t h e e s t i -
m a t e w a s 500 t i t l e s ; by m u t u a l a g r e e m e n t 
84 t i t l e s w a s c o n s i d e r e d a m p l e w h e n t h e j o b 
w a s d o n e . A n o r d e r l i b r a r i a n k n o w n t o m e 
c a n t a k e a s u b j e c t s u c h as t h e h i s t o r y of t h e 
E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e , e x p l o r e t h e e x i s t i n g b o o k 
s t o c k , i n v e s t i g a t e t h e l i t e r a t u r e of t h e field, 
a n d c o m e u p w i t h a f e w s u g g e s t i o n s f o r s u c h 
i m p o r t a n t p u r c h a s e s t h a t t h e p r o f e s s o r c o n -
c e r n e d a c c e p t s t h e l i s t w i t h e n t i r e l y m i n o r 
e n l a r g e m e n t . D u r i n g a r e c e n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n 
of t h e m i n i m u m c o l l e c t i o n r e q u i r e d f o r g i v i n g 
a s t r o n g m a j o r in A m e r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e a figure 
of s o m e 1300 t i t l e s w a s r e a c h e d by a n o t h e r 
l i b r a r i a n f o l l o w i n g t h e m e t h o d w h i c h h a s 
b e e n s u g g e s t e d . 

M r . P a r g e l l i s in an a r t i c l e v e r y m u c h t o 
t h e p o i n t in t h i s c o n n e c t i o n h a s s a i d : " O n e of 
t h e b e s t L i n c o l n s c h o l a r s in t h e c o u n t r y t e l l s 
m e t h a t [ o u t of s o m e 3 5 0 0 t o 4 0 0 0 s e p a r a t e 
t i t l e s ] t h e r e a r e a b o u t 70 g o o d b o o k s on 
L i n c o l n . " H e a d d s : " I d o n o t believe t h a t 
a m a n n e e d be a s p e c i a l i s t in a field t o k n o w 
t h e g o o d b o o k s . A n y o n e w h o k n o w s s o m e -
t h i n g of t h e t e c h n i q u e of s c h o l a r s h i p c a n l e a r n 
t h e t r i c k s , a c q u i r e t h e f e e l , by w h i c h h e c a n 
s p o t t h e p h o n i e s . . . . T h e n o n s p e c i a l i s t m a y 
m i s s 5 o r 10 p e r c e n t — b u t t h e s c h o l a r s 
t h e m s e l v e s a g r e e o n n o m o r e t h a n 9 0 p e r 
c e n t — . . . . " 2 T h e l a t e P e y t o n H u r t s t a t e d : 
" A p r o f e s s i o n a l m e t h o d c a n be d e v e l o p e d 

2 P a r g e l l i s , S t a n l e y . " S o m e R e m a r k s on B i b l i o g -
r a p h y . " College and Research Libraries 7:207-209 
J u l y 1946. 

w h i c h w i l l e n a b l e h i m [ t h e l i b r a r i a n ] t o 
s p e c i a l i z e f o r l i b r a r y s e r v i c e in a l m o s t a n y 
field r e g a r d l e s s of p r e v i o u s a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h 
t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r . . . " a n d t h e n he g a v e 
a n o u t l i n e of t h e m e t h o d t o be f o l l o w e d w h i c h 
w o u l d e n a b l e t h e l i b r a r i a n t o b e c o m e as w e l l 
q u a l i f i e d in b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l s c h o l a r s h i p as t h e 
t e a c h i n g s c h o l a r in s u b j e c t m a t e r i a l in his 
o w n field.3 M i s s L u c y E . F a y in a n i l l u m i n a t -
i n g a r t i c l e h a s d e s c r i b e d h e r m e t h o d of t e a c h -
i n g s t u d e n t s a t C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y h o w t o 
e v a l u a t e w o r k s in v a r i o u s fields a n d s h e h a s 
s h o w n h o w t h e s a m e a b i l i t y m a y be d e v e l o p e d 
in m e m b e r s of a w h o l e staff t h r o u g h i n - s e r v i c e 
t r a i n i n g . 4 

W h e t h e r o r n o t s u c h b o o k s e l e c t i o n i n c l u d e s 
a n o r g a n i z e d s u r v e y of t h e w h o l e c o l l e c t i o n 
w i t h i n o n e g i v e n p e r i o d ( a n d f o r t h i s t i m e 
a n d o c c a s i o n m a y o f t e n f a i l ) s t i l l t h e s a m e 
b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l a p p r o a c h t o s e l e c t i o n m a y be 
u s e d in c r e a t i n g r e s o u r c e s f o r a s i n g l e c o u r s e 
o r in a s s i s t i n g o n e d e p a r t m e n t of t h e c o l l e g e 
a t a t i m e t o i m p r o v e its h o l d i n g s . T h e p o i n t 
t o be s t r e s s e d is o u r o b l i g a t i o n as l i b r a r i a n s 
" t o c o n d u c t a c o n t i n u o u s s u r v e y of t h e b o o k 
n e e d s of . . . [ o u r ] i n s t i t u t i o n " 5 a n d a l s o 
t h a t of p l a c i n g a s u f f i c i e n t l y h i g h v a l u e " o n 
t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e e n t i r e p r o f e s s i o n a l 
l i b r a r y p e r s o n n e l m u s t . . . a s s u m e a s co-
w o r k e r s , w i t h t h e i r s p e c i a l s u b j e c t s t o k e e p 
u p o n . H e r e is a v e r y f o u n t a i n of y o u t h in 
t h e m i d s t of d e a d e n i n g r o u t i n e . " 6 

T h e s e c o n d a p p r o a c h t o b o o k s e l e c t i o n di-
r e c t e d t o b u i l d i n g a u s e f u l b o o k c o l l e c t i o n — 
t h a t b a s e d on l o v e of b o o k s f o r g e n e r a l r e a d -
i n g — h a s a s its o b j e c t i v e t h e c r e a t i o n of a n 
alive, s t i m u l a t i n g , i n t r i g u i n g l i b r a r y fit t o 
w h e t i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r i o s i t y , s t i r i m a g i n a t i o n , 
a n d g e n e r a t e a love of r e a d i n g w h i c h w i l l l a s t 
t h r o u g h l i f e . I n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n w e w i l l a g r e e , 
I believe, t h a t s e r r i e d r a n k s of b a s i c w o r k s 
a n d p r o v e n classics n e e d l e a v e n i n g by a m i x -
t u r e of m o r e easily r e a d a b l e b o o k s . G r a n t e d 
t h a t f u n d s f o r t h i s p u r p o s e s h o u l d be u s e d 
s p a r i n g l y , it s e e m s t h a t , if c o n d u c t e d on a 
s u f f i c i e n t l y high level, s e l e c t i o n in t h i s field 

3 H u r t , P e y t o n . " S t a f f - S p e c i a l i z a t i o n : A P o s s i b l e 
S u b s t i t u t e f o r D e p a r t m e n t a l i z a t i o n . " A.L.A. Bulletin 
29:417-2'z, J u l y I93S-

4 F a y , L u c y E . " A P r o g r a m of I n - S e r v i c e T r a i n i n g 
in C o l l e g e a n d U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r i e s . " College and Re-
search Libraries. 8 : 2 1 4 - 1 7 , J u l y 1947. 

6 R a n d a l l , W i l l i a m M . , a n d G o o d r i c h , F r a n c i s L . D . 
Principles of College Library Administration. 2d e d . 
C h i c a g o , A . L . A . a n d U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o P r e s s , 
1 9 4 1 , p. 6 1 . 

6 M u n t h e , W i l h e l m . American Librarianship from a 
European Angle. C h i c a g o , A . L . A . , 1939, p. 1 1 8 . 

140 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



is exceedingly i m p o r t a n t . T h e s t u d e n t e d u -
c a t e d to r e a d only w h a t he is r e q u i r e d to 
r e a d m a y w e l l become a r e p o s i t o r y of f a c t u a l 
i n f o r m a t i o n u n i l l u m i n e d by u n d e r s t a n d i n g . 
Y e t t h e s t u d e n t w h o is inspired by his s t u d i e s 
to r e a c h a f t e r ideas f o r himself a n d w h o 
finds w a i t i n g a collection t h a t m e e t s his n e e d s 
seems t o m e t o h a v e a r e a l c h a n c e to be 
" g e n e r a l l y " e d u c a t e d . B u t books of t h e q u a l -
ity he n e e d s d o n o t h a p p e n ; they a r e selected 
by c u l t i v a t e d l i b r a r i a n s w h o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t 
is r e q u i r e d . 

W h a t a p p e a r s t o be called f o r in this con-
nection is, a g a i n , t h e m o b i l i z a t i o n of t h e li-
b r a r y s t a f f , so t h a t m e m b e r s of it become, 
a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r s e v e r a l i n t e r e s t s , s c o u t s f o r 
t h o s e books t h a t " s u r p r i s e by a fine excess" 
in science, religion, philosophy, w o r l d a f f a i r s , 
l i t e r a t u r e , a r t , a n d all t h e o t h e r aspects of 
h u m a n i s t i c c u l t u r e . T h e n u m b e r of such 
books is n o t e n o r m o u s in any p e r i o d . B u t 
t h e selection of those t h a t q u a l i f y as w o r t h y , 
and t h e i r provisions, in a t t r a c t i v e editions a t 
s t r a t e g i c p o i n t s in t h e l i b r a r y , m a k e a delight 
of t h e l i b r a r i a n ' s responsibility f o r filling in 
t h e g a p s b e t w e e n t h e l i t e r a t u r e s of s u b j e c t 
fields in w h i c h f a c u l t y selection o p e r a t e s m o s t 
h e l p f u l l y . 

T h e selection of b o o k s t h a t help s t u d e n t s 
t o k n o w r e a d i n g f o r w h a t it is—one of t h e 
g r e a t s o u r c e s of joy f o r h u m a n b e i n g s — s e e m s 
p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t in t h e w o r l d t o d a y 
w h e n gasoline, m o t i o n p i c t u r e s , r a d i o , and 
television o f f e r s t i m u l a t i o n t h a t c o n s t a n t l y 
a f f e c t s u s all. I t w o u l d be b o t h p r e s u m p t u o u s 
a n d f u t i l e t o i g n o r e t h e e d u c a t i o n a l possibili-
ties of t h e s e m e a n s f o r t h e m o v e m e n t of 
people and t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n of ideas. B u t 
it is w e l l t o r e m e m b e r t h a t one of t h e c h a r -
a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e D a r k A g e s w a s t h e w i d e -
s p r e a d loss of t h e ability t o r e a d , and t h e 
decline in c u l t u r e t h a t a c c o m p a n i e d t h a t loss. 
L i b r a r i a n s a r e t h e k e e p e r s of t h e c u l t u r a l 
h e r i t a g e so f a r as it is p r e s e r v e d in books 
and t h e y c a n h a v e f e w m o r e i m p o r t a n t r e -
sponsibilities t h a n to see to it t h a t such books 
h a v e a c h a n c e t o be r e a d . 

Y o u r e m e m b e r t h e i n i m i t a b l e s t o r y of D r . 
J o h n s o n ' s s e a r c h f o r apples w h i c h he believed 
h i d d e n by his b r o t h e r on a t o p shelf in his 
f a t h e r ' s shop. N o apples w e r e t h e r e , b u t 
P e t r a r c h w a s . H i s c u r i o s i t y w a s excited a n d 
h e r e a d on, c a s u a l l y , u n t i l "in this i r r e g u l a r 
m a n n e r . . . I h a d looked i n t o a g r e a t m a n y 

books, w h i c h w e r e n o t c o m m o n l y k n o w n a t 
t h e U n i v e r s i t i e s , w h e r e they s e l d o m r e a d any 
books b u t w h a t a r e p u t i n t o t h e i r h a n d s by 
t h e i r t u t o r s ; so t h a t w h e n I c a m e t o O x f o r d , 
D r . A d a m s , n o w m a s t e r of P e m b r o k e C o l -
lege, told me, I w a s t h e best qualified f o r t h e 
U n i v e r s i t y t h a t he h a d e v e r k n o w n c o m e 
t h e r e . " W e m a y h a v e n o e m b r y o D r . J o h n -
sons a m o n g o u r s t u d e n t s , b u t w e s h a l l h a v e 
f a i l e d all w h o h a v e w i t h i n t h e m t h e capacity 
to become even m o d e r a t e l y w e l l r e a d u n l e s s 
w e h a v e p r o v i d e d books t h a t w i l l do f o r t h e m 
w h a t P e t r a r c h once did so w e l l . 

T i m e p e r m i t s only t h e m e n t i o n of one final 
e q u i p m e n t of t h e l i b r a r i a n w h o selects books 
f o r t h e college l i b r a r y : n a m e l y , a c q u a i n t a n c e 
w i t h p r i m a r y s o u r c e s . T r u e , only u n i v e r s i t i e s 
a r e responsible f o r a t t e m p t i n g t o f o r m c o m -
p l e t e collections in any field, o r special col-
lections b e t t e r t h a n any o t h e r in one field. 
B u t t h e t e a c h i n g v a l u e of selected p r i m a r y 
s o u r c e s h a s been d e m o n s t r a t e d o v e r a n d o v e r 
by p r o f e s s o r s w h o t e a c h in colleges w h e r e 
t h e s e a r e supplied. P r a c t i c i n g a l w a y s in 
p r e d o m i n a t e l y u n d e r g r a d u a t e colleges, I h a v e 
been asked by m e m b e r s of t h e f a c u l t i e s I 
served f o r such s o u r c e s as De Bow's Review, 
Niles' Register, t h e Monumenta Germaniae, 
Les livres Jaunes, C u r t i u s ' Olympia, a n d a 
selective d e p o s i t o r y of U n i t e d S t a t e s g o v e r n -
m e n t d o c u m e n t s . D o u b t l e s s o t h e r s a m o n g u s 
could a m p l i f y this list m a n y t i m e s . B u t my 
p e r s o n a l experience is t h a t such of these 
g r e a t s o u r c e s as could be supplied w e r e used 
n o t once a s e m e s t e r , o r as c u r i o s i t i e s f o r oc-
c a s i o n a l e x a m i n a t i o n , b u t w e e k by w e e k d u r -
ing a w h o l e y e a r o r a w h o l e s e m e s t e r . 

I t h a s been said of J u s t i c e O l i v e r W e n d e l l 
H o l m e s t h a t he believed " N o m a n could 
a c t u a l l y teach a n o t h e r a n y t h i n g . A l l a t e a c h e r 
could do w a s to l e t his s t u d e n t s be p a r t n e r s 
in his w o r k — i m p a r t as it w e r e a f e r m e n t . " 
I n m y experience, t e a c h e r s w h o s h a r e w i t h 
t h e i r s t u d e n t s use of g r e a t s o u r c e s t h a t con-
t a i n t h e o r i g i n a l m a t e r i a l , w h i c h , g e n e r a t i o n 
a f t e r s t u d e n t g e n e r a t i o n , is w o r k e d o v e r f o r 
n e w r e s u l t s as t h e t i m e s r e q u i r e , a r e t h e 
t e a c h e r s w h o s t a r t t h e f e r m e n t . T o s u p p o r t 
t h e i r w o r k and t o build book collections t h a t 
a t t r a c t t h e m to a college seem to m e some 
of t h e highest privileges of t h e college li-
b r a r i a n ' s calling. N o w t h a t m i c r o f i l m h a s 
become an e v e r y d a y m a t t e r , and m i c r o c a r d s 
p r o m i s e a d d i t i o n a l help t o come, t h e expense 

APR1L, 1950 141 



of s o u r c e m a t e r i a l in m o n e y and in space need 
n o t be s h a t t e r i n g . I n d e e d , as long ago as 
1942 w e l e a r n e d f r o m C l a r e n c e P a i n e t h a t t h e 
p r o b l e m of n e w s p a p e r files in a s m a l l college 
l i b r a r y m i g h t be r e d u c e d to a cost of $5,050, 
f r o m a m o u n t s r a n g i n g b e t w e e n $10,125 and 
$22,480, by t h e use of m i c r o f i l m . 7 S u r e l y in-
f o r m e d use of t h e s e m o n e y - s a v i n g r e p r o d u c -
tions s h o u l d b r i n g w i t h i n t h e r e a c h of colleges 
the basic s o u r c e s t h a t e n r i c h t h e i r t e a c h i n g . 

I t is my belief t h a t m o n e y s p e n t on s o u r c e 
m a t e r i a l s e r v i c e a b l e t o w h o l e classes of s t u -
d e n t s t e n d s to b r i n g r i s i n g r e t u r n s . A n d one 
of t h e d a n g e r s I see in a t t e m p t i n g t o hold 
d o w n book selection w i t h an eye on o p t i m u m 
size is t h e t e m p t a t i o n to be satisfied w i t h 
c h e a p e r , s e c o n d a r y s o u r c e s . I n spite of o u r 
b o a s t e d f r e e d o m f r o m t h e t e x t b o o k type of 
t e a c h i n g , l i t t l e i m p r o v e m e n t seems to be m a d e 
o v e r s t u d y i n g f r o m one good t e x t b o o k by being 
r e q u i r e d to r e a d o v e r again s i m i l a r m a t e r i a l 
in t h r e e o t h e r t e x t b o o k s . M o r e o v e r , it is 
possible t h a t college l i b r a r i a n s h a v e been mis-
led by t h i n k i n g in u n i v e r s i t y t e r m s of t h e use 
of r e s e a r c h m a t e r i a l . O f c o u r s e division of 
responsibility f o r b u y i n g in selected fields, 
a l o n g w i t h t h e m a c h i n e r y f o r i n t e r l i b r a r y 
loans and t h e f o r m a t i o n of r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r i e s , a r e p r o v i n g necessities of g r e a t r e -
s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s , u n l e s s they a r e t o be c o m -
pletely o v e r w h e l m e d . T h e i n d i v i d u a l s c h o l a r , 
even in s o m e cases the g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t , c a n 
m o v e a b o u t o r b o r r o w f o r his i n d i v i d u a l needs. 
B u t u n d e r g r a d u a t e s in t h e t r a d i t i o n a l f o u r -
y e a r college a r e in a v e r y d i f f e r e n t case. 
T h e i r t r a i n i n g in the use of basic s o u r c e s is 
p a r t of t h e e d u c a t i o n t h a t fits t h e m f o r public 
service o r good c i t i z e n s h i p t h a t calls f o r a p -
plication of such t r a i n i n g w h e t h e r o r n o t they 
become s c h o l a r s . I t is h a r d t o see h o w t h e 
p r o p e r h a b i t s of s t u d y and m e t h o d s of a t t a c k 
on n e w p r o b l e m s can be a c q u i r e d w i t h o u t t h e 
use of t h e basic s o u r c e s t h a t d o c u m e n t t h e 
t e a c h i n g in a good college. 

I n this c o n n e c t i o n I am indebted to D r . 
B r a n s c o m b ' s discussion of t h e w h o l e p r o b l e m 
of r e s e a r c h m a t e r i a l in college l i b r a r i e s , f r o m 
which I s h o u l d like to q u o t e by w a y of s u m -
m a r y : " . . . the i n t e r e s t s of s t u d e n t s and 
t h e r e s e a r c h i n t e r e s t s of f a c u l t y m e m b e r s a r e 

7 Paine, Clarence S. "Microfilm in the Small College 
L i b r a r y . " College and Research Libraries, 3:224-29, 
June 1942. 

n o t n e a r l y so f a r a p a r t as is o f t e n s u p p o s e d . 
If r o u t i n e p u r c h a s e s can be d i r e c t e d into t h e 
basic l i t e r a r y a n d h i s t o r i c a l s o u r c e s i n s t e a d 
of t h e a n n u a l o u t p u t of p o p u l a r t r e a t i s e s , 
t e x t b o o k s and discussions, so m u c h of w h i c h 
is highly r e p e t i t i o u s and quickly ceases t o 
be of i n t e r e s t , t h e basis f o r r e s e a r c h n e e d s 
w i l l h a v e been laid and t h e tools f o r first r a t e 
t e a c h i n g p r o v i d e d at t h e s a m e t i m e . " 8 

W h i l e p o n d e r i n g over book selection f o r t h e 
A m e r i c a n college in t h e a t o m i c age, my m!nd 
h a s t u r n e d to a f a v o r i t e p a s s a g e in Z i m m e r n ' s 
The Greek Commonwealth in w h i c h t h e a u -
t h o r discusses t h e G r e e k s t a t e of mind in t h e 
s e v e n t h c e n t u r y , a n o t h e r p e r i o d of e x t r e m e 
d i s o r d e r in t h e w o r l d . Some good m e n s a w 
t h e good w a y as t u r n i n g t o t h e l e f t , o t h e r s 
in the opposite d i r e c t i o n , w h i l e t h e m a s s of 
the people w e r e in such c o n f u s i o n t h a t they 
a p p r o a c h e d t h e o r a c l e at D e l p h i to s e c u r e t h e 
i n t e r v e n t i o n of a god. B u t w h e n t h e o r a c l e 
spoke its gospel consisted of only f o u r w o r d s : 
" K n o w y o u r s e l f ; be t e m p e r a t e . " O u r t w e n t i -
e t h - c e n t u r y civilization also s t a n d s h e s i t a t i n g 
in t h e f a c e of w o r l d events. A n d n o t h i n g is 
m o r e c e r t a i n t h a n t h a t colleges and t h e e d u -
cation t h e y p r o v i d e w i l l s h a r e t h e ills as w e l l 
as t h e benefits t h e f u t u r e m a y b r i n g . I t seems 
to be a t i m e f o r l i b r a r i a n s to c o n t r i b u t e t o 
t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n s s e l f - k n o w l e d g e t h a t implies 
d e d i c a t i o n to t h e s c h o l a r l y exercise of t h e i r 
o w n s p e c i a l i z a t i o n as l i b r a r i a n s : m a s t e r y of 
b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l m e t h o d s , c u l t i v a t i o n of good 
t a s t e in r e a d i n g , and c o n t i n u i n g s t u d y of 
s o u r c e m a t e r i a l . M a y n o t such s e l f - k n o w l -
edge wisely r e s u l t in t e m p e r a n c e as w e t r y 
o u t ideas r e l a t i v e to t h e o p t i m u m size of 
college l i b r a r i e s ? T h e r e a l l y d e a d w o o d m u s t 
go, and j o y go w i t h it. B u t w i t h i n c o v e r s 
t h a t h a v e g a t h e r e d d u s t f o r y e a r s all u n a w a r e 
t o us t h e living w o r d m a y be w a i t i n g . T h e 
s e v e n t e e n t h and e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s t h o u g h t 
"old C h a u c e r " obsolete, his l a n g u a g e r u d e , his 
w i t o u t w o r n , b u t C h a u c e r h a s o u t l i v e d his 
d e t r a c t o r s . L e t us use w i t h c a r e c r i t e r i a 
d e r i v e d f r o m f r e q u e n c y of c i r c u l a t i o n , recency 
of p u b l i c a t i o n , and a b r i g h t n e w look. O n e 
s c h o l a r ' s poison m a y be m e a t to his successor 
so f a r as books a r e c o n c e r n e d . L e t us be 
t e m p e r a t e . 

8 Branscomb, Harvie. Teaching with Books: A Study 
of College Libraries. Chicago, Association of American 
Colleges and A . L A . , 1940, p. 190-91. 

142 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



By H E L M E R W E B B 

The Optimum Size of the College Library 
Mr. IVebb is librarian, Union College. 

IN THE p a s t f e w w e e k s w h i l e I h a v e been c o n s i d e r i n g this s u b j e c t , I h a v e become 
r a t h e r m o r e p e r t u r b e d t h a n less b e c a u s e I 
h a v e spoken q u i t e f r e e l y in t h e p a s t on t h e 
s u b j e c t saying t h a t t h e r e w a s no r e a s o n f o r 
a college h a v i n g m o r e books t h a n it could 
use. I still believe t h a t , b u t as I pin myself 
d o w n to t h e point, t h e r e is one t h i n g t h a t 
r e p e a t e d l y f o r c e s itself into my m i n d . W e 
h a v e in o u r college a collection of over 90,000 
v o l u m e s which w e r e n o t used last y e a r . W h y 
a r e they n o t u s e d ? T h e a n s w e r is easy f o r 
a l a r g e p a r t of t h e collection. W e a r e an 
old college. W e h a v e been buying books 
since 1796 and w e still h a v e m o s t of t h e m . 
I n t h e p a s t w e received as m a n y g i f t s w h i c h 
w e r e useless as did t h e n e x t l i b r a r y ; and like 
m o s t of you, w h e n t h e g i f t w a s f r o m an im-
p o r t a n t p e r s o n and b e f o r e t h e l i b r a r y w a s 
filled, w e c a t a l o g e d t h e m and added t h e m to 
o u r shelves. Some of t h e books received in 
this m a n n e r a r e good b o o k s ; m a n y a r e n o t . 
H u n d r e d s w e r e s a m p l e t e x t b o o k s . M o s t of 
these s h o u l d be and m a n y h a v e been d i s c a r d e d 
and sent t o t h e p u l p i n g mills. Some, b e c a u s e 
they a r e good books o r b e a u t i f u l books, should 
be kept. T h e y f o r m p a r t of a q u e s t i o n a b l e 
collection, h o w e v e r . T h e n t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s , 
a m u l t i p l i c i t y of p r o f e s s o r s h a v e been o r d e r -
ing books to be p u r c h a s e d . W i t h o u t any 
reflection on o u r f a c u l t i e s individually o r as 
g r o u p s , w e m u s t a d m i t t h a t s o m e p r o f e s s o r s 
a r e good book b u y e r s , o t h e r s n e v e r buy a 
book, and still o t h e r s o r d e r books w i t h l i t t l e 
o r no c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e y a r e f r e q u e n t l y t h e 
men w h o come in w i t h a b a t c h of o r d e r 
c a r d s on M o n d a y m o r n i n g and you can tell 
v e r y easily w h e t h e r they r e a d the S u n d a y 
Times o r t h e S u n d a y Tribune. T h e s e books 
also a r e in t h e q u e s t i o n a b l e c a t e g o r y . I n 
t h e s a m e g e n e r a l classification a r e t h e books 
p u r c h a s e d by a p r o f e s s o r on a special g r a n t 
t o p r o m o t e his p e r s o n a l r e s e a r c h . W h e n t h a t 
r e s e a r c h is done and his r e p u t a t i o n m a d e , 
he moves f r o m y o u r college to some l a r g e r 
i n s t i t u t i o n and you a r e l e f t w i t h several 
t h o u s a n d d o l l a r s w o r t h of good books w h i c h 
no one else w i l l use. 

APR1L, 1950 

T h e s e t w o g r o u p s m u s t be h a n d l e d m o r e 
c a r e f u l l y t h a n the f i r s t since you m u s t b r i n g 
into play all t h e c r i t e r i a of book selection 
which M i s s M c C r u m had in m i n d . T h e 
t h i r d g r o u p of books w h i c h c a u s e s w o r r y a r e 
those w h i c h have been used intensively p e r -
h a p s and a r e r e g a r d e d as a necessity f o r t h e 
r e s e r v e d shelves. A s n e w books come out, 
as p r o f e s s o r s m o v e on, as n e w ideas c h a n g e 
t h e c o n t e n t of t h e c o u r s e , these books, d u p l i -
c a t e d m a n y times, a r e c e r t a i n l y r e a d y f o r t h e 
d i s c a r d . 

Suppose t h a t t a k e s c a r e of half of o u r li-
b r a r y . I am only g u e s s i n g a t t h e p r o p o r t i o n . 
T h e o t h e r half a r e books w h i c h h a v e been 
p u r c h a s e d a f t e r c o n s i d e r a b l e t h o u g h t . T h e y 
h a v e been t h e best books in t h e i r field and 
p e r h a p s they still a r e . Y o u r c u r r i c u l u m s 
have c h a n g e d b u t those books m a k e a r o u n d e d 
l i b r a r y , a collection t h a t w e all r e g a r d w i t h 
respect. 

If t h a t w e r e all t h a t p u z z l e d us I think w e 
could a t t a c k the q u e s t i o n of t h e o p t i m u m size 
of t h e college l i b r a r y w i t h l i t t l e h e s i t a t i o n . 
B u t t h a t is t h e point at w h i c h I begin to 
w o r r y . H e r e w e h a v e a l i b r a r y , a l a r g e p a r t 
of which has been w e l l selected and a r e good 
books. 

W h e n you h a v e y o u n g s t e r s a r o u n d you, t h e 
m o s t f r e q u e n t q u e s t i o n you get and t h e m o s t 
difficult f o r me to a n s w e r to y o u n g s t e r s o r 
to you on this q u e s t i o n is " w h y . " I t is n o t 
w h y w e should discard b o o k s — a n a n s w e r al-
m o s t sufficient, at l e a s t in one direction, has 
been given by F r e m o n t R i d e r . W e j u s t c a n -
not h a n d l e the v a s t bulk of p u b l i c a t i o n and 
it is not w o r t h w h i l e t o spend money to h o u s e 
books w h i c h a r e not going to be used. B u t 
t h e " w h y " q u e s t i o n t h a t b o t h e r s m e is simply 
t h i s : W h y a r e these books not u s e d ? A n d 
I think t h e a n s w e r to t h a t should have, and 
does h a v e a g r e a t deal to do w i t h t h e o p t i m u m 
size of a college l i b r a r y . 

B e f o r e w e can define t h e o p t i m u m size, 
n o t f o r a college b u t f o r your college o r f o r 
mine, t w o individual and d i f f e r e n t questions, 
t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l things which w e m u s t decide, 
o r p r o b a b l y h a v e decided f o r us. I n t h e f i r s t 
place, w h a t is y o u r c u r r i c u l u m and w h a t will 

143 



it be five o r 10 y e a r s f r o m n o w ? I c a n 
i m a g i n e a s c h o o l w h i c h w o u l d n e e d a v e r y 
l i m i t e d n u m b e r of b o o k s . L e t u s s u p p o s e , 
w i t h o u t a n y d i s r e s p e c t , a t h e o l o g i c a l school 
w i t h a v e r y s t r i c t s e c t a r i a n v i e w p o i n t . W h a t 
t h e y t e a c h n o w a n d w h a t t h e y t e a c h in a 
f e w y e a r s f r o m n o w a r e f a i r l y w e l l k n o w n 
a n d u n d e r s t o o d . T h e y w i l l n o t w e l c o m e 
c h a n g e . S u c h a s c h o o l c o u l d v e r y w e l l say 
t o y o u : " T h e s e a r e t h e b o o k s w e w a n t a n d 
a c e r t a i n n u m b e r of h u n d r e d s o r t h o u s a n d s 
w i l l t a k e c a r e of o u r n e e d s . " A t t h e o t h e r 
e x t r e m e is t h e s c h o o l w i t h a n e x p e r i m e n t a l 
a t t i t u d e i n t e r e s t e d in l i f e t o d a y a n d p r o b a b l y 
m o r e i n t e r e s t e d in l i f e t o m o r r o w . T h e y 
m i g h t q u i t e as w e l l s a y t o y o u : " T h e s e a r e 
t h e b o o k s t h a t w e n e e d e d l a s t y e a r , possibly 
s o m e c a n be u s e d t h i s y e a r , a n d a l m o s t c e r -
t a i n l y n o n e w i l l be of a n y v a l u e w h a t e v e r 
five y e a r s f r o m n o w . " B o t h of t h o s e a r e 
a b s u r d e x t r e m e s . I d o n ' t k n o w a n y school 
w h i c h w o u l d r e a l l y fit e i t h e r o n e b u t it c o u l d 
be. Y o u r c u r r i c u l u m is s u b j e c t t o t h e w i l l 
of t h e f a c u l t y o r d e s i r e s of t h e t r u s t e e s . E v e n 
t h o s e of u s w h o sit on t h e c u r r i c u l u m c o m -
m i t t e e s a r e t h e r e , p r e s u m a b l y , f r o m a s e r v i c e 
v i e w p o i n t r a t h e r t h a n t o c h a n g e t h e t i d e of 
e d u c a t i o n . 

I m p l i e d in m y d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e s e t w o e x -
t r e m i t i e s is a n o t h e r f a c t o r w h i c h h e l p s d e t e r -
m i n e w h a t w e c a n c a l l an o p t i m u m size a n d 
w h i c h r e a c h e s i n t o t h e m i d d l e g r o u n d of 
r e a l i t y . I w o u l d say t h a t t h e first s c h o o l 
w i t h t h e fixed c u r r i c u l u m w a s i n t e r e s t e d in 
t r a i n i n g its s t u d e n t s t o p e r f o r m t h e i r t a s k s 
w i t h a p e r f e c t i o n h a n d e d d o w n by t r a d i t i o n . 
T h e s e c o n d school, I c o u l d i m a g i n e , w a s o n e 
i n t e r e s t e d in e d u c a t i o n , in p r e p a r i n g its s t u -
d e n t s t o f a c e t h e p r o b l e m s of l i f e w i t h o u t 
w o r r y i n g t o o m u c h a b o u t w h a t a r e c u r r e n t l y 
k n o w n as f a c t s . 

T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t r a i n i n g a n d e d u c a -
t i o n is o n e w h i c h s h o u l d w o r r y all e d u c a t o r s 
a n d I t h i n k e s p e c i a l l y l i b r a r i a n s s h o u l d k e e p 
it in m i n d . I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e r e a l m e a n i n g 
of e d u c a t i o n is t h e a c q u i r i n g of a n a b i l i t y 
in p e r c e p t i o n . T h a t is, t o d e v e l o p an i n d i -
v i d u a l v i e w p o i n t a n d o p i n i o n on t h e s u b j e c t 
in h a n d . T r a i n i n g I r e g a r d as t h e a c q u i r i n g 
of a d e g r e e of p e r f e c t i o n so t h a t a n o p e r a t i o n 
c a n be r e p e a t e d a l m o s t e x a c t l y w h e n e v e r t h e 
o c c a s i o n d e m a n d s . T h i s is t h e a b i l i t y w h i c h 
w e a d m i r e in a t y p i s t , in a m a c h i n i s t o r a n y 
c r a f t s m a n . I t is v e r y n e c e s s a r y a n d in m a n y 

of o u r s c h o o l s w e d o a m o s t t h o r o u g h j o b of 
t r a i n i n g o u r e n g i n e e r s , o u r d o c t o r s , o u r t e a c h -
ers, a n d o u r l i b r a r i a n s , b u t t h e p r o b l e m of 
e d u c a t i n g a s t u d e n t is a n e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t 
o n e . E d u c a t i o n d o e s n o t i m p l y f a c i n g t h e 
s a m e s i t u a t i o n a g a i n a n d a g a i n . I t i m p l i e s 
t h a t w e w i l l , in t h e f u t u r e , be f a c e d w i t h a 
p r o b l e m , o n e t h a t w e h a v e n e v e r seen b e f o r e . 
W e w i l l h a v e t o l o o k f o r t h e f a c t s , r e c o g n i z e 
t h e m a n d in t h e l i g h t of a l l t h e e v i d e n c e , 
c o m e t o o u r o w n c o n c l u s i o n as t o w h a t t h e 
s i t u a t i o n m e a n s . 

N o w t h i s h a s a v e r y i m p o r t a n t e f f e c t on 
w h a t k i n d of a l i b r a r y a t e a c h e r w i l l n e e d . 
G i v e n a p r o b l e m in ethics, politics, h i s t o r y o r 
l i t e r a t u r e , w e h a v e t w o a l t e r n a t i v e s : first t o 
a c c e p t t h e a u t h o r i t a r i a n v i e w p o i n t — t h a t is, 
t h e o p i n i o n of t h e t e a c h e r s o r of t h e t e x t b o o k ; 
o r if w e h a v e i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r i o s i t y w e c a n 
l i s t e n t o t h e p r o f e s s o r , w e c a n r e a d his b o o k 
a n d c a n go t o t w o o r a d o z e n o t h e r b o o k s 
t o find o u t w h a t t h e s a m e f a c t s a r e w i t h a 
d i f f e r e n t p r e s e n t a t i o n . If w e c h o s e t h e first 
s o l u t i o n , w e c o m e b a c k w i t h t h e s a m e i m -
p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e a u t h o r h a d . W e h a v e l o o k e d 
t h r o u g h t h e s a m e w i n d o w , f r o m t h e s a m e 
a n g l e , a n d o u r eye r e c e i v e d his i m p r e s s i o n . 
If w e f o l l o w t h e s e c o n d s o l u t i o n w e h a v e 
l o o k e d t h r o u g h t h e s a m e w i n d o w , of c o u r s e , 
w h i c h , l e t u s say, gives u s t h e p a r a m e t e r of 
t h e p r o b l e m , b u t w e h a v e l o o k e d a t t w o o r a 
d o z e n a n g l e s a n d o u r p e r c e p t i o n of t h e f a c t s 
is m u l t i p l i e d by so m a n y t i m e s . T h e d e m a n d 
f o r b o o k s is o b v i o u s in e a c h c a s e . 

I do n o t i n t e n d t o w a n d e r off i n t o a d i s -
c u s s i o n on e d u c a t i o n a l m e t h o d s b u t I t h i n k 
o n e o r t w o c a s e s w i l l s h o w y o u m y m e a n i n g 
on t h i s p o i n t . I w o u l d like t o m e n t i o n L o r d 
B y r o n ' s r e p u t a t i o n a f t e r H a r r i e t B e e c h e r 
S t o w e w r o t e h e r f a m o u s d i a t r i b e a n d a l s o 
r e m e m b e r t h e f a m o u s V o l t a i r e q u o t a t i o n : 
" I d i s a p p r o v e of w h a t y o u say, b u t I w i l l 
d e f e n d t o t h e d e a t h y o u r r i g h t t o s a y i t " 
w h i c h w a s p u t i n t o V o l t a i r e ' s m o u t h by 
B e a t r i c e H a l l . T h e s e a r e a u t h o r i t i e s s p e a k -
i n g a c r o s s t h e y e a r s a n d it r e q u i r e d s e v e r a l 
a n g l e s of p e r c e p t i o n t o a r r i v e a t t h e f a c t s . 

A s it a p p l i e s t o c o l l e g e t e a c h i n g , t h i s d i f -
f e r e n c e b e t w e e n e d u c a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g boils 
d o w n t o t h e m a t t e r of t e x t b o o k t e a c h i n g as 
o p p o s e d to, s h a l l w e say, l i b r a r y t e a c h i n g . 

I n t h e b e g i n n i n g o r t h e r e a b o u t s , w h e n t h e 
l i g h t of c i v i l i z a t i o n c o n s i s t e d of a s m o k y fire 
in t h e m o u t h of a c a v e , t h e e l d e r s of t h e t r i b e 

144 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



h e l d f o r t h f o r t h e b e n e f i t of t h e y o u n g m e n , 
r e p e a t i n g t h e l e g e n d s a n d l o r e as t h e y h a d 
h e a r d t h e m o r as t h e y r e m e m b e r e d f r o m t h e i r 
y o u t h . K n o w l e d g e w a s e x i s t e n t b e f o r e l e a r n -
ing. I t w a s a u t h o r i t a t i v e . I t c a m e f r o m t h e 
g o d s , a n d n o t h i n g f u r t h e r w a s t o be s o u g h t 
f o r . 

I t w a s n o t u n t i l m o d e r n t i m e s t h a t t h e 
q u e s t i o n i n g of a u t h o r i t y b e c a m e r e s p e c t a b l e 
a n d in s o m e f i e l d s it is n o t r e s p e c t a b l e e v e n 
n o w . T h e u s e of b o o k s as a g e n e r a l e d u -
c a t i o n a l t o o l is n o t t o o a n c i e n t . A m e r e 
h u n d r e d y e a r s o r so ago, t h e l a w s of U n i o n 
C o l l e g e w e r e d e f i n i t e l y d e s i g n e d t o p r e v e n t 
t h e s t u d e n t s w a s t i n g t h e i r t i m e r e a d i n g b o o k s . 
I q u o t e : " T h e l i b r a r y s h a l l be o p e n t w o 
h o u r s e a c h w e e k w h e n t h e s t u d e n t s m a y e n t e r , 
n o t m o r e t h a n t w o a t a t i m e , a n d b o r r o w o n e 
f o l i o o r q u a r t o o r t w o o c t a v o s . " T h e " g r e a t 
m i n d " of t h e p r o f e s s o r w a s t h e i m p o r t a n t 
f a c t o r . W e h a v e in o u r college a r c h i v e s a 
p h o t o g r a p h of P r o f e s s o r W h i t e h o r n e ' s c l a s s -
r o o m of t h e s e v e n t i e s . T h e s t u d e n t s s a t on 
b e n c h e s r a n g e d on t h e side of t h e r o o m , t h e 
p r o f e s s o r on a d a i s a n d in t h e c e n t e r of t h e 
r o o m o n e s e a t f o r t h e s t u d e n t w h o w a s 
r e c i t i n g . T h e i d e a of t h e i n q u i s i t o r a n d t h e 
v i c t i m is o b v i o u s . T h e r e w a s n o q u e s t i o n of 
a n y t h i n g e x c e p t p r o v i n g t h e a m o u n t o n e h a d 
l e a r n e d since y e s t e r d a y . B u t s u c h t e a c h i n g 
w a s c o n s i d e r e d of a h i g h o r d e r a t t h a t t i m e 
b e c a u s e t h e p r o f e s s o r w a s r e c o g n i z e d as a 
s c h o l a r a n d a n a u t h o r i t y . T r y t o i m a g i n e f o r 
a m o m e n t t h e r e a c t i o n of y o u r o w n l e g e n d a r y 
" g r e a t t e a c h e r " as I s o m e t i m e s i m a g i n e t h e 
r e a c t i o n of P r e s i d e n t N o t t of U n i o n C o l l e g e 
w h o t a u g h t " K a m e s " f r o m 1804 t o i 8 6 0 , h a d 
m y p r e d e c e s s o r P r o f e s s o r P e a r s o n r e c o m -
m e n d e d t o s o m e s t u d e n t a v o l u m e on K a m e s 
w h i c h d i s a g r e e d w i t h D r . N o t t ' s o p i n i o n . I 
w o n d e r if t h o s e s t u d e n t s e v e r r e a d K a m e s o r 
did t h e y r e a d o n l y E l i p h a l e t N o t t on K a m e s ? 

T h e " g r e a t t e a c h e r " i d e a a s k n o w n in t h e 
l a s t c e n t u r y w i l l n o t suffice f o r m o d e r n l i v i n g . 
M a r k H o p k i n s o r E l i p h a l e t N o t t o r w h o e v e r 
t h e g r e a t t e a c h e r m a y h a v e b e e n in y o u r t r a d i -
t i o n c o u l d s i t a n d e x p o u n d t h e " w o r d " t o t h e 
c o m p l e t e s a t i s f a c t i o n a n d p e r h a p s e d i f i c a t i o n 
of his s t u d e n t s b e c a u s e his t e a c h i n g w a s a u -
t h o r i t y . N o m a t t e r h o w h u m b l e t h e p r o f e s s o r 
m i g h t be p e r s o n a l l y h e w a s p l a c e d on a p i n -
n a c l e b e f o r e t h e s t u d e n t s as e m b o d y i n g all 
t h e k n o w l e d g e of his s u b j e c t a n d as a l e a r n e d 
g e n t l e m a n h e w a s p e r f e c t l y w i l l i n g t o s h i f t 

his s u b j e c t w h e n e v e r it w a s n e c e s s a r y . A t 
b e s t t h e r e s u l t c o u l d be a g r o u p of disciples 
all possessed of t h e " w o r d " a n d a b l e if so 
inclined t o t r a n s m i t it f u r t h e r . 

B u t w e r e t h e y t a u g h t t o l e a r n ? T h e l e a r n -
i n g p r o c e s s of t r u e e d u c a t i o n r e s u l t s in t h e 
ability t o r e c o g n i z e t h e c o r e of a p r o b l e m , 
a p p r e c i a t e t h e i m p l i c a t i o n a n d j u d g e t h e f a c t s 
w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . 

G r a n t i n g t h a t t h e y did. l e a r n , t h a t t h e y 
e x p e r i m e n t e d a n d t h a t t h e y o p e n e d n e w fields, 
is it n o t only b e c a u s e t h e f r o n t i e r s of k n o w l -
e d g e w e r e as o p e n a n d as easy of access as 
w e r e t h e f r o n t i e r s of t h e W e s t ? 

A n o t h e r a n g l e of a t t a c k on t h e o p t i m u m 
size is t h e m a t t e r of q u a l i t y . I t ties in v e r y 
closely w i t h t h e t e x t b o o k i d e a , b u t t h e r e is 
a n e w d a n g e r if w e do decide t h a t w e s h o u l d 
c u t d o w n , f o r p r a c t i c a l r e a s o n s , t h e size of 
college l i b r a r i e s . I h a v e b e e n on s o m e inspec-
t i o n t r i p s in t h e l a s t f e w y e a r s a n d also I 
h a v e b e e n on b u s m a n ' s h o l i d a y s a n d I h a v e 
seen s o m e l i b r a r i e s w h i c h a r e a bit off t h e 
b e a t e n p a t h . If w e s h o u l d e v e r say t h a t so 
m a n y b o o k s , 25,000, 30,000, o r w h a t e v e r , can 
be sufficient t o p r o v i d e s e r v i c e t o a college, 
I f e a r t h a t w e w i l l give c o n s i d e r a b l e e n -
c o u r a g e m e n t t o t h o s e schools, f o r t u n a t e l y 
n o t m a n y in n u m b e r , w h i c h a r e q u i t e h a p p y 
w i t h t h e t e x t b o o k a n d a c o l l e c t i o n of dis-
c a r d s . I t h i n k t h e r e is r e a l c a u s e f o r w o r r y 
a n d I c e r t a i n l y f e e l a p r o f e s s i o n a l s h a m e w h e n 
I see a l i b r a r y of less t h a n 2 0 , 0 0 0 b o o k s , m o s t 
of w h i c h y o u a n d I w o u l d t h r o w o u t in a 
m i n u t e , s e r v i c i n g a college w h i c h o f f e r s n o t 
o n l y a s p e c i a l i z e d b a c h e l o r ' s d e g r e e b u t t h e 
m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e as w e l l . 

A n o t h e r c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r is t h e g e n e r a l 
w e a l t h of t h e college f o u n d a t i o n . T h e li-
b r a r y b u d g e t does, a f t e r all, decide w h a t 
size l i b r a r y y o u w i l l e v e n t u a l l y h a v e . T h e r e 
is n o r h y m e o r r e a s o n , h o w e v e r , as I see it, 
in s e t t i n g u p a l i b r a r y b u d g e t b a s e d on t h e 
n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s of v a r i o u s c a t e g o r i e s o r 
of t h e n u m b e r of f a c u l t y w i t h v a r i o u s w e i g h t s 
f o r t h e i r a c a d e m i c p r e e m i n e n c e . T h e basis, 
I believe, s h o u l d be t h e w e a l t h of t h e college. 
If a f a m i l y c a n a f f o r d a fine h o m e o r l u x u r i o u s 
f o o d it is b e c a u s e t h e y c a n b u d g e t sufficient 
f u n d s o u t of t h e i r i n c o m e , n o t b e c a u s e t h e y 
h a v e "many c h i l d r e n . L o n g e x p e r i e n c e h a s 
s h o w n c e r t a i n p e r c e n t a g e s s h o u l d be d e v o t e d 
t o t h e g e n e r a l c a t e g o r i e s of f a m i l y e x p e n s e s . 
I n t h e s a m e w a y m a n y of u s believe t h a t a 

APR1L, 1950 145 



c e r t a i n p e r c e n t a g e of college f u n d s s h o u l d be 
d e v o t e d to t h e l i b r a r y . W e h a v e been able 
to see t h a t t h e good l i b r a r i e s , t h e ones w h i c h 
h a v e a r e s p e c t e d collection of books, the ones 
w h i c h h a b i t u a l l y p r o d u c e o u t s t a n d i n g s c h o l a r s 
h a v e t e n d e d t o w a r d t h e l a r g e r e x p e n d i t u r e 
in p e r c e n t a g e of t h e college f u n d s . I h a v e my 
o w n opinion ( a t v a r i a n c e w i t h t h e opinion of 
m y p r e s i d e n t ) as to w h a t p e r c e n t a g e this 
s h o u l d be, b u t I do n o t w i s h to go i n t o this 
in d e t a i l , only t o i n d i c a t e t h a t it is one of 
t h e f a c t o r s h a v i n g a l o n g - r a n g e effect. 

I h a v e t r i e d to e m p h a s i z e t h a t this is an 
i n d i v i d u a l p r o b l e m and I t h i n k t h e f a c t s w i l l 
a l w a y s v a r y a c c o r d i n g to y o u r o w n s i t u a t i o n ; 
so I hope you w i l l p a r d o n me if I r e f e r r a t h e r 
definitely to my o w n l i b r a r y . I believe t h a t it 
is b e t t e r t h a n t h e a v e r a g e exhibit, h o w e v e r , 
and I w i s h you t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e f a c t s be-
f o r e I v e n t u r e on a p u r e l y p e r s o n a l v e r d i c t . 

M y f i r s t insight i n t o this p r o b l e m w a s a t 
T u l a n e in 1929 w h e n I i n s t i t u t e d t h e i r f i r s t 
c h a r g i n g system and c a r d e d only t h o s e books 
w h i c h w e r e c i r c u l a t e d . W h a t d a t a I had at 
t h e t i m e w a s included by M r . B r a n s c o m b in 
his Teaching with Books. M y i m p r e s s i o n at 
t h e t i m e w a s t h a t f o r c i r c u l a t i o n p u r p o s e s 
15,000 v o l u m e s plus p e r i o d i c a l s and r e f e r e n c e 
books w e r e all t h a t served a good college. I 
k n o w t h a t in my s e v e n - y e a r t e r m t h e use of 
books n o t only i n c r e a s e d b u t w i d e n e d . 

A m o n g t h e colleges of U p p e r N e w Y o r k 
w e h a v e been c o n s i d e r i n g t h e need and f e a s i -
bility of a c o o p e r a t i v e w a r e h o u s e . O u r l i b r a r y 
r a n a t e s t on a t h o u s a n d v o l u m e s selected a t 
r a n d o m a c r o s s t h e shelf list of books w h i c h 
h a v e been in o u r a n n e x f o r t h e p a s t 10 y e a r s . 
T h e s e t i t l e s w e r e checked a g a i n s t t h e c a t a l o g 
at H a m i l t o n C o l l e g e and a t C o r n e l l U n i v e r -
sity. O f t h e t h o u s a n d v o l u m e s ( p e r c e n t 
of o u r w a r e h o u s e - a n n e x ) 40 p e r cent a r e 
d u p l i c a t e d a t H a m i l t o n and 66 p e r cent a t 
C o r n e l l . O f t h e t o t a l 35 p e r cent a r e a v a i l -
able a t all t h r e e i n s t i t u t i o n s . I t is i m p o r t a n t 
to r e m e m b e r t h a t all of t h e s e v o l u m e s h a v e 
been in w h a t w e call o u r s e c o n d a r y collection. 
T h e y w e r e selected f o r w a r e h o u s i n g in 1940 
b e c a u s e they had n o t c i r c u l a t e d in five y e a r s . 

Since I w a s asked to m a k e this t a l k , I h a v e 
checked t h e c i r c u l a t i o n of o u r l i b r a r y f o r t h e 
p a s t five y e a r s in t h r e e d i f f e r e n t c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s : 
the 570-590's, t h e 336's, and t h e 942's. T h e s e 
a r e all f a i r l y active collections in o u r l i b r a r y 
b u t not, I believe, t h e m o s t active. W e e x a m -

ined a l t o g e t h e r a b o u t 1700 v o l u m e s . Since it 
w a s d o n e in l a t e A u g u s t , it includes n e i t h e r 
those v o l u m e s w h i c h h a v e been l i b e r a t e d by 
t h e f a c u l t y to a u g m e n t t h e i r p e r s o n a l l i b r a r i e s 
n o r the f e w v o l u m e s in r e g u l a r c i r c u l a t i o n a t 
t h a t t i m e . T h e t o t a l c i r c u l a t i o n o v e r five 
y e a r s n u m b e r e d 3000. O f this r a n d o m sam-
pling 1064 v o l u m e s h a v e not c i r c u l a t e d in five 
y e a r s . If a n y o n e could p r o v e to his o w n s a t i s -
f a c t i o n t h a t t h e s e classifications a r e a v e r a g e 
in use, it w o u l d m e a n t h a t 60 p e r cent of o u r 
books a r e excess b a g g a g e and except f o r t h e 
s t a n d a r d classics w h i c h everyone m u s t h a v e 
to be r e s p e c t a b l e , 66,000 v o l u m e s could be 
d i s c a r d e d a t U n i o n . 

T h a t w o u l d be an a s t o n i s h i n g p r o p o s a l to 
o u r f a c u l t y . T h e y a r e p r o u d of o u r l i b r a r y 
b u t c o m p l a i n b i t t e r l y t h a t they do n o t h a v e 
m o r e r e s o u r c e s . D o they need m o r e ? D o 
they need t h e 50,000 they do n o t u s e ? 

I h a v e n o t e d t h a t w e h a v e at l e a s t 90,000 
v o l u m e s o u t of a t o t a l collection of 135,000 
which did n o t c i r c u l a t e l a s t y e a r . I also m a d e 
a p r o j e c t i o n f r o m q u i t e inconclusive b u t p e r -
h a p s indicative d a t a t h a t 66,000 v o l u m e s w e r e 
n o t used in t h e p a s t five y e a r s . A t h i r d f a c t is 
t h a t 35 p e r cent of o u r collection h a s been 
w a r e h o u s e d and p r a c t i c a l l y u n u s e d ( a c i r c u l a -
tion of n o t m o r e t h a n 200 v o l u m e s a y e a r ) f o r 
t h e p a s t 15 y e a r s . I believe t h a t t h e s m a l l n e s s 
of t h e active collection is d u e in p a r t to f o u r 
f a c t o r s : ( 1 ) L a r g e r p e r i o d i c a l r e s o u r c e s ; 
( 2 ) T e a c h i n g f r o m c u r r e n t m a t e r i a l such as 
p a m p h l e t s and g o v e r n m e n t d o c u m e n t s ; and 
on t h e n e g a t i v e s i d e : ( 3 ) A l a r g e r collection 
of r e s e r v e d books of w h i c h 12 p e r c e n t w e r e 
n e v e r u s e d ; ( 4 ) W e h a v e n o t r e c o v e r e d 
f r o m t h e w a r and t h e m i l i t a r y h a n g o v e r of 
explicit d i r e c t i o n s , l i t t l e s t u d e n t responsibility, 
a n d g r a d e w o r s h i p . 

M y conclusion, m y v e r d i c t , if you w i l l , 
d r a w n f r o m 20 y e a r s ' e x p e r i e n c e as w e l l as 
f r o m t h e f a c t s w h i c h I h a v e m e n t i o n e d this 
m o r n i n g , is t h a t f o r t h e g e n e r a l c u r r i c u l a r use 
of t h e l i b r a r y , a d r a s t i c c u t can be m a d e in 
size. M y f o r m u l a f o r t h a t w o u l d be t h e t o t a l 
v o l u m e s m i n u s bound periodicals, m i n u s t h e 
t o t a l of t w o w e e k s c i r c u l a t i o n , m i n u s t h e 
n u m b e r of t i t l e s on r e s e r v e , m u l t i p l i e d by a 
f a c t o r of .6. T h i s , I t h i n k , w i l l give y o u t h e 
f i g u r e of v o l u m e s w h i c h a r e n o t of c u r r e n t 
use. H o w e v e r , if you w a n t richness, if you 
w a n t to g u a r d a g a i n s t r a d i c a l c h a n g e s in c u r -
r i c u l u m , you m u s t r e d u c e t h e f a c t o r to .5 o r 

146 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



•4- O f this u n u s e d p o r t i o n , half o r m o r e of 
y o u r l i b r a r y , I think one copy of every t i t l e 
and of i m p o r t a n t editions should be kept in 
a c o n s o l i d a t e d w a r e h o u s e w i t h i n eight h o u r s 
d i s t a n c e . I n a d d i t i o n t h e r e m u s t be a con-
s t a n t w e e d i n g e q u a l to at l e a s t f o u r - t e n t h s of 
y o u r a n n u a l accessions. 

Y o u r college and my college a r e g o i n g con-
c e r n s w h i c h m u s t be accepted. T h e o p t i m u m 
size of o u r l i b r a r i e s d e p e n d s f a i r l y on t h e 
t e a c h i n g t e c h n i q u e . If you r e f e r back some 10 
y e a r s t o C h a n c e l l o r B r a n s c o m b ' s g r e a t e s t con-
t r i b u t i o n t o o u r p r o f e s s i o n , and it w a s a r e a l l y 
g r e a t c o n t r i b u t i o n , you w i l l find c o n s i d e r a b l e 
discussion of t h e size of t h e college l i b r a r y , 
all t e n d i n g to s h o w h o w f e w d i f f e r e n t t i t l e s a r e 
used in m a n y college l i b r a r i e s . M y o w n be-
lief is t h a t u n i v e r s i t i e s in t h e i r college divi-
sions a r e even w o r s e o f f e n d e r s f r o m t h e neces-
sity of c o o r d i n a t i n g sections rigidly and going 
t h r o u g h t h e e d u c a t i o n a l process on p r o d u c t i o n 
line m e t h o d s . T h e o p t i m u m size f o r t h e best 

possible e d u c a t i o n w i l l r e q u i r e m a n y m o r e 
books and m a n y m o r e l i b r a r i a n s t h a n t h e 
s h o p w o r n m e t h o d s g e n e r a l l y in use. T h e t w o 
l i b r a r i e s w h i c h I c o n s i d e r t h e m o s t effective 
w i t h i n t h e p a r a m e t e r s of t h e i r colleges a r e 
b o t h s m a l l , b u t t h e i r use of books by t h e 
s t u d e n t s w i l l p u t t h e m o s t f a m o u s of o u r 
i n s t i t u t i o n s to s h a m e . T h e o p t i m u m size of 
t h e college l i b r a r y w i l l d e p e n d on first t h e 
t e a c h e r s , both n u m b e r and q u a l i t y , and second 
on t h e l i b r a r i a n s , n u m b e r , q u a l i t y and diversi-
fication. T o w o r k w i t h books as a t e a c h i n g 
m e d i u m w e m u s t h a v e l i b r a r y a s s i s t a n t s on 
t h e floor w h o a r e t h e e q u a l of t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s 
in t h e c l a s s r o o m in t h e k n o w l e d g e of s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r . T h i s m e a n s an a c a d e m i c b a c k g r o u n d 
s u p p l e m e n t e d , n o t replaced, by a p r o f e s s i o n a l 
t r a i n i n g . W e insist upon a m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e in 
a s u b j e c t field f o r o u r i n s t r u c t o r s . I believe 
t h a t t h e s a m e is n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e l i b r a r i a n , 
e i t h e r c a t a l o g u e r or r e f e r e n c e l i b r a r i a n , plus, 
of course, p r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g . 

B y R U T H E R F O R D D . R O G E R S 

Regional Depository Libraries and the Problem of Optimum 
Size of College and University Libraries 

Mr. Rogers is librarian, the Grosvenor 
Library. 

REDUCED to its essentials, the p r o b l e m w h i c h c o n f r o n t s us is t w o f o l d : first, 
w h e t h e r it is possible to c o n t r o l t h e size of 
college and u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s and, second, 
if this q u e s t i o n c a n be a n s w e r e d a f f i r m a t i v e l y , 
by w h a t m e a n s this l i m i t a t i o n s h a l l be 
achieved and m a i n t a i n e d . U n d o u b t e d l y m a n y 
a c a d e m i c l i b r a r i e s can be limited in size or 
t h e i r g r o w t h c o n t r o l l e d . H o w e v e r , t h e r e is 
no one decision, n o r is t h e r e a single solution, 
w h i c h will fit all cases. B e c a u s e of financial 
l i m i t a t i o n s , t h e r e a r e f e w l i b r a r i e s which 
should n o t exercise e x t r e m e c a r e in book 
selection. M a n y l i b r a r i a n s should t a k e a 
r e t r o s p e c t i v e v i e w of t h e i r r e s o u r c e s t o d e t e r -
m i n e if, in t h e light of c u r r e n t objectives, 
c e r t a i n m a t e r i a l s s h o u l d be d i s c a r d e d . Still 
o t h e r l i b r a r i a n s s h o u l d m a i n t a i n a c o n t i n u i n g 
w e e d i n g process. 

F r o m t h e v i e w p o i n t of r e s e a r c h on a 

n a t i o n a l or i n t e r n a t i o n a l scale, t h e r e g i o n a l 
d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r y e n t e r s t h e p i c t u r e as a 
vehicle f o r p r e s e r v i n g r a r e r b u t l i t t l e used 
i t e m s w h i c h s h o u l d n o t be i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y 
d e s t r o y e d a f t e r t h e w e e d i n g process. O n a 
m o r e p r o v i n c i a l level, t h e r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r y p r o v i d e s t h e m e a n s f o r c o o p e r a t i v e 
s t o r a g e of l i t t l e - u s e d m a t e r i a l s of r e s e a r c h 
significance, such s t o r a g e being p r e d i c a t e d 
upon economy of cost and service to p a r t i c i -
p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s . T h i s , p e r h a p s is a f a i r s t a t e -
m e n t of t h e s h o r t - t e r m p u r p o s e s of r e g i o n a l 
d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r s . I t is q u i t e possible t h a t 
l o n g - t e r m r e a l i t i e s m a y c o n s i d e r a b l y extend 
t h e s e o r i g i n a l f u n c t i o n s . 

T h e r e m a y n o t be g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t this 
m o r n i n g w i t h respect to t h e l i m i t a t i o n s w h i c h 
can be placed on a college l i b r a r y , b u t t h e 
college l i b r a r y w h i c h c a n n o t be limited is m o r e 
likely to be t h e exception t h a n t h e r u l e , in my 
opinion. W h a t e v e r o u r decision m a y be, t h e r e 
is a p a r t of t h e college c o m m u n i t y , p e r h a p s 
i o p e r cent of t h e f a c u l t y , w h i c h is e n g a g e d 

APR1L, 1950 147 



in r e s e a r c h . T h i s g r o u p c a n n o t be s e r v e d 
t h r o u g h l i m i t e d c o l l e g e l i b r a r y f a c i l i t i e s , a n d 
t h i s is a p r o b l e m w h i c h m u s t be s o l v e d by 
t h o s e w h o w o u l d l i m i t c o l l e g e l i b r a r i e s . 

C e r t a i n l y t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y c a n n o t be 
l i m i t e d , if a t all, as easily as t h e c o l l e g e li-
b r a r y . A s a m a t t e r of f a c t , f r o m a t h e o r e t i c a l 
s t a n d p o i n t it w o u l d be i d e a l if t h e u n i v e r s i t y 
l i b r a r y c o u l d be c o m p l e t e in all m a j o r c u r r i c u -
l a r fields, b u t t h e r e a r e p r a c t i c a l l i m i t a t i o n s , 
p r i m a r i l y e c o n o m i c in c h a r a c t e r , w h i c h m a k e 
it i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y e v e n 
t o a p p r o a c h t h i s i d e a l . T h e r e f o r e , t h e u n i v e r -
sity l i b r a r i a n is f a c e d w i t h a d i l e m m a : t h e 
d e s i r a b i l i t y on t h e o n e h a n d of h a v i n g a 
l i b r a r y w h i c h is u n l i m i t e d in size a n d , o n t h e 
o t h e r h a n d , b e i n g f o r c e d t o a c c e p t a b o o k c o l -
l e c t i o n f a l l i n g f a r s h o r t of t h i s g o a l . A s a 
r e s u l t , t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n h a s t u r n e d t o 
c o l l e c t i v e a c t i o n t o g e t h e r w i t h his c o l l e a g u e s 
in t h e p u b l i c l i b r a r y field in a n e f f o r t t o g a i n 
c o m p l e t e n e s s in r e s e a r c h m a t e r i a l s , w h i c h 
c o m p l e t e n e s s is a n i m p o s s i b i l i t y f o r a n y i n d e -
p e n d e n t l i b r a r y . C o n s e q u e n t l y , w e h a v e t h e 
F a r m i n g t o n P l a n w h i c h , a l t h o u g h i t h a s 
d e f i n i t e l i m i t a t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r u n i v e r s i t y 
l i b r a r i e s , h o l d s g r e a t p r o m i s e f o r a c h i e v i n g 
its o b j e c t i v e s , b u t I t h i n k t h a t t h i s p r o m i s e 
w i l l o n l y be f u l l y r e a l i z e d if F a r m i n g t o n 
p l a n n i n g is c o m b i n e d w i t h c e r t a i n o t h e r d e v e l -
o p m e n t s in l i b r a r y s e r v i c e . A m o n g t h e s e c o l -
l a t e r a l d e v e l o p m e n t s , t h e r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r y a p p e a r s t o be t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t . 

P r e s u m a b l y , w e a l l k n o w w h a t a r e g i o n a l 
d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r y is, b u t in o r d e r t h a t w e 
m a y be in c o m p l e t e a g r e e m e n t w i t h r e s p e c t 
t o t h e d e t a i l s of t h i s d i s c u s s i o n , a b r i e f d e f i n i -
t i o n m a y be u s e f u l . I t is a n i n s t i t u t i o n t o 
w h i c h p a r t i c i p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s s e n d m a t e r i a l s , 
f o r t h e m o s t p a r t old a n d l i t t l e u s e d ; t h e s e 
m a t e r i a l s a r e a s s e m b l e d , d u p l i c a t e s a r e e l i m -
i n a t e d , a n d t h e r e m a i n i n g copies t h e n b e c o m e 
a v a i l a b l e t o all p a r t i c i p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s ; t h e 
c o l l e c t i o n is s h e l v e d a c c o r d i n g t o s o m e s i m p l e 
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s c h e m e , p r o b a b l y by size, a n d 
t h e d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r is s u p p o r t e d by p a r t i c i -
p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s a c c o r d i n g t o s o m e f o r m u l a , 
e i t h e r in p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e a m o u n t of m a t e r i a l 
s e n t t o t h e c e n t e r , t h e size of t h e b u d g e t s of 
t h e p a r t i c i p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s , o r o t h e r w i s e . 

E a r l i e r in t h i s p a p e r , it w a s s u g g e s t e d t h a t 
t h e f u t u r e m i g h t see a c o n s i d e r a b l e c h a n g e 
in t h e c h a r a c t e r a n d f u n c t i o n s of d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r i e s . O n e c a n h a r d l y a n a l y z e t h i s n e w 

d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h e c a u s e s w h i c h a r e b r i n g -
ing it a b o u t w i t h o u t c o n c l u d i n g t h a t t h e s e 
c e n t e r s w i l l e v o l v e f r o m p r i m a r i l y w a r e h o u s e 
u n d e r t a k i n g s , as t h e y a r e n o w r e g a r d e d , t o 
m a j o r a g e n c i e s in i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n . F r o m 
t h e r e t h e y w i l l a l m o s t c e r t a i n l y d e v e l o p i n t o 
f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d l i b r a r i e s , s e r v i n g s c h o l a r s di-
r e c t l y . 

E v e n in o u r e x t r e m e l y p r e l i m i n a r y p l a n n i n g 
in U p p e r N e w Y o r k S t a t e it h a s b e c o m e a p -
p a r e n t t h a t r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r i e s c o s t a 
g r e a t d e a l of m o n e y . I a m t h i n k i n g n o t only 
of t h e c o s t of t h e b u i l d i n g a n d its a d m i n i s t r a -
t i o n b u t of o t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n s as w e l l . I 
h a v e s u r v e y e d t h e G r o s v e n o r L i b r a r y c o l l e c -
t i o n w i t h a v i e w t o s e l e c t i n g t h o s e m a t e r i a l s 
w h i c h m i g h t be s e n t t o a d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r . 
T h i s is a t o u g h a n d e x a c t i n g t a s k , a n d o n e 
w i t h w h i c h y o u m i g h t e x p e r i m e n t in y o u r o w n 
l i b r a r y . F e w o t h e r m e h o d s w i l l r e v e a l so 
q u i c k l y t h e n a t u r e of t h e p r o b l e m s f a c i n g t h o s e 
i n t e r e s t e d in t h i s i d e a . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h i s 
difficult step, w h i c h is e s s e n t i a l l y one of w e e d -
ing, it h a s b e e n d e t e r m i n e d t h a t it c o s t s j u s t 
a b o u t as m u c h t o t r a n s f e r a b o o k t o a d e p o s i -
t o r y as it d o e s t o p r o c e s s it o r i g i n a l l y . T h i s 
is t r u e in p a r t b e c a u s e w e a r e n o t d i s c a r d i n g 
t h e b o o k b u t a r e t r a n s f e r r i n g it t o a r e m o t e 
p o i n t , c h a n g i n g its o w n e r s h i p a n d , a t t h e s a m e 
t i m e , k e e p i n g a r e c o r d of its l o c a t i o n . T o 
t h e s e costs, w e m u s t a d d t h e e x p e n s e of t r a n s -
p o r t i n g m a t e r i a l t o t h e d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r a n d 
p r o c e s s i n g it a t t h a t p o i n t . I n v i e w of t h e s e 
costs, t h e c o n c l u s i o n s e e m s i n e s c a p a b l e t h a t 
e v e n t u a l l y m u c h m a t e r i a l w i l l go d i r e c t l y f r o m 
t h e p u b l i s h e r t o t h e d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r . A l l r e -
s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s p u r c h a s e m a t e r i a l s w h i c h 
w i l l n o t be u s e d i m m e d i a t e l y u p o n r e c e i p t a n d 
w h i c h m a y n e v e r be u s e d i n t e n s i v e l y . I t 
s e e m s r e a s o n a b l e t o b e l i e v e t h a t e v e n t u a l l y a 
f u n d w i l l be e s t a b l i s h e d f o r t h e d i r e c t p u r -
c h a s e of s u c h m a t e r i a l s by t h e d e p o s i t o r y 
c e n t e r w i t h o u t t h e m a t e r i a l s b e i n g d u p l i c a t e d 
a n d p r o c e s s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n . 

I n a s m u c h as r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r i e s 
a r e , o r w i l l b e c o m e , v e r y e x p e n s i v e , it is t o be 
h o p e d t h a t w e w i l l n o t m a k e t h e s a m e m i s -
t a k e s w i t h t h e m as w e h a v e , in s o m e i n s t a n c e s , 
w i t h u n i o n c a t a l o g s . U n i o n c a t a l o g s a n d 
r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r i e s h a v e c e r t a i n t h i n g s in 
c o m m o n . T h e y a r e m a j o r c o o p e r a t i v e u n d e r -
t a k i n g s w i t h l o n g - r a n g e i m p l i c a t i o n s , a n d it is 
p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e u l t i m a t e r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r y w i l l h a v e as p a r t of its b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l 

148 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



a p p a r a t u s a u n i o n c a t a l o g . T h o s e of you w h o 
a t t e n d e d t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y m e e t i n g a t this 
c o n f e r e n c e m u s t h a v e been s t a g g e r e d by t h e 
f i g u r e s used to describe p r o b l e m s s u r r o u n d i n g 
t h e n a t i o n a l U n i o n C a t a l o g . I a m n o t c r i t i -
c i z i n g t h a t u n d e r t a k i n g , w h i c h I c o n s i d e r to 
be of t h e u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e , b u t it is indic-
a t i v e of t h e m a g n i t u d e t o w h i c h these 
p r o j e c t s can d e v e l o p and h o w e s s e n t i a l it is t o 
p l a n t h e m i n t e l l i g e n t l y in a d v a n c e . I hope t h a t 
this association w i l l t a k e t h e l e a d e r s h i p in 
p l a n n i n g d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r i e s on a national 
basis. I t seems t o m e t h a t l a r g e r e g i o n s a r e 
t o be desired and, t h e r e f o r e , as a basis f o r 
discussion w e m i g h t c o n s i d e r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t 
of n o t f e w e r t h a n t h r e e n o r m o r e t h a n a p -
p r o x i m a t e l y six. 

I t r e m a i n s f o r u s t o decide w h a t role college 
a n d u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s s h a l l play in e s t a b l i s h -
ing and m a i n t a i n i n g a system of d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r i e s . I h a v e concluded t h a t t h e a v e r a g e 
college l i b r a r y s h o u l d n o t be a f u l l - f l e d g e d 
m e m b e r of such a r e g i o n a l p a t t e r n , p r i m a r i l y 
b e c a u s e t h e o r d i n a r y college l i b r a r y w i l l n o t 
p u r c h a s e t h e types of m a t e r i a l s w h i c h w o u l d 
c o n s t i t u t e a c o n t r i b u t i o n to a d e p o s i t o r y cen-
t e r . T h e r e a r e exceptions t o this s t a t e m e n t 
p a r t i c u l a r l y in v i e w of v a l u a b l e g i f t collections 
w h i c h college l i b r a r i e s h a v e received a n d u n -
d o u b t e d l y w i l l c o n t i n u e t o receive. T h e s e 
m u s t be t r e a t e d as a s e p a r a t e issue. L i k e w i s e , 
w e m u s t t r e a t as a s e p a r a t e p r o b l e m t h e 
n e e d s of t h e s m a l l g r o u p in t h e college l i b r a r y 
c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e d in r e s e a r c h . T h e s e people 
willyneed t h e services w h i c h a r e g i o n a l deposi-
t o r y l i b r a r y c a n r e n d e r , a n d I believe t h a t 
t h e s e services should be a v a i l a b l e to t h e col-
lege on a n o m i n a l f e e basis. 

O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y 
s h o u l d be a f u l l - f l e d g e d m e m b e r of a deposi-
t o r y s y s t e m . P r e s s u r e f o r m e m b e r s h i p is 
likely t o be d i r e c t l y p r o p o r t i o n a t e to size, and 
also b e c a u s e of size, t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y w i l l 
h a v e m a t e r i a l s of significance to t h e deposi-
t o r y . B u t of even g r e a t e r i m p o r t a n c e is t h e 
s t a k e w h i c h t h e u n i v e r s i t y as a w h o l e w i l l 
h a v e in such a system, as a c o n s e q u e n c e of 
w h i c h t h e l i b r a r i a n w i l l w a n t to be a s s u r e d 
t h a t his p a r t i c u l a r r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y is ac-
q u i r i n g t h o s e m a t e r i a l s of i n t e r e s t t o t h e 
u n i v e r s i t y c u r r i c u l a . 

I t does n o t t a k e a p r o p h e t t o f o r e s e e t h a t 
r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r i e s can soon g r o w t o 
a p o i n t w h e r e they w i l l be t o o expensive f o r 

p a r t i c i p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s t o s u p p o r t . I t a p p e a r s 
e n t i r e l y a p p r o p r i a t e and d e s i r a b l e f o r u n i v e r -
sity a n d public r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s t o s t a r t 
d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r s , b u t even in t h e inception 
of such a p r o g r a m t h e p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n s t i t u -
tions s h o u l d look f o r w a r d t o o t h e r m e a n s of 
s u p p o r t . A t t h e risk of d i s a g r e e m e n t w i t h 
m a n y people, I h a v e c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e m o s t 
logical s o u r c e of f u n d s is t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n -
m e n t . I n t h e first place, r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r i e s 
will be s e r v i n g p r a c t i c a l l y all r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s 
a n d m a n y o t h e r l i b r a r i e s as w e l l . T h e r e f o r e , 
all of o u r p o p u l a t i o n w i l l i n d i r e c t l y benefit 
b o t h c u l t u r a l l y and economically. F u r t h e r -
m o r e , if l a r g e regions a r e e s t a b l i s h e d , 
r e g i o n a l b o u n d a r i e s m a y n o t coincide w i t h 
s t a t e b o u n d a r i e s , in w h i c h e v e n t it w o u l d be 
e x t r e m e l y difficult if n o t impossible t o w o r k 
o u t a m e a n s of s t a t e s u p p o r t . 

I t is n o t i m p r o b a b l e t h a t a n y o n e w h o s p e a k s 
w i t h e n t h u s i a s m on t h e s u b j e c t of d e p o s i t o r y 
l i b r a r i e s w i l l be s u b j e c t to c r i t i c i s m . F o r t u -
n a t e l y , a n u m b e r of people of c o n s i d e r a b l e 
s t a t u r e , b o t h in and o u t of o u r p r o f e s s i o n , 
h a v e i n d e p e n d e n t l y c o m e t o g e n e r a l a g r e e -
m e n t w i t h respect t o t h e f e a s i b i l i t y of this 
idea. A m o n g t h e m a r e P r e s i d e n t E l i o t of 
H a r v a r d , to w h o m t h e idea is a t t r i b u t e d , and 
P r o f e s s o r J o e c k e l , w h o f o r e s a w in t h e 1930's 
t h e e a r l y rise 0 ' d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r s . T h o s e 
of you w h o h e a r d P r e s i d e n t E r n e s t C a d m a n 
C o l w e l l of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o speak 
a t t h e 1949 A . L . A . m i d w i n t e r m e e t i n g o r w h o 
h a v e r e a d his s t i m u l a t i n g a r t i c l e in College 
and Research Libraries1 h a v e s o m e conception 
of his vision w i t h respect to t h e f u t u r e effec-
tiveness of d e p o s i t o r y c e n t e r s . F i n a l l y , I 
w o u l d like to q u o t e f r o m t h e J u l y 1949 issue 
of College and Research Libraries2 a s t a t e -
m e n t by a c o m m i t t e e of t h e A s s o c i a t i o n of 
R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s , as f o l l o w s : . . t h e r e 
w a s s t r o n g opinion in t h e c o m m i t t e e t h a t t h e r e 
m u s t in d u e c o u r s e be a n e t w o r k of g r e a t 
r e g i o n a l l i b r a r i e s established in this c o u n t r y 
w h i c h can h a r d l y be c r e a t e d and m a i n t a i n e d 
w i t h o u t f e d e r a l s u b s i d y . " 

I u r g e this association t o t a k e t h e l e a d e r s h i p 
in i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e r e g i o n a l d e p o s i t o r y l i b r a r y 
idea b o t h as a s o l u t i o n t o t h e p r o b l e m of 
o v e r - g r o w t h as w e l l as a p o t e n t i a l l y significant 
f a c t o r in l i b r a r y service of t h e f u t u r e . 

1 College and Resetarch Libraries 10:195-98, July 

APR1L, 1950 149 



Revision of the "Shaw List" 
L a s t s u m m e r t h e w r i t e r w a s asked by 

W y m a n P a r k e r , c h a i r m a n of t h e A . C . R . L . 
C o l l e g e L i b r a r i e s Section, to h e a d a c o m m i t t e e 
to s t u d y t h e need f o r r e v i s i n g t h e List of Books 
for College Libraries ( " S h a w L i s t " ) and to 
e x p l o r e w a y s and m e a n s f o r such revision. 

A l l l i b r a r i a n s a r e e a r n e s t l y asked to e x p r e s s 
t h e i r views to t h e c o m m i t t e e . N o q u e s t i o n -
n a i r e w i l l be s e n t as it is f e l t t h a t t h e v o l u n -
t a r y r e s p o n s e to this a p p e a l w i l l be a m o r e 
valid m e a s u r e of i n t e r e s t in t h e p r o j e c t . 

T h e " S h a w L i s t , " so-called b e c a u s e it w a s 
compiled and edited by C h a r l e s B. S h a w , w a s 
published in 1931 by A . L . A . P u b l i c a t i o n w a s 
m a d e possible t h r o u g h a g r a n t f r o m t h e C a r -
negie C o r p o r a t i o n of N e w Y o r k . A t t h a t 
t i m e t h e C o r p o r a t i o n w a s e n g a g e d in m a k i n g a 
l a r g e scale d i s t r i b u t i o n of f u n d s to aid in t h e 
d e v e l o p m e n t and s t r e n g t h e n i n g of college book 
r e s o u r c e s . B e c a u s e t h e r e w a s no r e l i a b l e s t a n d -
a r d f o r e v a l u a t i n g college book holdings f o r 
g u i d a n c e in m a k i n g g r a n t s , t h e C o r p o r a t i o n 
n a m e d an a d v i s o r y g r o u p , h e a d e d by W i l l i a m 
W a r n e r Bishop, to p r e p a r e a list t h a t w o u l d 
serve as a s t a n d a r d . T h e list w a s p r e p a r e d 
f o r t h e g r o u p by M r . S h a w . 

T h e " S h a w L i s t " served its i m m e d i a t e p u r -
pose so a d m i r a b l y t h a t , in t h e t w o decades 
f o l l o w i n g its p u b l i c a t i o n , it b e c a m e g e n e r a l l y 
accepted as a basic and vital tool f o r m e a s u r -
ing t h e q u a l i t y of college l i b r a r y book collec-
tions and as a b u y i n g g u i d e f o r b u i l d i n g u p 
w e a k collections. T h e o r i g i n a l list n u m b e r e d 
a b o u t 14,000 t i t l e s and a s u p p l e m e n t , a p p e a r -
ing in 1938, a d d e d n e a r l y 8,000 titles. A p -
p r o p r i a t e n e s s a n d u s e f u l n e s s f o r u n d e r g r a d u -
a t e s t u d e n t r e f e r e n c e and s t u d y w e r e t h e 
principal c r i t e r i a f o r selection and t h e final 
list r e p r e s e n t e d t h e combined j u d g m e n t of a 
c o n s i d e r a b l e n u m b e r of d i s t i n g u i s h e d s c h o l a r s , 
e d u c a t o r s and l i b r a r i a n s . 

I t h a s become i n c r e a s i n g l y e v i d e n t t h a t t h e 
" S h a w L i s t " is g r o w i n g obsolete as an e v a l u a t -
ing s t a n d a r d a n d b u y i n g g u i d e . If c o n t i n u e d 

to be used f o r t h e s e p u r p o s e s it m u s t be b r o u g h t 
u p - t o - d a t e a n d a p e r m a n e n t policy f o r revision 
e s t a b l i s h e d ; hence, t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of t h e 
" S h a w L i s t " Revision C o m m i t t e e . S e r v i n g 
w i t h t h e w r i t e r on this c o m m i t t e e a r e J a n e t 
A g n e w , H e r b e r t A n s t a e t t and E l k a n B u c h a l -
t e r . T h e s e P e n n s y l v a n i a l i b r a r i a n s w e r e 
chosen b e c a u s e of t h e i r n e a r n e s s to S w a r t h -
m o r e C o l l e g e , w h e r e t h e o r i g i n a l list w a s b o r n , 
and because t h e i r g e o g r a p h i c p r o x i m i t y m a k e s 
c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g s easy. 

T h e U . S . Office of E d u c a t i o n r e p o r t s t h a t 
t h e r e a r e m o r e t h a n 1800 s m a l l colleges in this 
c o u n t r y . I t is to these s m a l l colleges t h a t 
such a list is likely to p r o v e m o s t u s e f u l . T h e 
c o m m i t t e e ' s f i r s t t a s k , t h e n , is t o find o u t 
w h e t h e r t h e l i b r a r i a n s of t h e s e 1800 colleges 
do a c t u a l l y w a n t such a list. If so, do they 
w a n t a c o m p l e t e l y n e w " S h a w L i s t , " a s u p -
p l e m e n t to the p r e s e n t list, o r , p e r h a p s , a q u i t e 
d i f f e r e n t kind of l i s t ? F o r e x a m p l e , t h e n e w 
list, if needed, m i g h t be on t h e o r d e r of the 
H . W . W i l s o n C o m p a n y ' s Standard Catalogs 
w i t h m o n t h l y and a n n u a l c u m u l a t i v e s u p p l e -
m e n t s ; it m i g h t be m e r e l y a checklist of t h e 
principal r e f e r e n c e books and periodicals, like 
t h a t published by t h e S o u t h e r n A s s o c i a t i o n of 
C o l l e g e s a n d S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s ; o r it m i g h t 
be c o m p l e t e l y revised every f o u r or five y e a r s 
and s u p p l e m e n t e d by an A . C . R . L . m o n t h l y r e -
v i e w p u b l i c a t i o n on t h e o r d e r of The Booklist. 

W h e n t h e g e n e r a l s e n t i m e n t w i t h respect t o 
these p r o b l e m s h a s been d e t e r m i n e d , t h e c o m -
m i t t e e will, if necessary, e x p l o r e w a y s and 
m e a n s f o r f i n a n c i n g p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e list, 
m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r revision p r o c e -
d u r e s , and f u r n i s h a list of c a n d i d a t e s f o r t h e 
t a s k of d i r e c t i n g a n d e d i t i n g t h e a c t u a l w o r k 
of revision. 

L e t us h a v e y o u r opinions and y o u r ideas, 
h o w e v e r c o n s e r v a t i v e , r e a c t i o n a r y , r a d i c a l , 
r e v o l u t i o n a r y o r impossible they m a y s e e m . — 
Lee C. Brown, Pennsylvania Military College 
Library, Chester. 

Films in the Academic Library 
(Continued from page 130) 

tive superiors f o r increased f u n d s and to demic c o m m u n i t y is well established. If a 
buttress his request w i t h sound a r g u m e n t s . good, separate agency has already been estab-

C e n t r a l i z a t i o n as a basic principle in the lished, the l i b r a r i a n should probably do no 
h a n d l i n g of e d u c a t i o n a l f i l m s in t h e a c a - (Continued on page 166) 

150 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES