College and Research Libraries Development of the Book Collection in the College Library: A Symposium TH E F O L L O W I N G three papers on various aspects of the book collection in the college library w e r e presented at the meeting of the College Libraries Section, Association of College and Reference Libraries, F e b . I , 1951, in Chicago. By P A U L B I X L E R The Book Collection and Its Functions Mr. Btxler is librarian, Antioch College. TH E LIBRARY has been called the heart of the college. If we are thinking in these terms it may be meaningful to say that the book collection is the heart of the library. T h e real purpose of the library is to cleanse the soul, renew the spirit, clarify ideas and invigorate the mind. If any of these actions take place in the library, they are accomplished primarily by contact with the library's books. T h e books, however, are not born into the col- lection by some form of immaculate concep- tion nor do they have their effect solely through some obscure action like osmosis. T h e r e is a more or less steady flow into the book collection, and very often there is a more or less steady flow out. In other words, there are relationships to and from functions. One may immediately divide these functions into two types: First, production—or what leads into the book collection; second, con- sumption—or what leads away from the book collection into its use. Let me attempt to present the relation of functions more graphically. Suppose I draw a circle in the air before me. T h i s represents the book collection, and it allows us to start off with at least one advantage. If the book col- lection is represented by a circle then it will be well rounded even before we get under way. It is a very comfortable way to begin, f o r it may well be that this is the only time during the operation that the book collection can be well rounded although I hope that this may be the long-range objective toward which we would aim and where we would at last arrive. If a circle represents the book collection, then clearly there are certain func- tions leading into it. F"or example, up above we would put the processes of selection and nearby the participants in selection and the buying of books. Each of these, as functions, would lead down into the book collection. If those above are the productive functions, those below are consumer functions. Down below, for example, would be a line leading to the curriculum and teaching methods; and also below the circle would be the clients or readers for whom the book collection is de- signed. At this point, interestingly enough, one may note that the line from the partici- pants in selection runs srtaight down through the book collection circle to the clients or readers below. T h e persons involved—the selectors on the one hand and the clients or readers on the other—may very well be the same people adopting different roles. T h e r e are, however, other functions or ele- ments to be taken into consideration in the relationships surrounding the book collection. One of these, for example, is other book col- lections. Such collections can be outside the college library or inside it. Upon that differ- ence in location there depends a considerable difference of function. Closely related to other collections inside the library are other learning aids—nonbook materials may or may not be considered as part of the principal col- lection. Another function or element in the OCTOBER, 1951 32 7 book collection is the simple physical environ- ment which certainly influences the size of the collection. W h e r e do these functions relate to or affect the book collection? Graphically they may come in horizontally, but I shall not argue the point. J u s t what are we talking about when we use the term book collection? H o w do we define it? Does the book collection include everything between hard covers and over 49 pages? T h a t was at one time a kind of practical definition. In some descriptive ac- counting of budgets and of money spent for materials, books and periodicals have been lumped together without differentiation. Does this mean that they belong together in the book collection? Perhaps the collection should include simply the usual volumes (books) plus the representation of books in microfilm and microcards. T h i s last would seem to be a fairly logical inclusion; for where microfilm or microcards represent books and will be used in large part as books will be used, why should they not be con- sidered a part of the collection? If we begin to take in various other materials, where do we stop? Do we include pamphlets? W h a t about motion pictures, music, phonograph records, government publications? Some of these categories are considered a part of the general collection in some libraries, but are we to include them as a definite part of the college library book collection or as manda- tory in describing such collections? T h e r e will probably be arguments on both sides if librarians begin to talk about specific collections with which they are associated. T h e r e should, however, be some kind of flexibility. T h e r e should be a definition which will take in as many of the practical con- ditions in as many libraries as possible. Rather than haggle over the problem, let me simply suggest a working definition—that the book collection be considered anything and every- thing represented in the main or union catalog. Presumably this would exclude unaccessioned pamphlets, depository government materials and probably special collections. T h i s last is one category which does not easily fit into the scheme I have attempted to draw up. T h e special collection may be outside the book col- lection as I am considering it here. And yet it definitely has its place. I hope you will bear with me when I say—very personally— that the special collection is the sort of prob- lem or thing that you can't live with and you can't live without. I t probably should have special treatment and I am glad to leave it for someone else. But to return to the definition—it allows us to have a perfectly good library without films or records or a number of other materials if that is what seems right or necessary. Yet the definition is not exclusive. I t also allows a book collection to include motion pictures and records. Le me now turn back to the relationships of the book collection. First, let me mention the cost of books. As everyone knows, the cost is high. Presumably we should consider what we can do about it. Certainly the elements that go into the cost of books may be broken down and discussed, and perhaps we can in the end not only learn something but accomplish better expenditure of our funds. W e might consider buying policies as a problem in itself. W h a t books you buy and in what order of precedence would appear, for example, to affect what you get for your money. Pretty clearly, we could examine where and how to buy, and look into the complicated question of book jobbers and out-of-print dealers, and of discounts. But I should like to suggest here another angle to this function of cost—its relation to other costs in the budget. O u r college has endeavored to hold college (including library) salaries close to an equality with the cost of living. T h i s has meant that the salaries have gone up—and how can one disapprove of t h a t ? It does not mean, however, that the total budget has gone up in the same propor- tion. A total budget of which 60 to 65 per cent went into salaries and wages, and 35 to 40 per cent into other costs (principally books and other learning materials) was a fair and equitable kind of money management. But in the last few years, in attempting to keep up with the cost of living by raising salaries, certainly our proportion of money spent for salaries and for books has gone clear out of its normal relationship. Is there something that can be done about this? Another relationship to the book collection involves the sources of selection and the availa- bility of materials. T h e r e are a number of problems here. One of them is the creation of good lists for selection. Another is the 356 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES evaluation or notations which should, wher- ever possible, accompany each entry in a list for selection. A third and most difficult prob- lem is the evaluation of the evaluation, or the use to which book lists and reviews may properly be put. Lists of reference books may be trusted more fully than buying lists for circulation and general reading. This is true because reference works deal more in facts, because they can be measured systematically and sometimes even statistically, and because they are frequently more self-contained or inclu- sive. A copy of Mudge and a set of the Subscription Books Bulletin a r e t o o l s t h a t c a n be well trusted by the librarian. But to gain an equally trustworthy judgment about books for general reading, the librarian cannot go t o t h e S h a w l i s t a n d United States Quarterly Book Review with equal faith. T h i s is not because Shaw is not the equal of Mudge or t h e U. S. Quarterly Book Review t h e e q u a l of t h e Subscription Books Bulletin in its field. T h e reason lies in the nature of the reading matter to be judged. Opinion, art and point of view are not to be handled or trusted like figures or facts. Lists of the 10,000 best books (or 1000 or 100) can be gathered and published with- out too great difficulty, but this does not really answer the problem of selection, if indeed there is a final answer. One of the aids which the librarian ordinarily wants is evaluation. T h i s means a problem within a problem even if the evalua- tion or reviews answer specific questions about the book. Authority is an evasive term. W h o is the authority? W h a t is his point of view and why? Is he judging simply the facts in the case? O r is he laying down the law? Informed opinion about books as about other matters in a complicated world is hard to get at. But even if you get it, the problem of judgment is still with you. F o r you have to answer the question—does the book fit your library and its needs? Is it useful in your particular context? One might add that there is no substitute for the judg- ment of the librarian who is buying the books with his own knowledge or his client's needs in mind. I am speaking dogmatically now but what I am really trying to say is that these aspects of selection are problems which ought to be discussed. T h i s brings me to the third relationship— the participants in selection. If you remem- ber, I earlier suggested that the people who select books and those who use them are in large part the same. I would even add that they should be as similar as possible. W h e n our program chairman was examining the subjects which should be treated here in this panel, he hit upon the subject of pressure groups. Pressure groups may be all right in themselves, but they can go off the beam very easily in two respects. One, they may be attempting pure propaganda—wanting other people to read books which they are convinced are good yet about which they are incom- pletely informed. Secondly, they may be so interested in a particular subject that they push the number of treatments of that subject to an extreme. Even so it is unfair to suggest that they be excluded entirely from the process of selection. Let me suggest that the participants in selection might well be thought of as anyone who belongs to the particular college com- munity. T h i s would include the library staff, the administration, the faculty, the library committee, students and people from the community at large; there are, for example, people in the town who may have sound opinions about books. T h e r e may be college graduates in the neighborhood or friends of the college. One might divide the participants in the book selection process into two types—the formal and informal, according to the form of their participation. It is rather clear, I think, that book selection in which the faculty, the library staff, the library committee take part cannot prosper unless regular channels of communication are set up and used. These participants are the people who should feel some continuing responsibility for the condi- tion of the book collection. Some formal or well-determined network of lines of selection should be constructed and used. T h i s does not mean that there will not be problems. T h e amount of control of book selection by the library committee may be a continuing problem, and I do not think we have yet established how much responsibility should be taken by the librarian. Still less settled, however, are the questions of informal methods of selection. T h i s is more a matter of library attitudes and OCTOBER, 1951 32 7 atmosphere than it is one of specific channels. One may put a box on top of the catalog in- viting suggestions for new books, but if there is no feeling of communication between the readers and the library staff members, no confidence that such suggestions receive at- tention, the value of the arrangement will be much impaired. T h e r e is another advantage to this sense of rapport wherever it can be established. N o better measure of a book collection can be found than use. It is use for which the li- brary exists. Yet there are few if any aspects of a library about which we know less. T h e r e are circulation figures, yes. But happily, we now rely less than we once did upon such statistics. For it is the kind of use, the quality of use and the depth of impression which are significant; and about these we are largely ignorant. W e might well give more attention to this problem but, of course, that requires research. For most librarians, knowledge of use is a subjective or at least an empirical matter, only to be arrived at by giving special attention to those who use the library, to those who may not be entirely satisfied by what they find there, or who have suggestions for what might be added. Until we know more of why and how people read, there is no substitute for the librarians' inti- mate and personal knowledge. From such knowledge can come some of the informal participation in selection of which I have spoken. Let me suggest a friendly attitude in this matter of book selection. One cannot accept every suggestion for book purchase, yet one should be hospitable to suggestions which come in. T h i s does not mean that you will not occasionally have a misfire. I remember, for example, a faculty member who urged that we buy the recent book on dianetics by Ron H u b b a r d . T h e first words of the "synopsis" at the beginning of the book read as follows: " T h e creation of dianetics is a milestone for M a n comparable to his discovery of fire. . . ." Dianetics is certainly a hot subject; a number of people got burned on it—and possibly I speak here with feeling because the head of our psychology department protested that this book should not have been put in the book collection. I do not think that the harm was very great, however. J u s t how do you treat a misleading book? If it has some preten- sion to learning, do you refuse to give readers access to it or do you buy the book upon demand and let the learning process take its course? Sound book selection is a process which every good student has to learn for himself. Furthermore, the purchase of a dubious book may be a small price to pay f o r friendly and continuous interest in the growth of the book collection. T h e relation of the book collection to the curriculum and teaching methods is an im- portant part of the "consumption" function of the book collection. It is essentially what distinguishes the college library collection from a public library collection. I t deter- mines what goes into a college library collec- tion, determines whether you include audio- visual materials and in what proportion or quantity; determines the relation of books to other materials. Does the college have an intensive reading and honors program? Does it emphasize the n a t u r a l sciences or the social sciences? Does its program run heavily to history, to language, to literature? Does the college have specialized or technical courses or go in for certain types of research? All of these factors can and should have particular in- fluence on the book collection. W h a t e v e r the character of the college pro- gram, the library (in particular, the li- brarian) has an important job of interpreta- tion and of applying the interpretation to the building of the book collection. T h e college program is more than the latest speech of the college president, more perhaps even than a statement in the college catalog. T h e r e is the college history to be considered—of which the librarian may have a better grasp than some of the other officials in the college. And there is the experience, a f t e r a time, of knowing what will happen when the college changes direction, or of understanding just how the book collection will or should be affected under the stimulus of new methods of teaching. T h e n there are special collections. I have already dealt with these in an offhand way. I have described them as a kind of lump on the book collection which otherwise might be well rounded. T h i s may be unsympathetic of me, but I don't mean by lack of sympathy to discourage f u r t h e r discussion. T h e r e are plenty of problems in the area, but I am con- 358 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES tent to let someone else denote them. T h e last and perhaps the largest of these subjects is the size of these collection—de- manding cooperation and control. T h i s func- tion is an enormous one. Let me give the title as several of us arrived at it by cor- respondence: " T h e development of the book collection in relation to cooperation betwen institutions, including possibly sizes of collec- tions, weeding, interlibrary loans, and bibli- ographical and book storage centers." Quite a m o u t h f u l ! Cooperation. Size of collec- tions. Weeding. Interlibrary loans. Bibli- ographical centers. Book storage centers. And I suppose we should have added union catalogs, microfilm, microcards, dilating shelves and rubber walls. T h e size of the col- lection, if thought of in terms of control and cooperation with other libraries, is probably the problem of our age. I t is useful, of course, to consider size in relation to requirements of the curriculum and the number of readers, principally faculty and students. Some years ago it was fashion- able to discuss the size of a collection which would adequately answer the needs of under- graduate students. T h e figure was set vari- ously at 8000, 10,000, 25,000 volumes. These numbers were arrived at by presupposing that the books could be correctly selected before- hand and were usually limited to the needs of a single year. In other words, they were a kind of core collection for a given moment in time and excluded the thousands of books which accumulate in the normal course of events in any library. T h i s kind of discussion has its values, but it has little to do with the practical problem of book control. T h e num- ber of courses, the spread of courses, the num- ber of students, the amount and type of research—all influence the growth of the book collection. And "growth" is the right word. F o r there is nearly always the laudable de- sire to grow and there is the f u r t h e r urge toward more knowledge and more research. T h e practical problem in the end is usually one of weeding—or of building an addition to the library or a completely new structure—or of reducing least-used materials to micro- form—or of all three. W h e n you have taken steps toward the girth control necessary in your own library, that is less than the half of it. For a lively and inquiring faculty and stu- dent body in these days usually want some material that only special or research libraries have. And so we have with us library coop- eration—which means union catalogs, micro- film, interlibrary loan, bibliographical centers and book storage centers. I hope these ramblings have induced a certain perspective on the book collection. If they have not, I despair of improvement by continuing. It is time perhaps for someone else to concentrate and produce more specifics. By E L I Z A B E T H C. S E E L Y The Cost of Books Mrs. Seely is assistant librarian, Sarah Lawrence College. TH E PRESENT high cost of books is an ac-complished fact. William Miller, in The Book Industry, quotes G. P. Brett, J r . , presi- dent of Macmillan Company, as saying in M a r c h 1948 that ". . . all [book] costs have increased since 1940 between 60 and 70 per- cent." Publishers' W eekly estimates that since 1938 the price of books to the consumer has increased 35 percent, so we should prob- ably be grateful that the whole cost has not been passed on to libraries. T h e only hope I can see from the publishers' side is that they are reported to be working on certain techno- logical improvements which will cut down the production costs, and ultimately the prices. Librarians examine this situation and wonder how they are going to deal with it. T h e r e seem to be two solutions, perhaps neither one possible. T h e first is to increase the book budget. Libraries have a strong basis for first consideration in being allotted any increase that might be made from the college funds. M o r e and more the library is becoming the core of the learning process around which all teaching revolves. W i t h the OCTOBER, 1951 32 7 library as the laboratory, with new courses being added to many curricula, and with faculty needing new research materials for their own studies, the whole college com- munity looks to the library and is aware of its adequacy or inadequacy. I t is, therefore, willing to argue for the library's support in its own interest. At Sarah Lawrence College we weathered the high prices of 1948-49 pretty well be- cause we were given a gift of $500 to buy a r t books, but the next year we added 400 fewer books by purchase. T h i s was noticed by our public when they could not find things they expected we would have, or when we had to refuse requests that we buy such and such a book, although we borrowed constantly to keep them satisfied. So this year, although the college is still running at a deficit, we have $1000 added to our budget. But how much in the way of book fund increases may we expect in the f u t u r e ? Everyone admits that colleges are finding it increasingly difficult to raise funds, and the expectation is that, with students being drafted and family living expenses inflated, en- rolments in colleges will decline in the next few years, and hence the total college budget. If we must do without more money, then I should discuss my alternative suggestions. First, there is the possible use of expedients as the opportunity arises. F o r example, faculty members often travel in the summer. Last year we selected two of these whose knowledge and common sense we trusted, and supplied them with funds and with lists of titles that we needed. T h e y bought books for us in Paris, Rome and London, at the prices prevailing there, which were favorable to us, and had them shipped back to us. In addition, we authorized them to buy other titles they might see which they knew would build up our resources. Titles f r o m Penguin, Signet, Avon, Pocket Books, and similar publishers are a great saving whenever they are available in needed items. T h e y are especially useful for dupli- cate copies required for certain assignments. They wear out, of course, a f t e r a week or two on a reserve shelf, and then they can be thrown away and no money has been spent on cataloging and very little on the original purchase price. O f t e n we buy several copies of one title and sell them to students. This next procedure is one that may not be practical for many libraries, but we have found it successful. Since our budget for supplies is not so strained as our book budget, we call it "Supplies and Services" and charge to it all o u r i n d e x e s ( N e w York Times Index, Read- ers Guide to Periodicals, CBI, e t c . ) a n d a l s o our subscriptions to the Westchester County Union Catalog and the Philadelphia Union Catalogue. T h i s leaves a relatively large sum available for books in the book budget. T h e interlibrary loan system is another economy which should be stressed. Union catalogs are so obliging and always seem willing to supply information whether one is a member or not. And colleges with larger resources are kind and generous to small ones. T h e colleges and universities of Pennsylvania, in our case, have helped us with many out-of- print, hard-to-get, or too-expensive items. M o s t colleges think of borrowing from other colleges. I t happens that the W e s t - chester County Union Catalog which we use, also lists the holdings of many public libraries. W e have most satisfactory relationships. T h e y like to borrow our back files of periodi- cals, our psychology and foreign language books, our Karl M a r x and books about Russia. W e like their fiction, particularly the nineteenth-century fiction which is available here and there and which is valuable to us for its picture of social history. W e also use their drama collections and books about travel, biography and military campaigns. These interlibrary loans suggest attitudes of good will and cooperation. If one develops those attitudes there is no end to what might be accomplished. T h e r e is the possibility of bulk buying of supplies and books, the setting up of regional depositories, the inauguration of selective book buying (each library buying in certain fields) and a similar decision in the matter of binding periodicals. Photographic reproduction is becoming more widely used by libraries and seems to be another way in which we can save money and still provide needed materials to users. M y last thought f o r today, and the really basic one, is that it is the librarian who counts. T o keep improving the quality of the book stock while decreasing its quantity, takes the very best in librarianship. T h e head li- brarian, and all of her staff as well, should undertake to know what is in the books al- 360 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES ready on the shelves and what purposes they serve. W e should know as much as we can find out about the books we may buy, some- thing about the authors; whether their techni- cal, scientific, or economic background is such as to make their writing authoritative, whether these books will help to eliminate weaknesses in the collection, or whether such material is already in the library,' perhaps more effectively presented. W e should never fail to feed well any mind that comes to us for nourishment. T o do all this work which I have outlined will require a staff which is interested, intelli- gent, alert, and possessed both of certain in- tangible graces of mind and the strength of Superman. But the satisfaction to the reader in this superior service and the pleasure of the worker in his increased effectiveness, will be worth all the trouble. In the present crisis the salary budget should not be sacrificed to the book budget. I note in the statistics of the last few years in College and Research Libraries t h a t i m - provement has been made in salaries of li- brarians, though this is probably more ap- parent than real since the 1940 dollar is now worth 57 cents. According to the ALA Bulletin of J a n u a r y 1950, college librarians are still not so well paid as elementary and secondary school librarians. If we are to get and keep these angels I want for the college library, they will have to be well-paid and carefully-nurtured. By T H O M A S M . H A M S Special Collections, Mr. Iiams is librarian, Colgate University. I ASSUME that every college librarian has formulated policies regarding the develop- ment of his collections based on the aims, ob- jectives and methods of his particular college,1 and that he has evaluated his collections, either objectively or subjectively, and is in a position to know the weak and strong fields 1 From my observation of the Colgate plan in opera- tion, and the objectives of the institution, the library functions might well be interpreted as follows: (a) To f u r n i s h the books required for collateral read- ing in connection with courses offered, together with related material required by the faculty members needed for instructional purposes. (b) To f u r n i s h books for voluntary recreational read- ing by students and to promote their use. (c) To provide a comprehensive selection of authori- tative books covering all fields of knowledge and to make their content accessible. (d) To train students in the use of library materials and to integrate the library with the instructional pro- gram. To these four more or less accepted functions I would add two more: (e) To provide materials to meet the needs of mem- bers of the faculty engaged in productive investigation within their field of instruction a n d w i t h i n t h e p o s s i - bilities of the budget a f t e r the first four functions have been adequately fulfilled. ( f ) To collect and preserve material of institutional and local historical interest, providing no other agency undertakes this obligation and, of course, within the limitations of the budget. If the foregoing library functions conform with the objectives of the college, we should adhere to them rather religiously, deviating only when changes in in- stitutional objectives and increased budgets warrant the extension of library functions. OCTOBER, 1951 Rare Books and Gifts in his library. W h a t I have to say regard- ing special collections, rare books and gifts is based on those assumptions. If your book selection policy is somewhat similar to that at D a r t m o u t h , you are in a good position to consider the development of special collections. D a r t m o u t h ' s policy, as stated in 1939, is three-fold: (1) T h e pur- chase of books directly related to the teach- ing done; (2) T h e building up of a more general book collection for student use; and (3) T h e acquisition of "such books as will attract great scholars to the college as teach- ers."2 M a n y smaller libraries, for budgetary reasons, cannot include the last category in their book selection aims and, for those li- braries, the development of special collections is a real concern. Any way you state your policy regarding the development of your collections you will find yourself, at some time or other, con- fronted with the problem of special collec- tions, rare books and gifts. In my opinion, rare books are a special collection and, even if you do not consider them as such, both rare books and special collections often depend 3 "Books for the U n d e r g r a d u a t e College." Dartmouth College Library Bulletin, 3:57-63, December 1939. 32 7 on gifts. It might therefore be well first to have a look at policies governing the ac- ceptance and encouragement of gifts. You are probably all familiar with the policy re- garding gifts adopted several years ago by ALA. 3 T h e A L A suggestions are highly desirable objectives but include only cash gifts and rarely fall into the province of the li- brarian to explore. T h e y are functions usually undertaken, if at all, by the college president or the vice president in charge of development. M o s t of us would agree that the ideal gift is money without restrictions as to use. But what about gifts of books, objects of art, mem- orabilia of all kinds, and just plain junk most libraries are offered in great quantities, all of which may have restrictions regarding shelv- ing, care and use? I t is in this regard that it is necessary to have a realistic policy. Even cash endowments can bring on headaches if too many restrictions are imposed. M a n y of you have had experience with small endow- ments for the purchase of books on certain subjects no longer considered important or, indeed, taught. W h a t to do with these funds if the bequest cannot be interpreted broadly? T h e r e are times, too, when the library does not benefit even from unrestricted endow- ments. In some colleges, funds realized f r o m endowments are not actually added to the library's budget; instead, the college's sup- port f r o m general funds is reduced by the amount received from endowments. O f t e n this is not the intent of the donor. At Colgate, the policy regarding gift books is simple—no restricted gifts are accepted. I do not mean to imply that we would not accept an outstanding collection with reasonable re- strictions if the collection is worth the expense involved. F o r instance, our T . S. Eliot col- lection was accepted with the understanding that it would be shelved in the T r e a s u r e Room, certainly a reasonable restriction. As a matter of policy, we refuse very few unre- stricted gifts. I t is probably an expensive policy but we can always exchange unwanted 3 The ALA approved policy is: ( i ) That any pro- gram for gifts and bequests shall be formulated care- fully; (2) That memorials in the form of funds should be encouraged; (3) That the development of trust funds be encouraged; (4) That a large number of people should be interested in writing bequests into their wills; (5) That the possibility of insurance policies, including annuities, should be explored; and (6) That in con- sidering any gift or bequest, the donor consult the li- brary administration. material or sell it for scrap. T o o , one never knows when the donor of unwanted books may give something of value later on. T h i s has happened too frequently for us to consider any other policy. Many donors of books or cash expect some recognition in the form of a memorial. If the gift is large they may expect a special room. However most people are reasonable and, when informed of the problems involved, will usually settle for a neatly designed book- plate. Richard Logsdon has said what many libra- rians have expressed in different ways: "A book is not a good buy unless it makes an addition to the net instructional strength of the library."4 I would add that gift books, too, are not worth the cost of cataloging un- less they help round out or strengthen the collections. N a t h a n Van Patten, former director of li- braries at Stanford University, insists that "Unless a library has a well-formulated buy- ing policy its development is likely to proceed along lines determined by the demands which are made upon it from day to day. T h e re- sults of such a practice are rarely good."5 An entirely adequate library must go beyond the day-to-day needs if it is to help the college obtain good students and outstanding teach- ers. Good teachers are attracted to colleges with good libraries and so the question of de- veloping the collections along lines most likely to bring prestige and scholarship to a college is, in my opinion, entirely justified. However, it is doubtful that small college libraries should compete with larger colleges and universities in the acquisition of rare books. T h i s statement may seem strange, coming, as it does, from an old rare book man. But it is my honest conviction, based on experience in a relatively small college. In the first place a small college does not have the resources to build up outstanding, or even good, rare book collections in many fields. In the second place it is doubtful, in an undergraduate college, that the use of such collections would w a r r a n t the expense of purchase and the special care and housing such collections should have. Having made 4 Logsdon, R. H. "Selecting Books for a College Library." Madison Quarterly, 2:114-16, May iQ4?. 5 Van Patten, Nathan. "Buying Policies of College and University Libraries." College and Research Li- braries, 1:64-70, December 1939. 362 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES that statement I should now like to point out an exception. W h a t would librarians of small colleges do if they were confronted with this prob- lem? An alumnus decides to give his private collection of rare books to the library. T h i s collection has been given no particular direc- tion except that each item must be rare. It does not greatly expand any collection in the library. T h i s private library is well worth $75,000 at current prices. T h e r e is no rare book room or, indeed, any safe place to care for such a large and valuable collection. T h e y probably would do the same thing I did when faced with a similar problem a few years ago. They would inform the president of the offer and say that they could not accept it unless adequate facilities to safeguard the collection were provided. T h e president, if he is a normal man, will react the same way mine did. Carpenters, masons, locksmiths and other workmen were on hand the next day to transform a staff coat room into a rare book room. So now we have this splendid collection of rare books, collected with no planned purpose. I do not in the slightest way mean to give the impression that I do not appreciate this g i f t ; in fact, I would have been unhappy if it had gone to Yale or H a r v a r d where it prob- ably would have been duplicated. I get a vicarious kick out of showing the books to teachers and students, but they are not im- mediately available to them, nor are they es- sential for their work because more readable editions, in most cases, are accessible on open shelves. T h e fine bindings cause many "ah's" and "oh's" wThen displayed and students often ask what certain items are worth, but the col- lection is not essential to the college. I t is chiefly a prestige item, but, as such, certainly has value. H o w much better off we would be if the donor had sold his collection and presented the library with $75,000, with the understanding that the money be used to purchase rare books, books that could not normally be pur- chased from regular library funds. I could then have a plan to develop special collec- tions. I would select a field in which we are al- ready strong, lacking only the rare materials to make it an outstanding research collection. F o r instance, I would build on our T . S. Eliot collection, already outstanding, but lack- ing important original manuscripts. N o other agency in Hamilton, where Col- gate is located, has the responsibility of build- ing up a collection of local and regional his- tory. W e have made a good start in that field, but have never felt justified in taking even $50 from library funds to buy, for in- stance, the original field survey book for the Chenango Canal, which ran along the edge of the campus. I would certainly feel justi- fied in using part of the $75,000 to round out that collection. I would also make sure that all pertinent archival material was purchased; that is, ma- terial that could not be obtained by gift. I would then have another look at our strong collections and would select a field to develop that would be of interest to a number of students and faculty, a subject that is likely to continue to grow in importance— area studies, for instance. I would spend a part of the $75,000 to build up a special collection illustrating the history of printing, using the few incunabula already in the library as a basis and purchasing leaves of books from famous presses when the cost of complete volumes prohibits their purchase. I would also purchase the necessary refer- ence tools in this field. I would make both students and faculty aware of the history and aesthetics of printing by occasional exhibitions and lectures on the subject. I would certainly use some of the $75,000 to buy a few of the more expensive sets faculty members want, but cannot be pur- chased for them from library budgets without sacrificing the more obvious or urgent cur- ricular needs. These sets may not come under the category of rare books, in that they are not scarce in one edition or another, but be- cause of sheer bulk they are expensive even in microfilm or microcard reproductions. Beyond these special collections, I doubt that I would be justified in using any part of my $75,000. F u t u r e changes of emphasis and university objectives would, of course, change my mind, but that would be my policy for the foreseeable f u t u r e . A planned program such as I have suggested would, I am sure, have more significance than a haphazard accumula- tion, either by purchase or gift, of a collection of rare books per se. All libraries in old established colleges have OCTOBER, 1951 32 7 some rare books. Librarians could not pos- sibly have added books to their collections for the past 100 or 150 years without inad- vertently accumulating a number of books that are now considered rare. Possibly the first thing a college librarian should do in de- ciding on a rare books policy is ( 1 ) determine what a rare book is6 and (2) do something about segregating the rare books in his library so they may be adequately handled. Just as every long-established college li- brary has rare books, so may they also have special collections, although they may not be segregated and immediately recognized. Other important possibilities for developing special collections, rare books and gifts exist. 6 "Rare Book Code of the University of California at Los A n g e l e s Library." Antiquarian Bookman, 7:20, J a n . 6, 1 9 5 1 . A l s o i n College and Research Libraries, 10:307-08, July 1949. Regional cooperative plans for the develop- ment of subject collections, for example, are important. Such questions as the following suggest avenues of approach that should be considered: W h y buy rare books at all when the same material may be had on microfilm or microcards at a fraction of the cost of the originals? W h a t is the best method of mak- ing friends of the library and alumni aware of library needs? W h a t other sources for gifts should be considered? T o what extent does publicity about existing collections in- fluence gifts? W h a t are the possibilities of cooperative storage and service as a solution to the special collections problem? It is often true that "them as has, gets." If you make a start, and your project is a worthy one, support may come from unex- pected sources. The Librarians1 Agenda of Unfinished Business (Continued from page 313) to t h e good life. T h e c r i t i c a l r e q u i r e m e n t s t o d a y of l i b r a r i e s in E u r o p e a n d A s i a , in t h e i r s t r u g g l e t o r e s u m e activities, o f f e r a g r e a t c h a l l e n g e t o o u r o w n i n s t i t u t i o n s to aid in t h e u n c e a s i n g e f f o r t of p r o v i d i n g books, periodicals, t r a i n i n g facilities, per- sonnel, a n d l i b r a r y e q u i p m e n t . L i b r a r i e s h a v e been r e c o g n i z e d as a n effective in- s t r u m e n t in t h e P o i n t F o u r p r o g r a m f o r technical assistance t o economically u n d e r - developed areas, f o r t h e y o f f e r an o r g a n - ized m e a n s of d i s s e m i n a t i n g t e c h n i c a l a n d economic i n f o r m a t i o n essential t o t h e relief a n d economic a d v a n c e m e n t of those areas. T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Book E x c h a n g e has d e m o n s t r a t e d s u c c e s s f u l l y t h e need f o r a p e r m a n e n t n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n d e v o t e d t o t h e collection a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n of books h e r e a n d a b r o a d . T h e e x c h a n g e a r r a n g e m e n t s of o u r l i b r a r i e s f o r books a n d p e r s o n n e l o f f er c o n t i n u e d o p p o r t u n i t y to s t r e n g t h e n ourselves as w e l l as t o s t r e n g t h e n o u r n e i g h b o r s . I t is a g r e e d , t h e n , t h a t l i b r a r i e s , w h i c h serve i n d i v i d u a l s a n d g r o u p s of every de- s c r i p t i o n f r o m t h e l a b o r a t o r y t o the schol- a r ' s s t u d y , f r o m t h e p u b l i c school t o t h e w o m a n ' s club, a r e a f u n d a m e n t a l f a c t o r in m a i n t a i n i n g a n d s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e f a b - ric of c i v i l i z a t i o n . T h e y a r e e n g a g e d in a c o m m o n p u r p o s e a n d t h e y s h a r e a c o m m o n g o a l . T o this end t h e y m u s t l a b o r w i t h o u t d i s c o u r a g e m e n t on t h e p r o b l e m s w h i c h h a v e been r e v i e w e d in this recital, a n d on o t h e r s of w h i c h these a r e b u t samples. T h e y m u s t a b a n d o n f o r e v e r i n e r t i a a n d i n d i f f e r e n c e . T h e y m u s t c o n t i n u e , i n s t e a d , to face, w i t h c a l m a n d quiet c o u r a g e , t h e i r responsibility of service in t h e g r e a t task b e f o r e us a l l — t h e task of s u r v i v i n g as f r e e n a t i o n s in a w o r l d yet t o be a t t a i n e d of f r e e m e n a n d f r e e w o m e n . 364 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES