College and Research Libraries B y J O H N L . P O M F R E T Publishing at the Huntington Library Dr. Pomfret is director, Henry E. Hunt- ington Library and Art Gallery. FOR N I N E Y E A R S , f r o m 1 9 2 8 t o 1 9 3 7 , t h e H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y issued its books t h r o u g h a c o o p e r a t i v e a r r a n g e m e n t w i t h the H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s . E i g h t w o r k s , a l l r e p r o d u c t i o n s of the L i b r a r y ' s t r e a s u r e s , w e r e p r i n t e d . T h r e e o t h e r books w e r e issued in c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h o t h e r publishers — t h e M e d i c i S o c i e t y of L o n d o n , the U n i - v e r s i t y of N o r t h C a r o l i n a , and H o u g h t o n M i f f l i n C o . B o o k s published d u r i n g this f i r s t phase i n c l u d e d such r a r e items as Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts and the "bad" Hamlet of 1603. A l t h o u g h these p u b l i c a t i o n s u n d o u b t e d l y enhanced the prestige of the L i b r a r y , one f e e l s c e r t a i n that neither the H a r v a r d U n i - v e r s i t y P r e s s n o r the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y benefited f i n a n c i a l l y f r o m their j o i n t en- d e a v o r s . Since the L i b r a r y e a r l y adopted the policy, f o l l o w i n g the precedent set by the C l a r e n d o n P r e s s , of n e v e r r e m a i n d e r i n g , it had m a d e a modest s t a r t t o w a r d a m a s s i n g the stock of unsold books that n o w g r a c e s its basement shelves. I n r e t r o s p e c t , h o w - e v e r , the situation w a s not hopeless, f o r as of t o d a y f o u r of the e l e v e n titles are out of p r i n t , three others are represented by f e w e r t h a n f i f t y copies each, and the residue a m o u n t s to less than six h u n d r e d books. A l l the others h a v e been s o l d — o r g i v e n a w a y . I n 1 9 3 7 this i n f a n t i n s t i t u t i o n , s u c c u m b - i n g to the m a g i c of p r i n t , e n g a g e d upon the e x p e r i m e n t of p u b l i s h i n g u n d e r its o w n i m p r i n t . K e e p i n g one f o o t on d r y g r o u n d , h o w e v e r , it a n n o u n c e d t h a t it w o u l d con- tinue to h a v e books published in cooperation w i t h the u n i v e r s i t y presses of the U n i t e d S t a t e s and E n g l a n d . Since that time, o n l y seven j o i n t p u b l i c a t i o n s h a v e been u n d e r - t a k e n — t w o each w i t h C a l i f o r n i a and O x - f o r d , and one each w i t h C a m b r i d g e , J o h n s H o p k i n s , and O k l a h o m a . I n 1 9 3 7 , too, occasional s c h o l a r l y b u l l e t i n s w e r e a l l o w e d to b u r g e o n into a f u l l - f l e d g e d q u a r t e r l y , w i t h a f u l l - f l e d g e d a n n u a l deficit. B y the close of 1 9 5 3 , a t o t a l of f i f t y books had been published b e a r i n g the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y i m p r i n t . T h e l a r g e s t n u m b e r of titles issued in a n y one y e a r — s e v e n — w a s published d u r i n g the fiscal y e a r 1 9 4 8 - 4 9 . T h e a v e r a g e n u m b e r of titles per y e a r f o r the w h o l e period 1 9 3 7 - 1 9 5 3 has been f o u r . D u r i n g the decade 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 5 0 the L i b r a r y had spent, a c c o r d i n g to the a c c o u n t a n t s , $ 1 9 0 , 1 1 9 and had grossed $ 1 7 9 , 1 4 7 , a " n e t l o s s " of $ 1 0 , 9 7 2 on t h i r t y - o n e titles. T h e a v e r a g e loss per s c h o l a r l y v o l u m e o v e r the decade, then, w a s $ 3 5 3 . A s an o f f s e t , the C o m m i t t e e c o u l d point to the c o n s i d e r a b l e stocks of u n s o l d m i n t copies. D u r i n g the y e a r 1 9 5 1 , the B o a r d of T r u s t e e s , a l a r m e d because the " r e v o l v i n g f u n d " had been o v e r d r a w n by $ 2 0 , 0 0 0 , de- cided to r e - e x a m i n e the p r o g r a m a n d c a l l e d in J o s e p h A . B r a n d t , p u b l i s h e r , to c o n d u c t the i n v e s t i g a t i o n . T h i s r e v o l v i n g f u n d of $ 2 , 5 0 0 had been c r e a t e d in 1 9 4 1 in the e x p e c t a t i o n of u n d e r g i r d i n g a book-publish- i n g p r o g r a m and perhaps, in the f u l l n e s s of time, of i n c r e a s i n g the initial c a p i t a l ! T h e t r e n d w a s the other w a y ; in f a c t , the r e v o l v - i n g f u n d w a s in the red f r o m the s t a r t . S o m e , of u n g r a c i o u s disposition, believed it 388 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES to be an ingenious device intended to put the b r a k e s on a c a r e f r e e P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m - mittee. B u t M r . B r a n d t w a s f a r f r o m a l a r m e d . " T h e s h o w i n g is a m a z i n g , all things c o n s i d e r e d , " he w r o t e . T o abandon the p u b l i s h i n g v e n t u r e " m a d e possible by T r u s t e e e n c o u r a g e m e n t , staff vision and s e l f - s a c r i f i c e , w o u l d be a distinct loss to l e a r n i n g . " T h u s the v e n t u r e w a s p e r m i t t e d to c o n t i n u e upon the same f o o t i n g . M e a n - w h i l e , the a c t i v i t y had s u r v i v e d the depres- sion and the w a r , neither of w h i c h , of course, had any influence upon s c h o l a r l y sales. T h e gross a n n u a l receipts m o u n t e d s l o w l y , if e r r a t i c a l l y , t o u c h i n g a high of $ 2 3 , 9 0 0 f o r the fiscal y e a r 1 9 4 8 - 1 9 4 9 . T h e Annual Report of that y e a r o b s e r v e d , too, that " t h e v a l u e of the i n v e n t o r y w a s m u c h i n c r e a s e d . " T h r o u g h t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s of such ad- v e n t u r i n g , the H u n t i n g t o n has l e a r n e d a f e w lessons, a f e w t r u t h s — a n d a f e w tricks. A r m e d w i t h the experience thus g a r n e r e d , the P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e even looks f o r - w a r d to e r a s i n g the r e v o l v i n g f u n d o v e r - d r a f t . T h e H u n t i n g t o n f i n a l l y accepted the a x i o m that book-dealers h a v e to l i v e . H e r e w a s a p r o b l e m indeed. T o ensure the m a x i m u m d i s t r i b u t i o n of its s m a l l editions of 2 , 0 0 0 copies or less, the retail price had i n v a r i a b l y been set at a f e w cents above m a n u f a c t u r i n g costs. D e a l e r s , upon ascer- t a i n i n g that they m i g h t obtain a modest r e t u r n of f r o m 5 % to 1 5 % , condescended to o r d e r — a s a f a v o r to a c u s t o m e r ! A s m u c h as they respected the P u b l i c a t i o n C o m m i t - tee's dedication to p u r e scholarship, they p o l i t e l y r e f u s e d to share in this noble ex- p e r i m e n t . I n 1 9 5 2 , t h e r e f o r e , the H u n t i n g - ton L i b r a r y adopted the s t a n d a r d discounts of 33s% a n d 4 0 % . T o its s u r p r i s e , it has a c q u i r e d a host of c o o p e r a t i v e f r i e n d s , and some of its f r o z e n w a r e s had begun to find their w a y to the m a r t s of t r a d e . T h e H u n t i n g t o n , too, has l e a r n e d t o m e a s u r e the potential m a r k e t f o r each book. T h e o r d i n a r y c o m m e r c i a l rules do n o t ap- p l y ; first, because H u n t i n g t o n editions are s m a l l ; and second, because m a n u s c r i p t s a r e chosen f o r publication upon the basis of w h e t h e r they c o n t r i b u t e to the k n o w l e d g e and u n d e r s t a n d i n g of some phase of E n g l i s h or A m e r i c a n c i v i l i z a t i o n . H o w e v e r , w o r k s of e x a c t i n g scholarship do m o v e s l o w l y and, unless subsidized, it w o u l d be d i f f i c u l t to keep the p r o g r a m g o i n g . B u t should such books be readable, they can be sold instead of stored and c a p i t a l r e m a i n s r e l a t i v e l y fluid. A d d i t i o n a l m a n u s c r i p t s can be p r i n t e d , thus f u l f i l l i n g the purposes of s c h o l a r l y p u b l i s h i n g . A s a r u l e of t h u m b , the L i b r a r y expects to sell an edition of a p r o f e s s i o n a l book of limited appeal in five y e a r s , and one of some interest to l a y r e a d e r s in three y e a r s . W i t h this r o t a t i o n of c a p i t a l , as s l o w as the tempo m i g h t seem to a c o m m e r c i a l p u b l i s h e r , the d e m a n d s of s c h o l a r l y w r i t e r s can be met. T h e r e is no g r e a t e r d i s c o u r a g e m e n t to scholarship in the h u m a n i t i e s than f o r an a u t h o r to be told that f o r financial reasons alone, his m a n u s c r i p t — t h e p r o d u c t of y e a r s of t o i l — c a n n o t be published. W h e n a m a n u s c r i p t is adopted f o r publi- cation, the u s u a l e f f o r t s are m a d e to b r i n g it to the attention of p o t e n t i a l r e a d e r s . T h r e e to five t h o u s a n d c i r c u l a r s are sent out to possible p u r c h a s e r s and fifty copies of the book are sent to selected j o u r n a l s f o r re- v i e w . F o r t u n a t e l y , the W e s t e r n n e w s p a p e r s are g i v i n g i n c r e a s i n g attention to books, especially to those published in the W e s t and to those d e a l i n g w i t h W e s t e r n s u b j e c t s . T h i s is most e n c o u r a g i n g in a region ex- hibiting both a rapid increase of p o p u l a t i o n and a rising i n d e x of educated l a y readers. P u b l i s h i n g stunts to the c o n t r a r y , the most p r a i s e w o r t h y d u t y of the publisher is to i n f o r m those l i k e l y to be interested in a OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 title of its a v a i l a b i l i t y and then let n a t u r e take her course. O n c e this has been done, he can depend on satisfied readers to tell others about it and h o p e f u l l y a w a i t a chain reaction. M o r e o v e r , such readers, once f a m i l i a r w i t h a s m a l l i m p r i n t , are apt to become r e g u l a r customers. T h e elements of good taste and d i s c r i m i n a t i n g scholarship are the most reliable h a l l m a r k s f o r the small publisher. O u r a d m i t t e d l y m e a g e r a d v e r - tising and promotion budget of $1,000 per a n n u m cannot go a l o n g w a y . A scholarly press can more easily compete w i t h the commercial publisher in the field of f o r m a t , i.e., t y p o g r a p h y , design, and binding. T h i s has been noted several times in Publishers' Weekly. T h e reasons are obvious. A s c h o l a r l y press can, if it chooses, w o r k at a leisurely pace. P u b l i - cation dates are flexible. T h u s H u n t i n g - ton books, like those of other u n i v e r s i t y presses, have received their share of mention in the lists of the W e s t e r n B o o k s E x h i b i t i o n and the A m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e of G r a p h i c A r t s . I n c i d e n t a l l y , certain collectors specialize in finely printed books, so that the e f f o r t to m a n u f a c t u r e books of excellent f o r m a t is not w a s t e d . I n 1 9 4 0 , the L i b r a r y published D r . R o b e r t G . C l e l a n d ' s The Cattle on a Thousand Hills, a C a l i f o r n i a book w i t h a g r e a t appeal to the g e n e r a l reader. T h e local book stores immediately stocked it. " T h e publication of this b o o k , " states the Annual Report of that y e a r , " w i l l doubtless make m o r e dealers and i n d i v i d u a l s ac- quainted w i t h the L i b r a r y ' s publication a c t i v i t i e s . " L e s s f a s t i d i o u s w a s the observa- tion that sales f o r the y e a r had advanced by $ 1 , 7 0 0 o v e r those of the previous y e a r . T h e f o l l o w i n g year The Cattle on a Thou- sand Hills " e a s i l y headed the sales f r o m the stock in h a n d . " B u t it took some time to realize that here w a s a m a r k e t f o r the asking. I n 1 9 5 0 , the Annual Report sol- e m n l y commented that "since five of eight items on the subject w e r e out of p r i n t , there w a s a continuing demand f o r C a l i f o r n i a n a . " W i t h the successful l a u n c h i n g of five C a l i - f o r n i a books d u r i n g 1 9 5 2 and 1 9 5 3 , the lesson had f i n a l l y been learned. M o r e than 5 0 % of each issue w a s sold in a y e a r — a pace s o m e w h a t disconcerting to the P u b l i - cations C o m m i t t e e . C a l i f o r n i a n s are v i t a l l y interested in their history. T h e reason is s i m p l e : their f a t h e r s and g r a n d f a t h e r s built the c o u n t r y , and the third and f o u r t h gen- erations are completely absorbed in the same e x c i t i n g business. T h i s spirit of tradition is no l o n g e r m a n i f e s t in m a n y of the older parts of the c o u n t r y . B e c a u s e there are at the H u n t i n g t o n L i - b r a r y men of m a n y talents in the w o r l d of books, the P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e is able to a v a i l itself of their skills w i t h o u t a d d i n g to overhead. F o r e x a m p l e , the R e s e a r c h D e p a r t m e n t appraises manuscripts, the R a r e B o o k s and M a n u s c r i p t s D e p a r t m e n t s advise upon t y p o g r a p h y , design, and illustrations, and in pinch the C a t a l o g D e p a r t m e n t assists w i t h the compiling of l i b r a r y lists and w i t h the distribution of prospectuses. R e n t , utilities, and storage are also f r e e items. Since the P u b l i c a t i o n s D e p a r t m e n t is charged only w i t h one f u l l - t i m e employee and f o r a f e w miscellaneous services and supplies, the expense f o r overhead is h a r d l y m o r e than $ 5 , 0 0 0 per a n n u m . R o y a l t i e s are not required unless there is a second e d i t i o n — a r a r e event. V i s i t o r s to the L i b r a r y , almost f r o m the beginning, have purchased souvenirs such as colored postcards and reproductions of paintings. C a t e r i n g to this taste, the P u b l i - cations D e p a r t m e n t in 1 9 4 1 began to issue s o f t b o u n d guides and catalogues such as the Art Gallery Handbook, Desert Plant Col- lections, and Great Books in Great Editions. T h i s v e n t u r e into the " s o f t b o u n d f i e l d " has yielded a s m a l l but steady p r o f i t . 390 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES T h r o u g h the y e a r s the H u n t i n g t o n has built up an e x c e p t i o n a l l y l a r g e and inter- ested f r i e n d s ' o r g a n i z a t i o n , w i t h a c u r r e n t m e m b e r s h i p of w e l l o v e r a t h o u s a n d . Since this, o r g a n i z a t i o n is not a f u n d - r a i s i n g device, but r a t h e r a vehicle f o r b r i n g i n g to- g e t h e r men and w o m e n w h o share an appre- ciation of m a n u s c r i p t s , r a r e books, prints, p a i n t i n g s , and h o r t i c u l t u r e , the dues are a n o m i n a l ten d o l l a r s . T h e F r i e n d s p e r m i t each m e m b e r to select g r a t i s , a n n u a l l y , a book, or a c o l l o t y p e r e p r o d u c t i o n of a paint- ing to the v a l u e of f i v e d o l l a r s , or a f r e e subscription to the Quarterly. W i t h the g r o w t h of this o r g a n i z a t i o n and the interest in publications, each n e w title is c e r t a i n to be selected by s e v e r a l h u n d r e d m e m b e r s . T h e P u b l i c a t i o n s D e p a r t m e n t is r e i m b u r s e d by the d i r e c t o r s of the F r i e n d s f o r these selections, less a s m a l l discount. T h u s each book, as it goes to press, is n o w assured a p o t e n t i a l g r o u p of c u s t o m e r s : sales at the P a v i l i o n ( r e t a i l s t o r e ) , sales to dealers, s t a n d i n g o r d e r s w i t h college l i b r a r i e s , and adoptions by the F r i e n d s of the L i b r a r y . A s has been indicated, the latest c h a p t e r in the H u n t i n g t o n ' s p u b l i s h i n g a d v e n t u r e has been e n c o u r a g i n g . K e e p in m i n d , h o w - e v e r , that this recital is not a success s t o r y . F i n a n c i a l l y , the c r u x of the m a t t e r is, h o w l i t t l e do y o u l o s e ? I n 1 9 5 2 - 1 9 5 3 , h o w e v e r , the gross f r o m sales, $ 2 2 , 5 0 0 , a l m o s t m a t c h e d that of the b a n n e r y e a r , 1 9 4 8 - 1 9 4 9 , and that of the c u r r e n t y e a r is r u n - n i n g at the rate of $ 3 2 , 0 0 0 . I n the past t w o y e a r s , one book, The History of the Irvine Ranch, r a n t h r o u g h an edition of 1 , 5 0 0 copies in eight m o n t h s and is n o w in a second edition. A l l the other books pub- lished d u r i n g this period h a v e also sold well. The Indians of Southern California, m a n u f a c t u r e d by the P l a n t i n P r e s s , has w o n i n t e r n a t i o n a l recognition f o r t y p o g r a p h i c a l e x c e l l e n c e ; Music in the Southwest, desig- n a t e d as a " s l e e p e r " by a U t a h r e v i e w e r , sold 1 , 0 0 0 copies w i t h i n a y e a r ; California's Utopian Colonies, the recipient of a schol- a r l y a w a r d , sold 1 , 0 0 0 copies w i t h i n six m o n t h s ; The Life and Adventures of Don Agustin Janssens, a C h r i s t m a s o f f e r i n g , sold 5 9 6 copies in t w o w e e k s ; The Place Called Sespe, d i s t r i b u t e d f o r the C a l i f o r n i a I n s t i - tute of T e c h n o l o g y by the H u n t i n g t o n , sold 4 0 % of the s m a l l issue in a m o n t h ; and t w o R e n a i s s a n c e studies, Shakespeare's Use of Learning and Science and Religion in Eliza- bethan England are m o v i n g at a t w o - y e a r instead of a f i v e - y e a r schedule. Fields of the Atlantic Monthly received the " l e a d re- v i e w " in the N e w Y o r k Herald Tribune book section on J a n u a r y 3 1 and has been adopted as the A p r i l a l t e r n a t e selection of the A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y B o o k C l u b . A l s o in the past t w o y e a r s , the c h a r a c t e r of the i n v e n t o r y has c h a n g e d a p p r e c i a b l y . I n J a n u a r y , 1 9 5 1 , the a c t i v e stock w a s 3 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s ; the i n a c t i v e w a s 1 5 , 0 0 0 . I n J a n u a r y , 1 9 5 4 , w i t h a r e v i v a l of the pro- g r a m , the active stock ( s a l a b l e w i t h i n t w o y e a r s ) has g r o w n to 1 2 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s ; the less active ( s a l a b l e w i t h i n three y e a r s ) is 8 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s ; and the i n a c t i v e stock has declined to 5 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s . T h e m o m e n t u m r e g a i n e d by r e g u l a r l y p u b l i s h i n g a h a l f - dozen books a y e a r has had a s a l u t a r y e f f e c t upon the " d e a d " stock. T h e bitter lesson of s p o r a d i c p u b l i s h i n g has been l e a r n e d the h a r d w a y . F o r the s a t i s f y i n g results of recent y e a r s the H u n t i n g t o n can thank the b o o k d e a l e r s , the F r i e n d s of the L i b r a r y , book r e v i e w e r s , and those at the L i b r a r y w h o believe that no research institution can flourish w i t h o u t the means of e x h i b i t i n g the results of re- search. L a s t l y , the T r u s t e e s deserve c r e d i t f o r p u t t i n g up w i t h the v a g a r i e s of the P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e and f o r a d v a n c i n g credit o v e r a period of n e a r l y t w e n t y y e a r s . I n conclusion, let us g l a n c e at the cons and pros of this p u b l i s h i n g a c t i v i t y . OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 B o o k p u b l i s h i n g , per se, is a tough busi- ness. T h e per unit cost s t e a d i l y m o u n t s . N o single element in the cost of m a n u f a c t u r e r e v e a l s any o t h e r t e n d e n c y . T h e cost of composition, p a p e r , b i n d i n g , j a c k e t s and even prospectuses, f o l l o w the t r e n d . I n a s m a l l business, also, h i g h e r costs c a n n o t be passed a l o n g to the c o n s u m e r . " P u b l i s h i n g and c e r t a i n specialized t e x t i l e o p e r a t i o n s , " states an economist, " c a n n o t cope w i t h in- flation." T h e y are e x a m p l e s of " t h e sort of business w h i c h finds itself c a u g h t be- t w e e n an inelastic s e l l i n g price and costs it c a n n o t c o n t r o l . " T h e " b r e a k - e v e n p o i n t " is too h i g h . T h e L i b r a r y has l e a r n e d that no one w i l l pay $ 7 . 0 0 f o r a t r a d e book, no m a t t e r h o w a u t h o r i t a t i v e and s c h o l a r l y . S m a l l businesses, too, find it impossible to cut o v e r h e a d . I n o u r case one person, cer- t a i n l y , is needed to take o r d e r s o v e r the phone, to m a i l out books, to c a l l on dealers, to m a i n t a i n the records, and to c o r r e s p o n d o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t h a n x i o u s a u t h o r s ! M o r e - o v e r , books c a n n o t be d i s t r i b u t e d w i t h o u t p a y i n g the postage fee, and c e r t a i n l y e n o u g h a d v e r t i s i n g m u s t be done to n o t i f y p o t e n t i a l c u s t o m e r s t h a t a book has been published. T h e o u t l e t f o r h a r d b o u n d books is d i m i n - ishing. I n 1 9 5 1 there w e r e 3 , 5 0 0 bookstores of some r e p u t a t i o n . T o d a y there are f e w e r than 3 , 0 0 0 . T h e " s o f t - b o u n d s , " m a r k e t e d in d r u g s t o r e s , g r o c e r y stores, stations, etc. h a v e taken a h a r d t o l l of the retail b o o k m a n . A t best, then, o u r enterprise is one j u m p ahead of the s h e r i f f . O n the o t h e r h a n d , the H u n t i n g t o n L i - b r a r y is a research l i b r a r y w i t h r a r e book and m a n u s c r i p t resources that g r o w con- t i n u a l l y , and w i t h a l a r g e f o l l o w i n g of s c h o l a r s in the h u m a n i t i e s . I t is inconceiva- ble that the L i b r a r y should not m a k e an e f f o r t to publish the results of the best w o r k done here. T o be s u r e , a f e w men are promi- nent e n o u g h to receive the b a c k i n g of com- m e r c i a l publishers and a f e w others can c o u n t on their u n i v e r s i t y presses, but the l a r g e m a j o r i t y ( a m o n g them m a n y promis- ing y o u n g m e n ) h a v e o n l y the d i s c o u r a g i n g prospect of p u b l i c a t i o n by u s i n g their sav- ings. T h e h e a r t of the m a t t e r rests in the f a c t that the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y has m a n a g e d to publish the best of the w o r k of its r e a d e r s r e g a r d l e s s of cost. T o p a r a p h r a s e N o r m a n C o u s i n s , book p u b l i s h i n g is essential to the n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e , and book p u b l i s h e r s , l a r g e and s m a l l , are custodians, in a sense, of i n f i n i t e l y v a l u a b l e l i t e r a r y properties, the f u t u r e p r o t e c t o r s of talent yet to be developed. T h i s period of a d v e n t u r i n g , t h e r e f o r e , w i l l c o n t i n u e so l o n g as t a l e n t e d s c h o l a r s are w i l l i n g , at such personal sac- rifices to them, to ponder and appraise the c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e of the E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g people. P u b l i s h i n g by the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y f o s t e r s this t a l e n t . Why We Need to be Investigated (Continued fro the i n v e s t i g a t i o n that w i l l s t a r t soon a f t e r - w a r d s . I s h a l l be s u r p r i s e d if the p r o b l e m s a r e not p l e n t i f u l . I s h a l l be s u r p r i s e d also if it does n o t do us good to be i n v e s t i g a t e d . I think the i n v e s t i g a t o r s w i l l benefit too. W e do n o t w a n t to s u p p l y m o r e books or m o r e services than are needed. If there are non-essentials m page 387) t h a t can be e l i m i n a t e d , w e shall be g l a d to k n o w of t h e m . W e s h a l l w e l c o m e help in s o l v i n g o u r p r o b l e m s , and w e can f e e l sure that p r o f e s s o r s and presidents w h o u n d e r - stand these p r o b l e m s wTill not a d v o c a t e solu- t i o n s — o r b u d g e t s — t h a t w i l l r u i n o u r l i b r a r i e s , w h i c h a f t e r a l l are theirs as m u c h 392 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES