College and Research Libraries By R O B E R T B. D O W N S Meeting Future Space Problems: University of Illinois Library FO R T H E F A L L S E M E S T E R o f t h e a c a -demic year 1956-57, s t u d e n t enroll- m e n t o n the University of Illinois's Ur- b a n a c a m p u s was 19,223, to w h i c h the University's several professional colleges a n d u n d e r g r a d u a t e division in Chicago a d d e d 5,824, b r i n g i n g the total to 25,047. T h e s e figures represented a n increase of 5,000 or 20 per cent in the past five years. L o o k i n g n o t too far ahead, the educa- tional forecasters are p r e d i c t i n g a n en- r o l l m e n t of 25,500 in U r b a n a a n d 7,900 in Chicago by 1963, a g r o w t h of 8,553 or 34 per cent in six years. By 1971, fif- teen years hence, if the u p w a r d curve continues w i t h o u t m a j o r fluctuations, the total e n r o l l m e n t o n the U r b a n a cam- pus alone is expected to reach 30,800. Various factors may reduce these fig- ures somewhat. Proposals for a string of new state-supported j u n i o r colleges, if a p p r o v e d a n d i m p l e m e n t e d , will d r a i n off a sizable percentage of f r e s h m e n a n d sophomores. E x p a n s i o n of o t h e r state colleges, a n d p e r h a p s state subsidies to increase e n r o l l m e n t s in private colleges a n d universities, may relieve the strain o n the University of Illinois. Also, rec- o m m e n d a t i o n s have been m a d e f o r m o r e selective procedures in a d m i t t i n g stu- dents, t h o u g h these have n o t been warm- ly received by citizens w h o feel t h a t every h i g h school g r a d u a t e should be given a chance to show w h e t h e r he is of college caliber. Proceeding on the reasonably safe as- Dr. Downs is Director of the Library and Library School, University of Illi- nois. s u m p t i o n that, like every o t h e r state uni- versity, it must p r e p a r e f o r the i n f l u x of record-breaking n u m b e r s of students in the period immediately ahead, Illinois has in progress a h u g e p r o g r a m of con- struction of dormitories, classroom build- ings, a n d o t h e r facilities. T h e university library system figures p r o m i n e n t l y in this design for the f u t u r e . Fortunately, the central library build- ing at U r b a n a was p l a n n e d w i t h admi- r a b l e f o r e t h o u g h t . A m p l e space was re- served for its f u t u r e growth, a n d n o problems of g r o u n d area will be en- c o u n t e r e d in a d d i n g units. I n the area reserved, immediately a d j a c e n t , it will be feasible to d o u b l e in size the present b u i l d i n g . As a first step in the expansion pro- gram, in the b i e n n i u m 1957-59, it is p l a n n e d to a d d two units, o n e a stack section shelving a half-million volumes, a n d the o t h e r a wing c o n t a i n i n g 34,000 square feet for special r e a d i n g rooms, technical services, a n d faculty studies. Later, c o n t i n g e n t u p o n a p p r o v a l in 1958 of a b o n d issue f o r state-financed build- ings in Illinois, two similar u n i t s will be constructed in the n e x t b u i l d i n g pe- riod. T h e library service load at Illinois is divided between the central library a n d a strong system of d e p a r t m e n t a l libraries. As o p p o r t u n i t y offers, such as in new b u i l d i n g programs, space is a d d e d f o r library functions. A new law b u i l d i n g , dedicated in 1956, provides excellent fa- cilities for the law library. N e w depart- m e n t a l libraries f o r veterinary medicine a n d h o m e economics have been estab- JANUARY 1958 17 lished recently, a n d b u i l d i n g s u n d e r con- s t r u c t i o n or p l a n n e d will m a k e a d e q u a t e provision f o r the biological sciences, ag- r i c u l t u r e , art, architecture, music, edu- cation, a n d commerce. I n Chicago t h e b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m p l a n n e d over the n e x t few years includes a separate b u i l d i n g for t h e medical li- brary. T h i s library, now c o n t a i n i n g 120,- 000 volumes, serves t h e Colleges of Med- icine, Dentistry, P h a r m a c y , a n d N u r s i n g , w i t h 1,689 s t u d e n t s enrolled a n d a staff of 2,500. A p e r m a n e n t h o m e f o r the U n d e r - g r a d u a t e Division in Chicago, now at Navy Pier, is still in t h e p l a n n i n g stage. W h e n a site is chosen, c o n s t r u c t i o n of a new c a m p u s will be started, p r o b a b l y by 1959. M a x i m u m capacity at Navy Pier is 4,500 students, while plans f o r the new h o m e a n t i c i p a t e a n e n r o l l m e n t of 15,000 by 1970. O n e of t h e first build- ings to be erected w h e n the division transfers its base of o p e r a t i o n s will be a library, w i t h seating sufficient f o r one- t h i r d the n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s expected to be enrolled. Present p l a n n i n g f o r the division does n o t e x t e n d beyond the un- d e r g r a d u a t e stage. T h e i m p a c t of large s t u d e n t registra- tions will, of course, affect libraries in o t h e r ways t h a n space r e q u i r e m e n t s , n o t a b l y in the case of book f u n d s a n d staff. Obviously, m o r e copies of m o r e books m u s t be p r o v i d e d to m e e t t h e needs of vastly increased enrollments, unless the universities revert to the sin- gle t e x t b o o k m e t h o d of teaching. Like- wise, a u g m e n t e d l i b r a r y staffs m u s t be r e c r u i t e d to serve the students a n d ex- p a n d e d faculties, t h o u g h w h e r e the li- b r a r i a n s can be f o u n d , unless the library schools succeed in p r o d u c i n g m o r e grad- uates, is now u n c l e a r . P e r h a p s univer- sity libraries will be forced i n t o t h a t s h a r p e r d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n b e t w e e n profes- sional a n d clerical duties w h i c h m a n y of t h e m have been tardy in m a k i n g . A C R L Meetings at Midwinter Board of Directors: T u e s d a y , J a n . 28: 10:00 A.M.; Wed., J a n . 29: 2:00 P.M. College Libraries Section, J u n i o r College L i b r a r i e s Section, T e a c h e r E d u c a t i o n Li- braries Section, University L i b r a r i e s Section: W e d . , J a n . 29: 2:00 P.M. Organizing C o m m i t t e e , Special Libraries Section: Mon., Jan. 27: 2:00 P.M.; T u e s . , J a n . 28: 2:00 P . M . ; Fri., J a n . 31: 10:00 A . M . Advisory C o m m i t t e e on C o o p e r a t i o n w i t h E d u c a t i o n a l a n d Professional Organiza- tions: Wed., J a n . 29: 2:00 P.M. C o m m i t t e e o n Committees: Wed., J a n . 29: 4:30 P.M. C o m m i t t e e o n F o u n d a t i o n G r a n t s : Tues., J a n . 28: 4:30 a n d 8:30 P.M. C o m m i t t e e o n R a r e Books, Manuscripts, a n d Special Collections a n d Special Com- mittee o n Section Status (joint meeting): Tues., J a n . 28: 8:30 P.M. C o m m i t t e e o n Standards: Mon., J a n . 27: 10:00 A.M. a n d 2:00 P.M. P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e : Tues., J a n . 28: 4:30 P.M. Special C o m m i t t e e o n Activities D e v e l o p m e n t : Mon., J a n . 27: 2:00 a n d 8:30 P.M. State Representatives: Wed., J a n . 29: 4:30 P.M. College a n d Research L i b r a r i e s e d i t o r i a l staff: Wed., J a n . 29: 12:00 n o o n A C R L M o n o g r a p h s e d i t o r i a l b o a r d : Tues., J a n . 28: 8:30 P.M. P u r e a n d A p p l i e d Science Section: Wed., J a n . 29: 4:30 P.M. 18 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES