College and Research Libraries B y W . S T A N L E Y H O O L E Library Cooperation in the North Texas Region A preliminary aspect of the recent study of North Texas library conditions and possibilities is described in this article by a participant. ' " T ^ H E NEED f o r c o o p e r a t i o n a m o n g t h e l i b r a r i e s of N o r t h T e x a s has l o n g been f e l t . H e r e , at the three points of a t h i r t y - o d d - m i l e t r i a n g l e , are the cities of D a l l a s , F o r t W o r t h , and D e n t o n , w i t h a c o m b i n e d u r b a n p o p u l a t i o n of seven h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d . W i t h i n a r a d i u s of f i f t y miles, w h i c h i n c l u d e s D a l l a s , T a r - r a n t , and D e n t o n counties, l i v e m o r e t h a n one m i l l i o n p e o p l e — a p p r o x i m a t e l y one s i x t h the entire p o p u l a t i o n of the S t a t e of T e x a s . W h i l e D a l l a s and F o r t W o r t h are g e n e r a l l y k n o w n as m e t r o - p o l i t a n centers, D e n t o n is perhaps best described as a c o l l e g e t o w n . T h e three cities c o n t a i n seven m a j o r l i b r a r i e s w i t h a combined t o t a l of 8 1 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s , i n c l u d i n g 79,000 bound g o v e r n - m e n t d o c u m e n t s . ( S e e b e l o w . ) N o t u n t i l l a t e in 1 9 4 2 w a s there any c o n c e r t e d e f f o r t t o w a r d c o o p e r a t i o n a m o n g the several l i b r a r i e s . A t t h a t time the presidents of S o u t h e r n M e t h o d i s t U n i - v e r s i t y , T e x a s C h r i s t i a n U n i v e r s i t y , T e x a s S t a t e C o l l e g e f o r W o m e n , and N o r t h T e x a s S t a t e T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e m e t to discuss the possibilities of a j o i n t pro- g r a m of l i b r a r y acquisition and usage. Since the first step c a l l e d f o r an e x a m i n a - tion of the e x i s t i n g c o l l e c t i o n s , they en- g a g e d the w r i t e r to m a k e a p r e l i m i n a r y ' s u r v e y of the h o l d i n g s of the f o u r li- braries. A s soon as this w a s c o m p l e t e d , the presidents i n v i t e d A . F . K u h l m a n , d i r e c t o r of the J o i n t U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r - D a l l a s Volumes G overnment Total Volumes Documents Total Southern M e t h o d i s t University 140,000 20,000 160,000 D a l l a s Public L i b r a r y 146,000 15,000 161,000 F o r t W o r t h T e x a s Christian University 61,500 30,000 91,500 Southwestern Baptist T h e o l o g i c a l Seminary 27,500 27,500 F o r t W o r t h Public L i b r a r y 137.500 9,000 146,500 D e n t o n T e x a s State C o l l e g e f o r W o m e n 82,000 3,5oo 85,500 N o r t h T e x a s State T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e 136,500 1,500 138,000 Totals 731,000 79,500' 810,000 1 Bound government documents are of course " v o l u m e s " but, inasmuch as they were excluded from the North Texas Regional Union List of Serials, it s e e m s a p p r o p r i a t e to e n t e r t h e m s e p a r a t e l y h e r e . SEPTEMBER., 1944 327 ies, N a s h v i l l e , T e n n . , to v i s i t the area, m a k e a detailed s u r v e y of the w h o l e li- b r a r y s i t u a t i o n , a n d present in a f i n a l r e p o r t the possibilities of c o o p e r a t i o n . D r . K u h l m a n ' s s t u d y , w h i c h w a s c o m - p l e t e d e a r l y in 1 9 4 3 , r e v e a l e d , a m o n g m a n y o t h e r d a t a , the d e s i r a b i l i t y of in- c l u d i n g in the r e g i o n a l p r o j e c t three li- braries w h i c h h a d n o t been c o v e r e d in the p r e l i m i n a r y s u r v e y — t h e p u b l i c li- braries of D a l l a s and F o r t W o r t h and the l i b r a r y of S o u t h w e s t e r n B a p t i s t T h e o - l o g i c a l S e m i n a r y . T h e s e institutions, the s u r v e y p r o v e d , h o l d c o l l e c t i o n s w h i c h s t r o n g l y s u p p l e m e n t those of the f o u r colleges. O n A p r i l 1 6 a m e e t i n g of a d m i n i s t r a - tors, l i b r a r i a n s , trustees, and f a c u l t y m e m b e r s of the seven i n s t i t u t i o n s w a s held in F o r t W o r t h and a t e m p o r a r y o r g a n i z a - tion, N o r t h T e x a s R e g i o n a l L i b r a r i e s , w a s f o r m e d . T h e c o n f e r e e s a g r e e d t h a t the most u r g e n t need f o r c o o p e r a t i o n a m o n g the s e v e r a l l i b r a r i e s w o u l d be f i l l e d by the c o m p i l a t i o n of a m a s t e r u n i o n c a t a l o g of serial h o l d i n g s , i n c l u d i n g n e w s p a p e r s . F r o m this c a t a l o g m i m e o g r a p h e d lists c o u l d be m a d e a n d d i s t r i b u t e d to the par- t i c i p a t i n g l i b r a r i e s , to f a c u l t y m e m b e r s , and t o o t h e r interested p a t r o n s . T h e c a t a l o g c o u l d be p e r p e t u a t e d , it w a s de- cided, by w e e k l y or f o r t n i g h t l y " r e t u r n s . " F u r t h e r m o r e , if so desired, each l i b r a r y ' s list c o u l d be m a i n t a i n e d by a c o m m o n i n t e r c h a n g e of f u t u r e serial acquisitions. U n a n i m o u s l y , the p r e p a r a t i o n of the N o r t h T e x a s R e g i o n a l M a s t e r C a t a l o g of S e r i a l s a n d the subsequent p u b l i s h i n g in m i m e o g r a p h e d f o r m of the North Texas Regional Union List of Serials w e r e a u t h o r i z e d . N o r t h T e x a s S t a t e T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e w a s selected as the most s u i t a b l e place f o r T A B L E I T i t l e s in the Region2 1 2 3 4 5 Complete In- Complete T o t a l T i t l e s H e l d by C l o s e d complete and C u r r e n t C o l u m n s Received Files Files Files 1-3 C u r r e n t l y 7 libraries 11 11 44 6 libraries 5 i 33 54 58 5 libraries 3 113 7 123 7 0 4 libraries 7 2 2 2 19 2 4 8 I 3 i 3 libraries 14 4 1 8 4 6 478 181 2 libraries 6 8 773 9 2 933 2 9 5 1 library 385 2 4 0 6 395 3 1 8 6 834 T o t a l s 6 0 6 * 7 0 4 2 * 8 4 6 * 8494* 3 2 1 7 * * Obtained by multiplying the figures in each separate bracket by the number of institutions opposite and totaling. 2 Using the above underlined figures for examples, column i indicates that complete files of 3 different serials (which are no longer published) are held by five libraries; column 2, that incomplete files of 11 serials (which may or may not be current) are held by seven libraries; column 3, that complete files of 3 serials are held and are being currently received by six libraries; and column 5, that 4 serials (the back files of which may or may not be complete) are being currently received by all the libraries. 3 The three complete and current titles held by six libraries are Atlantic Monthly, Southwestern Historical Quarterly, a n d Survey Midmonthly. . 4 The four titles received currently by all seven libraries are Etude, National Geographic, Time, and, Wilson Library Bulletin. v 328 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES T A B L E I I T i t l e s in the Separate L i b r a r i e s i 2 3 4 5 Complete In- Complete T o t a l T i t l e s H e l d by C l o s e d complete and C u r r e n t C o l u m n s Received Files Files Files 1-3 C u r r e n t l y T . S . C . W . 6 2 1 2 4 2 77 1 3 8 1 5 8 8 D a l l a s Public 56 6 6 1 87 8 0 4 2 6 7 S . M . U . 191 1 4 6 6 344 2 0 0 1 8 3 8 N . T . S . T . C . 2 4 6 1758 2 2 5 2 2 2 9 8 0 7 F t . W o r t h Public 11 5 1 6 4 0 567 354 T . C . U . 32 1 2 8 0 6 4 1376 307 S . B . T . S . 8 1 1 9 9 136 56 T o t a l s 6 0 6 7 0 4 2 8 4 6 8494* 3217 * This figure is the total of all titles held in the region, including duplication of both complete and incom- plete files. the c a t a l o g , and the staff of t h a t l i b r a r y , u n d e r the d i r e c t i o n of the w r i t e r , w a s asked to assume the responsibility of com- p i l i n g and e d i t i n g the c a t a l o g and of m i m e o g r a p h i n g the List. O n N o v e m b e r 1 5 , a f t e r seven m o n t h s of w o r k ( w h i c h w a s done, it m u s t be a d d e d , as a l a b o r of l o v e and in a d d i t i o n to r e g u l a r d u t i e s ) , the North Texas Re- gional Union List of Serials w a s issued.5 T h i s is a 5 5 0 - p a g e v o l u m e , w i t h a p r e f a c e by K u h l m a n . I t w i l l be r e f e r r e d to in this a r t i c l e as NTRULS. A n analysis of the NTRULS, w h i c h c o n t a i n s 4 5 2 6 u n i q u e titles ( e x c l u s i v e of 2 6 0 T e x a s B a p t i s t a n n u a l s ) , presents some i n t e r e s t i n g and s i g n i f i c a n t f a c t s . T a b l e I s u m m a r i z e s the h o l d i n g s in t e r m s of the r e g i o n . T a b l e I I s h o w s s u m m a r i e s of h o l d i n g s by separate institutions. D o u b t l e s s the m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t f i g u r e s in the t w o tables are those in c o l u m n s 2 and 4 . T h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be so m a n y i n c o m p l e t e serial files in the seven li- braries is s t a r t l i n g — y e t n o t so s t a r t l i n g , 5 I n g e n e r a l t h e List i s m o d e l e d a f t e r W i n i f r e d G r e g o r y . Union List of Serials in the Libraries of the United States and Canada. N e w Y o r k C i t y , 1 9 4 3 - perhaps, w h e n one considers that, c o m - p a r a t i v e l y speaking, the r e g i o n is y o u n g and the libraries n e w , the a v e r a g e a g e of the seven b e i n g o n l y f o r t y - o n e years. 6 C o l u m n 4 is m o r e r e v e a l i n g . W h e r e a s the List c o n t a i n s o n l y 4 5 2 6 d i f f e r e n t titles ( a g a i n , e x c l u s i v e of the 2 6 0 T e x a s B a p - tist a n n u a l s ) , there are a c t u a l l y 8 4 9 4 files in the r e g i o n — a d u p l i c a t i o n of 8 7 . 7 per cent. H e r e a g a i n one m i g h t say t h a t the region is- y o u n g , prosperous, a n d r a p i d l y d e v e l o p i n g , and the several i n s t i t u t i o n s w e l l to do. B u t one m a y also i m a g i n e the scope the NTRULS w o u l d h a v e c o v e r e d h a d a c o o p e r a t i v e requisitional p l a n been p u t into e f f e c t t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s a g o ! T h e NTRULS w a s in a m e a s u r e a t r i a l p r o j e c t . E s p e c i a l l y is this t r u e w h e n one takes i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n the f a c t s t h a t the libraries i n c l u d e d are of a t least three d i f f e r e n t types a n d are c o n s i d e r a b l y set a p a r t f r o m each o t h e r and t h a t t h r e e of the i n s t i t u t i o n s are c h u r c h c o n t r o l l e d , t w o state c o n t r o l l e d , and t w o m u n i c i p a l l y con- t r o l l e d . 6 S M . U . was chartered in 1 9 1 1 ; T . S . C . W . , 1901; N . T . S . T . C . , 1890; S . B . T . S . , 1908; and T . C . U . , 1869, although that library was destroyed by fire in 1910. The Dallas and Fort Worth public libraries were begun in 1900 and 1901, respectively. SEPTEMBER., 1944 329 I t is hoped t h a t the success of this in- itial v e n t u r e w i l l e n c o u r a g e f u r t h e r co- o r d i n a t i o n in the serial field a n d even- t u a l l y l e a d to a c o o p e r a t i v e u n i o n c a t a l o g of a l l h o l d i n g s . F o r the time being, h o w - ever, the l i b r a r i a n s r e a l i z e t h e r e is y e t m u c h to be done w i t h serials. W o r k m a y n o w begin on a l l o c a t i n g b r o k e n files to those l i b r a r i e s t h a t need t h e m m o s t ; d r a w - i n g p r o p e r lines of d e m a r c a t i o n f o r f u t u r e p u r c h a s i n g ; e l i m i n a t i n g unnecessary du- p l i c a t i o n s of both subscription a n d bind- i n g ; b u i l d i n g up a d e q u a t e c o l l e c t i o n s of titles w h i c h are not n o w a v a i l a b l e in the r e g i o n ; and of g e n e r a l l y p e r f e c t i n g plans f o r s m o o t h l y c o o r d i n a t e d systems of acquisitions i n t e r c h a n g e and i n t e r l i b r a r y loans. Local W a r History Materials (Continued from page 300) o f t e n w e r e c o l l e c t e d o n l y t o be stored h a p h a z a r d l y in c a r t o n s . B u t if a c o l l e g e l i b r a r y is so u n d e r s t a f f e d t h a t it can d o n o t h i n g e x c e p t store its w a r m a t e r i a l s at present,- it w o u l d be advisable, n e v e r t h e - less, to c o n t i n u e c o l l e c t i n g t h e m , h o p i n g that they m a y be processed a f t e r the w a r . T h e i m p o r t a n c e of c o n t i n u i n g the task in the p o s t w a r period s h o u l d be empha- s i z e d . A v e r y real d a n g e r is t h a t a f t e r t h e w a r there w i l l be a s u d d e n l e t d o w n . T h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of the w h o l e w a r ma- c h i n e r y a f t e r the armistice in W o r l d W a r I has been c o m p a r e d to the dispersion of a c r o w d a f t e r a f o o t b a l l g a m e . T h e ex- c i t e m e n t is o v e r and e v e r y o n e is e a g e r to g e t h o m e . Y e t it is o n l y a f t e r the w a r t h a t m a n y of the m o s t i m p o r t a n t r e c o r d s c a n be o b t a i n e d , such as w a r diaries, let- ters, and files of w a r t i m e service o r g a n i - z a t i o n s . O n e should r e m e m b e r , too, t h a t it is a l o n g - r a n g e p r o g r a m , " T h e collec- tion of research m a t e r i a l s is a c o n t i n u o u s task. . . . W e s h o u l d a v o i d the n a r r o w v i e w p o i n t t h a t g e n e r a l l y p r e v a i l e d . . . ( d u r i n g W o r l d W a r I ) of dissociating m a t e r i a l s of the w a r y e a r s f r o m those b e f o r e or a f t e r w a r d . " 2 1 21 Cappon, Lester J. " A Plan for the Collection and Preservation of World W a r I I Records." Social Science Research Council, October 1942. 9p. v 330 COLL T h e d a y - a f t e r - d a y a s s e m b l i n g of w a r history m a t e r i a l s o f t e n m a y seem u n i m - p o r t a n t and b u r d e n s o m e to the s m a l l col- l e g e l i b r a r y , " b o u n d to be hit h a r d e r t h a n a n y o t h e r l i b r a r y by this w a r and its a f t e r m a t h . " 2 2 B u t the e v e n t s w h i c h are recorded in these m a t e r i a l s a r e n o t u n i m - p o r t a n t . C e r t a i n l y no m o r e a c t i v e or in- t e r e s t i n g l o c a l h i s t o r y period is l i k e l y to o c c u r f o r m a n y g e n e r a t i o n s . H i s t o r i a n s of the f u t u r e w i l l d r a w h e a v i l y on l o c a l w a r h i s t o r y collections, p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r the h u m a n and personal side of the con- flict. 22 Hirsch, Felix E. "Smaller College Libraries and t h e W a r . " Library Journal 6 8 : 1 9 2 , M a r . 1 , 1 9 4 3 - References The following additional references, not included in the footnotes, have been found helpful: Beeson, Lewis. "Collecting War Records." Chronicles of Oklahoma 2 0 : 1 7 4 - 7 6 , J u n e 1942. Blegen, Theodore C. " T h e Problem of Local His- t o r y . " Archives and Libraries, 1939, p. 34-41. ( A good background article.) Erikson. Stanley. " T h e W a r Records Program of t h e I l l i n o i s W a r C o u n c i l . " Illinois Libraries 2 5 : 307-11, October 1943. Iowa State Historical Society. "Collection and Preservation of the Materials of W a r History." Its Bulletin of Information Series No. 8, 2d rev. ed., Iowa City, 1919. iop. (Originally published during World W a r I but still one of the best general state- ments.) Overman, William D. " T h e Ohio W a r History Commission." American Archivist 6:28-33, January 1943. S'Hth. G. Hubert. " T h e Local Historical Society in Wartime." Minnesota History 23:16-19, March 1942. Stevens. Sylvester K . "Local History and Win- n i n g t h e W a r . " Bulletins of the American Associa- tion for State and Local History 1 : 2 7 - s o , J a n u a r y 194*. EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES