College and Research Libraries


Roman. Saint-Paul, France, no.i, J a n u a r y 1951. Bi-
monthly. F r . x 200. 

Securities in Motion. Data Digests, 74 Broad St., 
New York 4. v . i , n o . i , April 1951. Monthly. 
$8.50. 

The Shakespeare Newsletter. 749 Franklin D. Roose-
velt Drive, New York 9. v . i , n o . i , March 1951. 
Monthly (September-June). $1.00. 

Ships & Sailing. Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1027 
North 7th St., Milwaukee 3. v . i , n o . i , J u n e 1951. 
Monthly. $5.00. 

Sicilia America Illustrazione. V i a M a q u e d a 2 5 6 , P a -
lermo. v.i, n o . i . J a n u a r y 1951. Monthly. 
Lio.ooo. 

Lo Spettacolo. Via Valadier 37, Roma, v . i , no.i, 
J a n u a r y / M a r c h 1951. Frequency not given. $5.00. 

Swiss Review of World Affairs. U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o 
Press, 5750 Ellis Ave., Chicago 37. v . i , no.i, Jan-
uary 1951. Monthly. $7.00. 

Terre Humaine. 43 Rue de Liege, P a r i s 8. n o . i , 
J a n u a r y 1951. Monthly. F r . 1600. 

Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S. 
Annals, v . i , n o . i , W i n t e r 1951. Semiannual. $1.00 
per issue. 

World Liberalism. Liberal International, 39 St. James 
Place, London, S . W . 1. v . i , no.i, Spring 1951. 
Frequency not given. Membership 15s. 

By M . A L L Y N F O X 

Friends of the Library Groups 
in Colleges and Universities 

Mr. Fox is executive assistant, Brooklyn 
College Library. 

TH I S ARTICLE summarizes a survey of F r i e n d s of the L i b r a r y G r o u p s in col-
leges and universities. T h e survey w a s p a r t 
of an investigation which may result in a 
revised edition of previous A L A publica-
tions on F r i e n d s G r o u p s . T h e m a n u s c r i p t 
is n o w in the hands of the C o m m i t t e e on 
F r i e n d s of Libraries. 

A questionnaire was sent to the 102 
groups k n o w n to exist in 1949. O f 69 
respondents, 37 had groups actively f u n c -
tioning, while 32 did not. 

T h e reasons given most o f t e n are to pro-
mote interest and support and to acquire 
materials beyond the reach of o r d i n a r y 
budgets. 

T h e most popular f o r m of name is 
F r i e n d s of the . . . L i b r a r y . O t h e r s are 
L i b r a r y Associates, L i b r a r y G u i l d , Associa-
tion of the F r i e n d s of . . . L i b r a r y , Asso-
ciation of P a t r o n s and F r i e n d s of . . . 
L i b r a r y and Society f o r the Libraries. 

T h e outline which follows provides an 
idea of the variety of officers in 30 groups. 
T i t l e s w e r e f u r n i s h e d by the respondents. 

Personal contacts and direct mail are 
used equally to secure new members. P e r -
sonal solicitation, suggestions by present 
members and w o r d - o f - m o u t h advertising are 
included in the f o r m e r category. D i r e c t 
mail consists of letters, invitations to events 
and various types of brochures. 

T h e n u m b e r of members ranges f r o m 
about 25 to 399. A l l sorts of occupations 
are represented. A third of the groups ac-
cept students for membership. M o r e t h a n 
half of the groups do not accept business 
firms as members, but do accept clubs and 
societies. 

A b o u t half of the groups are dissatisfied 
w i t h their r a t e of g r o w t h , stating t h a t too 
little time is available f o r promotional 
purposes. 

T h e prime mover behind the organiza-
tion of the groups is the librarian. F a c u l t y , 
alumni and administrative officers are next 
in importance as organizers. Of 32 groups 
r e p o r t i n g on this question, 24 replied that 
the librarian was an officer of their groups. 

T h e librarian plans and a r r a n g e s meet-
ings, solicits and acknowledges gifts, solicits 
members and keeps records.. 

Slightly more than one half of the groups 

OCTOBER, 1951 
32 7 



Organization of Friends Groups 

Average 
Number 
Holding 

Office 
Titles as Provided by Respondents 

Principal Officers 1 President; Chairman; Honorary chairman 

Other Principal Officers 2 Vice president; Vice chairman; Student vice president 

Financial and Secretarial 
Officers 

2 Treasurer; Business manager; Secretary-treasurer; Cor-
responding-Editorial secretary; Executive secretary; Re-
cording secretary; Honorary secretary 

Managing Bodies 20 Council members; Council; Advisory council; Members of 
board; Executive board; Board of directors; Committee of 
sponsors; Executive committee; Counsellors; Directors; 
Trustees; Honorary trustees 

raise m o n e y by m e a n s of dues. C o n t r i b u -
tions a n d g i f t s a r e o t h e r m e a n s of f u n d -
raising. 

O f 3 4 r e s p o n d e n t s , 2 6 claim t h a t con-
t r i b u t i o n s a r e d e d u c t i b l e f o r income t a x p u r -
poses, w h i l e e i g h t do n o t k n o w . T h i s 
s h o u l d be i n v e s t i g a t e d so t h a t it m a y be 
m e n t i o n e d in g r o u p p u b l i c a t i o n s . 

Office space, e q u i p m e n t , supplies a n d la-
bor a r e p r o v i d e d by colleges and universities. 
O n l y one r e s p o n d e n t r e p o r t e d t h a t no help 
w h a t e v e r w a s t e n d e r e d . 

T h e o r d e r of business a t o r g a n i z a t i o n a l 
m e e t i n g s includes discussion of t h e need f o r 
F r i e n d s G r o u p s , c o n s i d e r a t i o n of aims, t h e 
role of g r o u p s at o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s , election 
of officers a n d t h e d r a f t i n g of c o n s t i t u t i o n s 
and by-laws. 

M o s t g r o u p s hold m e e t i n g s r e g u l a r l y once 
or twice a year. U p to 4 9 people h a v e a t -
t e n d e d these m e e t i n g s . 

Business a n d social m e e t i n g s , a n n u a l din-

ners, solicitation of l i b r a r y m a t e r i a l s , m e m -
bership drives, l e c t u r e series a n d s t u d e n t 
contests comprise g r o u p activities. 

P u b l i c a t i o n s a n d direct m a i l a r e used 
almost e q u a l l y . P u b l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d e those 
issued by t h e g r o u p s themselves, m a t e r i a l 
issued by libraries, college a n d a l u m n i pub-
lications, a n d local n e w s p a p e r s . L e t t e r s , 
postal c a r d s , c i r c u l a r s a n d i n v i t a t i o n s a r e 
t h e d i r e c t m a i l used. 

I n o r d e r of i m p o r t a n c e m e m b e r s d o n a t e 
m o n e y , i n t e r e s t o t h e r s , give l i b r a r y m a t e r i -
als, act as hosts a n d advise on p u r c h a s e s . 

Benefits d e r i v e d f r o m m e m b e r s h i p , in o r -
d e r of i m p o r t a n c e , a r e : S a t i s f a c t i o n in a i d i n g 
a w o r t h y cause, f r e e use of the l i b r a r y , 
b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r people of s i m i l a r i n t e r -
ests, a n d h e l p i n g u n i t e t h e college a n d t h e 
c o m m u n i t y . 

O f 3 4 r e s p o n d e n t s , 17 issue some s o r t of 
p u b l i c a t i o n . T h i s v a r i e s in size f r o m a 
single sheet to a 39-page m a g a z i n e . 

American Librarians W o r k on Standards 
American librarians are taking an active p a r t in international w o r k on documentation. 

U p o n recommendation of its committee on library w o r k and documentation, the American 
S t a n d a r d s Association has informed the I n t e r n a t i o n a l O r g a n i z a t i o n f o r Standardization ( I S O ) 
t h a t American librarians will participate in the w o r k of technical committee I S O 46 on D o c u -
mentation. A meeting w a s held in Rome, Italy, in September. T h e ASA is the United States 
member of the I S O . 

354 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES