College and Research Libraries THEODORE SAMORE The Library Services Branch and Its Services to Libraries USOE's Library Services Branch administers the Library Services and C or:tstruction Act, although not the Higher Education F qcilities Act, and sponsors investigation, collects statistics, and renders advisory services of use to libraries. Recent examples of each of these activities are cited, and the provisions of the Higher Education Facilities Act as it pertains to libraries are explained in detail. THE LmRARY SERVICES BRANCH of the Office of Education is responsible for ( 1) administering the Library Services and Construction Act, which applies to public libraries, and ( 2) study, research, statistical, and advisory services on all types of libraries. The staff of the Library Services Branch represents all fields of librarian- ship. There are specialists for public li- braries, school libraries, special libraries, college and university libraries, and li- brary education. Among the several Branch services is the identification of major problems and trends in American librarianship. Exam- ples ~ould include ( 1) the administra- tion and organization of libraries; ( 2) the resources, services, and expenditures of libraries; ( 3) the education, certifi- cation, and economic status of library personnel; and ( 4) the social and eco- nomic issues which directly affect librar- ies-such as the antipoverty program. The Library Services Branch also studies and disseminates information re- Mr. Sarrwre is College and University Library Specialist, Library Services Branch, U.S. Office of Education. 40 I garding the physical plant and equip- ment of all types of libraries, and bibli- ographies in special fields. One of the most recent instances is Nathan Cohen's Library Science Dissertations, 1925-60. The library education specialist is re- sponsible for collecting and making available nationwide information on pro- fessional and semiprofessional programs of education for librarianship. The latest report in this field is the Library Educa- tion Directory, 1962-63, which lists li- brary science programs offered through- out the country. One of the principal responsibilities of the college and university library spe- cialist is the collection, analysis, and preparation for publication and distri- bution of basic statistical data on aca- demic libraries. The most recent survey, covering 1962/63, was published in Jan- uary 1964.1 This survey gives basic data on col- lections, personnel, and expenditures of each of 1,463 college and university li- braries, grouped by state. It includes li- 1 Libr ary Statistics of Colleges and Univer sities, 1962-6 3, Insti tutional Data (U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Office of Education , OE- 150 23-63). The Library Services Branch I 41 brary expenditure per student and the ratio of library expenditures to total in- stitutional expenditures for educational and general purposes, as well as provid- ing high and low salaries of specified full-time staff in almost one thousand institutions as of September 1. Copies of this report are available without charge. It is sent automatically from the Office of Education to the head librarians of all academic institutions. A supplement to the January report was compiled by the college and univer- sity library specialist and published by the American Library Association; a copy sells for 75¢. 2 This publication con- tains management data of 419 libraries, or 20 per cent of the total number of academic libraries, i.e. those which re- turned their completed questionnaires after the deadline of September 30. With the original publication and this supple- ment, administrators and librarians now have management data for 90 per cent of all college and university libraries. Approximately 70 per cent of libraries reporting gave permission to release in- formation on salary data. The analytical report of the same data, which will be published in early 1965, will group the information by ( 1) type of institution and control and by ( 2) size of enrollment and control. Each cate- gory of data is analyzed to show the lowest, lOth percentile, median, mean, 90th percentile, and highest figures. Spe- cial emphasis is placed on relating the analytical findings in three critical areas -collections, professional staff, and in- stitutional support-since these can be measured against appropriate ALA standards for academic libraries. In August 1964, the Branch once more sent out questionnaires. As was the case last year, most state library agencies co- 2 Supplement to Library Statistics of Colleges and Univ ersities, 1962-63, Institutixmal Data of 419 Li- braries, comp. by the Library Services Branch, U.S. Office of Education (Chicago: Library Administra- tion Div., ALA, 1964). operated in distributing and collecting the questionnaires. This cooperation is the key part of a national data flow scheme which aims to avoid duplication in the collection of data, share the data that are collected, fill any gaps in the compilation of data, collect comparable and uniform data, and-last-expedite the entire process. The results of such cooperation have been a greater quantity and better quality of returns. Many library associations are also as- sisting with these statistical studies. The Association of College and Research Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, the College and University Li- brary Statistics Committee of LAD-ALA, the Catholic Library Association, the American Theological Library Associa- tion, and the American Association of Junior Colleges assisted in various phases of last year's survey. They have also par- ticipated in the planning for this year. All of these data are designed for the use of all institutions furnishing informa- tion. This statistical information is useful in a variety of ways: 1. It furnishes factual bases for compar- ing library resources and services with ALA Standards. 2. It furnishes information which assists in budget planning and self-studies. 3. It provides guidelines to accrediting associations and academic library consultants. 4. It yields an accurate picture of aca- demic library progress and develop- ment. 5. It provides a reliable source of salary information for various levels of li- brary positions. The Branch offers consultant service on college and university libraries which is available on request as time and travel funds permit. Every effort is made to identify au- thoritative sources of information to meet the requests of inquirers, and, 42 I College & Research Libraries • January, 1965 whenever possible, to provide them with answers or to refer them directly to these sources and agencies. Statistical infor- mation can be supplied directly by the Branch either in IBM punched-card form or as a printout. There is no charge for this service. Here are a few examples: Warren Haas of Columbia University will com- pare the resources and services of Negro college libraries with all other college libraries on the basis of data furnished by the Branch. The Reverend Charles Banet published in Catholic Library World a detailed article on library sta- tistics of Catholic colleges and univer- sities, and James T. NlcDonough of St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia, is pre- paring a comparative study on the li- braries in liberal arts colleges based on information secured from the Branch. None of these services would be avail- able without the cooperation of every college and university. Every year each institution provides the data on statistical questionnaires. The Branch, in return, endeavors to make tabulated data quick- ly and easily accessible to all institutions. The Branch has had many questions about the Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963, which includes provision for the construction of libraries. The act will be administered by the Bureau of Higher Education Facilities of the United States Office of Education, not by the Library Services Branch. TITLE I 1. This title establishes a five-year pro- gram of grants to institutions of higher education for the construction of aca- demic facilities. The appropriation au- thorization for each of the first three fiscal years, commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1964, is specified in the statute as two hundred thirty million dollars. 2. The appropriation for any fiscal year is divided into two parts for allotment among the states (including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) : a. Twenty-two per cent of the appro- priation is allotted on the basis of a state's relative per capita income and number of high school graduates. A state's allotment from this fund can be used only for public community colleges and public technical insti- tutes. b. The remaining 78 per cent of the ap- propriation is allotted as follows: one half on the basis of the relative num- ber of students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in the state and one half on the basis of the relative number of students enrolled in institutions of higher education in such state. The allotment from this fund is available for grants to institutions of higher ed- ucation, public and private, in the state (other than public community colleges and public technical insti- tutes). 3. Institutions of higher education other than public community colleges and public technical institutes are eli- gible for construction grants only if the construction is limited to structures (or portions thereof) especially designed for instruction or research in the natural or physical sciences, mathematics, or mod- ern foreign languages, engineering, or for use as a library; and all institutions of higher education (including public community colleges and public technical institutes) are eligible for a grant for construction only if the particular con- struction will, either alone or together with other construction to be undertaken within reasonable time, result in an urgently needed substantial expansion of the institution's student enrollment capacity, or in the case of a new institu- tion of higher education, result in creat- ing urgently needed enrollment capacity. 4. A state desiring to participate in The Library Services Branch I 43 the grant program under this title must designate, as the .. state commission," an existing state agency which is · broadly representative of the public and of in- stitutions of higher education ( includ- ing junior colleges and technical insti- tutes) in that state, or if no such state agency exists, establish such a state agency, and submit to the Office of Edu- cation through such commission a state plan for participation under title I. 5. Among the provisions required in a state plan is the setting forth of ob- jective standards and methods, con- sistent with basic criteria prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, for de- termining (a) relative priorities of eli- gible projects for the construction of academic facilities submitted by insti- tutions of higher education in the state and (b) the federal share of the cost of each such project (other than a project for a public community college or public technical institute). 6. While the federal share of a project for an institution of higher education, other than a public community college or a public technical institute, may vary up to a maximum of one-third of the cost, the federal share of a project for ~ublic community college or a public technical institute is fixed by the law at 40 per cent. TITLE II 1. This title establishes a five-year program of construction grants (cover- ing up to 33J~ per cent of the costs) to assist public and private institutions of higher education to improve existing graduate schools and cooperative gradu- ate centers and to assist in the establish- ment of graduate schools and coopera- tive graduate centers of excellence. Ap- propriation authorizations for the first three years are specified in the statute; i.e., twenty-five million dollars for fiscal year 1964 and sixty million dollars for each of the next two succeeding fiscal years. 2. In approving applications the Com- missioner is required to consider the ex- tent to which a particular project will contribute to achieving the objective of this title-which is to increase the sup- ply of highly qualified personnel urgent- ly needed by the community, industry, government research, and teaching-and also the extent to which the grant will aid in attaining a wider geographical distribution of graduate schools and co- operative graduate centers. 3. This title also establishes in the Office of Education an advisory com- mittee on graduate education to advise the Commissioner on the administration of the program, including the action to be taken on applications for grants under this title. TITLE III 1. This title authorizes a five-year program of loans for the construction of academic facilities · at institutions of higher education. The appropriation authorized for each of the first three fiscal years commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1964, is specified in the act as one hundred twenty million dollars. 2. The loans will bear an interest rate, determined by the Commissioner, which cannot be less than one-quarter of 1 per cent above the average annual interest rate on all federal obligations. The max- imum period for repayment of a loan is fifty years. 3. An institution applying for a loan will have to show that not less than one- fourth of the development cost of the project will be financed from non-federal sources and that it cannot borrow from other sources on equally favorable terms. ExCLUSIONS The following are not considered academic facilities for which grants or loans for construction may be made uf!.: der the act: 44 I College & Research Libraries • January~ 1965 1. Any f~wility intended primarily for events for which admission is charged to the public. 2. Any gymnasium or other facility specially designed for athletic or rec- reational activities, other than a course in physical education. . 3. Any facility used or to be used for sectarian instruction or religious worship . 4. Any facility used or to be used pri- marily for any part of the program of a school or department of divinity. 5. Any facility used or to be used b y a school of medicine, dentistry, osteop- athy, pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, nursing, or public health. · Appropriations to implement the Act for fiscal year 1965 have been requested by the Administration. In April 1964 the House approved the following amounts: Title I Title II Title III $230,000, ()()() 60,000, ()()() 169,250,000 This is just a beginning. In his speech before the First General Session of the American Library Association confer- ence in St. Louis, Mr. Keppel remarked that: .. The Higher Education Facilities Act, with its help to academic library construction, comes none too soon . . . but the unfinished job-the hardest job- still remains. It is to build adequate col- lections of books and other materials needed by college students and faculty for their study and research. This is both an immediate and a long term, con- tinuing task. A library without books, of course, is about as useful to learning as an empty warehouse." • • AUTOMATED OPERATIONS IN A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ( Co n t inued from p a ge 29 ) and dealers' prices and discounts, and it , can compare the time required by var- ious dealers to fill orders. It can com- pare the items on an invoice with the acquisitions and serials units' receipt records stored in the computer catalog to determine whether or not the items on the invoice have been received. Sup- ply inventory control with automatic ordering is an. obvious routine for such a system, as is equipment inventory con- trol. LIBRARY OFFICE RouTINES Among the uses for computers in li- brary office routines that readily come to mind is a KWIC index of library corre- spondence, minutes of meetings, library reports, memoranda, and other papers that might inform the left hand about the doings of the other hands. Needless to point out would be the value of lists of personnel and their as- signments, telephone numbers, etc., up- dated whenever changes occur. There is also no reason why the li- brary's important correspondence, min- utes, reports, etc. , could not be stored in microfmm and tied into the technical reports retrieval system previously de- scribed, with or without the KWIC in- dex. If the library is responsible for its own personnel records, there could be many possibilities for further useful data col- lection and evaluation. Beyond the usual personnel data maintained by any or- ganization, information can be listed as to special training or talents, foreign languages studied, travel experiences, hobbies or any other data that may be useful to reference librarians looking for answers to questions. There are, of course; other ways in which automation can be of service to librarians and their patrons. Each li- brarian, as he becomes familiar with the advantages and limitations of computers and as he learns the theories and tech- niques of data processing, will find his own uses for this new medium. • •