College and Research Libraries


Resources of North Carolina Libraries. 
North Carolina. Governor's Commission 
on Library Resources. Ed. by Robert B. 
Downs. Raleigh, 1965. iii, 236. (65-
64746). 

Terry Sanford, the progressive, "educa-
tion" governor of North Carolina from 1960 
through 1964, app~ted a Governor's Com-
mission on Library. ·•Resources in February 
1964. This Commission engaged Robert B. 
Downs and a team of able North Carolina 
librarians to survey all types of libraries in 
the state to make recommendations which 
would enable library planners and govern-
ment officials to meet the state's growing 
and changing library needs. Resources of 
North Carolina Libraries is the result of this 
study. 

The report is important in several re-
spects. It is the first survey ever published 
of library resources of North Carolina. It is 
a comprehensive compendium of statistics 
and facts about North Carolina libraries, 
organized in a useful and understandable 
volume. Dr. Downs has brought together 
a mass of information that can be used 
for evaluating and planning the improve-
ment of all types of libraries in the state. 

One of the most useful aspects of the 
studi may prove to be the comparisons 
of the present status of North Carolina li-
braries to national and regional standards. 
For example, statistics on the important li-
brary criteria are charted for all the state's 
college and university libraries and com-
pared to ACRL standards. Comparisons to 

Book Reviews I 43 

standards are given also for public and 
school libraries. 

The report considers rather extensively 
the regional library concept for the de-
velopment of public library resources. How-
ever, no detailed plan of regional library 
organization is recommended such as those 
in the Pennsylvania and Illinois surveys. 
This omission may be due to insufficient 
study time, as well as to disagreement be-
tween the surveyors and the Commission as 
to basic methods of public library financing; 
the surveyors emphasized state aid, and the 
Commission stressed local support. The 
report recommends further study to deter-
mine the most satisfactory plan for state li-
brary systems. The fifty-five major recom-
mendations in the report emphasize the 
need for increased financial support of all 
types of libraries. 

Unfortunately, the report appeared too 
late in Governor Sanford's administration 
for it to carry much impact on the 1965 
General Assembly. With the change in state 
administrations, the Commission ceased to 
exist. 

It is expected that some of the indi-
viduals on the Commission, library-minded 
citizens, and librarians will implement many 
of the recommendations in the report. Cer-
tainly, the facts contained in the report will 
be useful for a long time to come in plan-
ning for improved library services and as 
arguments for increased library budgets.-
Isaac T. Littleton, North Carolina State Uni-
versity at Raleigh. • • 

Reminder 
QuESTIONNAIRES for the Survey of College and University Libraries, 
1964- 65, which were mailed to participating libraries early in December 
1965, should be completed and returned immediately in order to insure 
early publication of the survey. • •