ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries College & Research libraries news No. 4, April 1971 ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries, Vol. 32, No. 2 M assachusetts C e n tra l Book Processing C en ter Effects Savings for S tate-S u p p o rted In stitu tio n s About 550,000 books are being processed and distributed to the twenty-eight state-sup­ ported institutions of higher education in one year by the University of Massachusetts at Am­ herst in a special project for the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. The operation, funded by two special legis­ lative appropriations to the board in 1969 and 1970 and totaling $4.5 million, will improve the collections of all libraries in the public higher education system. Each grant allocated $2 mil­ lion for books and $250,000 for processing. University of Massachusetts’ director of li­ braries, David Clay, estimated that 80,000 more volumes could be provided by the two ap­ propriations if the university library purchased and processed them than if a commercial proc­ esser were used. The library at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst agreed to be the cen­ tral purchasing and processing point for books destined for libraries at all twenty-eight schools. Dr. Edward C. Moore, chancellor of the board, said the board has filed a request for an­ other appropriation for 1971, and hopes that this will become a continuing state project. The twenty-eight state schools still need more than three million volumes to reach minimum stan­ dards set by the American Library Association. On the initial project 22,400 different titles representing 260.000 volumes were selected from Books for College Libraries. The biblio­ graphic data were purchased on magnetic tape from Richard Abel & Co. The second project’s 170,000 selections representing 290,000 vol­ umes were made from the Library of Congress* 1969 and 1970 MARC-II magnetic tapes and from a list of serial backfiles. Through the use of the BCL and MARC tapes and computers, the university library prints out the selection lists, combines the selections from the twenty- eight libraries into one master list, and places the orders. The same data bases are also used to keep up-to-date records of what books the colleges have received from those they have or­ dered, and to produce catalog cards and book labels. Principal designers of the time-saving system were Merle Boylan, university librarian, and James H. Kennedy, an associate director of the University of Massachusetts library, who worked in cooperation with the chief librarians of the other state institutions. Hillis Griffin of Argonne National Laboratories provided some computer programs that printed the selection lists from the MARC-II tapes. The University of Massachusetts library was chosen as the book center because of its com­ puter capabilities as applied to library opera­ tions, according to Patrick McCarthy, deputy chancellor of the Board of Higher Education, who is overseeing the project. The board esti­ College & Research Libraries is published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, 17 times yearly—6 bimonthly journal issues and II monthly, combining July- August, News issues. Subscription, $10.00 a year or, to members of the division, $5.00, included in dues. Circulation and advertising office: American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, III. 60611. Second-class postage paid a t Fulton, Missouri 65251. News editor: Michael Herbison, Casper College, Casper, Wyoming 82601. Editor: Richard M. Dougherty, School o f Library Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210. President, ACRL: Anne C. Edmonds. Executive Secretary, ACRL: J. Donald Thomas, ALA. 90 mates savings in the millions of dollars for the several projects through handling the books centrally. The savings are made through order­ ing and processing many copies of the same book at one time, through use of computers, and through the larger discount realized in large bulk purchasing. Another benefit is that book dealers and pub­ lishers have been much more reliable in filling mass orders than in filling the typical order for one or a few copies of a book at a time. Assembly-line procedures under Kennedy’s direction provide the clockwork operation re­ quired to keep 2,500 volumes arriving daily and another 2,500 being shipped out. Each col­ lege receives at least one box of 30-40 books most days, complete with book cards, pockets, and labels. The cooperative efforts of the Board of Higher Education, the chief librarians, and the University of Massachusetts library have created a uniquely valuable service for public higher education in Massachusetts. ■■ ACRL N O M IN EES 1971/72 (F or other nominees, see CRL News, February 1971.) Subject Specialist Section Vice-chairman (Chairman-elect) Alice Dulany Ball, United States Book Ex­ change, Inc., Washington, D.C. Janet C. Price, Bureau of Library Extension, Department of Education, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, Mass. L aw and Political Science Subsection Vice-chairman (Chairman-elect) Judy H. Fair, The Stanford University Li­ braries, Stanford, Calif. Roy H. Fry, Loyola University, Chicago, 111. Member-at-Large Jennie B. Cross, Oakland University, Rochester, Mich. Michael Shannon, Herbert Lehman College, Bronx, N.Y. Asian and North African Subsection Vice-chairman (Chairman-elect) Adrian Jones, Roosevelt University, Chicago, III. Theodore Welch, Northwestern University, Ev­ anston, 111. Member-at-Large Charles R. Bryant, Yale University, New H a­ ven, Conn. Lee S. Dutton, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, 111. ■ ■ J v A e B a t s A P R E C O N F E R E N C E IN ST IT U T E UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES SE CT IO N “Librarians Confront the New Undergradu­ ate Environment” will be the theme of a two- day institute held on June 18 and 19, 1971, pri­ or to the Annual Conference of the American Library Association in Dallas. The sponsor of the institute is the University Libraries Section of the Association of College and Research Li­ braries. The objectives of the institute are to ( 1 ) con­ sider the evolving character of academic insti­ tutions; (2 ) develop a perspective for under­ standing students and faculty; (3 ) discuss in­ novative programs for undergraduates; and (4) stimulate active undergraduate librarianship. Directed toward university and college librari­ ans, the institute will examine critical issues dealing with the undergraduate environment, including the character of contemporary under­ graduates, new trends in undergraduate pro­ grams, and attitudes of faculty toward change in undergraduate education. Two basic approaches to undergraduate li­ brary service will also be discussed. One ses­ sion will be devoted to service programs which reach out directly to students. A second session will evaluate active service programs designed to serve undergraduates by working through the faculty and the curriculum. Program participants include James Davis, College Librarian, UCLA; Thelma Fredis, As­ sociate Professor, School of Library Service, Atlanta University; James Gibbs, Jr., Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Stanford University; oseph Gusfield, Professor and Chairman, De­ partm ent of Sociology, University of California, San Diego; John Haak, Institute Chairman and Undergraduate Librarian, University of Cali­ fornia, San Diego; Paul Heist, Research Psy­ chologist and Professor of Education, Project for Research in Undergraduate Education, Uni­ ersity of California, Berkeley; Patricia Knapp, ssociate Professor, Department of Library Sci­ nce, Wayne State University; and George onham, Editor-in-Chief, Change Magazine. The institute is limited to 250 persons. For pplication forms and further information write ULS/ACRL Preconference Institute, c/o Execu­ ive Secretary, Association of College and Re­ earch Libraries, 50 East Huron Street, Chi­ cago, Illinois 60611. ■ ■ CRL Membership February 28, 1971 .................................12,796 February 28, 1970 ................................ 14,178 February 28, 1969 ............................. 13,949