ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


246

From Inside the DLP
By Dr. Katharine M. Stokes

College and University Library Specialist
Training and Resources Branch, Division of L i
brary Programs, Bureau of Libraries and E d
ucational Technology, U.S. Office of Education
Washington, D.C. 20202.

After agonizing adding, subtracting, com
paring, and re-examining on the part of the
DLP personnel, the Title II-A (H E A ) college
library resources grants for FY 71 were finally
recommended for BLET officials’ consideration
The carefully planned criteria, aimed at dis
covering the neediest institutions in terms o
inadequate library collections and a large
number of students from economically deprived
backgrounds, turned up many worthy appli
cants who were unable to be funded within
the part of the appropriation which was re
leased, $9,900,000. Ironically, 2,165 applications
were received for basic grants of up to $5,000
totalling $9,999,717.

The attached supplemental grant request
added up to $18,481,637. They came from
institutions that could score only as little a
one point, or even none, because they had li
braries of a size approaching or exceeding the
minimum size recommended in the ALA
Standards and had few disadvantaged student
enrolled. The fact that the librarians of th
institutions submitted applications can onl
indicate that they did not realize how fortu
nate they are, comparatively! Many of them ar
suffering from cuts in their book budgets and
will feel th a t their good performance in the
past is now working against them in depriving
them of federal support when they find thei
state and private support decreasing.

For Special Purpose Type A grants ther
were over 500 applications. The funds would
stretch only to fund 75, most of them for much
less than the amount requested, which totalled
$11,057,037, while there was only $650,850
to award.

The Special Purpose Type B awards wer
cut down drastically from the $846,234 re
quested by some 50 applicants to the $201,000
available. Small amounts were given to 2
institutions in the hope th at a little mone
might give them a start on their projects.

Some 60 Special Purpose Type C applicant
requested $17,290,999. Only 14 of them coul
be funded out of the $755,000 earmarked. Th
academic members of the consortiums re
ceiving awards number 220, though some o
them, such as the 3R’s Councils in New Yor
State, include many nonacademic member

who may also benefit indirectly from the 
grants.

, Only 532 institutions received the combined 
­ basic and supplemental grants. Seventeen new 
­ institutions to be opened next fall received 
, only basic grants of $5,000. The other 1,616 

applicants for combination basics and supple­
m e n ta l had to be disappointed, though many ­
of their applications approached the score of  
21 points which was the lowest level to be  
funded. When each of the members of the  
consortiums receiving Type C grants who did . 
not also receive basic and supplemental grants ­
is counted, a total of 780 institutions were f 
benefitted in the 1971 program. ■ ■ 

 
­ ACADEMIC STATUS
 Dear Colleagues:

­ This is a call for help. Approximately 100 
 state college librarians in New Jersey find them­
, selves in an unequal battle with the state 

bureaucracy. While more and more states are 
s joining the trend towards recognition of li­
 brarians as fully integrated members of the 

s faculty, New Jersey—a pacesetter in this 
­ trend—has now reversed itself and stripped its 
 librarians of their academic status with all of 
 the attendant rights and responsibilities.

s November 20, 1970, will go down in library 
e annals as a black day for college librarians. 
y On that day New Jersey state college librarians 
­ were dispossessed. Contracts were abrogated, 
e tenure rights were put in jeopardy, promotion 
 ladders vanished, work years were lengthened, 
 salary ranges were lowered, in fact, chaos 
 reigned. As of June 1970 no job specifications 

r existed for the new civil service titles bestowed 
on the librarians.

e The librarians have explored all avenues of 
 appeal and are now proceeding with legal ac­
 tion recommended by an experienced labor 
 lawyer. This Takes Money and that’s where 
 you come in.

This is not just our struggle. If this attempt 
e to downgrade the profession is successful it 
­ will set a precedent for all state and college 
 administrations.

6 PLEASE, send your contributions to:
y 

Miss Ruth Beach
s Harry A. Sprague Library
d Montclair State College
e Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043
­ Checks should be made payable to New 
f Jersey State College Librarians’ Advisory Com­
k mittee. For more information write Mrs. 
s Marian Siegeltuch, Chairman, New Jersey State