ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


100

Inside Washington
J a m e s  D. L o c k w o o d  

A ssistan t D ire c to r  
ALA W ash in g ton  O ffice

This column will regularly offer comments on 
develo p m ents in W ashington having p o ten tial 
significance for college and research libraries and 
their users. T he primary focus will be on federal 
program s that en h an ce library bu dgets rathe r 
than on statutes and regulations o f a general na­
ture (e.g ., copyright, handicapped access, etc.).

T here are a number of sources o f federal sub­
sidies for library activities. First, there are scat­
te re d  federal su bsidies that, when taken as a 
whole, comprise a significant body o f aid to li­
braries. These subsidies have the effect o f reduc­
ing the costs of a wide variety of library activities. 
The Special Fourth Class Library (postage) Rate, 
work-study funding, and an assortment of Library 
of Congress programs are examples of subsidies 
that aid college and research libraries.

Second, the many federal grant programs pro­
vide an important source of funds for college and 
research libraries. T h ese program s range from 
prisoner education pro jects to foreign language 
training programs. In a forthcom ing issue, this 
colum n will co m m ent on som e o f th e  o p p or­
tunities as well as the pitfalls associated with the 
grant applications process.

Third, one must mention the federal programs 
designed specifically to aid college and research 
libraries. They are the College Library Resources 
program, the Library Training and D em onstra­
tion Grants programs, and the Research Libraries 
Resources program. Known also as Titles II-A, B, 
and C , re sp ectiv ely , o f the H igher E d u cation  
Act, these programs often provide a shot-in-the- 
arm for library budgets beleaguered by inflation 
and increased patron demand.

T he existence of such a wide variety o f pro­
grams has both advantages and disadvantages. 
One o f the disadvantages is that librarians have 
difficulty keeping track of such a diverse assort­
ment o f programs. This difficulty, coupled with 
the fact th at many o f the program s, standing 
alone, co n tribu te a relatively m inor portion of 
most college and research library budgets, makes 
for less vigilance on the part of librarians (even 
though they might stand to lose if a given pro­
gram were to be curtailed). Thus, a cut in the 
Library of Congress budget or an increase in the 
Special Library Book Rate may not elicit an effec­
tive resp o n se from the larg e, y e t w idely d is­
persed, body o f librarians. Simply put, scattered 
programs make difficult targets and difficult rally­
ing points.

But therein lies an advantage. Scattered pro­

grams not only make difficult targets for support­
e rs, th ey  m ake difficu lt targ ets for legislato rs 
seeking “fat” to trim during years characterized 
by drives for balanced budgets and calls for “aus­
terity .” A diversity among library programs is the 
welcome equivalent of not having all of one’s eggs 
in the same basket.

In future issues o f the N ew s‚ an attem pt will be 
made to clarify the significance o f various federal 
subsidy programs and to trace their evolution. Ef­
forts are now underway to amend and extend the 
Higher Education Act. This matter, of great im­
portance to college and research librarians, will 
be the focus of this column in the May issue.

E d it o r  s N ote: B eg in n in g  w ith this issu e, J a m e s  
L o c k w o o d  o f  th e W ash in g ton  O ffice o f  ALA will 
c o n t r i b u t e  a  r e g u l a r  c o lu m n  to  C & R L  News. 
L o c k w o o d  w as f o r m e r ly  r e fe r e n c e  lib r a r ia n , In ­
d ia n a  U niversity S c h o o l o f  L a w , B lo om in g ton . ■■

ALA Dallas Conference on a 
National Periodicals Center

A conference on a National Periodicals C en ­
ter will b e held on Jun e 24 betw een 8 and 10 
p.m . at the ALA Conference in Dallas.

T he program will begin with a presentation 
on a National Periodicals C en te r by C . L ee 
Jones, program officer of the Council on L i­
brary Resources, and Nancy E . Gwinn, also 
program officer o f the council.

Following the presentation, m em bers o f a 
reactor panel will speak briefly on the advan­
tages and disadvantages o f a National P e ri­
odicals C e n te r from the standpoint o f four 
types of libraries.

T he panel will consist o f Richard D e G e n ­
naro, d ir e c to r, U n iv ersity  o f P enn sylvania 
L ib ra rie s ; D onald J . Sag er, co m m ission er, 
C h ic a g o  P u b lic  L ib r a r y ; A p h ro d ite M am ­
oulides, librarian, B ellaire Research C en te r 
L ib rary, Shell D ev elop m ent C o ., H ouston, 
Texas; and Thomas F . Jaques, state librarian, 
Louisiana State Library.

A question-and-answer period will conclude 
the program. T h e co nferen ce will b e spon­
sored by the A CRL College Libraries Section, 
the A CRL Community and Junior College L i­
braries Section, the A C R L Legislation Com­
m ittee, and the R T S D  Serials Section. Presid­
ing at the conference will be Jam es T. Dod­
son, director, U niversity of Texas at Dallas 
Library.