College and Research Libraries


B y R A L P H E . E L L S W O R T H 

Activities of the Colorado 
Conference of Librarians of 
Institutions of Higher Learning 
Mr. Ellsworth is director of libraries, 

University of Colorado, Boulder. 

JUST AS IT IS TRUE that a family w i t h a l o w income is often more aggressive 
about seeking methods of getting more for 

its money than is a family w i t h a large 

income, so is it true that colleges and 

universities w i t h limited budgets have to 

be especially alert to ideas that w i l l enable 

them to use their incomes most wisely. 

A l t h o u g h the state of Colorado is not 

large in population (it has 1 , 1 1 8 , 8 2 0 

people and ranks t h i r t y - t h i r d ) , its per 

capita w e a l t h is relatively high. 1 If the 

expenditures of all Colorado's state-sup-

ported institutions of higher learning w e r e 

added together, they w o u l d amount to 

$ 3 » 9 2 i , 7 i 8 annually. T h e i r combined 

library holdings w o u l d be 764,008 vol-

umes. B u t they are not combined. T h e 

University of C o l o r a d o at Boulder has a 

f u l l university curriculum except for den-

tistry and social w o r k . T h e C o l o r a d o 

State C o l l e g e of A g r i c u l t u r e and M e -

chanic A r t s and the Colorado School of 

M i n e s at G o l d e n are well-rounded schools 

w i t h i n their specialties. T h e three teach-

ers colleges all offer liberal arts w o r k as 

w e l l as professional curriculums for teach-

1 Wilson, Louis R. The Geography of Reading. 
U n i v e r s i t y of Chicago Press, 1938, p. 357. 

ers. T h e various private colleges and uni-

versities ( D e n v e r University, C o l o r a d o 

College, Regis College, C o l o r a d o W o m a n ' s 

College, and L o r e t t a H e i g h t s ) also d r a w 

the m a j o r share of their income f r o m 

within the state. W h e n all of these are 

considered together, it is readily seen that 

the citizenry of Colorado spends liberally 

for the higher education of its youth. 

I t is equally obvious that the citizenry 

of Colorado cannot be expected to increase 

appreciably the contributions they are now 

making to the state-supported institutions. 

T h e r e f o r e , if the colleges are to increase 

the quantity and quality of their services, 

it f o l l o w s that the best w a y of doing this 

is to seek ways of eliminating duplications 

of effort. 

T h e s e statements explain w h y the li-

brarians of the colleges in C o l o r a d o have 

made a conscientious effort to find out 

if programs of cooperation might enable 

the libraries to devote a larger share of 

their income to the purchase of book titles 

and less to duplicated book collections and 

to technical processes. Fortunately, the 

librarians in Colorado, stimulated by the 

influence of M a l c o l m G . W y e r , have long 

understood the potentialities of coopera-

tive action. T h e founding of the biblio-

graphic center in 1932 is early evidence 

of their attitudes. T h e strength and popu-

JUNE, 1943 
20 7 



larity of the cooperative movement among 

the citizenry of the state, especially in the 

rural areas, suggests that proposals made 

by the colleges w i l l receive an enthusiastic 

reception from the citizens. 

P r o g r a m s of the C o l o r a d o L i b r a r y A s -

sociation have for many years included 

papers and discussions on various aspects 

of coordinated library activities, and in-

formal lobby conversations have often 

turned in this direction. In 1940 the col-

lege librarians decided to start holding a 

series of informal meetings to explore 

more systematically the possibilities of 

centralized action. In February 1941 the 

group d r e w up a list of fourteen propo-

sitions (and w e w e r e not u n m i n d f u l of 

the fate of President W i l s o n ' s fourteen 

points). O n e of the original points has 

on further consideration been dropped, 

leaving the f o l l o w i n g : 

1. Can the institutions agree upon a book-
buying program that will result in no two 
institutions spending large sums of money 
on duplicate research collections? 

2. Is it possible for the institutions to cut 
down on the number of current periodical 
subscriptions that represent duplication? 

3. Can the cost of cataloging and other 
technical processes be cut through a state or 
regional cooperative cataloging program? 

4. H o w can the present practice of inter-
library loan be extended to meet instruc-
tional needs as well as the needs of indi-
vidual researchers? In other words, can 
collections of books for courses be loaned 
between two colleges that offer the same 
courses? 

5. H o w can the various libraries make 
the fullest use of microphotography and the 
microphotographic laboratory services avail-
able at the University of Colorado? 

6. Is it possible in our extension divisions 
to offer a higher type of service by farming 
out reference questions to the libraries that 
specialize in the fields concerned? 

7. A r e the institutions willing to allocate 
their library gifts and exchanges to the 

other institutions in terms of existing 
specialized collections? 

8. W i l l the libraries consider lending to 
one another special types of library ma-
terials, such as pictures, slides, microfilms, 
etc? 

9. W i l l the libraries be willing to work 
cooperatively on the problem of making 
relations between the library and the facul-
ties more satisfactory? 

10. Cannot the standards of library serv-
ive be raised if the librarians all take an 
attitude of mutual concern toward prob-
lems of standards, practices, and ethics? 
( F o r example, had this attitude been 
adopted, it is possible that the other li-
brarians could have convinced the Univer-
sity of Colorado many years ago that its 
practice of hiring untrained librarians 
would some day prove to be expensive and 
unwise.) 

11. Is there any possibility of coordinat-
ing the extension services of the various 
institutions, especially in terms of mutual 
use of audio-visual materials and personnel? 

12. W h a t is to be the future of the rela-
tions between each institution and the 
bibliographic center when the time comes for 
financial contributions? 

13. H o w can the librarians in institutions 
involved in teacher-training programs solve 
the problem of offering instruction for 
teacher-librarians ? 

T h e s e thirteen propositions represent 

w h a t our group proposed to study. T h e 

various activities of the bibliographic cen-

ter, such as the cooperative book-buying 

program, are not included in this report. 

A c t u a l l y , the w o r k of the last t w o years 

has centered around the first three propo-

sitions, because these are the most im-

portant ones. 

Problem of Curriculum Duplication 

Propositions 1 and 2. W e soon agreed 

that if w e were to make any progress in 

avoiding the building of duplicate book 

and periodical collections, w e w o u l d have 

to find some means of eliminating the 

234 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



duplication of curriculums of the various 

state colleges, because it seemed obvious to 

us that book collections w o u l d have to be 

maintained for each subject wherever it 

was taught. O u r problem, therefore, w a s 

to try to show the administrations and 

faculties of the various state colleges that 

if they w e r e interested in having better 

library collections, they w o u l d first have to 

eliminate duplication in the curriculums. 

T h e r e is no problem in convincing anyone 

that duplicate libraries are inevitable w h e n 

specific subjects are taught similarly in 

t w o or more places. B u t it is not so obvi-

ous that duplicate libraries are also in-

evitable when a subject is approached 

from t w o points of v i e w . F o r example, 

geology and engineering are approached 

differently in the University of C o l o r a d o 

and the school of mines. Y e t both insti-

tutions have to have essentially the same 

libraries in engineering and geology. T h e 

same is true of zoology and botany for 

the university and the state college of 

agriculture and mechanic arts. Since the 

latter is concerned w i t h the agricultural 

aspect of engineering, it too has to have 

an engineering library that is similar in 

many w a y s to those of the university and 

the school of mines. T h u s , in many fields, 

it has been necessary to build duplicate 

libraries in the various colleges. 

Library Duplication 

O u r group realized that in discussing 

the matter w e were treading on danger-

ous ground and that w e w o u l d be accused 

of sticking our noses in other people's busi-

ness. W e knew, however, that the solu-

tion to our library problem could be ap-

proached in no other w a y . 

W e , therefore, undertook t w o projects 

which w e thought w o u l d be useful in 

convincing faculties and administrations 

that library duplication was a result of 

duplication of curriculums. 

First, w e began the compilation of a 

list of periodicals currently received in all 

the libraries. ( W e decided also to in-

clude the privately supported college li-

braries in our group as w e l l as the D e n v e r 

Public L i b r a r y . ) T h i s list w a s com-

pleted in January 1943 and has been 

distributed. T h e librarian in each insti-

tution is responsible for seeing that the 

proper officials and groups in each college 

study the list. It is too early to say w h a t 

the results w i l l be. 

Second, although most of us are aware 

of the nature of the curriculums of the 

various colleges, it is not easy to find out 

from the college catalogs just w h a t sub-

jects are taught at the colleges and at 

w h a t levels the subjects are taught. W e 

therefore agreed to compile a list of the 

course offerings, at six instructional levels, 

of the various institutions. W e hoped to 

be able to include in this list a statement 

of the adequacy of the book collection in 

each institution for each subject at each 

instructional level. W e have not been 

able to do this. 

Comparison of Courses 

T h e compilation of the document has 

proved to be difficult and time-consuming 

because a specific subject may be taught 

in different departments and from dif-

ferent points of v i e w in several institu-

tions. F o r example, nutrition is taught 

in the home economics department and as 

a subject for research in the chemistry 

department of the University of C o l o r a d o ; 

in the agricultural colleges, it is in the 

home economics department; and in the 

Colorado State College of Education, it 

is taught as a part of the home arts 

courses. 

JUNE, 1943 
20 7 



A preliminary edition of the list was 

finished in November 1941. A t this time 

our group sponsored a meeting in Boulder 

of the college presidents, graduate school 

deans, arts college deans, and librarians 

to discuss the preliminary list of course 

offerings, with its library implications. 

W e planned to use this meeting as a 

means of acquainting the deans and presi-

dents with the problems our group was 

struggling with and, if possible, to enlist 

their aid. W e hoped also to spend some 

time studying the possibilities of the micro-

photographic process in developing our 

research collections. 

T h e list of course offerings was com-

piled in such a way that for each subject, 

or division thereof, one could see what 

each institution was doing and at what 

level. Six levels were used: 

1. Scattered undergraduate courses with 
no m a j o r or minor. 

2. Basic undergraduate courses with 
majors or minors. 

3. Scattered graduate courses with no 
graduate m a j o r or minor. 

4. Basic graduate courses with majors or 
minors, or as possible thesis fields. 

5. P h . D . theses written in the field. 
6. Special research w o r k carried on but 

no curriculum involved. 

T h e list was microfilmed and was to be 

shown to the meeting with the aid of a 

projector. Unfortunately, the projector 

broke down during the showing, thus pre-

venting a full discussion of the problem 

of duplication of curriculums. A fine 

opportunity was badly muffed. T h e 

writer, who was responsible, didn't sleep 

well for several nights after that! 

Nevertheless, enough information was 

presented to make possible a discussion of 

the basic issue, and we were able to es-

tablish our point, which was that it would 

be necessary to continue duplicating li-

braries as long as the curriculums of the 

colleges overlapped. It was also generally 

agreed that it would be desirable to hold 

combined meetings of deans and librarians 

to continue discussion of the problem. 

Microph oto grap hy 

Part of the meeting was spent discuss-

ing microphotography. Three well-

known scholars in the fields of science, 

social science, and the humanities com-

mented on the advantages and disadvan-

tages of the process as a means of building 

library resources in their respective fields. 

T h e processes of microfilming and micro-

printing were defined and illustrated along 

with the equipment used. T h e University 

of Colorado's program for microfilming 

theses was described, and it was suggested 

that it might be a good thing to have the 

theses from all the colleges microfilmed 

and a joint list of thesis abstracts pub-

lished. 

Thus, in spite of the failure of the pro-

jector, the meeting was reasonably suc-

cessful. 

T h e final edition of the list of course 

offerings has since been completed and 

turned over to the college presidents. 

T h e war has, of course, changed the pic-

ture completely and has caused radical 

curricular revisions. This situation has 

one possible advantage in that when the 

war is over and the colleges begin to 

"retool" for the postwar activities, it is 

possible that they can use the list of 

course offerings in developing new cur-

riculums. This assumes that the colleges 

can agree on the principle of eliminating 

duplication of curriculums beyond the 

level of general education. N o one in 

our group is naive enough to believe that 

accomplishment of this will be easy or even 

possible. 

236 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Centralized Technical Processes 

Proposition 3. In M a r c h 1941 the 

conference concentrated its attention on 

the problem of centralized cataloging and 

other technical processes. In order to 

focus the discussion the chairman pro-

posed that all technical processes be 

handled for all the state-supported insti-

tutions at the University of C o l o r a d o L i -

brary. T h i s served to open the discussion 

w i t h a vengeance. T h e resulting discus-

sion brought us quickly to a realization 

that the problem w a s not a simple one 

and that many aspects w o u l d have to be 

studied. Everyone expressed willingness 

to agree if the program could be made 

practical and if it w o u l d serve to cut 

costs for all institutions. T h e problem 

of where the w o r k w a s to be done w a s 

considered to be of minor importance. 

T h e inevitable committee w a s appointed, 

and after many months of hard w o r k the 

committee submitted its first report in 

A u g u s t 1942. T h i s has been circulated 

in mimeographed form under the title 

" F i r s t Report of the Special Committee 

for C e n t r a l i z e d T e c h n i c a l Processes and 

Book B u y i n g . " Copies can be secured 

from James G . Hodgson, Colorado State 

C o l l e g e of A g r i c u l t u r e and M e c h a n i c 

A r t s , F o r t Collins. T h i s w a s followed in 

O c t o b e r by a second report, " P l a n n i n g 

Studies in C e n t r a l i z a t i o n . " 

T h e issuance of these reports has caused 

vigorous and honest differences of opinion 

in the conference as to f u t u r e procedure. 

T h e first group, under the leadership of 

M r . Hodgson, believes that the present 

situation should be used as the occasion 

for the launching of a thorough, long-time 

series of investigations of the whole process 

of cataloging and of other technical proc-

esses, based somewhat on the outline pre-

sented in the first report of the committee. 

M r . Hodgson has organized a steering 

committee of librarians which w i l l outline, 

| supervise, and coordinate a long series of 

researches on various aspects of the tech-

nical processes. T h e specific researches 

are to be done in the library schools, by 

bureaus of governmental research, and by 

such other individuals and groups as can 

be interested in the idea. T h e steering 

committee w i l l suggest, coordinate, and 

interpret. 

Need for Preliminary Study 

T h e second group in the conference 

agrees that as long as the present structure 

of cataloging is considered fundamentally 

sound, needing only polishing and correct-

ing here and there, the researches outlined 

by M r . Hodgson's group are logical and 

necessary. T h i s group thinks, however, 

that if the present structure should prove 

to be fundamentally unsound, it w o u l d 

be a waste of time to study all aspects of 

cataloging and centralized technical pro-

cesses until the first part, " B a s i c Studies 

on the N a t u r e of the T e c h n i c a l Processes," 

has been thoroughly investigated. U n t i l 

w e have better understanding of the bibli-

ographic needs of college and university 

clientele, w e are not yet ready to say that 

the present system of classification and 

cataloging is right or w r o n g . N e i t h e r can 

w e be in a position to think out a new 

and logical approach to the problem until 

the preliminary w o r k is done. If a melo-

dramatic figure of speech may be used, the 

second group doesn't see much point in 

scouring the decks of a ship that is in 

imminent danger of being sent to the 

bottom by a torpedo. 

Both groups agree that the first step 

is to study the bibliographic habits and 

needs of college and university clientele 

and, once these are defined and under-

JUNE, 1943 20 7 



stood, to proceed to scrutinize the present 

cataloging and bibliographic practices in 

light of the findings. Both agree that 

the thesis upon w h i c h R a y n a r d S w a n k 

at the G r a d u a t e L i b r a r y School, U n i v e r -

sity of Chicago, expects to w o r k w i l l be 

the first study of fundamental importance. 

T h e second group disagrees on whether 

or not it is w o r t h w h i l e studying other 

aspects of centralized technical processes 

before the fundamental w o r k is done. 

T h e local aspects of this disagreement 

are, of course, of no interest to librarians 

generally. I t does seem, however, that the 

basic issue is of national importance. If 

a sufficient number of librarians interested 

in cataloging could concentrate their time 

and energy on basic studies in the nature 

of technical processes, it w o u l d not be 

long before w e w o u l d be ready to take 

the next step: to decide on the basic struc-

ture to be used in meeting the biblio-

graphic needs of college and university 

clientele. I f , however, the time and en-

ergy of researchers is scattered on all as-

pects of the problem, it w i l l be difficult to 

prevent getting the cart before the horse. 

Summary 

T h e f o l l o w i n g generalizations may be 

made in s u m m a r y : 

1. T h i s group is discovering w h a t other 

serious students of librarianship have 

learned, namely, that in spite of the large 

amount of literature about library central-

ization, specialization, or cooperation, 

there has been very little real research 

done on the basic elements of the problem, 

and that college librarians have frittered 

a w a y their time and energy on minor as-

pects of the m a j o r problem w i t h o u t at-

tacking the problem itself. 

2. T h e group has learned that the large 

problems of university library specializa-

tion, centralization, or cooperation are 

primarily curricular problems and only 

secondarily exclusive library problems, 

and that librarians alone are not, and 

never can be, in a position to solve the 

problems by themselves. 

3. T h e group believes that more careful 

and systematic steps should be taken na-

tionally and in various sections of the 

country to encourage meetings of univer-

sity presidents, deans, members of the 

faculties, and librarians for the purpose 

of discussing the nature and implications 

of the problem of library specialization, 

centralization, and cooperation. 

4. Some in our group think there is 

considerable danger in the present ten-

dency of librarians to start programs of 

local, state, or regional cooperation or 

centralization (of technical processes) be-

fore all elements of the problem are 

thought through and all implications care-

f u l l y considered. 

5. Some in our group hope that the 

L i b r a r y of Congress w i l l not a l l o w the 

reorganization of its technical processes 

to become fixed until it is certain that 

the present structure of cataloging is a 

sound one. A l t h o u g h a m a j o r i t y of 

college and university librarians may think 

it wise to accept and perfect the present 

cataloging structure, a substantial minority 

think it wise to do a little more research 

and creative thinking before a final de-

cision is reached. T h e L i b r a r y of C o n -

gress may be legally a Congressional li-

brary, but at the same time it has become 

a national instrument. It w o u l d be tragic 

indeed if it should interpret its respon-

sibilities and opportunities too n a r r o w l y . 

6. Since our group has been concerned 

up to this time primarily w i t h the scope 

and direction programs of cooperation 

(Continued on page 244) 

238 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



or must be done in a great research li-

brary, have been sources of unending in-

spiration to all of us. And her assistance 

to me, as a new librarian coming into this 

great, complex institution, in helping me 

obtain the necessary background quickly 

and accurately for all the work to be done, 

is a debt that cannot readily be repaid. 

Diffusion of Knowledge 

As Dr. William S. Learned has pointed 

out: 

T h e distinction between discovery and 
spread . . . of ideas is clear, but it is o f t e n 
largely a matter of one's social philosophy 
or temperament as to which is considered 
to be of the greater importance. T h e s e t w o 
great processes of civilization are . . . 
complementary, for accurate knowledge 

thoroughly diffused is, in the long run, the 
best possible preparation for fresh dis-
covery.8 

T h e careers of Miss Atwood, Miss Col-

cord, and Miss Lacy substantiate Dr. 

Learned's thesis that discovery and dis-

semination of knowledge must proceed to-

gether. T h e usefulness of their work to 

both the advancement and diffusion of 

knowledge is attested by scientists, admin-

istrators, and librarians alike. T h e bibli-

ographical structures they have provided 

are the reference tools of today and the 

foundations upon which those whom they 

have trained may build the bibliographical 

tools of the future. 

8 L e a r n e d , W i l l i a m S. The American Public Li-
brary and the Diffusion of Knowledge. H a r c o u r t , 
B r a c e , 1924, p. 3-4. 

Activities of the Colorado Conference of Librarians 
of Institutions of Higher Learning 

(Continued from page 238) 

might take, it is inevitable that we have 

been unable to turn our attention to 

smaller and less pretentious activities that 

would yield results of a more practical and 

useful nature. As yet we haven't done 

anything that has saved a single dollar. 

But we agree that unless time can be found 

for both kinds of activities, for the time 

being at least we shall continue stirring 

up trouble and disturbing the status quo. 

T h a t kind of thing seems to suit our col-

lective predispositions very well. 

244 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES