College and Research Libraries B y B . L A M A R J O H N S O N Audio—Visual Aids and the College Library By means of a "quick survey" Dr. John- son has brought together facts concerning the relation of college libraries to the in- structional use of motion pictures and recordings. CONCURRENTLY w i t h the expanded use of motion pictures and recordings in education, the suggestion has repeatedly been made that audio-visual aids may w e l l contribute important stock-in-trade f o r li- brarians. In 1 9 3 4 the A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y Association recognized the relationship of visual aids to libraries by establishing its V i s u a l M e t h o d s C o m m i t t e e , a committee w h i c h later changed its name to the A u d i o - V i s u a l C o m m i t t e e . I n 1942 the Associa- tion published G e r a l d D . M c D o n a l d ' s Educational Motion Pictures and Li- braries. I n 1943 the N a t i o n a l Society f o r the S t u d y of E d u c a t i o n C o m m i t t e e , re- sponsible f o r the yearbook The Library in General Education, gave prominent recog- nition to the importance of audio-visual aids as a part of library service.1 A l t h o u g h the idea of collecting, hous- ing, and distributing audio-visual aids as a part of library service has o f t e n been discussed, the c u r r e n t practice of college libraries w i t h respect to such service is not accurately k n o w n . A n s w e r s to such ques- 1 Kirk, Marguerite, Glannon, Helen Eagle, Scho- field, Edward Twining, and Freund, R o b e r t a Bishop. " O t h e r Aids to Learning." In National Society f o r the Study of Education, Forty-Second Y e a r b o o k , P a r t I I , The Library in General Educa- tion. Chapter n , p. 1 7 6 - 2 1 8 . Department of Edu- cation, University of Chicago, 1943. tions as the f o l l o w i n g , f o r example, are not available in published sources: H o w extensively are audio-visual aids actually used in college teaching? W h a t is the place of the college library in the administration and distribution of audio-visual aids to teaching? W h a t in the judgment of college librarians and administrators should be the place of the college library in the audio-visual edu- cation program? T h e w r i t e r , therefore, believing that such information m i g h t t h r o w significant l i g h t on trends in library practice and on de- velopments in library service, has under- taken to collect information directly f r o m colleges. A n appropriate means of doing this is the " q u i c k s u r v e y " method w h i c h D r . C h a r t e r s , as editor, first used in the Journal of Higher Education in 1940.2 A s the first step in the survey the w r i t e r prepared a simple two-page checklist. I n keeping w i t h his desire to make the in- quiry brief, only t w o types of audio-visual aids w e r e i n c l u d e d : motion pictures and recordings. T h i s survey blank w a s sent to the presidents of all colleges w h i c h are members of the Association of A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e s and to the administrative heads of all j u n i o r colleges w i t h enrolments of more than t w o hundred. T h r e e hundred ninety-eight usable replies w e r e received, 324 f r o m four-year colleges and univer- 2 Charters, W . W . " S ' z i n g U p the F a c u l t y . " Journal of Higher Education 1 1 : 4 5 7 - 6 1 , December 1940. The "quick s u r v e y " method has since been used on several different occasions in the Journal of Higher Education. SEPTEMBER., 1944 341 sities and 74 f r o m j u n i o r colleges. Motion Pictures P r a c t i c a l l y all colleges o f f e r their teachers an opportunity to use motion pictures in their i n s t r u c t i o n ; more than nine tenths of the colleges provide facilities f o r s h o w i n g motion pictures to classes. T h e r e is n o significant difference ( o n the basis of p e r c e n t a g e ) between the practices of j u n i o r colleges and of four-year colleges in this respect. O f the t h i r t y - t w o colleges w h i c h have no visual education service, five are j u n i o r colleges ( 6 per cent of the j u n i o r colleges r e p l y i n g ) and twenty-seven are f o u r - y e a r colleges (8.5 per cent of the f o u r - y e a r colleges r e p l y i n g ) . N o t only are motion picture facilities provided, they are also used. Seven colleges report all teachers use motion pictures, and in only seventeen colleges do no teachers use mo- tion pictures. H a l f of the colleges report that f r o m 10 to 25 per cent of their teachers use motion pictures in their teach- i n g . T h e administration of a visual educa- tion p r o g r a m involves not so much the housing and storage of a collection of films ( t h o u g h in some colleges this is i m p o r t a n t ) as the provision f o r b o r r o w i n g films and the provision of aids f o r selecting them. O n l y 3 per cent of the colleges o w n all films f o r their professional use in teaching. P a r t i c u l a r l y important in the visual ed- ucation p r o g r a m are the aids provided to teachers to help select films w h i c h m a y be b o r r o w e d f r o m distributors. M o r e than three f o u r t h s of the colleges provide teachers w i t h catalogs of motion picture distributors. T h i r t y colleges keep a cen- tral, single, up-to-date c a t a l o g of films. T h e U n i v e r s i t y of M i n n e s o t a and Stephens C o l l e g e report r e c o r d i n g evalua- tive data ( f o r example, the j u d g m e n t of f a c u l t y members w h o have used or seen the film) on c a t a l o g cards and preparing annotated bibliographies of films at the request of teachers. A t Stephens students of several instructors use the central visual education c a t a l o g ( a l o n g w i t h the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literaturethe library c a t a l o g of books, e t c . ) as an aid to secur- ing materials f o r investigative papers. T h i s means that, h a v i n g identified a mo- tion picture w h i c h relates to a report a student is preparing, she may, w i t h her instructor's approval, order the film f o r use in preparing or presenting her report. Several colleges mention keeping the H . W . W i l s o n Educational Film Catalog as an aid to teachers in selecting films. T h e practice of p r o v i d i n g free p r e v i e w service f o r any film a teacher may w i s h to con- sider f o r use is reported by several colleges. M o n m o u t h J u n i o r C o l l e g e , L o n g B r a n c h , N . J . , suggests the need f o r help in select- i n g films: " T h e commercial listing of thousands of films presents a b e w i l d e r i n g problem to the director of visual education. W e need a noncommercial central agency to give the ' l o w - d o w n ' about films w i t h o u t fear of the commercial toes that are stepped o n . " Centralization of Facilities A n o t h e r important group of questions r e g a r d i n g the h a n d l i n g of motion picture films relates to the problem of c e n t r a l i z e d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n : Is responsibility f o r get- t i n g motion pictures and projection equip- ment l e f t w i t h individual teachers and departments ? O r is motion picture service centralized in some one a g e n c y ? I f cen- t r a l i z e d , w h a t is the a g e n c y ? A l t h o u g h there is considerable variation a m o n g colleges w i t h respect to the centrali- z a t i o n of motion picture facilities, the ma- j o r i t y of colleges report some type of cen- v 342 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES t r a l i z a t i o n plan. T w o hundred and t w o colleges have a c e n t r a l i z i n g agency f o r motion picture service and 1 4 4 institutions ( 5 2 colleges did not reply to this question) have no such agency. I n these latter insti- tutions responsibility f o r p r o c u r i n g films rests w i t h individual departments or. w i t h the individual instructor. Representative of the comments made by colleges w h e r e responsibility rests w i t h individual depart- ments is the statement f r o m B r o o k l y n C o l l e g e : " T h e trend of opinion a m o n g the departments is strongly t o w a r d a l l o w - i n g each department to provide and ad- minister its o w n audio and visual educa- tion materials. T h e f e e l i n g is that it requires a specialist in each field to keep i n f o r m e d on latest developments." A m o n g the agencies w h i c h centralize and coordinate motion picture service on the campus are a visual education department, the extension service, a f a c u l t y committee, a v o l u n t a r y group of interested teachers, and the library. Representative of universities h a v i n g highly developed visual education depart- ments is the U n i v e r s i t y of M i n n e s o t a . W i t h a staff of t w e l v e f u l l - t i m e and t w e n t y - f i v e part-time employees, the de- partment provides six thousand showings a n n u a l l y . T h e director of V i s u a l E d u c a - tion Service of the U n i v e r s i t y of M i n n e - sota makes the f o l l o w i n g comments on c e n t r a l i z a t i o n : In the thirteen years since the Visual Edu- cation Service of the University of Minne- sota w a s established the centralization of materials, equipment, facilities, and con- sultive service for all audio-visual aids has proved to be very efficient and educationally valuable. A t a university the director of visual education should have the requisite knowledge, personality, and opportunity to teach faculty members how to use films effectively in teaching. A t Indiana U n i v e r s i t y and at the U n i - versity of I o w a state-wide as w e l l as cam- pus visual education service is offered by the extension division. T h e B u r e a u of V i s u a l A i d s at Indiana U n i v e r s i t y fore- casts extensive expansion in the use of films in teaching. A s a part of the w o r k of a p o s t w a r p l a n n i n g committee the visual aids staff at Indiana is preparing an ex- panded visual education p r o g r a m . A t Sarah L a w r e n c e C o l l e g e a f a c u l t y committee coordinates visual education service. Library as Visual Aids Center In f e w colleges ( 2 9 of the 398 coop- e r a t i n g colleges) is the library the centrali- z i n g agency f o r motion picture service. Representative of the colleges w i t h a li- brary-centered visual education program is Pennsylvania State C o l l e g e . I m p o r t a n t in the organization at P e n n s y l v a n i a State is an all-college visual education policy committee,, of w h i c h the college librarian is chairman. T h e audio-visual aids li- brary f r o m time to time distributes to f a c u l t y members a mimeographed visual aids newsletter w h i c h directs attention to a variety of films, p a r t i c u l a r l y through the use of annotated lists. T h e J o i n t U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r i e s building ( V a n d e r b i l t U n i v e r s i t y , G e o r g e Peabody C o l l e g e f o r T e a c h e r s , and Scarritt C o l l e g e f o r C h r i s t i a n W o r k e r s ) provides facilities f o r a library-centered visual education pro- g r a m . A m o n g other colleges in w h i c h motion picture service is centralized in the library are A n t i o c h C o l l e g e , C o r p u s C h r i s t i J u n i o r C o l l e g e , R h o d e Island State C o l l e g e , R o c k f o r d C o l l e g e , San Francisco J u n i o r C o l l e g e , W e s t V i r g i n i a U n i v e r s i t y , and W a r d B e l m o n t J u n i o r C o l l e g e . T h o u g h the number of colleges w h i c h SEPTEMBER., 1944 343 report c e n t r a l i z i n g motion picture service in their libraries is small (less than 1 0 per c e n t ) , it is significant that the colleges f o l l o w i n g this practice include j u n i o r col- leges and universities, colleges w i t h l a r g e enrolments and w i t h small enrolments. A l s o , half of the reports indicate that in their j u d g m e n t the library should be the c e n t r a l i z i n g agency, p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r their o w n institution. A considerable number w h o believe the library should not be the c e n t r a l i z i n g agency q u a l i f y their j u d g m e n t as f o l l o w s : " N o t at present. W h e n the use of films is more general the l i b r a r y should be the c e n t r a l i z i n g a g e n c y . " Some- w h a t in this spirit is the comment f r o m the U n i v e r s i t y of T e x a s : " E v e n t u a l l y there w i l l be more use of auditory and visual materials in university teaching here, and I see no reason at all w h y the l i b r a r y should not play an important part in this d e v e l o p m e n t ; h o w e v e r , it is inevitable that the beginning should occur at the grass r o o t s — i n the d e p a r t m e n t . " Pro and Con the Library A l t h o u g h colleges w e r e not asked to g i v e a r g u m e n t s supporting their j u d g m e n t s concerning the place of the library in vis- ual education service, a considerable number did present their reasons. A m o n g the objections reported to c e n t r a l i z i n g , visual education service in the library are the f o l l o w i n g : Librarians are too busy with other things. T h e library has inadequate space and lacks other necessary facilities. Present administration of audio-visual education department is satisfactory. Librarians are not trained in this field. O f f e r i n g motion picture service is a teach- ing problem which can better be handled by a faculty committee familiar with specific teaching needs. In connection w i t h the suggestion that * librarians are not trained in visual educa- tion, the C o l l e g e of W i l l i a m and M a r y reports an interesting plan used there. T h e film library at W i l l i a m and M a r y is a part of the department of library science. " B y h a v i n g the film library organized in this department, it serves the t w o - f o l d purpose of supplying films to f a c u l t y and students and of teaching l i b r a r y science students h o w to use the material. W e find the latter is an important part of the education of l i b r a r i a n s . " T h i s plan of t r a i n i n g librarians in visual education is one to w h i c h all library schools must give attention if the trend t o w a r d c e n t r a l i z i n g visual education materials in the library develops. Reasons cited in f a v o r of c e n t r a l i z i n g motion picture service in the library in- clude these: T h e librarian in his work comes in contact with all departments of instruction. T h e library is centrally located and is frequently visited by staff members. Visual aids are generally recognized as related to and as supplementary to the use of books as aids to learning. Motion pictures can readily be handled by the library organization. T h e library is more available for use and reference than any other agency. T h e library can promote effective use of films just as it now promotes effective use of books. T h e library should be the center for all instructional materials. N o t only does a significant number of colleges report that the l i b r a r y should be the c e n t r a l i z i n g agency f o r motion pictures but a number report that plans are under consideration f o r such centralization. " I am t a c t f u l l y and patiently w o r k i n g to that end at this t i m e , " reports a college dean. " W e are w o r k i n g on this matter n o w , and hope soon to have motion pictures as a part of library service," the librarian of v 344 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES a small college says. A university li- brarian says, " T h e administration is p l a n n i n g to adopt the policy of c e n t r a l i z i n g the buying, housing, and administration of all audio-visual material in the l i b r a r y . T o that end w e are n o w engaged in an inventory of all college-owned apparatus and other materials in the audio-visual field. T h e c e n t r a l i z i n g w i l l be s l o w be- cause of ( i ) limited space in our library b u i l d i n g and ( 2 ) the necessity of re- educating f a c u l t y t h i n k i n g on the s u b j e c t . " O n e unexpected result of the survey question r e l a t i n g to c e n t r a l i z i n g motion picture service in the library w a s the f o l l o w i n g reaction f r o m several college a d m i n i s t r a t o r s : " W e had not considered this possibility. I t seems like a good idea and w e are g o i n g to w o r k on i t . " Recordings T h e typical college provides records-for use in t e a c h i n g ; only 11 per cent report no such facilities. T h e number of teachers using records varies f r o m none (in t w e l v e colleges) to 100 per cent (in t w o col- l e g e s ) . O n e hundred and fifty-three col- leges report t h a t f r o m 10 to 25 per cent of their teachers use records as an aid to teaching at some time d u r i n g the school year. Some idea of the prevalence of the practice may be gained f r o m the f o l l o w i n g c o m p i l a t i o n : S P R E A D OF U S E OF R E C O R D I N G S I N L E A D - I N G I N S T R U C T I O N A L B R A N C H E S Departments Using Recordings M u s i c Speech Foreign language D r a m a Science Social studies Number of Colleges Reporting Use 3 1 1 255 235 147 .55 4 8 W i t h the comparatively recent develop- ment of radio and recorded radio tran- scriptions, it is surprising and e n c o u r a g i n g to find that recorded transcriptions of radio programs are available f o r teachers in more than one hundred colleges. St. B o n a v e n t u r e C o l l e g e , N e w Y o r k , r e p o r t s : " O u r library has undertaken the beginning of w h a t may be referred to as the L i b r a r y of L i v i n g H i s t o r y , comprising radio re- cordings of important speeches." V a r i o u s colleges report using recorded transcripts of radio programs in such varied fields as social studies, n a t u r a l science, radio, music, f o r e i g n languages, and philosophy. O t h e r fields in w h i c h records are used include literature, short- hand, typing, religion, telephone technique, salesmanship, history, children's literature, A r m y and N a v y instruction. E d u c a t o r s are c o m i n g more and more to recognize that the c u r r i c u l u m of a college includes the sum total of student experi- e n c e — i n class, in dormitory, in the- li- brary, on the athletic field. T h i s concept makes particularly important the practice of a considerable number of colleges in m a k i n g records available to students f o r pleasure listening. In this connection the C a r n e g i e music libraries w e r e mentioned in several reports. In most colleges pro- v i d i n g records f o r pleasure listening, stu- dents use listening rooms provided by the college. A n t i o c h C o l l e g e , h o w e v e r , loans records to students for use in their rooms. C o l b y C o l l e g e has gone so f a r as to loan not only records but also portable phono- graphs to students. T h e library at Seton H i l l C o l l e g e has a " l i s t e n i n g t a b l e , " so that students may use records w i t h ear- phones at any time w i t h o u t disturbing patrons. A t G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y w e e k l y concerts of recorded music w e r e , until recently, broadcast by the college SEPTEMBER., 1944 345 radio station w i t h commentary by the col- lege librarian. T h e s e programs w i l l be resumed at the close of the w a r . I n contrast w i t h the use of motion pictures, w h e r e the trend is t o w a r d cen- t r a l i z e d administration, the tendency of colleges is to leave to individual depart- ments or individual teachers responsibility f o r administering collections of recordings. T w o hundred and forty-nine colleges fol- l o w this practice. In only s i x t y - f o u r col- leges is the administration of recordings c e n t r a l i z e d in the l i b r a r y . A l t h o u g h in a f e w additional colleges plans are under w a y f o r c e n t r a l i z i n g administration of re- cordings in the college l i b r a r y , the trend is less pronounced than w i t h motion pictures. P e r h a p s the situation of many colleges w i t h respect to the administration of re- cordings w a s adequately voiced by the col- lege dean w h o professed the need of help in s o l v i n g the problems involved in in- s t i t u t i n g more effective methods of ad- ministering the p r o g r a m . I t represents a possible field f o r f u r t h e r investigation. Summary and Implications I. Typically colleges make available to professors motion pictures and recordings as aids to teaching. T h i s fact is particularly gratifying in view of the criticism often leveled against colleges with respect to the " l a g " in utilizing current methods and materials. 2. A surprising number of colleges provide recorded transcriptions of radio programs as an aid to teaching. W i t h technologically improved facilities for making recordings and with the educational value of many radio programs increasingly recognized, it is the judgment of the w r i t e r that recorded transcriptions of radio programs will be used with increasing frequency in higher educa- tion. 3. T h e extensive use of audio-visual aids in the teaching programs sponsored by the armed forces, the development of new teach- ing techniques in the armed forces, and the inevitable improvement in the quality of all audio-visual apparatus due to technological advancement, suggest a trend toward an in- creased use of audio-visual aids following the w a r . 4. A t present comparatively f e w college libraries serve as the centralizing agency for audio-visual aids. T h i s is the case with re- spect to recordings, transcriptions, and mo- tion pictures. 5. T h e r e is a pronounced trend toward a library-centralized audio-visual education service in the colleges cooperating in the study. T h i s trend is particularly notable in the case of motion picture service. 6. Since in the postwar world w e can expect a constantly increased use of audio- visual aids in teaching, since in most col- leges the administration of such aids needs to be centralized to be most effective, and since there is a trend toward library- centralization of the visual aids program, library schools must soon recognize that training in the administration of audio-visual aids is an important part of their curriculum. T H E AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY is b u i l d i n g up its files of back numbers of its Proceedings and Transactions. If any library has issues of these publications w h i c h it does not w i s h to retain, the society w i l l be pleased to receive them and pay trans- portation charges. A d d r e s s the Society, Independence Square, Philadelphia 6. v 346 COLL EGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES