College and Research Libraries By B E N J A M I N E . P O W E L L The Second Decade1 Dr. Powell, director, Duke University Library, is President of A.C.R.L. TH E G O A L S and objectives of A . C . R . L . have been described with clarity and understanding by chairman C a r l M . W h i t e and Eugene H . W i l s o n of the Policy Com- mittee, both of whom, along w i t h earlier presidents of this association, have had highly pertinent statements to make about its f u t u r e . But I do not think it super- fluous to address our thoughts again to the needs and obligations of A . C . R . L . , and to some of the simpler devices for strengthen- ing the association. T e n years ago we were in the process of becoming a division of the American Li- brary Association. W e are a division as a result of a process in the A . L . A . organiza- tion which Schlesinger has called a "split- ting and splintering process." T h i s process started almost simultaneously with the organization of A . L . A . in 1876. T h e par- ent association lacked something. O u r di- vision lacks something; it always will. W h e n everyone is satisfied, ossification will have set in. Some w a n t now only a frame- work within which librarians of similar pro- fessional interests may m e e t ; a few w a n t a placement b u r e a u ; others say concentrate on a research and publications p r o g r a m ; still others w a n t an organization flexible enough in structure to permit meeting at several levels suggested by interest, experi- ence, and professional contributions. Needs of this character were apparent as f a r back as 1876 when the A . L . A . was 1 Paper presented at meeting of A . C . R . L . at Atlantic City, N.J., June 18, 1948. organized. Old-timers like W i n s o r , Fletcher, Poole, Fiske, and Vinton must have separated often f r o m the crowd at early A . L . A . conferences in order better to discuss the preservation of pamphlets (a subject incidentally on which we still need fresh a d v i c e ) ; charging systems; seminar methods of instruction; subject headings and classification; and library philosophy generally. T h e y surely drew Vinton out on the subject of his ultramodern circular library then completed at Princeton, a building which this summer is yielding to modern university library construction. Of course, convention-going was fast be- coming popular in that last half of the nineteenth century. Everyone who could claim a profession, had by 1875, partici- pated in the election of national officers, was paying dues, and going once a year to con- ventions. Conventions since have become a part of our American system, and I suspect they have been good for us all. T h e r e was increased interest in college and university libraries in the decade fol- lowing the establishment of A . L . A . A n d in 1889 a meeting of the libraries represent- ing educational institutions was called at the annual conference of A . L . A . for the purpose of discussing the organization of a section. Librarians f r o m Amherst, H a r - vard, Cornell, T u l a n e , O b e r l i n and other institutions were there. T h e group went immediately into a discussion of the seminar system and departmental libraries. T h e subject was not exhausted at this first meet- ing, and those attending agreed that it should be continued later, preferably within the f r a m e w o r k of a formally organized OCTOBER, 1948 29 7 round table or section. So at W h i t e M o u n - tain, in 1890, this h a n d f u l reassembled, con- tinued their discussion, and launched the College and Reference Section, predecessor of the Association of College and Reference Libraries. T h e "splitting and splintering process," this time within the section, was not long in developing. T h e section was too general to accommodate the more restricted inter- ests of librarians of all educational institu- tions. T h e agricultural college librarians formed a round table, and the junior college and teacher-training librarians had, by the 1930's, begun meeting alone or w i t h other groups. T h e establishment of A . C . R . L . brought these various groups back under the same roof, as it were, in an organization which permits meetings at a general level and at special interest levels. In most re- spects the f r a m e w o r k is eminently well fitted for the achievement of the A . C . R . L . objectives. I t is disquieting, therefore, to some of you to hear that the association is not fulfilling satisfactorily all of the require- ments of its members. B u t no professional association does. I t has been suggested that we study other comparable organizations and remodel our own to embody their best features. But the plan or s t r u c t u r e of this association will not make it strong or weak. T h e recommendations of the F o u r t h Activi- ties Committee, or the F i f t h , cannot guar- antee us a strong association. T h i s can come only w i t h well-defined objectives, strong leadership, and active member par- ticipation f r o m top to bottom. Perhaps w e should consider here only the last. O u r objectives are well-defined; w h e n we have more active participation, perhaps the mem- bers will demand a different sort of leader- ship ! 1 T h e ten-point program that the Policy Committee d r e w up will constitute a chal- lenge for years. I t was not meant to be completed in a season, but something at which we can keep h a m m e r i n g : making the organization effective, planning meetings, initiating publications, bringing in new members, supporting College and Research Libraries, and bringing A . C . R . L . and other professional associations closer together. T h e r e is n o t h i n g here that we can tie up and put aside as finished. W e can, however, this year f u r t h e r con- dition the association for a continued assault on these objectives. First, by continuing the four committees President Carlson established last year. O u r membership now stands at 3600, an increase of 1200 over last year. T h i s increase can be attributed largely to the w o r k of the Committee on Membership. In 1936 the old section had only 140 m e m b e r s ; in 1938, 761. T h e committees on Recruiting and Educational P r e p a r a t i o n and Qualifications cannot as quickly produce the same tangible results; nor can the Committee on Financial Needs. T h e y will, however, strengthen A . C . R . L . and the library profession generally over the long haul, by giving attention to the recruiting of able people, and by studying the qualifications required in our several types of libraries. Second, members and potential members must become better acquainted w i t h the as- sociation. T h i s is a job for all of us, but particularly for the section officers. N e w s letters and bulletins to the membership are some of the elementary media that have proved effective. O n e weakness of the A . C . R . L . is that many professional librarians know little about it. T h e y read College and Research Libraries and regard it highly, but they do not always associate it with our division. N o t long ago I heard a well-known li- brarian ask " W h a t is A . C . R . L . , and w h o belongs to i t ? " H e is a member of A . L . A . and I have seen him at meetings of this 296 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES association. I have asked members of my own staff how much the association means to them. M a n y of them, although they be- long to A . L . A . are vague about their rela- tions with this division. T h e y a r e n ' t cer- tain that they belong, and haven't been con- vinced that they should. N o w here's a job for m e ! M a y b e you have a similar oppor- tunity. T h e association must somehow play a more important role in the lives of professional librarians if it is to approach its objectives. I t will not a t t r a c t new mem- bers if they know that librarians of m a j o r institutions do not consider it important to belong. W h e n you become a librarian you assume an obligation to join the professional asso- ciations and to concern yourself with pro- fessional problems. If you new members do not find A . C . R . L . a satisfactory organi- zation through which to tackle professional problems, you are obligated to help make it so. L e t ' s employ every device w e can to keep college, university, and reference li- brarians informed and close to the affairs of this association. By the way, as of this moment, you join by checking the division and section of your choice on the A . L . A . membership blank. A n d if you don't join early in the year you are likely to miss some- thing. T h i r d , if the interest of new members is to be developed and maintained these people must be given something to do. M a y b e those of us who have been members of the division since its organization should try looking at it through the eyes of a new member. W h e n I was secretary of the association a f e w years back, the chief complaint I re- ceived—particularly f r o m new members— was that they had nothing to do. Some of them were bitter about the way the older members appeared to pass offices and com- mittee assignments around among them- selves. T o o often they have had grounds for criticism. T h e same names appear on committee lists f r o m year to year, and some- times the same member is serving simul- taneously on several committees. I t should not be necessary to explain though that fre- quently it is advantageous to have on a com- mittee the kind of experience that only a few members can bring to it. W e have this year 1200 new members. T h e y are joining because they think this is their association; here is where they can get their teeth into a job, make a professional contribution and gain some recognition—all perfectly normal objectives. T h e purpose of the J u n i o r M e m b e r s R o u n d T a b l e , when it was organized more than fifteen years ago, was to provide a f r a m e w o r k within which younger members of the profession could spread their wings, hold office, serve on committees, appear on programs, and air their grievances. I recall t h a t my first participation in professional affairs was as a member of a committee of j u n i o r members. T h e assignment I re- ceived represented a privilege and a responsibility. M o s t young librarians hesitate to request assignments. I can't promise t h a t we can use all of you this year, but I think I can say that your name will come out of the hat sooner if it is placed with those anxious to be of service. Section officers should d r a f t as many young members as can be used. W e appreciate the association when we w o r k for it. F o u r t h , College and Research Libraries, the j o u r n a l of the division, should have bet- ter support. I t now goes to 650 individual and 850 institutional members. Y o u r sub- scription is an important f o r m of contribu- tion. Articles describing investigations you have made—investigations designed to ex- tend our professional knowledge—are equally important. If your investigation OCTOBER, 1948 29 7 appears significant enough to be preserved in an article, I hope you will not be too modest to describe and interpret it for the editor. T h e sections, you know, have not shared equally the space in the j o u r n a l — b u t I think there has been no hint of discrimi- nation. Of 409 articles appearing in Col- lege and Research Libraries, 2 4 2 h a v e been general in scope; 56 concerned primarily with university libraries; 52 w i t h college; 28 with reference; 10 each with libraries of junior colleges and teacher-training institu- t i o n s ; and fewer than 10 to agricultural and engineering libraries. W h i l e obviously there are differences in the amount of ma- terial available, there must be gaps in the published information about the philosophy, practices, obligations, and opportunities of some of the special interest libraries. Y o u should not assume, however, that the pau- city of articles bears any relationship to the interest of elected officers of sections. T h e best records of attendance at board meetings are held by representatives of those special types of libraries about which literature seems to be scarce. A m o n g you are many who w a n t to receive College and Research Libraries in p l a c e of the A.L.A. Bulletin. I t is obvious that such a substitute arrangement cannot be worked out satisfactorily. H o w e v e r , you will remember that the F o u r t h Activities Committee has included in its tentative pro- posals a plan which will permit every mem- ber to receive the j o u r n a l on his member- ship. Finally, a word about the work of the executive secretary. H i s report covering his first year in office is evidence that in the executive secretary's office we have the con- nective tissue this association has needed so urgently to bring its sections and its mem- bers t o g e t h e r : a clearing house for informa- tion, a representative who can speak to us and for us about the affairs and problems of this association, continuity, and an honest desire to be of service. W h i l e this office is already an indispensable part of A . C . R . L . , its contributions may be expected to increase in importance in each of the next several years. T h e directors are not losing sight of the ten points in A . C . R . L . ' s original pro- gram. T h e y are still before us. But w h a t - ever the objectives of the next decade, they will be achieved only if we continue to strengthen our membership in quality as well as in numbers, and only if most of these a r e interested a n d active m e m b e r s . Our Four Year Goals (Continued from page 2Q4) reference libraries can and will make out- standing and significant contribution. W e will not, however, I sincerely believe, limit our vision and our w o r k and efforts closely and specifically to the college field. T o w a r d all our goals, f o u r year or otherwise, I know I can safely pledge the college and refer- ence librarians to w o r k w i t h intelligence and good will. O u r members will often be found, I am certain, w o r k i n g in behalf of state extension of public library service, county and other larger units of public library service, and in whatever other ways may strengthen and improve library service and help bring books to the people and u n d e r s t a n d i n g to the w o r l d . 298 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES