College and Research Libraries B y A R T H U R T . H A M L I N Service Report from Pennsylvania Mr. Hamlin, formerly assistant librarian, Service Division, University of Pennsyl- vania Library, is the new executive secre- tary of A.C.R.L. DURING THE c o u r s e of f o u r y e a r s ' o p -e r a t i o n of t h e S e r v i c e D i v i s i o n a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a , t h e w r i t e r h a s e x p e r i m e n t e d w i t h a n u m b e r of t e c h n i q u e s a n d p o l i c i e s w h i c h a r e n o t s t a n d a r d d o c t r i n e f o r l a r g e , u r b a n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s . W h i l e v e r y f e w of t h e o p e r a t i n g p r o c e d u r e s dis- c u s s e d b e l o w a r e o r i g i n a l a t P e n n s y l v a n i a , t h e y a r e d e v i a t i o n s f r o m t e x t b o o k d o c t r i n e . T h i s r e p o r t is m a d e i n t h e belief t h a t t h i s e x p e r i e n c e w i l l be u s e f u l , i n o n e w a y o r a n - o t h e r , t o s o m e o t h e r l a r g e u n i v e r s i t y li- b r a r i e s . T h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a n o w h a s a p e a k e n r o l l m e n t of 1 9 , 0 0 0 , of w h i c h a b o u t 1 0 , 0 0 0 a r e f u l l - t i m e s t u d e n t s . I t is s i t u - a t e d c l o s e t o t h e c e n t e r of P h i l a d e l p h i a . T h e l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g w a s e r e c t e d in 1 8 9 1 a n d h a s a l l t h e l i m i t a t i o n s of t h e d e s i g n of t h a t e r a . I t w a s o r i g i n a l l y p l a n n e d f o r a b o o k s t o c k a n d a s t u d e n t b o d y o n e - t e n t h t h e p r e s e n t s i z e . T h e r e h a v e b e e n a d d i t i o n s , b u t t h e l a s t of c o n s e q u e n c e w a s b u i l t i n 1 9 2 4 . Open Stack T h e l i b r a r y h a s t r a d i t i o n a l l y g i v e n s t a c k access o n l y t o f a c u l t y a n d g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s . T h e u s u a l a r g u m e n t s of n a r r o w aisles, c r o w d e d s h e l v e s ( o p e r a t i o n is o n a basis of a b o u t 2 2 v o l u m e s p e r s q u a r e f o o t a t p r e s - e n t ) , a n d i n a d e q u a t e d e s k a n d c a r r e l e q u i p - m e n t r e i n f o r c e d t h i s r u l i n g . I n s p i t e of a l l t h i s , t h e s t a c k w a s o p e n e d t o j u n i o r s a n d s e n i o r s t w o y e a r s a g o o n a t r i a l basis. T h e e x t e n s i o n of t h i s p r i v i l e g e h a s w o r k e d o u t f a r b e t t e r t h a n a n y o n e d a r e d h o p e . T h e r e h a v e b e e n n o k n o w n a b u s e s , n o o v e r c r o w d - i n g , n o d i s o r d e r . W i t h t h e i n c r e a s e d u s e of s t a c k f a c i l i t i e s , t h e r e h a v e b e e n m o r e b o o k s t o p u t a w a y a n d m o r e l i t t e r t o s w e e p u p , b u t t h e s l i g h t i n c r e a s e in o p e r a t i n g cost is m i n o r in l i g h t of t h e c o n s i d e r a b l e a d v a n - t a g e s t o t h e s t u d e n t s w h o u s e t h i s p r i v i l e g e . T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l c o n c l u s i o n s t o be d r a w n f r o m o u r e x p e r i e n c e : ( a ) F e w s t u d e n t s a r e v i t a l l y i n t e r e s t e d in t h e p r i v i l e g e . T o o t h e r s , t h e s t a c k is n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y i m p o r t a n t , o p e n o r c l o s e d , t o c o m p e t e w i t h f o o t b a l l g a m e s , d a t e s , a n d m a n y o t h e r e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s . ( b ) U n d e r g r a d u a t e s a r e as c a r e f u l , a n d p r o b a b l y m o r e c a r e f u l , a b o u t p u t t i n g b o o k s b a c k in p l a c e ( o r l e a v i n g t h e m in t h e p r o p e r p l a c e s f o r s t a c k a s s i s t a n t s t o s h e l v e ) t h a n g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s a n d f a c u l t y , w h o a s s u m e c e r t a i n p r e r o g a t i v e s a n d o f t e n b e c o m e c a r e - less. ( c ) F e a r s of d i s c i p l i n a r y p r o b l e m s w i t h b o t h sexes u s i n g a l a r g e a n d d i m l y - l i g h t e d s t a c k a r e f a l s e f e a r s . L e s s t h a n t w o d o z e n b o o k m u t i l a t i o n s w e r e r e p o r t e d ( a l l d i s c o v - c o v e r e d are r e p o r t e d ) f o r t h e m a i n l i b r a r y d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r . M a n y of t h e s e a r e k n o w n t o h a v e t a k e n p l a c e o u t s i d e t h e s t a c k . T h e loss of b o o k s is s m a l l , p r i n c i p a l l y be- c a u s e a l l b o o k s a r e i n s p e c t e d a t t h e e x i t of t h e b u i l d i n g . ( d ) S t a c k p e r m i s s i o n is a t r e m e n d o u s b o o n t o a f e w c o n s c i e n t i o u s , e a g e r u n d e r - g r a d u a t e s . I t is u s e d o c c a s i o n a l l y a n d a p - p r e c i a t e d b y possibly o n e - t h i r d ( c e r t a i n l y less t h a n o n e - h a l f ) of t h o s e w h o m i g h t u s e i t . T h e m a j o r i t y c o n f i n e t h e i r l i b r a r y u s e t o s u b j e c t , r e s e r v e , o r o t h e r r e a d i n g r o o m s , JANUARY, 1950 * 63 a n d u s e t h e c i r c u l a t i o n d e s k p a g e s f o r b o o k s o c c a s i o n a l l y r e q u i r e d f r o m t h e s t a c k . I n - t e r e s t i n t h e b o o k s t a c k is a s s u m e d t o b e m u c h g r e a t e r a t i n s t i t u t i o n s w h e r e m o s t s t u d e n t s l i v e o n c a m p u s a n d w h e r e p l a n t f a c i l i t i e s a r e m o d e r n . ( e ) I t is t h e p e r s o n a l c o n v i c t i o n of t h e w r i t e r t h a t w h i l e u n d e r g r a d u a t e s m a y " k n o c k a b o u t " i n t h e s t a c k a t first, a n d h a v e d i f f i c u l t i e s of a l l s o r t s , t h i s t i m e is h a r d l y w a s t e d . T h e r e a r e f e w w h o d o n o t e v e n t u a l l y find, p o s s i b l y w i t h h e l p , t h e d e - s i r e d s e c t i o n ; t h e r e a r e f e w e r w h o c a n l e a v e a g r e a t b o o k s t a c k w i t h o u t b u m p i n g i n t o s o m e t i t l e s w h i c h a r o u s e t h e i r i n t e r e s t . S o m e r e a d t h e w r o n g t h i n g s , b u t a t l e a s t t h e y a r e r e a d i n g . O n l y w h e n m o r e u n d e r - g r a d u a t e s h e r e a n d e l s e w h e r e a r e r e a d i n g r e g u l a r l y a b o v e a n d b e y o n d t h e r e q u i r e - m e n t s f o r t o m o r r o w ' s q u i z , s h o u l d l i b r a r i - a n s w o r r y a b o u t t h e q u a l i t y a n d d i r e c t i o n of t h e r e a d i n g . L a s t M a y , t h e F a c u l t y L i b r a r y C o m m i t - t e e d e c l a r e d u n a n i m o u s l y i n f a v o r of a n o p e n s t a c k f o r a l l u n d e r g r a d u a t e s . F r e s h - m e n a n d s o p h o m o r e s w i l l be r e q u i r e d t o a t - t e n d a s h o r t t a l k o n t h e b o o k s t a c k b e f o r e r e c e i v i n g t h e i r p e r m i t s . T h e r e is l i t t l e f e a r a n y w h e r e t h a t t h i s e x t e n s i o n w i l l m a t e r i a l l y i n c r e a s e o p e r a t i n g c o s t s o r i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e w o r k of m a t u r e s c h o l a r s . I t w i l l be i n t e r - e s t i n g t o c o m p a r e t h e u s e of t h i s o l d b o o k - s t a c k w i t h u s e of t h e m o d e r n f a c i l i t i e s in t h e n e w b u i l d i n g w h i c h m a y p o s s i b l y be c o m - p l e t e d a t P e n n s y l v a n i a w i t h i n t h e n e x t t h r e e y e a r s . Carrels T h e p r e s e n t s t a c k s t u d y f a c i l i t i e s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a L i b r a r y c o n s i s t of 5 4 o p e n c u b i c l e s a n d a b o u t as m a n y s m a l l d e s k s . E v e n w i t h d o u b l e a s s i g n m e n t , t h e s e d o n o t m e e t t h e d e m a n d . F o r t h e p a s t t w o y e a r s , n o c u b i c l e s h a v e b e e n a s s i g n e d t o a n y o n e . I n s t e a d , i n d i v i d u a l s h e l v e s a r e p r o v i d e d a d j a c e n t t o c a r r e l s a n d d e s k s . B o o k s a r e c h a r g e d t o t h e s e s h e l v e s , a n d t h e u s e r o c c u p i e s a n y v a c a n t p l a c e w h e n h e c o m e s in t o w o r k . I t is o u r e x p e r i e n c e t h a t v e r y f e w p e o p l e u s e c u b i c l e s f o r t h e l a r g e r p a r t of e v e r y w o r k i n g d a y . U s e of c a r r e l s s h o u l d g o t o t h o s e w h o c o m e i n t h e l i b r a r y t o w o r k , r e g a r d l e s s of a c a d e m i c r a n k . T h i s p o l i c y h a s b e e n s u f f i c i e n t l y s u c c e s s f u l in p r a c t i c e t o be i n c o r p o r a t e d i n p l a n s f o r t h e n e w b u i l d i n g . T h e o r i g i n a l n u m b e r of c a r r e l s p l a n n e d h a s b e e n c u t i n h a l f . I n p l a c e of s h e l v e s , p r o v i s i o n is m a d e f o r l o c k - e r s w i t h g l a s s d o o r s , l a r g e e n o u g h f o r p o r t - a b l e t y p e w r i t e r s a n d a d o z e n b o o k s o r m o r e . T h e A n g u s S n e a d M a c D o n a l d C o r p o r a t i o n j h a s b l u e p r i n t e d a c a r r e l - c a b i n e t i n s t a l l a t i o n b a s e d o n t h i s p r i n c i p l e . Smoking I n l a r g e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s , s m o k i n g is o f t e n b a n n e d o r l i m i t e d t o a n u n p l e a s a n t s m o k i n g r o o m o n t h e basis of fire h a z a r d . I n m o s t l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g s t h e r e a r e a t l e a s t s o m e r e a d i n g r o o m s w h e r e t h e fire h a z a r d is p r a c t i c a l l y n o n e x i s t e n t , a n d w h e r e i n - s u r a n c e r a t e s a r e n o t e f f e c t e d as l o n g as a s h t r a y s a n d s a n d c o n t a i n e r s a r e p r o v i d e d . A c l e a n i n g p r o b l e m is o b v i o u s l y i n v o l v e d . T h e s m o k i n g r o o m a t P e n n s y l v a n i a is e q u i p p e d p r i n c i p a l l y w i t h b e n c h e s a n d a v e r y f e w s m o k - a - d o r s . A l m o s t a l l a s h a n d r e m a i n d e r g o o n t h e floor r a t h e r t h a n i n t o t h e c o n t a i n e r s . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , w h e n s m o k i n g w a s p e r m i t t e d in a s m a l l r e a d i n g r o o m , t h e r e w a s n o c l e a n i n g p r o b l e m w h a t - s o e v e r . H e r e t h e o n l y p l a c e t o sit is a t t a b l e s . O n t h e s e t a b l e s a r e s c a t t e r e d a t l e a s t h a l f as m a n y a s h t r a y s as t h e r e a r e c h a i r s i n t h e r o o m . P e o p l e w h o d o n o t l i k e s m o k e u s e a n a d j a c e n t r o o m . C o n t r a r y t o e x p e c t a t i o n , t h e t a b l e s a r e n o t b u r n e d . T h e r e is n o e v i d e n c e of a n y d a m a g e t o b o o k s . F o r b e t t e r o r w o r s e , s m o k i n g is a p a r t of t h e p r e s e n t - d a y w a y of l i f e a n d s h o u l d b e p e r m i t t e d i n s o m e c o n v e n i e n t w o r k i n g a r e a s of a n y l i b r a r y . 64 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES Microfilm Storage M i c r o f i l m s a r e n o l o n g e r k e p t in s t e e l m i c r o f i l m c a b i n e t s , b u t o n s h e l v e s in a s m a l l , c o n t r o l l e d r o o m off t h e c i r c u l a t i o n d e s k . O n e s i n g l e - f a c e d s e c t i o n of w o o d e n s t a c k t a k e s a b o u t 2 6 6 b o x e s w i t h o u t " d o u - b l e - s h e l v i n g . " A i s l e s c a n be t w o f e e t o r s l i g h t l y less. T h i s is s p a c e e c o n o m y . A s f a r as h u m i d i t y is c o n c e r n e d , t h e e a s t e r n s e a b o a r d h a s m o r e t h a n e n o u g h in s u m m e r . D u r i n g t h e w i n t e r m o n t h s , v e n t i l a t i n g e q u i p m e n t in t h e s t a c k d r a w s a i r t h r o u g h a w a t e r s p r a y w h i c h b r i n g s t h e w a t e r c o n t e n t u p t o w h a t s e e m s t o be a s a f e f a c t o r . O p e n p a n s of w a t e r w i l l p r o - v i d e s u f f i c i e n t h u m i d i t y t o c o m b a t t h e d r y - i n g e f f e c t of w i n t e r h e a t in s m a l l , c l o s e d r o o m s a n y w h e r e . A c e r t a i n a m o u n t of d u s t d o e s c o l l e c t o n t h e b o x e s b u t n o a p p r e c i a b l e a m o u n t p e n e - t r a t e s . W e b e l i e v e t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n of f i l m d e p e n d s m o r e o n t h e c a r e w i t h w h i c h it is u s e d t h a n o n t h e s e s t o r a g e f a c t o r s . T o t h i s e n d , r e a d e r s w h o u s e m i c r o f i l m f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e a r e p r e t t y t h o r o u g h l y i n d o c t r i n a t e d a n d t h e staff k e e p s a close eye o n t h e s p e c i a l r o o m w h e n t h e m i c r o f i l m r e a d e r s a r e u s e d . Reserve Book Policies W h i l e t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l a r g e r e s e r v e r e a d - i n g r o o m is a f e a t u r e e n f o r c e d u p o n u s b y b u i l d i n g l i m i t a t i o n s , s e v e r a l d e p a r t u r e s f r o m t r a d i t i o n a l o p e r a t i o n m a y be of i n t e r e s t t o o t h e r l i b r a r i e s . N i n e t y p e r c e n t of t h e b o o k s a r e o p e n - s h e l v e d . F o u r f i f t h s of t h e b o o k s a r e a l - l o w e d t o c i r c u l a t e f o r 2 4 h o u r s o r m o r e . E a c h of t h e five staff m e m b e r s is r e s p o n - sible f o r o n e o r s e v e r a l d e p a r t m e n t s of i n - s t r u c t i o n . T h e a s s i s t a n t p r o m p t s h e r p r o - f e s s o r s o r d e p a r t m e n t a l s e c r e t a r i e s t o s e n d in lists a n d o u t l i n e s of a s s i g n m e n t s . W i t h i n h e r a s s i g n e d f i e l d s , she r e g u l a r l y i n c r e a s e s o r d e c r e a s e s t h e p e r i o d of l o a n o r r e s t r i c t i o n of i n d i v i d u a l v o l u m e s o n t h e basis of use, o r o n t h e basis of a s s i g n m e n t s p a s t o r f u t u r e . S h e m a y , a n d o f t e n does, r e t u r n a b o o k t o s t a c k e v e n t h o u g h still i n c l u d e d o n a s s i g n - m e n t s h e e t s if it h a s , in p r a c t i c e , h a d l i t t l e o r n o u s e . T h i s d i v i s i o n of a u t h o r i t y u n d e r t h e h e a d of t h e d e p a r t m e n t a l l o w s f o r a d e g r e e of p e r s o n a l a t t e n t i o n a n d s u p e r v i s i o n o t h e r w i s e n o t p o s s i b l e . N o n e of t h e s t a f f m e m b e r s a r e t r a i n e d l i b r a r i a n s ; t h e y a r e a l l r e c e n t c o l l e g e g r a d u a t e s . W e f i n d t h e m c a p a b l e of m a k i n g i n t e l l i g e n t d e c i s i o n s a n d u s i n g i n i t i a - t i v e a f t e r a r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t i n d o c t r i n a t i o n . Interlibrary Loans T h e a t t i t u d e of t h i s l i b r a r y t o w a r d i n t e r - l i b r a r y l o a n s h a s b e e n r e c e n t l y s t a t e d in d e - t a i l . 1 S u f f i c e it t o say, t h e o p e r a t i o n s c a l l e d f o r i n t h e n a t i o n a l c o d e r e q u i r e a d e t a i l of b o o k k e e p i n g , a c k n o w l e d g m e n t a n d g e n e r a l c l e r i c a l r o u t i n e t h a t m a k e t h e c o s t d a n - g e r o u s l y h i g h . I n A u g u s t 1 9 4 9 , i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s w e r e t a k e n a w a y f r o m t h e R e f e r e n c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d m a d e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of o n e p e r s o n w i t h o u t p r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g b u t w i t h a n e x c e l l e n t b a c k g r o u n d in l i b r a r y t e c h n i q u e s . T h e R e f e r e n c e D e p a r t m e n t is c a l l e d o n oc- c a s i o n a l l y f o r b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l h e l p . B o o k s l o a n e d b y t h i s l i b r a r y a r e l o a n e d d i r e c t l y b y c i r c u l a t i o n . W h i l e r e p l i e s a r e m a d e t o a l l a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r l o a n , t h e o t h e r a c k n o w l e d g m e n t s of r e c e i p t , e t c . a r e l a r g e l y g i v e n u p . N o r e c o r d s of p o s t a g e a r e k e p t h e r e , a l t h o u g h r e i m b u r s e m e n t is e x p e c t e d . S h i p p i n g l a b e l s a r e e x p e c t e d f r o m t h e b o r r o w i n g l i b r a r y a n d r e t u r n l a b e l s a r e f u r n i s h e d w i t h t h e b o o k s . A c o n c i s e m i m e - o g r a p h e d s t a t e m e n t is e n c l o s e d w i t h e a c h p a c k a g e , e x p l a i n i n g P e n n s y l v a n i a p r a c t i c e a n d w h a t is e x p e c t e d of t h e b o r r o w i n g li- b r a r y . T h e l i b r a r y is n o w f e e l i n g i t s w a y t o - 1 Charles W . D a v i d , " R e m a r k s on I n t e r l i b r a r y Loan, Mid-twentieth C e n t u r y S t y l e , " College and Re- search Libraries 10:429-33, October 1949- JANUARY, 1950 * 65 w a r d s i m i l a r s i m p l i f i c a t i o n of p r o c e d u r e s w h e n it b o r r o w s . I t e x p e c t s c o o p e r a t i o n f r o m t h o s e i n s t i t u t i o n s w h i c h b o r r o w m o r e t h a n t h e y l e n d , b u t P e n n s y l v a n i a w i l l , of c o u r s e , f o l l o w t h e I n t e r l i b r a r y L o a n C o d e p r o c e d u r e in d e t a i l w h e n r e q u e s t e d . I n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s w e r e o n c e r e l a t i v e l y r a r e o c c u r r e n c e s , b u t a r e n o w k n o w n a n d u s e d b y p r a c t i c a l l y a l l a d v a n c e d s t u d e n t s i n t h i s c o u n t r y . T h e h a n d - t a i l o r e d o p e r a t i o n of a n e a r l i e r d a y w i t h its f o r m a l c o u r t e s i e s is so c o s t l y t h a t it t h r e a t e n s t o l i m i t t h i s w i s e p r a c t i c e of e x c h a n g i n g b o o k s . T h e b i b l i o - g r a p h i c a l w o r k r e q u i r i n g a t r a i n e d p e r s o n is a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l p a r t of t h e l o a n i n g p r o c e d u r e . T h e m a j o r i t y of t h e l a b o r is c l e r i c a l a n d c a n s a f e l y be i n t r u s t e d t o a d i l i g e n t n o n p r o f e s s i o n a l . Q u i t e n a t u r a l l y , e x c e p t i o n m u s t be m a d e f o r b o o k s of m o r e t h a n a v e r a g e v a l u e . S u p e r v i s i o n m u s t be e x e r c i s e d r e g a r d i n g w h a t t o l o a n a n d w h a t t o b o r r o w . T h e c o s t of t h e n o r m a l l o a n s h o u l d n o t be m u c h h i g h e r t h a n t h e c o s t of m a i l i n g o u t a v o l u m e t o a n y r e g u l a r b o r - r o w e r w h o h a s s p r a i n e d a n a n k l e a n d c a n ' t c o m e in f o r h i s m a t e r i a l . Insurance T h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a c a r r i e s " a l l r i s k " i n s u r a n c e o n i t s b o o k s t o c k f o r a v e r y l a r g e s u m . T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n " f i r e o n l y " a n d " a l l r i s k , " w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e f t o r loss, is v e r y s m a l l i n d e e d . A n - n u a l losses f r o m t h e r e s e r v e b o o k r e a d i n g r o o m , w h i l e r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l , m o r e t h a n r e c o m p e n s e t h e l i b r a r y f o r t h i s p r e m i u m . N a t u r a l l y , s u c h a p l e a s a n t s t a t e of a f f a i r s c a n n o t c o n t i n u e i n d e f i n i t e l y . T h e p o l i c y is w o r d e d so as t o c o v e r b o o k s b o r r o w e d f r o m o t h e r l i b r a r i e s f r o m t h e t i m e t h e b o o k s l e a v e t h e l o a n i n g b u i l d i n g . B o o k s w h i c h w e l o a n e l s e w h e r e a r e t h e r e - s p o n s i b i l i t y of t h e b o r r o w e r . I n s e n d i n g , P e n n s y l v a n i a t h e r e f o r e i n s u r e s t h e s e a t f u l l v a l u e . A d v a n t a g e c a n o f t e n b e t a k e n of t h e l o w e r e x p r e s s " b o o k r a t e " b y p l a c i n g t h e v a l u a t i o n a t $10.00 e v e n t h o u g h t h e a c t u a l v a l u e ( c o v e r e d by t h e p o l i c y ) is m u c h h i g h e r . T h i s l o w v a l u a t i o n h a s s o m e t i m e s c a u s e d m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i t h o t h e r li- b r a r i e s . T h e t h i c k v o l u m e of Rate Scales Apply- ing from Philadelphia of t h e R a i l w a y E x - p r e s s A g e n c y ( 1 9 4 7 ) m a k e s n o m e n t i o n of " b o o k r a t e , " w h i c h is a b o u t t h r e e - e i g h t h s c h e a p e r t h a n t h e r e g u l a r r a t e . T h e l o c a l E x p r e s s A g e n c y h a s n o t a l w a y s b e e n d i l i - g e n t i n a p p l y i n g t h e l o w e r r a t e . A l o n g s e r i e s of r e f u n d c l a i m s h a v e b e e n c h e e r f u l l y a c c e p t e d a n d m i s t a k e s n o l o n g e r o c c u r . Staff O u t of a s t a f f of 3 3 f u l l - t i m e S e r v i c e D i v i s i o n e m p l o y e e s in t h e M a i n L i b r a r y , o n l y six h a v e p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y t r a i n i n g o r t h e e q u i v a l e n t . F o u r of t h e s e c o m p r i s e t h e r e f e r e n c e s t a f f a n d t h e o t h e r t w o h e a d t h e C i r c u l a t i o n a n d R e s e r v e B o o k D e p a r t - m e n t s r e s p e c t i v e l y . J u d g i n g f r o m t h e p u b l i s h e d s t a t i s t i c s of o t h e r l i b r a r i e s , t h i s - is a v e r y l o w r a t i o of p r o f e s s i o n a l t o n o n p r o f e s s i o n a l . I t c o u l d n o t p o s s i b l y b e c a r r i e d l o w e r , a n d t h e a d d i - t i o n of o n e o r t w o p r o f e s s i o n a l s is d e s i r a b l e . A n y i n c r e a s e b e y o n d t h a t is c e r t a i n l y c o n - s i d e r e d u n n e c e s s a r y . A s w e o p e r a t e , t h e p o l i c i e s a n d t e c h n i q u e s a t r e s e r v e a n d c i r c u l a t i o n a r e c a r e f u l l y f o r - m u l a t e d a n d w r i t t e n u p in d e t a i l . W e d e - p e n d o n a c o r p s of i n t e l l i g e n t y o u n g w o m e n a f e w y e a r s o u t of c o l l e g e f o r e x e c u t i o n of a l l e x c e p t s e c r e t a r i a l a n d s t a c k w o r k . I t h a s b e e n o u r e x p e r i e n c e t h a t i n e x p e r i e n c e d y o u n g p e o p l e c a n be t a u g h t t h e r e s e r v e a n d c i r c u l a t i o n r o u t i n e s i n a r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t t i m e , t h a t t h e y a r e h e l p f u l a n d c o o p e r a t i v e in p u b l i c p o s i t i o n s , a n d t h a t a f a i r m e a s u r e of d i s c r e t i o n c a n b e a l l o w e d t h e m in t h e e x e c u t i o n of w h a t a r e p r i n c i p a l l y r o u t i n e d u t i e s . M a n y of t h e s e y o u n g w o m e n h a v e a g r e a t d e a l of j u d g m e n t , t a c t a n d d i s c r e - 66 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES t i o n i n a p p l y i n g r u l e s a n d p o l i c i e s . T h e y h a v e a s y m p a t h y f o r r e a d e r s w h i c h is n o t a l w a y s f o u n d i n p r o f e s s i o n a l s . M a t t e r s r e q u i r i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l k n o w l e d g e a r e a l w a y s s e n t t o t h e r e f e r e n c e d e s k . Discipline T h e a t t i t u d e of t h e l i b r a r y t o w a r d i t s p u b l i c ( a n d v i c e v e r s a ) , e n t a i l i n g as it d o e s d i s c i p l i n a r y policies, h a s b e e n a m a t t e r of c o n c e r n t o t h e l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . A t u r n s t i l e t y p e of e x i t c o n t r o l w a s i n s t a l l e d i n 1 9 4 6 , a n d it t o o k t i m e f o r s t u d e n t s a n d f a c - u l t y t o a c c e p t t h i s . A t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e l i b r a r y j u n k e d h u n d r e d s of r u n n i n g f e e t of c o u n t e r s w h i c h , i n o n e w a y o r a n o t h e r , s t o o d b e t w e e n r e a d e r s a n d b o o k s . T h i s l i b r a r y h a s r e l a t i v e l y l o w f i n e s . I t a c c e p t s as t r u t h f u l ( a n d t h e r e f o r e f o r g i v e s ) a l l s o r t s of e x c u s e s f o r l a t e r e t u r n o r n o n - r e t u r n o n b o o k s . H o w e v e r , t e m p o r a r y , i n - f o r m a l r e c o r d s of " p a r d o n s " a r e k e p t a t t h e p u b l i c d e s k s , a n d a n y p e r s o n w h o o v e r s t e p s t h e b o u n d s of h u m a n c r e d u l i t y g e t s r o u g h t r e a t m e n t . T h e l i b r a r y w i t h d r a w s t h e p r i v i l e g e of u s i n g t h e b u i l d i n g f o r s h o r t p e r i o d s , r e c o m m e n d s d i s c i p l i n a r y a c t i o n , a n d " p r o s e c u t e s " b e f o r e t h e p r o p e r officials w h e n s e r i o u s d e l i n q u e n c y is i n v o l v e d . A b o u t o n e - t h i r d of t h e m u t i l a t i o n s r e p o r t e d i n t h e p a s t t w o y e a r s h a v e e i t h e r b e e n t r a c k e d t o t h e g u i l t y p a r t y ( i n m o s t cases, e x p e l l e d ) o r n a r r o w e d d o w n s u f f i c i e n t l y c l o s e t o g i v e t h e p r o b a b l y g u i l t y b u t u n c o n f e s s i n g s t u - d e n t a r e a l s c a r e . I n t h e c o u r s e of a y e a r o r m o r e of p o s s i b l y u s i n g t o o h e a v y a h a n d o n a f e w c u l p r i t s , t h e w o r d h a s g o n e a r o u n d c a m p u s t h a t t h e l i b r a r y m e a n s b u s i n e s s . I t t h e r e f o r e g e t s g o o d c o o p e r a t i o n . A s a c o n s e q u e n c e , f i n e s h a v e b e e n a b a n d o n e d a t o n e p u b l i c d e s k a n d r e s t r i c t i o n s in c e r t a i n o t h e r d i r e c t i o n s h a v e b e e n e a s e d o r w i p e d o u t . Borrowing Privileges for Outsiders T h e p o l i c y of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l - v a n i a L i b r a r y i n g r a n t i n g b o r r o w i n g p r i v i - l e g e s t o p e o p l e n o t c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e u n i - v e r s i t y is n o t a t t h e m o m e n t a m a t t e r f o r p u b l i c r e c o r d . O v e r a p e r i o d of s e v e r a l y e a r s , t h e w r i t e r h a s h a d f u l l d i s c r e t i o n in g r a n t i n g p e r m i s s i o n ( f r e e ) t o o u t s i d e r s a n d h a s b u i l t u p e x p e r i e n c e a n d c o n v i c t i o n r e - g a r d i n g t h e e x t e n s i o n of b o r r o w i n g p r i v i - l e g e s . I n s p i t e of t h e f a c t t h a t t h e l i b r a r y is n e a r t h e c e n t e r of a g r e a t m e t r o p o l i t a n a r e a , n o g r e a t n u m b e r s of p e o p l e a r e p a r - t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d in u s i n g its b o o k s . T h e e x p e r i e n c e of p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s , d e s i g n e d a n d s t o c k e d f o r t h e a v e r a g e m a n a n d p r o m o t e d b y a l l t h e m o d e r n m e t h o d s of p u b l i c i t y , is s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e of p u b l i c a p a t h y . O n l y a v e r y s m a l l m i n o r i t y of t h e p o p u l a t i o n n e e d a n d w a n t b o r r o w i n g p r i v i l e g e s * a t u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s . T h e s e p e o p l e a r e , w i t h f e w e x c e p t i o n s , m a t u r e a n d s e r i o u s s t u d e n t s a n d s c h o l a r s . T h e U n i v e r s i t y of P e n n s y l v a n i a C o m - m i t t e e o n E d u c a t i o n a l P o l i c y a n d P l a n n i n g r e p o r t e d t h e a i m s of t h e U n i v e r s i t y s e v e r a l y e a r s a g o a s f o l l o w s : Generally speaking there are three ways in which Pennsylvania, like other institutions of higher learning, performs its educational function and makes its contribution to social progress. One is by providing as many stu- dents as it can serve well with the education which will make them useful members of society, thereby fulfilling its function of lead- ership and contributing its share of leaders to the community and to the country. A second is by training qualified men and women for various professions which require special- ized knowledge or high technical skill. And a third is by extending the bounds of knowl- edge through research and training of others for research by which mankind approaches closer to the truth or gains greater control over its environment. A c c o r d i n g t o t h i s s t a t e m e n t , t h e l i b r a r y h a s d e f i n i t e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o u t s i d e t h e u n i - v e r s i t y f a m i l y . N o w i t is c u s t o m a r y w i t h A m e r i c a n l i b r a r i e s t o a l l o w a n y s e r i o u s , J A N U A R Y , 1950 * 67 sober citizen the use of books within the building. Is it not f a r more practical to allow the outsider to take his book with him and use it at home, provided the volume is not restricted because of class use, reference use, fragility, rarity, etc. ? Home use is a great convenience to most people. T h e trust implicit in such a loan w i l l occasionally return dividends. ( M a n y have joined the " F r i e n d s " because of the borrowing privilege. Checks as high as $ 5 0 have come from these people.) T h e r e need be no special fear of the book thief, who w i l l steal regardless of the borrowing privilege. Pennsylvania has had almost no trouble with late return, and promptly weeds out the careless. On many occasions, loans of single books have been approved for-people who were transients, without re- quest f o r any identification. An honest-look- ing, decently dressed stranger with a good reason f o r reading a book and enough urgency to come to the university library is a pretty safe bet f o r a loan worth at most a f e w dollars. Loaning a book f o r home use is about the cheapest thing a library can do. Reference service, reading room privilege, and so on are all f a r more expensive. T h e general restriction of this privilege at the large university libraries is, in the light of our f a i r l y long, extensive experience at Pennsylvania, based on fears which seem completely unwarranted. T h e r e is an op- portunity here f o r the university to do a great public service and win considerable good w i l l at very small expense, provided good judgment is exercised. T h e then President Gates stated the goal concisely some years a g o : T h e University of Pennsylvania Library . . . accepts . . . a responsibility for service to the community at large and to the student world at large. It opens its doors and extends its facilities liberally to all those seeking knowl- edge out of books . . .2 2 Bibliographical Planning Committee of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Libraries, a Survey of Facilities, Needs, and Opportunities. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1 9 4 2 , p. 59. Historical Libraries — N e w Style (Continued from page 62) torical library have been confused and in- terdependent. Scholars have traveled to f a r countries at great expense in order to read books and manuscripts not available at home. T o d a y the texts, as texts, are being made available almost anywhere. B u t in their quality as museum pieces the books themselves are not transportable by such means. T h e i r prestige value and their text value are now clearly separable, with marked benefits to the peace of mind of the historical librarian. He administers, f o r research purposes, not merely the actual books in his own library, not merely such microfilm copies as he may have secured f r o m other collections, but potentially all the pertinent texts in the public libraries of. the w o r l d . He administers, f o r museum purposes, as many fine books, illustrated manuscripts, artistic bindings and other rarities as he is able to assemble in his own institution, where persons of education and discernment may admire and enjoy them. In a society such as ours it would be ven- turesome to say that either of these purposes is more important than the other. 68 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES t