College and Research Libraries


By R A L P H H . P A R K E R 

Libraries in an Inflationary Cycle1 

Dr. Parker is librarian, University of 
Missouri. 

SINCE t h a t relatively n o r m a l period of 1939 (as w e have n o w come to look 
upon i t ) , the economic stresses of vast pro-
portions which have upset all society have 
had their effect on libraries, and p a r t i c u l a r l y 
in collegiate libraries. 

I n addition to the general inflationary 
movement, t h e r e has been a n o t h e r force 
accentuating the problems. L i b r a r i e s have 
been called upon to render service to almost 
double the p r e w a r n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s as 
well as a t t e m p t i n g to keep pace w i t h rising 
costs. 

T h a t library service suffered in some 
cases, p a r t i c u l a r l y f r o m 1946 to 1948, there 
can be little d o u b t . I n m a n y cases the li-
b r a r y service trebled d u r i n g a single year, so 
fast t h a t staff could not have been trained 
even if available. 

B u t , perhaps, not all the results of the 
forces have been b a d ; as I shall point out 
later, libraries and librarianship may have 
been improved. 

I should like to call a t t e n t i o n to some 
p r e l i m i n a r y data, w h i c h can h a r d l y be called 
more t h a n the basis f o r several hypotheses. 
T h e f u r t h e r s t u d y of this question is the 
m a j o r project of the A C R L C o m m i t t e e on 
Budgets, Compensation, and Schemes of 
Service2 f o r the next year. T w o subcom-
mittees are to be set u p : one to study the 
changes in financial s u p p o r t ; the other to 

1 Paper presented at meeting of Libraries of Teacher 
Training Institutions Section, ACRL, Feb. 2, 1951. 
Chicago. 

2 Renamed, on July 11, 1951, the Committee on Ad-
ministrative Procedures. 

look into the changing status of the librar-
ian, his salary, his position, the use of clas-
sification and pay plans, and the like. 

Library Budgets 
T e n years has seen the size of university 

library budgets increase by 130 per cent, if 
the figures f o r the 2 0 institutions w h o re-
ported completely f o r the t w o periods are a 
valid sample. I n 1939 these institutions 
spent $ 2 , 8 7 7 , 5 8 8 f o r library purposes; in 
1949 the t o t a l w a s $ 6 , 6 5 2 , 5 9 7 . 

T h e increase in library budgets f o r the 13 
teachers colleges w a s only slightly less, 120 
per cent above the 1939 figures. T h e totals 
w e r e $ 2 4 3 , 4 5 5 and $537,014, respectively. 
T h u s library budget increases w e r e essen-
tially the same in universities and teachers 
colleges. 

W h i l e these increases w e r e t a k i n g place, 
w h a t w a s h a p p e n i n g to institutional budgets 
as a w h o l e ? U n i v e r s i t y budgets rose 2 0 0 
per cent and teachers college budgets rose 
131 per cent. 

C o m p a r i n g in a n o t h e r way, w h i l e uni-
versity budgets as a w h o l e trebled, the li-
b r a r y budgets of these institutions only 
slightly more t h a n d o u b l e d ; in teachers col-
leges, on the other h a n d , there w a s only a 
10 per cent difference in the increases of 
total budgets and of library budgets. 

T h e over-all budget increases to each type 
of institution probably reflect the relative 
increases in teaching load. A l t h o u g h com-
plete i n f o r m a t i o n is not available, it appears 
t h a t e n r o l m e n t in universities expanded 
more<fapidly t h a n in the teachers colleges. 
T h e shortage of teachers, and the low sal-
aries paid in the profession are evidences of 

338 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Table I 
Ratio of Library Expenditures to Total Educational Expenditures of 20 

Selected Universities, 1939 and 1949 

Per Cent of Total Budget for Libraries 
Institution Decfea.se Institution 

J939 1949 
Decfea.se 

Arizona 2.9 2.6 0 . 3 
Cincinnati 5-5 3-5 2.0 
Colorado A&M 1 -7 0.2 
Dartmouth 10.1 8.0 2.1 
Denver 7 . 0 5- 1 1-9 
Illinois 5.0 3-3 1 -7 
Iowa U. 5.0 4-5 0 . 5 
Iowa State 3 1.8 1.2 
Michigan 4-4 2.9 
Michigan State 1.6 1.8 *0.2 
Missouri 4-9 2 - 5 2.4 
North Dakota 1.4 I . I 
Oregon State 3-3 2.8 O.5 
Pennsylvania State 1.6 1.6 O.O 
Pittsburgh 3-2 2.7 O.5 
Princeton 6.8 6.1 O.7 
Texas 7.8 4-5 3-3 
Washington (Seattle) 5-4 5.8 *o. 4 
Wyoming 2-5 2-3 0.2 
Yale 4.8 5-7 *o.9 

* Increase. 

the reasons w h y this s h o u l d be t r u e . 
F r o m still a n o t h e r p o i n t of view, t h e belt-

t i g h t e n i n g in u n i v e r s i t y libraries is s h o w n by 
the r e d u c t i o n in p e r c e n t a g e of b u d g e t de-
v o t e d to libraries. I n 1939, a c c o r d i n g t o 
t h e A L A figures, t e a c h e r s college l i b r a r i e s 
received ( f r o m a l o w of 2 . 6 per c e n t to a 
high of 7.5 per c e n t ) a m e d i a n of 5.5 per 
cent of t h e t o t a l e d u c a t i o n a l b u d g e t of t h e 
i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e a v e r a g e p e r c e n t a g e f o r the 
13 i n s t i t u t i o n s studied f o r b o t h periods w a s 
5 per cent. I n 1949, the A C R L tables 
reveal a r a n g e f r o m 1.8 to 6.3 per cent a n d 
a m e d i a n of 4 . 4 per cent. T h e a v e r a g e f o r 
t h e 13 selected i n s t i t u t i o n s w a s 4.8 per c e n t . 

I t w i l l be noted t h a t t h e a v e r a g e f o r the 
selected i n s t i t u t i o n s w a s b e l o w the m e d i a n 
of all r e p o r t i n g libraries in 1939, a n d above 
t h e m e d i a n in 1949. T h u s , w e m a y say on 
t h e one h a n d , t h a t t h e r a t i o in t e a c h e r s col-
leges has n o t c h a n g e d ; or, on t h e o t h e r , t h a t 
it has d r o p p e d f r o m 5.5 per c e n t to 4 . 4 per 
cent. 

T h e r e seems to be n o d o u b t as to w h a t 
h a p p e n e d in universities. I n 1939, t h e per-
c e n t a g e of b u d g e t devoted to libraries 
r a n g e d f r o m 1.6 per cent to 10.1 per cent, 
w i t h a m e d i a n of 4.5 per c e n t ; in 1949 t h e 
r a n g e w a s 1.1 to 8 . 0 per cent, w i t h a 
m e d i a n of 3.3 per cent. U s i n g t h e figures 
f o r t h e 2 0 selected i n s t i t u t i o n s , the a v e r a g e 
in 1939 of 4 . 3 5 per cent h a d d r o p p e d t o 3.3 
per cent in 1949. 

If these figures a r e c o r r e c t , h o w did uni-
versities m a i n t a i n l i b r a r y service at a l l ? I n 
some cases, as indicated above, t h e q u a l i t y of 
service m a y have s u f f e r e d . B u t one m u s t 
r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e l i b r a r y has a vast store-
house of m a t e r i a l upon w h i c h t o d r a w . I t 
is n o t necessary to increase book collections 
( e x c e p t p e r h a p s c o l l a t e r a l r e a d i n g s ) as f a s t 
as e n r o l m e n t g r o w s . I n m a n y p a r t s of a 
l i b r a r y , f o r e x a m p l e in s m a l l e r d e p a r t m e n t a l 
libraries, a g r e a t increase in service m a y be 
possible w i t h o u t increase in p e r s o n n e l . 

A n o t h e r possible m e t h o d of m e e t i n g needs 

OCTOBER, 1951 
32 7 



w i t h a m o r e m e a g e r b u d g e t m i g h t be t h e 
r e l a t i v e l o w e r i n g of salaries. T h e s a l a r y 
aspect is r e s e r v e d f o r t h e t h i r d section of 
this p a p e r . 

Still a n o t h e r possible a p p r o a c h w o u l d be 
the c h a n g e of type of p e r s o n n e l used, w h i c h 
b r i n g s us to t h e second section. 

The Library Staff 

I n 1939, a m o n g t h e selected universities 
7 0 per c e n t of t h e f u l l t i m e staff w a s classed 
as p r o f e s s i o n a l ; t h e r e w e r e 4 6 5 p r o f e s s i o n a l 
staff m e m b e r s o u t of a t o t a l of 6 6 5 . L i -
b r a r i a n s w e r e p l e n t i f u l , a n d h a d been f o r 
a l m o s t a decade. I n m a n y cases they could 
be secured f o r salaries n o g r e a t e r t h a n re-
q u i r e d t o secure good clerks. L o o k i n g back-
w a r d , w e can p e r h a p s see w h y l i b r a r i a n s 
c o m p l a i n e d of t h e n o n p r o f e s s i o n a l n a t u r e of 
m u c h of t h e i r w o r k . 

W i t h t h e r e d u c t i o n in e n r o l m e n t s d u r i n g 
t h e w a r , t h e increase in g o v e r n m e n t em-
p l o y m e n t of l i b r a r i a n s b o t h in l i b r a r i e s a n d 
as r e s e a r c h e r s in o t h e r divisions, a n d t h e op-
p o r t u n i t i e s f o r m o r e l u c r a t i v e e m p l o y m e n t 
in w a r i n d u s t r i e s , t h e end of t h e w a r 
b r o u g h t an a c u t e s h o r t a g e of l i b r a r i a n s . 
P e r s o n s qualified f o r t h e m o r e t e c h n i c a l as-

pects of l i b r a r i a n s h i p w e r e h a r d to find a n d 
h a r d t o keep on a s t a f f . 

By 1 9 4 9 t h e r a t i o of p r o f e s s i o n a l staff 
h a d d r o p p e d t o 5 0 per c e n t ; t h e r e w e r e n o w 
5 1 5 l i b r a r i a n s ( a n increase of 5 0 ) a n d 1026 
t o t a l staff ( a n increase of 3 6 1 ) in t h e 2 0 
selected universities. N o l o n g e r w e r e cata-
logers t y p i n g t h e i r o w n c a r d s ; clerks, on 
the o t h e r h a n d , w e r e n o w c h e c k i n g a u t h o r -
ity files to v e r i f y h e a d i n g s ( a s c a n d a l in 
1 9 3 9 ) -

I t is difficult t o describe t h e c h a n g e s in 
t e a c h e r s c o l l e g e s ; b u t p r e t t y m u c h the same 
t h i n g h a p p e n e d t o a lesser degree. T h e en-
r o l m e n t did n o t increase as m u c h ; t h e r e w a s 
a s m a l l e r staff increase. B u t w h e r e in-
creases o c c u r r e d , t h e y w e r e likely to be 
clerical, or t h e n u m b e r of s t u d e n t assistants 
increased. 

W h a t has h a p p e n e d to t h e s t a t u s of li-
b r a r i a n s ? Relieved of m u c h of the clerical 
detail, they m a y be i m p r o v i n g t h e i r position, 
a n d being scarce, t h e y m a y h a v e m a d e some 
g a i n s in w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n s . 

A q u e s t i o n n a i r e sent o u t in 1948 by 
O r w i n R u s h , t h e n executive s e c r e t a r y of 
A C R L , revealed t h a t in only 59 of 4 6 7 in-
s t i t u t i o n s w e r e no m e m b e r s of the l i b r a r y 

Table II 
Ratio of Library Expenditures to Total Educational Expenditures of 13 

Selected Teachers Colleges, 1939 for 1949 

Per Cent of Total Budget for Libraries 
Institution Decrease 

I939 1949 

Colorado (Greely) 4.8 4.6 0.2 
Illinois (Carbondale) 3-7 6-3 *2.6 
Illinois (DeKalb) 4 . 0 4.0 0 . 0 
Kansas (Emporia) 7-5 4-9 2.6 
Kentucky (Bowling Green) 5-5 6.0 *°-5 
Missouri (Warrensburg) 3-2 3-4 *0.2 
Nebraska (Kearney) 6.0 2-5 3-5 
New York (Albany) 6.6 5.6 1.0 
North Carolina (Greenville) 6-3 6.2 0.1 
Oklahoma (Alva) 6.1 5-9 0.2 
Texas (Commerce) 5-i 3-4 i - 7 
Texas (San Marcos) 2.6 3-8 *i. 2 . 
Wisconsin (Oshkosh) 6.6 6.0 0.6 

* Increase. 

340 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



staff considered m e m b e r s of t h e f a c u l t y ; in 
3 0 0 all p r o f e s s i o n a l m e m b e r s w e r e on t h e 
f a c u l t y , in 62 the l i b r a r i a n , in 3 0 t h e li-
b r a r i a n a n d assistant l i b r a r i a n , a n d in 16 
p a r t of t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f . 

I t m a y be observed t h a t f a c u l t y s t a t u s f o r 
l i b r a r i a n s is m o r e c o m m o n in s m a l l e r t h a n 
in l a r g e r schools. B u t in r e c e n t years sev-
eral of the l a r g e r universities have recog-
n i z e d the essential u n i t y of l i b r a r i a n s h i p 
w i t h research a n d classroom t e a c h i n g . E v e n 
in m a n y w h i c h do n o t c o n f e r a c a d e m i c title, 

Salaries 
T h e salary of t h e l i b r a r i a n is p e r h a p s t h e 

best single m e a s u r e of his s t a t u s in t h e aca-
d e m i c w o r l d . H a v e t h e salaries of l i b r a r y 
staff kept u p w i t h t h e i n f l a t i o n a r y s p i r a l ? 
I f . n o t , h a v e t h e y kept pace w i t h p r o f e s s o r s ' 
s a l a r i e s ? 

F r o m d a t a a v a i l a b l e it is h a r d to a n s w e r 
these questions. T a b l e s of high a n d l o w 
salaries do n o t tell h o w m a n y i n d i v i d u a l s 
a r e n e a r t h e high, h o w m a n y are n e a r t h e 
l o w . T h e tables give n o m e d i a n s f o r a n y 

Table III 
Professional Salary Ranges, 1939 and 1949, in Universities 

and Teachers Colleges Reporting to ALA 

Universities 

!939 1949 

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum 

High 
Median 
Low 

1,400 
1,200 

720 

4,000 
1,800 
1,285 

3,445 
2,400 
1,600 

10,000 
4,000 
3,000 

Teachers Colleges 

J939 1 9 4 9 

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum 

High 2,000 2,400 3,850 4,620 
Median 1,500 1,925 2,800 3 , 6 5 0 
Low 900 1,850 i ,920 3,240 

t h e l i b r a r y staff e n j o y s all or most of the 
privileges of f a c u l t y m e m b e r s h i p . 

I n only 4 0 i n s t i t u t i o n s w h e r e t h e r e w e r e 
t e a c h e r - r e t i r e m e n t plans, of t h e 4 6 7 reply-
i n g t o M r . R u s h ' s q u e s t i o n n a i r e , w e r e li-
b r a r y staff e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e p l a n s . I n 
m a n y schools n o t giving f a c u l t y r a n k , li-
b r a r y staff a r e eligible f o r sabbatical leave 
a n d s i m i l a r r i g h t s . 

A l t h o u g h these p o s t w a r d a t a c a n n o t be 
c o m p a r e d to the p r e w a r period, it is a p p a r -
e n t t h a t t h e s t a t u s of l i b r a r i a n s has im-
proved ; all the evidence points in t h a t direc-
tion. 

single i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e d e d u c t i o n s b e l o w 
assume t h a t the m e d i a n f o r a l i b r a r y is 
s o m e w h e r e , b u t n o t f a r , b e l o w t h e m i d w a y 
p o i n t in its scale. 

T h e salaries of head l i b r a r i a n s a r e o m i t t e d 
f r o m c o m p u t a t i o n s . So m a n y i n s t i t u t i o n s 
do n o t r e p o r t salaries of categories w h e r e 
i n d i v i d u a l salaries m a y be d e d u c e d , t h a t fig-
u r e s in this c a t e g o r y a r e deceptive. T h o s e 
n o t r e p o r t i n g , o d d l y e n o u g h , t e n d t o be the 
schools w i t h t h e highest s a l a r y scales. 

Salaries of p r o f e s s i o n a l assistants in 1939 
w e r e shockingly l o w in c o m p a r i s o n w i t h 
t o d a y ' s costs. T h e y w e r e w o r s e in u n i v e r -

OCTOBER, 1951 
32 7 



sities than in teachers colleges. A m o n g the 
universities examined, the m i n i m u m profes-
sional salaries ( w e may presume them to be 
the beginning rates) ranged f r o m a low of 
$ 7 2 0 per year to a high of $ 1 4 0 0 . Imagine, 
if you will, w h a t this means. A m o n g the 
2 0 university libraries r e p o r t i n g b o t h ' in 
1939 and in 1949, none paid m o r e than 
$ 1 4 0 0 to a beginning l i b r a r i a n ; the median 
of the institutions w a s $1200. 

A m o n g teachers colleges, on the other 
h a n d , the range w a s f r o m $ 9 0 0 to $ 2 0 0 0 , 
f o r a median of $ 1 5 0 0 . T h e m a x i m u m 
salary of a professional assistant w a s also 
generally higher in the teachers college; the 
median m a x i m u m salary w a s $ 1 9 2 5 as com-
pared to $ 1 8 0 0 in universities. 

I n universities, the m a x i m u m salary in 
some institutions was higher t h a n the maxi-
m u m in any teachers college ; $ 4 0 0 0 w a s the 
university top as compared to $ 2 4 0 0 in the 
teachers college g r o u p . 

I n 1949 the median m i n i m u m salary f o r 
university libraries w a s $ 2 4 0 0 , the median 
m a x i m u m $ 4 0 0 0 . I n teachers colleges t h e 
median ranged f r o m $ 2 8 0 0 to $ 3 6 0 0 . 

T h e range of salaries in universities be-
tween m i n i m u m and m a x i m u m continues to 
be greater t h a n in teachers colleges. T h i s 
is n a t u r a l because of the l a r g e r and m o r e 
highly-organized staffs, w i t h several levels 
of supervision. 

F r o m these d a t a it is a p p a r e n t t h a t the 
beginning salaries of librarians have in-
creased to almost double the figures of 10 
years earlier. A s the p o s t w a r inflation oc-
c u r r e d , m a n y schools employed n e w replace-
m e n t s at salaries as high as or o f t e n even 
above those paid t o persons of long tenure. 
I n time, the pressure moved to higher levels 
b u t the figures do not reveal w h e t h e r the 
a d j u s t m e n t in the middle brackets has been 
complete. 

I n 1939 median range between m i n i m u m 
and m a x i m u m salaries in a single institu-

tion was $1020; this m i g h t be i n t e r p r e t e d 
as the average a m o u n t of increase an in-
dividual might eventually receive in the 
same institution ( w i t h o u t becoming chief 
l i b r a r i a n ) . In 1949 this median range be-
tween m i n i m u m and m a x i m u m salary w a s 
$ 1 7 6 0 . 

If the distribution of positions between 
m i n i m u m and m a x i m u m is n o w n o r m a l , w e 
m i g h t conclude t h a t library salaries are once 
more in b a l a n c e ; but it is possible t h a t 
salaries still cluster a r o u n d the m i n i m u m . 

I n 1949 the cost-of-living index was 160, 
using 1939 as the base. If no a d j u s t m e n t s 
are made, it appears t h a t library salaries 
have increased in at least this a m o u n t . I n 
universities, the median m i n i m u m salary has 
doubled, in teachers colleges almost. T h e 
mid-point between m i n i m a and m a x i m a of 
the median salary has j u m p e d f r o m $ 1 5 0 0 
to $ 3 2 0 0 in universities, and f r o m $ 1 7 0 0 to 
$ 3 2 0 0 in teachers colleges. T h e s e increases 
are considerably m o r e t h a n the cost-of-liv-
ing. 

B u t some a d j u s t m e n t s need to be made. 
F i r s t , there is some question as to w h e t h e r 
the figure $ 3 2 0 0 represents the average pro-
fessional salary, a l t h o u g h it is n o t f a r f r o m 
the findings of the B u r e a u of L a b o r statis-
tics study. 

Second, the cost-of-living index is not too 
good a measure f o r the lowest salaries, since 
food represents the greatest single item of 
cost in lower income groups, and the in-
crease in t h a t item has been t o m o r e t h a n 
2 0 0 per cent of the 1939 base. 

T h i r d , net income a f t e r tax must be con-
sidered. I n 1939 the single librarian earn-
ing $ 1 5 0 0 ( n e a r the a v e r a g e ) paid a tax of 
less t h a n $ 2 0 per y e a r ; today the single li-
b r a r i a n e a r n i n g $ 3 2 0 0 pays almost $ 4 0 0 . 

I n 1939 the range of reported salaries f o r 
chief librarians in universities w a s f r o m 
$ 1 8 0 0 to $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 w i t h a median of $ 4 5 0 0 . 

(Continued on page 348) 

342 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



E v e n so, w e have given a course in school 
library methods to w o r k e r s in I d a h o , 
N e v a d a , C a l i f o r n i a , W a s h i n g t o n , Colorado, 
N e b r a s k a , Kansas, O k l a h o m a , N o r t h C a r o -
lina, South C a r o l i n a , Mississippi, M i s s o u r i , 
Illinois and T e x a s . T h i s w o u l d seem to 
reflect the n a t i o n w i d e lack of t r a i n i n g 
a m o n g school librarians. W e have f e w e r 
home study s t u d e n t s f r o m U t a h because w e 
give resident courses. W e feel sure t h a t 
the t e a c h e r - t r a i n i n g agencies of these states 
must have missed an o p p o r t u n i t y f o r service. 

W e hope t h e day w i l l come w h e n every 
first class t e a c h e r - t r a i n i n g institution gives 
a m a j o r in library w o r k . W h e n y o u n g 
people can secure t r a i n i n g f o r librarianship 
in the same length of time needed to become 
teachers, w h e n they can do it in their o w n 
state or section of a state, and w h e n this 
t r a i n i n g is accepted as the basis f o r advanced 
w o r k f r o m one p a r t of the c o u n t r y to 
a n o t h e r , then w e will have our share of the 

best y o u n g s t u d e n t s going into l i b r a r y w o r k . 
If w e w a n t to see the day come w h e n every 
school library is in the care of a trained li-
b r a r i a n , some such realistic approach is neces-
sary. 

I t seems likely this day w i l l arrive sooner 
if A L A gets out of t h e accrediting field 
so f a r as school library w o r k goes, and leaves 
this up to the regional agencies which pass 
on o t h e r questions of t r a i n i n g f o r service 
in the public schools. 

A s it is, t h e situation of some of us is 
anomalous, to say the least. W e explain 
to o u r s t u d e n t s w e are unaccredited by 
A L A , but our credits are accepted in most 
states f o r certification b u t not by library 
schools elsewhere. W e then ask these same 
s t u d e n t s to join o u r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n . 
T h e answer of one f a r m girl is w o r t h 
p o n d e r i n g : 

" M i s t e r , it sounds to me as if you w e r e 
asking us to buy the f r o n t end of a c o w . " 

Libraries in an Ii 
(Continued fr< 

I n 1949, the range w a s f r o m $ 3 8 0 0 to 
$10,500, w i t h a median of $ 7 0 0 0 . T h e in-
crease of the medians w a s 55 per cent. 

I n teachers colleges the range w a s f r o m 
$ 1 4 0 0 to $ 3 7 5 0 in 1939, and f r o m $ 2 4 0 0 
to $ 6 0 0 0 in 1 9 4 9 ; the median rose f r o m 
$ 2 2 0 0 to $ 4 2 5 0 , an increase of 93 per cent. 

By reducing the p r o p o r t i o n of profes-
sional workers, libraries have been able gen-
erally to keep salaries in pace w i t h the cost 
of living, and in some cases to improve t h e m . 
W h i l e figures on teaching salaries are not 
immediately available f o r the same institu-
tions, it is probable t h a t librarian salaries 
have been increased as m u c h as their f a c u l t y 
colleagues' salaries have. 

T h i s situation is n o t one to be accepted 

Lflationary Cycle 
m page 342) 

as g o o d ; librarianship is still not one of t h e 
most lucrative, and o f t e n not as well paid 
as teaching. 

I n s u m m a r y , the colleges and universities 
have been able thus f a r to survive the in-
flation by d r a w i n g on some of the accumu-
lated book resources, by increasing the use 
of nonprofessional personnel. O n the aver-
age, l i b r a r i a n s ' salaries have not absorbed 
the economies. H o w long they can con-
tinue to operate on r e d u c i n g percentages of 
the educational b u d g e t is problematical. 
T h e book collections w i l l soon become ob-
solete; t h e limits of replacing professional 
w i t h nonprofessional staff w i l l soon be 
r e a c h e d ; beyond t h a t library service will 
suffer d e t e r i o r a t i o n . 

348 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES