College and Research Libraries By H. DEAN STALLINGS College and University Library Buildings: A Ten~Year Forecast, 195o~r96o Mr. Stallings is librarianJ North Da- kota Agricultural CollegeJ Fargo. THE ACRL Buildings Committee has made two studies on college and uni- versity library buildings recently. Three reports on the first study, issued by the chairman, Dr. Robert H. Muller, have ap- peared in College and Research Libraries.1 The information on future library build- ings, reported on by Dr. Muller, was limited to I03 libraries of accredited insti- tutions. The information collected on a small scale seemed to justify a more ex- haustive second survey of some I86o colleges and universities in the United States as listed in the United States Office of Ed~ca­ tion Directory, I950-5I. A questionnaire consisting of twelve questions was prepared by the committee and mailed to these I 86o colleges and uni- versities. As of August I5, I95I, there had been received I555, or 84.6 percent of the returns. (A few are still coming in) . A complete report on the returns is expected ~o be published later. The present report 1s presented now because it contains timely information on the buildings to be built in the near future or buildings completed within the past year or so. According to the findings in . Question IO of the questionnaire, IOO libraries are planning to build before I 960, or have completed during the past year. Although 1 October 195o; January & July I gSI. many of the libraries listed here were on Dr. Muller's list in the January issue of College and Research LibrariesJ very few have listed the same estimated cost. For example, the University of Indiana jumped their estimate from $4,00o,ooo to $6,ooo,- ooo, and increased the capacity from I ,ooo,ooo to I ,500,000 volumes, and seats from 2,000 to 2,8oo. The University of Pennsylvania changed their estimated cost from $2,ooo,ooo to $6,ooo,ooo, and changed their capacity from 6oo,ooo to 2,ooo,ooo volumes. Many other changes in thinking in just a few months' time show up by comparing the two lists. Some libraries are on Dr. Muller's list but did not answer the questionnaire for this compilation. For instance, the U ni- versity of Chicago appears on the Muller list as proposing a $6,ooo,ooo building, but not on this list, since they did not answer the questionnaire. Thus a comparison of both lists is necessary to obtain a complete story. It is interesting to note that of the I03 libraries planning a new building, 29 of them~plan to spend over a million dol- lars, I 5 of them over two million, and 2 of them as much as 6 million. Th other 74 libraries will cost between $50,000 and $I,ooo,ooo, with the median construction price at about $5oo,ooo. A brief summary of the other questions on the questionnaire is as follows: Question I : "Does your library occupy a separate main building?" Yes 590 No 846 136 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES LIBRARIES COMPLETED OR TO BE COMPLETED I95o-I96o Est. Cost Inc. Equip. $6,ooo,ooo 6,000,000 (no equip.) 4.750,000 4,'250,000 4,000,000 3,5oo,ooo (addition) 3,2oo,ooo '2, soo ,ooo (addition) '2,500,000 (extension, no equip.) '2,020,273 2,ooo,ooo+ '2,000,000 '2,000,000 2,000,000 '2,000,000 I ,625,000 I ,500,000 I ,500,000 I ,500,000 I ,500,000 I ,408,000 I ,35o,ooo I ,250,000 I ,I60,I05 I,ooo,ooo I,ooo,ooo I ,000,000 I ,000,000 (building in which Ii brary is one wing) No. of Vol. I,soo,ooo '2,000,000 I ,500,000 '2,000,000 I ,500,000 '2,500,000 350,000 I ,6oo,ooo I ,200,000 6oo,ooo I25 ,ooo 700,000 8oo,ooo soo,ooo 350,000 750,000 6oo,ooo soo,ooo 375,000 250,000 200,000 400,000 450,000 400,000 400,000 450,000 350,000 soo,ooo 250,000 225 ,ooo I25-I50,000 soo ,ooo-I ,ooo ,ooo 35o-4oo ,ooo 200,000 900,000 I 50-200,000 (I948 est.) 88o,ooo 85o,ooo 850,000 85o,ooo 85o,ooo 6oo, ooo-8oo, ooo 775 ,ooo 750,000 750,000 200,000 8o,ooo IOO,OOO I8,ooo I35 ,ooo '250,000 250,000 No. Readers 2,8oo I ,900 '2,500 3,65o I ,'200 I, 5