College and Research Libraries


Management Improvements 
in Libraries 

T h e f o l l o w i n g t h r e e p a p e r s w e r e p r e s e n t e d a t the 3 9 t h C o n f e r e n c e of E a s t e r n C o l l e g e 
L i b r a r i a n s , h e l d on N o v e m b e r 2 8 , 1 9 5 3 , a t C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y . 

B y M A U R I C E F . T A U B E R 

Surveys by Librarians 

ON T H E BASIS of c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h the C o m m i t t e e C h a i r m a n , I g a t h e r t h a t t h i s 
p r o g r a m is a u n i t a n d the p a r t s a r e i n t e r -
r e l a t e d . I n t h e e a r l y p a r t of t h e c o r r e s p o n d -
ence w i t h y o u r c h a i r m a n I w a s c o n c e r n e d 
w i t h the i m p l i c a t i o n t h a t t h e r e w a s a n e c e s -
s a r y s e r i o u s d i c h o t o m y of a p p r o a c h b e t w e e n 
s u r v e y s by l i b r a r i a n s and t h o s e by m a n a g e -
m e n t e n g i n e e r s . T h e i m p l i c a t i o n is p r o b a b l y 
w a r r a n t e d to s o m e e x t e n t . F o r t h a t r e a s o n , 
I h a v e f o u n d it d e s i r a b l e in m y c o m m e n t s to 
n o t e s o m e s i m i l a r i t i e s in t h e p r o c e d u r e s of l i -
b r a r i a n s a n d m a n a g e m e n t e n g i n e e r s in t h e i r 
a n a l y s i s of l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s , a l t h o u g h t h e 
f o c u s a n d e m p h a s i s of e a c h g r o u p h a v e been 
d i f f e r e n t . P o l i c y m a k i n g a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
h a v e b e e n t h e p r i m a r y c o n c e r n of l i b r a r y 
s u r v e y s . S p e c i f i c a l l y , t h i s d i s c u s s i o n w i l l d e a l 
w i t h t h e p u r p o s e s , w i t h s o m e a t t e n t i o n to s e l f -
e v a l u a t i o n , p r o b l e m a r e a s , m e t h o d o l o g y , and 
r e s u l t s of s u r v e y s by l i b r a r i a n s . W h i l e s t r e s s 
is on a c a d e m i c l i b r a r y s u r v e y s , r e f e r e n c e s to 

p u b l i c a n d o t h e r l i b r a r y s u r v e y s a r e i n c l u d e d . 
« 

PURPOSES 

P e r h a p s s o m e of y o u w i l l r e c a l l the a r t i c l e 
by L o u i s R . W i l s o n , " T h e U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r y 
S u r v e y : I t s R e s u l t s , " w h i c h a p p e a r e d in t h e 
July, 1947 issue of College and Research Li-
braries. D r . W i l s o n , l e a d i n g s u r v e y o r of 
u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s , a f t e r d e s c r i b i n g t h e g e n -
e r a l a n d l i m i t e d t y p e s of l i b r a r y s u r v e y s , 
d i r e c t e d his a t t e n t i o n a t i s o l a t i n g s o m e of t h e 
b e n e f i c i a l r e s u l t s of t h o s e in w h i c h he h a d 
p a r t i c i p a t e d . S p e c i f i c i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g 
r e s u l t s of f i v e s u r v e y s is r e c o r d e d , w i t h p a r -
t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n to a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s b a s e d on 
t h e U n i v e r s i t y of G e o r g i a L i b r a r y s u r v e y , the 
o l d e s t of t h e g e n e r a l s u r v e y s of u n i v e r s i t y l i -
b r a r i e s . B u t D r . W i l s o n ' s f i n a l p a r a g r a p h 
is w o r t h q u o t i n g : 

T h e results of the five surveys have not 
been so extensive or so substantial as those 
set forth by D r . Parker [then librarian of the 
University of G e o r g i a ] . But they are sub-
stantial. T h e criticism could be made that 
the surveys are very much alike in f o r m and 
scope, that they are elementary, that when 
one is read there is little need to read the 
others. Such criticism is easy to make but is 
wide of the mark. T h e y have been somewhat 
alike because they represent prescriptions 
f o r libraries, f o r different libraries, however, 
and they are directed at specific as well as 
general ends. T h e y are elementary because 
they have been intended f o r administrative 
officers and faculty members w h o are not 
experts in library administration but whose 
sympathetic understanding and cooperation 
are essential to the carrying out of an effec-
tive, significant library program. 1 

I t is o b v i o u s l y n o t p o s s i b l e to d i s c u s s in 
d e t a i l the m a n y s u r v e y s m a d e by l i b r a r i a n s . 
A m o n g t h e l a r g e r i n s t i t u t i o n s s u r v e y e d by 
l i b r a r i a n s a r e t h e L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s , A r m e d 
F o r c e s M e d i c a l L i b r a r y , t h e C h i c a g o P u b l i c 
L i b r a r y , t h e C l e v e l a n d P u b l i c L i b r a r y , t h e 
L o s A n g e l e s P u b l i c L i b r a r y ( m a d e in c o l -
l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e L o s A n g e l e s B u r e a u of 
B u d g e t a n d E f f i c i e n c y ) , the M i c h i g a n S t a t e 
L i b r a r y , t h e I l l i n o i s S t a t e L i b r a r y , the N e w 
Y o r k S t a t e L i b r a r y , the A i r U n i v e r s i t y , t h e 
U n i t e d N a t i o n s L i b r a r y , the l i b r a r i e s of t h e 
u n i v e r s i t i e s of F l o r i d a , G e o r g i a , I n d i a n a , M i n -
n e s o t a , M i s s i s s i p p i , M o n t a n a , a n d S o u t h C a r o -
l i n a , T e x a s A . & M . C o l l e g e , A l a b a m a P o l y -
t e c h n i c I n s t i t u t e , V i r g i n i a P o l y t e c h n i c I n s t i t u t e , 
N o t r e D a m e , S t a n f o r d , C o l u m b i a , a n d C o r -

1 College and Research Libraries, 8:375, July, 1947. 
See also McDiarmid, E. W., The Library Survey: Prob-
lems and Methods. Chicago, American Library As-
sociation, 1940; and statement on value of "the perception 
of a single person," by Devereux C. Josephs, in Annual 
Report, 1946, p. 29, of the Carnegie Corporation of 
New York. 

188 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



n e l l . T h e s p e c i a l s t u d i e s a t the M o n t c l a i r 
P u b l i c L i b r a r y h a v e been w e l l p u b l i c i z e d . 
T h e r e a r e m a n y o t h e r s , i n c l u d i n g t w o s e r i e s 
w h i c h a r e o r d i n a r i l y n o t a v a i l a b l e — t h o s e 
m a d e f o r l a r g e r g e n e r a l s u r v e y s o r f o r a c -
c r e d i t a t i o n b o a r d s , a n d t h o s e w h i c h w e r e 
m a d e on a c o n f i d e n t i a l b a s i s . A s a r u l e , h o w -
e v e r , g e n e r a l l i b r a r y s u r v e y s a n d m a n y of t h e 
s p e c i a l s u r v e y s h a v e b e e n r e p r o d u c e d and 
g i v e n l i m i t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n . O n e of t h e m o s t 
a c t i v e p u b l i c l i b r a r y s u r v e y o r s h a s been 
J o s e p h L . W h e e l e r , f o r m e r l y l i b r a r i a n a t 
E n o c h P r a t t F r e e L i b r a r y in B a l t i m o r e , a n d 
a n e x p e r t on l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g s . H e h a s p a r t i -
c i p a t e d in 8 2 s u r v e y s of v a r i o u s k i n d s . 

V e r y s i m p l y s t a t e d , the m a j o r p u r p o s e s of a 
l i b r a r y s u r v e y a r e t o d e s c r i b e a n d e v a l u a t e . 
W h e t h e r it is a g e n e r a l l i b r a r y s i t u a t i o n , a 
d e p a r t m e n t a l m a t t e r , o r a s p e c i f i c p r o b l e m 
a r e a , the g o a l is to g a t h e r a l l f a c t s c o n c e r n i n g 
it a n d to s u g g e s t s t e p s f o r o v e r c o m i n g a n y 
s h o r t c o m i n g s w h i c h a r e f o u n d . 

Self-Surveys.—Any e f f e c t i v e l i b r a r i a n is 
a l w a y s t r y i n g t o a n a l y z e a n d e v a l u a t e h i s 
o w n l i b r a r y s i t u a t i o n . T h e w e l l - r u n l i b r a r y 
is o p e r a t e d on t h e b a s i s of c o n t i n u o u s s t u d y 
of o r g a n i z a t i o n , f a c i l i t i e s , s e r v i c e s , a n d r o u -
t i n e s . S e l f - s u r v e y s , o r s t u d i e s of p r o b l e m s 
b y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d s t a f f , a r e e s s e n t i a l to 
e f f e c t i v e l i b r a r y o p e r a t i o n . T h e s e s t u d i e s 
m a y be d i r e c t e d a t t h e c l a r i f i c a t i o n of t h e 
a i m s a n d f u n c t i o n s of t h e l i b r a r y , d e t e r m i n a -
t i o n of t h e s t a t u s of t h e l i b r a r y , t h e i s o l a t i o n 
of f a c t o r s w h i c h l i m i t o r c o n t r i b u t e to the 
e f f i c i e n c y of s e r v i c e , o r a t s p e c i f i c m a t t e r s of 
i m m e d i a t e i m p o r t a n c e , s u c h a s a c h a n g e of 
o r g a n i z a t i o n , e v a l u a t i o n of b o o k o r p e r i o d i c a l 
c o l l e c t i o n s , a n e x a m i n a t i o n of a c q u i s i t i o n 
p o l i c y , a p e r s o n n e l c l a r i f i c a t i o n , f i n a n c i a l s u p -
p o r t f o r s p e c i a l p u r p o s e s , b u i l d i n g a l t e r a t i o n s , 
e q u i p m e n t n e e d s , c a t a l o g i n g o p e r a t i o n s a n d 
r o u t i n e s , b i n d i n g p r o c e d u r e s , r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e 
a l t e r a t i o n s , p r o b l e m s of u s e r s . S e l f - s u r v e y s , 
as w e l l a s t h o s e m a d e by o u t s i d e c o n s u l t a n t s , 
a r e f r e q u e n t l y d e s i g n e d to b l u e p r i n t t h e c o u r s e 
of a c t i o n f o r t h e f u t u r e . 

O n e m a y g e t a g l i m p s e of the c u r r e n t 
e f f o r t s to i n t r o d u c e s c i e n t i f i c m a n a g e m e n t i n t o 
t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s a n d r o u t i n e s by e x a m i n a t i o n 
of a n n u a l r e p o r t s of l i b r a r i a n s . F o r e x a m p l e , 
the f o l l o w i n g q u o t a t i o n is t a k e n f r o m t h e 
" A n n u a l R e p o r t of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of O k l a -
h o m a L i b r a r i e s f o r 1 9 5 2 - 1 9 5 3 " : 2 

2 Page 6. Arthur M. McAnally is director of libraries. 

Various technical changes were made to 
improve the economy and efficiency of library 
operations. A n experiment was conducted 
in open-stack service in the general library 
orf weekends and proved pleasing to all con-
c e r n e d ; along the same lines, the L o w e r D i v i -
sion and Pharmacy libraries became fully 
open-shelf. 

In Acquisitions, accessioning was discon-
tinued, multiple order forms adopted, and 
punched cards used for faculty recommenda-
tions and f o r accounting. In Cataloging, the 
LC depository set of cards occupying a room 
28' X 15' was abandoned, the discarded card 
cabinets used to expand the general card 
catalog, and the space added to cataloging 
work space; pre-ordering of LC printed 
cards was begun to speed up cataloging. 

In Reference, a rotary K a r d e x was installed 
to make it easier to find periodicals, and 
multiple-carbon interlibrary loan forms were 
adopted. A study of binding standards and 
costs was made and arate collections in the 
Biological Sciences Library were consolidated 
and their catalogs combined, to facilitate use. 
Several library units improved their process-
ing of non-book materials. 

T w o o t h e r e x a m p l e s of l i b r a r i e s w h i c h 
e n d e a v o r t o i n t r o d u c e m a n a g e m e n t i m p r o v e -
m e n t s as p a r t of the c u r r e n t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of 
the s t a f f a r e t h e U . S . D e p a r t m e n t of A g r i -
c u l t u r e L i b r a r y a n d t h e B r o o k l y n P u b l i c L i -
b r a r y . L i b r a r i a n S h a w a t A g r i c u l t u r e h a s 
b e e n a c o n s t a n t s t u d e n t of m a n a g e m e n t e n g i -
n e e r i n g a p p l i e d t o l i b r a r y p r o c e d u r e s . 3 

H i s r e c e n t w o r k w i t h the p h o t o c l e r k w a s 
b a s e d on e x p e r i m e n t s in the A g r i c u l t u r e L i -
b r a r y . T h e m a c h i n e w a s l a t e r t e s t e d in 
s e l e c t e d l i b r a r i e s . H e is a l s o t h e e d i t o r of a n 
i s s u e of Library Trends p u b l i s h e d in J a n u a r y 
on " S c i e n t i f i c M a n a g e m e n t in L i b r a r i e s . " 

I n a n a r t i c l e in the A p r i l , 1 9 5 3 , i s s u e of 
College and Research Libraries, Librarian St. 
J o h n of t h e B r o o k l y n P u b l i c L i b r a r y h a s 
s p e l l e d o u t in s o m e d e t a i l m a n a g e m e n t i m -
p r o v e m e n t s w i t h s p e c i f i c s a v i n g s m a d e in t h a t 
i n s t i t u t i o n . M r . S t . J o h n w r i t e s a s f o l l o w s : 

T h e development of management i m p r o v e -
ments in the Brooklyn Public Library is a 
joint affair and much of the basic discussion 
takes place in an A d v i s o r y B o a r d meeting. 
T h e A d v i s o r y Board is made up of super-
intendents of all phases of our work per-
formed by the professional, clerical, and 
maintenance staffs. Since they meet weekly 
there is a regular opportunity of bringing 

3 Shaw, R. R. "Scientific Management in the Li-
brary," Wilson Library Bulletin 21:349-52-)-, Jan. 1947. 

APRIL, 1954 189 



to bear upon any problem, the experience 
and knowledge of all.4 

H o w e v e r , D o n a l d C o n e y , a f t e r d e s c r i b i n g 
s o m e e f f o r t s of l i b r a r i e s a n d g r o u p s to c o m e 
to g r i p s w i t h s p e c i f i c p r o b l e m s , s u m m a r i z e d 
t h e c u r r e n t s t a t u s in l i b r a r y m a n a g e m e n t w i t h 

. a g e n e r a l c o n c l u s i o n t h a t " t h e r e is a r e g r e t -
t a b l e l a c k of f i r s t - h a n d a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h 
m a n a g e m e n t l i t e r a t u r e , a n d of o r i e n t a t i o n in 
the m a n a g e m e n t f i e l d , on t h e p a r t of l i b r a r y 
a d m i n i s t r a t o r s a n d t h o s e w h o w r i t e on l i b r a r y 
m a n a g e m e n t . " 5 

M o r e a n d m o r e l i b r a r i e s a r e f a c i n g t h e i r 
o b l i g a t i o n t o s u p p o r t a p r o g r a m of p e r i o d i c 
s t u d y of p r o b l e m s . C a l i f o r n i a , C h i c a g o , C o -
l u m b i a , I d a h o , I l l i n o i s , I o w a S t a t e , H a r v a r d , 
S t a n f o r d , T e m p l e , a n d Y a l e a r e a f e w e x -
a m p l e s of a c a d e m i c l i b r a r i e s w h i c h h a v e b e e n 
s t u d y i n g p r o b l e m s s y s t e m a t i c a l l y . M a n y p u b l i c 
l i b r a r i e s — C l e v e l a n d , L o s A n g e l e s , N e w Y o r k , 
M o n t c l a i r , a n d o t h e r s h a v e b e e n w o r k i n g 
c o n s t a n t l y a t i m p r o v i n g o p e r a t i o n s . W h e t h e r 
it is d o n e on a g e n e r a l b a s i s o r f o r a s p e c i f i c 
a r e a is n o t as i m p o r t a n t as t h e r e c o g n i t i o n 
t h a t t h e i n h e r i t e d p r o b l e m s of t h e p a s t m u s t 
be s o l v e d t o d a y . 

A n d r e w D . O s b o r n a n d S u s a n M . H a s k i n s , 
in a n a r t i c l e in t h e O c t o b e r 1 9 5 3 , i s s u e of 
Library Trends, describe the approach to the 
p r o b l e m of c a t a l o g m a i n t e n a n c e a t H a r v a r d . 
T h e L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s , t h r o u g h s t a f f c o m -
m i t t e e s a n d a c o n s u l t a n t on B i b l i o g r a p h i c 
P o l i c y a n d C a t a l o g i n g , h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a b a s i s 
f o r a f r o n t a l a t t a c k on a v a r i e t y of p r o b l e m s . 
I t is n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t a s t a t e l i b r a r y h a s s e t 
up the f o l l o w i n g p o s i t i o n : 

Library Management Officer 

$6700.00 $7060.00 $7420.00 $7780.00 
Duties: 

Under general direction as to policies, but 
with considerable latitude f o r the exercise of 
initiative and resourcefulness, analyzes li-
brary organization, procedures, and opera-
tions in relation to the responsibilities and 
commitments of the library. 

D e v e l o p s policies f o r economical and effec-
tive operation of the central library and its 
branches. 

Initiates suggestions f o r improvement of 
the management function of the library sys-
tem through alteration of the organizational 
pattern, through simplification of routines, 

4 St. John, F. R. "Management Improvements in Li-
braries, College and Research Libraries, 1 4 : 1 7 4 , April, 
I 9 5 3 -

6 Coney, Donald, "Management in College and Univer-
sity Libraries," Library Trends, 1:83-94, July, 1952. 

and through introduction of new or im-
proved methods of work. 

Conducts management research projects 
designed to aid the director and staff of the 
library in the formulation of decisions. 

A d v i s e s on training programs aimed at 
the development of cost-consciousness on the 
part of the staff. 

Examines new items of library and office 
equipment f o r possible use or extended appli-
cation to library operation. 

Does related work and prepares reports 
as required. 

Minimum qualifications: 

Formal education or other education or 
training showing attainment of the level 
represented by graduation f r o m college and 
at least one year of graduate study in a 
curriculum f o r industrial or management 
engineers and library science in an accredited 
graduate institution. 

T h r e e years of successful experience in 
industrial or management engineering or in 
librarianship. 

Freedom f r o m physical defects which 
would prevent efficient performance of the 
duties of the position. 

T h e W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . P u b l i c L i b r a r y in its 
Management Improvement Reports6 contains 
a s e r i e s of t e c h n i q u e s a n d m e t h o d s to be e m -
p l o y e d in r e v i e w i n g o p e r a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s . 
T h e s e i n c l u d e s t a f f c o n f e r e n c e s a n d m e e t i n g s , 
p e r i o d i c a n d s p e c i a l r e p o r t s , b u d g e t a r y ( c o s t ) 
c o n t r o l , s p e c i a l s t u d i e s a n d s u r v e y s , s p o t 
c h e c k s , s t a t i s t i c a l s a m p l i n g , t i m e s t u d i e s a n d 
w o r k l o a d s u r v e y s , p o o l i n g a n d c e n t r a l i z a t i o n , 
r o t a t i o n of s t a f f , o r i e n t a t i o n of n e w s t a f f 
m e m b e r s , c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h a u t h o r i t i e s o u t -
s i d e t h e l i b r a r y ( i n c l u d i n g v i s i t s ) , s t a f f a t -
t e n d a n c e a t p r o f e s s i o n a l m e e t i n g s a n d s e m i -
n a r s , s t u d y of m e c h a n i c a l a n d t e c h n o l o g i c a l 
p r o c e s s e s , i s s u a n c e of b u l l e t i n s to t h e s t a f f , 
r e v i e w a n d a n a l y s i s of s t a f f o p e r a t i o n s , m a i n -
t a i n i n g a s t a f f r e f e r e n c e c o l l e c t i o n of l i b r a r y 
a n d m a n a g e m e n t l i t e r a t u r e , f o r m s a n a l y s i s , 
a n d s t a f f q u e s t i o n n a i r e s . 

Surveys by Outsiders.—The o u t s i d e l i b r a r y 
s u r v e y o r is s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d i n t o t h e p i c t u r e 
b e c a u s e d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s of o p e r a t i o n s a n d 
r o u t i n e s a n d o t h e r p a r t s of t h e e n t e r p r i s e 
h a s b e e n l a c k i n g . I t is f r e q u e n t l y n o t p o s -
s i b l e f o r t h e l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r a n d m e m -
b e r s of t h e s t a f f , w i t h t h e i r d a i l y , p r e s s i n g 
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t o e n g a g e in s y s t e m a t i c s t u d y 
of p r o b l e m s . T h i s d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t t h e 

6 Staff Bulletin No. 24, September 15, 1951. 

190 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



l i b r a r i a n is n e c e s s a r i l y u n a w a r e of d e f i c i e n c i e s . 
I n t r u t h , m a n y s u r v e y s h a v e been i n i t i a t e d b y 
l i b r a r i a n s w h o , t h r o u g h e x p e r i e n c e a n d o b s e r -
v a t i o n , h a v e been a b l e t o s i n g l e o u t t h e p r o b -
l e m a r e a s . T h e y m a y h a v e a l r e a d y a s s e m b l e d 
r e l e v a n t d a t a on t h e p r o b l e m s f o r t h e u s e of 
the s u r v e y o r s . 

D e s p i t e the f a c t t h a t t h e p e r s o n n e l of a n 
o r g a n i z a t i o n m a y e n g a g e in s e l f - s u r v e y s , a 
f r e s h o u t s i d e p o i n t of v i e w is s o m e t i m e s d e -
s i r e d . T o g a i n t h i s p o i n t of v i e w t h e r e m a y 
be i n v o l v e d e x h a u s t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n of o p e r a -
t i o n s a n d r o u t i n e s w h i c h w i l l c o n f i r m c o n -
c l u s i o n s w h i c h h a v e been t e n t a t i v e l y r e a c h e d 
by the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d s t a f f m e m b e r s . B u t 
t h i s c o n f i r m a t i o n m a y h a v e b e n e f i c i a l r e s u l t s 
on t h e p r o g r a m of t h e e n t e r p r i s e . I n m a n y 
i n s t a n c e s , it m a y h e l p to i m p r e s s r e a l i s t i c 
b u s i n e s s m e n w h o a r e a c c u s t o m e d to e f f i -
c i e n c y e x p e r t s a n d r e s p e c t t h e i r f i n d i n g s . A n 
i n v e s t m e n t in a s u r v e y of this t y p e p r o b a b l y 
c a n be j u s t i f i e d on t h i s b a s i s . E v e n in s e l f -
e v a l u a t i o n of p r o b l e m s , a n u m b e r of l i b r a r i e s 
h a v e w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h b u i l d i n g a n d e q u i p -
m e n t s p e c i a l i s t s , a s w e l l as w i t h e x p e r t s in 
t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of f o r m s f o r a c q u i s i t i o n s , 
b i n d i n g , c a t a l o g i n g , p h o t o g r a p h i c w o r k , c i r -
c u l a t i o n , a n d o t h e r s e r v i c e ? . U s u a l l y , in 
t h e s e c a s e s , the c o n s u l t a n t s w o r k w i t h the 
l i b r a r i a n s t h r o u g h the s t a g e of i n s t a l l a t i o n . 

L i b r a r i a n s , n o t h a v i n g t i m e to c o n d u c t s u r -
v e y s , in o r d e r to p r o v i d e f a c t s f o r b u d g e t a r y 
o f f i c e r s s o m e t i m e s f i n d it d e s i r a b l e to o b t a i n 
o u t s i d e s u r v e y o r s o r c o n s u l t a n t s to w o r k on 
p r o b l e m s t h a t t h e l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n c a n -
n o t i t s e l f s o l v e . S p e c i a l i s t s in m a n a g e m e n t 
a r e a l s o a p p r o a c h e d t o p r o v i d e d a t a w h i c h 
a r e g e n e r a l l y n o t a v a i l a b l e in e i t h e r t h e 
l i t e r a t u r e o r t h e e x p e r i e n c e r e c o r d s of li-
b r a r i e s . 

W h e n l i b r a r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s w e r e s m a l l , t h e 
l i b r a r i a n h a d l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y g e t t i n g a b o o k 
f r o m his l i m i t e d c o l l e c t i o n to a r e a d e r . R e c -
o r d s a n d r o u t i n e s w e r e s i m p l e , t h e r e w e r e no 
s e r i o u s d i s t u r b a n c e s b e c a u s e of b u i l d i n g o r 
financial s i t u a t i o n s , a n d p e r s o n n e l r e c r u i t m e n t 
a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n w e r e n o t c o n s t a n t s o u r c e s of 
d i s t r e s s . S u r v e y s , t h e r e f o r e , u s u a l l y r e p r e -
s e n t o n e of t h e c o n c o m i t a n t s of s i z e a n d c o m -
p l e x i t y , a l t h o u g h it is r e a d i l y u n d e r s t a n d a b l e 
t h a t e v e n a o n e - m a n e n t e r p r i s e c a n b e c o m e 
c h a o t i c . W i t h g r e a t s i z e , o r g a n i z a t i o n a l a n d 
o p e r a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s b e c o m e i n c r e a s i n g l y 
a c u t e . W i t h o u t c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g o r g a n i z a -
t i o n a l c o n t r o l b e c o m e s d i v i d e d , r e c o r d s b e c o m e 

c u m b e r s o m e a n d d i f f i c u l t to c h a n g e , n e w r e c -
o r d s a n d f o r m s a r e n o t a l w a y s t h o u g h t f u l l y 
i n t r o d u c e d , t u r n o v e r of s t a f f is f r e q u e n t a n d 
r e c r u i t i n g of p e r s o n n e l b e c o m e s a d a i l y b u r -
d e n , r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of s t a f f m e m b e r s a r e n o t 
c a r e f u l l y o u t l i n e d , l i n e s of w o r k c r o s s a n d 
r e c r o s s u n s y s t e m a t i c a l l y , a c t i v i t i e s a r e c a r r i e d 
on w i t h o u t r e g a r d to r e l a t e d a c t i v i t i e s , s p a c e 
b e c o m e s i n a d e q u a t e a n d e q u i p m e n t i n s u f f i c i e n t 
o r o u t m o d e d . I t is t i m e to t a k e s t o c k of t h e 
s i t u a t i o n . 

T h e a u t h o r i z a t i o n f o r a s u r v e y u s u a l l y 
c o m e s f r o m a n i n d i v i d u a l o r g r o u p w i t h i n 
t h e i n s t i t u t i o n — f r o m t h e l i b r a r i a n , 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 , t h e p r e s i d e n t , o r t h e 
b o a r d of t r u s t e e s . S o m e t i m e s it m a y c o m e 
f r o m a n i n t e r e s t e d s u p p o r t i n g c o n s t i t u e n c y of 
the i n s t i t u t i o n , a n e d u c a t i o n a l o r p h i l a n t h r o p i c 
f o u n d a t i o n , o r , a s n o t e d e a r l i e r , a n a c c r e d i t i n g 
a s s o c i a t i o n . T h e s e l e c t i o n of s u r v e y o r s m a y 
be m a d e d i r e c t l y by t h e i n s t i t u t i o n i n v o l v e d , 
b y a n i n t e r e s t e d f o u n d a t i o n , o r b y a l i b r a r y 
o r g a n i z a t i o n a c t i n g a s i n t e r m e d i a r y . 

I t s h o u l d be n o t e d b r i e f l y a l s o t h a t t h e r e 
a r e e x a m p l e s of s u r v e y s of l i b r a r i e s h a v i n g 
b e e n m a d e j o i n t l y b y l i b r a r i a n s a n d m a n a g e -
m e n t e n g i n e e r s . T h e L o s A n g e l e s s u r v e y w a s 
c a r r i e d o u t u n d e r t h e s u p e r v i s i o n of t h e L o s 
A n g e l e s B u r e a u of B u d g e t a n d E f f i c i e n c y . 7 

T h e r e p o r t on " T e c h n i c a l S e r v i c e s , " of t h i s 
s u r v e y , f o r e x a m p l e , i n c l u d e s d e t a i l e d w o r k 
a n a l y s e s a n d c o s t s t u d i e s in t h e o p e r a t i o n s of 
a c q u i s i t i o n s , c a t a l o g i n g , c i r c u l a t i o n , a n d b i n d -
i n g . T h e N e w Y o r k P u b l i c L i b r a r y s u r v e y 
r e p r e s e n t s a n e x a m p l e of c l o s e s t a f f c o o p e r a -
t i o n a n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h m a n a g e m e n t e n g i -
n e e r s . T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of the N e w Y o r k 
P u b l i c L i b r a r y , h o w e v e r , h a s c o n s u l t e d w i t h 
o t h e r l i b r a r i a n s w h e n e v e r it h a s f o u n d it d e -
s i r a b l e t o d o s o . 

P R O B L E M A R E A S 

T h e n a t u r e of the p r o b l e m s m e t by s u r -
v e y o r s d i f f e r , of c o u r s e , f r o m l i b r a r y t o l i -
b r a r y . W h e n a t o t a l l i b r a r y s i t u a t i o n is 
s t u d i e d a t y p i c a l p a t t e r n of p r o b l e m s h a s g e n -
e r a l l y b e e n c o n s i d e r e d . T h i s p a t t e r n d i f f e r s 
o n l y s l i g h t l y f r o m the p a t t e r n f o u n d in n o n -
l i b r a r y e n t e r p r i s e s . T h e h i s t o r y of t h e i n s t i -
t u t i o n , t h e g o v e r n m e n t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s , fi-
n a n c e s , o r g a n i z a t i o n , p e r s o n n e l , c o n t r o l s , 
m e t h o d s , f a c i l i t i e s , a n d p h y s i c a l f a c t o r s a r e 

T Los Angeles. B u r e a u of Budget and Efficiency, 
Organisation, Administration and Management of the 
Los Angeles Public Library. Los Angeles, 1950. Vol-
ume I. General Service Factors. 

APRIL, 1954 191 



c o n s i s t e n t l y p a r t s of the l i b r a r y s u r v e y p a t -
t e r n . T h e r e a r e c e r t a i n f u n c t i o n s w h i c h a r e 
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of l i b r a r i e s , such as use, the 
a c q u i s i t i o n s p r o g r a m , c a t a l o g i n g , r e f e r e n c e 
w o r k o r c o o p e r a t i o n . 

History and Background.—Most general 
s u r v e y s i n c l u d e a section on the h i s t o r y and 
b a c k g r o u n d of the l i b r a r y . T h i s is d e v e l o p e d 
f r o m v a r i o u s i n s t i t u t i o n a l and l i b r a r y r e p o r t s , 
l i b r a r y c o m m i t t e e r e p o r t s , p u b l i s h e d m a -
t e r i a l s r e l a t i n g to the i n s t i t u t i o n , and o t h e r 
r e c o r d s w h i c h m a y be a v a i l a b l e . T h e h i s t o r y 
is i m p o r t a n t in a s s e s s i n g p r e s e n t p r o b l e m s , 
since it u s u a l l y p r o v i d e s the basis f o r the c u r -
r e n t s t a t u s and o p e r a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s of the 
l i b r a r y . 

Governmental Relationships.—One of the 
i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r s in a s t u d y of an a c a d e m i c 
l i b r a r y — a n d indeed, of o t h e r types of l i b r a r i e s 
as w e l l — i s the g o v e r n m e n t of the l i b r a r y . I n 
s o m e instances, l i b r a r y s e r v i c e and s u p p o r t 
h a v e s u f f e r e d b e c a u s e specific l e g i s l a t i o n r e -
g a r d i n g the place and r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the 
l i b r a r y has been l a c k i n g . S u r v e y s h a v e 
c l e a r l y pointed o u t h o w p a r t i c u l a r l i b r a r y 
s y s t e m s m i g h t be s t r e n g t h e n e d by such p r o -
c e d u r e s a s c o d i f y i n g r e g u l a t i o n s , i m p r o v i n g 
the position of the l i b r a r i a n in r e s p e c t to 
k n o w l e d g e of d e v e l o p m e n t s a f f e c t i n g the l i -
b r a r y , a c t i v a t i n g l i b r a r y c o m m i t t e e s so t h a t 
they help in l i b r a r y p l a n n i n g and p r o g r a m s , 
e m p h a s i z i n g the need f o r c e n t r a l i z a t i o n of 
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d i r e c t i o n , p o i n t i n g o u t d e f i -
ciencies in p e r s o n n e l policy, and i n d i c a t i n g 
w a y s by w h i c h the l i b r a r i a n can w o r k c l o s e l y 
w i t h the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and the f a c u l t y . I t 
h a s been u s e f u l in s u r v e y s to r e f e r to s u c c e s s -
f u l s i t u a t i o n s w h e r e g o v e r n m e n t a l r e l a t i o n -
ships a r e concisely s t a t e d . 

Financial Administration.—Funds are es-
s e n t i a l f o r c a r r y i n g on l i b r a r y s y s t e m p r o -
g r a m s . I t is t h e r e f o r e i m p o r t a n t to s h o w h o w 
w e l l the l i b r a r y h a s been f i n a n c e d and h o w 
w e l l the f u n d s a r e being spent. I n both the 
S t a n f o r d and C o r n e l l s u r v e y s , f o r e x a m p l e , it 
w a s f o u n d t h a t the l i b r a r y s y s t e m s w e r e 
a c t u a l l y spending m o r e f o r l i b r a r y p u r p o s e s 
t h a n u s u a l l y indicated in t h e i r s t a t i s t i c a l r e -
p o r t s . A d e t a i l e d e x a m i n a t i o n of b u d g e t a r y 
p r o c e d u r e s w i l l s o m e t i m e s r e v e a l hidden e x -
p e n d i t u r e s w h i c h a r e a c t u a l l y d e v o t e d to 
l i b r a r y p u r p o s e s . T h e s t u d y of f i n a n c i a l 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w i l l a l s o s u g g e s t i m p r o v e d 
m e t h o d s of b o o k k e e p i n g and a c c o u n t i n g , r e c -
o r d s , and r e p o r t i n g . S u r v e y s of s o m e s t a t e 

i n s t i t u t i o n s h a v e been i n s t r u m e n t a l in elimi-
n a t i n g in a c q u i s i t i o n s w o r k f o r the l i b r a r y red 
t a p e w h i c h m i g h t be n e c e s s a r y f o r the p u r -
c h a s e of a supply of l u m b e r or a s p h a l t by 
o t h e r u n i t s of the i n s t i t u t i o n . 

Organization and Administration.—One of 
the u s u a l t r o u b l e spots in l i b r a r y s e r v i c e is 
f a u l t y o r g a n i z a t i o n and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . A t 
S t a n f o r d , the c e n t r a l l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
w a s " f o u n d to be too w e a k to s e r v e ade-
q u a t e l y the i n t e r e s t s of all i n s t r u c t i o n a l and 
r e s e a r c h d e p a r t m e n t s . " I n o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s 
it h a s been f o u n d t h a t l i b r a r y u n i t s h a v e de-
v e l o p e d w i t h o u t r e l a t i o n to c e n t r a l s e r v i c e s . 
M o r e o v e r , s u r v e y s h a v e been c o n c e r n e d w i t h 
the n a t u r e of the o r g a n i z a t i o n a l p a t t e r n as a 
w h o l e — a c l e a r m a r k i n g o u t of the o b j e c t i v e s 
of the l i b r a r y , the type of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e 
o f f i c e r s n e c e s s a r y and t h e i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , the 
c h a r a c t e r and n u m b e r of positions needed to 
do the w o r k of the l i b r a r y , and the d i s t r i b u -
tion of the positions. A c l e a r s t a t e m e n t of 
f u n c t i o n s of each p e r s o n w h o is p l a c e d on the 
s t a f f is e s s e n t i a l . 

Technical Services.—In a c q u i s i t i o n s , c a t a -
l o g i n g and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , binding and p h o t o -
g r a p h i c s e r v i c e , o p e r a t i o n s and r o u t i n e s a s s u m e 
special i m p o r t a n c e in l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . 
E v e n in s m a l l l i b r a r y o p e r a t i o n s , c o n s i d e r a b l e 
w a s t e can o c c u r in the u s e of p r o f e s s i o n a l a s -
s i s t a n t s f o r c l e r i c a l w o r k . I n l a r g e o p e r a t i o n s , 
w h i c h m a y i n v o l v e the a c q u i s i t i o n , r e c o r d i n g , 
o r g a n i z i n g and s e r v i c i n g of m a t e r i a l s in a l l 
f o r m s on a l l s u b j e c t s and in a l l l a n g u a g e s , the 
use of p e r s o n n e l w e l l t r a i n e d in s u b j e c t f i e l d s 
and w i t h l i n g u i s t i c ability h a s been f o u n d to 
be e s s e n t i a l . D i f f i c u l t i e s in s o m e l i b r a r y o r -
g a n i z a t i o n s s u r v e y e d h a v e a r i s e n b e c a u s e of 
the f a i l u r e to e m p l o y p r o p e r p e r s o n n e l . T h e 
t e c h n i c a l s e r v i c e s in an e f f e c t i v e l y o p e r a t e d li-
b r a r y w i l l p r o v i d e p r o m p t f l o w of w o r k , eco-
n o m i c a l r o u t i n e s , s i m p l e but a d e q u a t e f o r m s , 
and p r o p e r use of m e c h a n i c a l e q u i p m e n t . 
P o o r technical f a c i l i t i e s and r o u t i n e s h a v e f r e -
q u e n t l y been the p r i m a r y r e a s o n f o r a li-
b r a r y ' s f a i l u r e to p r o v i d e e f f e c t u a l s e r v i c e . 
S u r v e y s h a v e r e v e a l e d t h e r e is a high c o r r e l a -
tion b e t w e e n f a i l u r e in technical r o u t i n e s and 
the a b i l i t y of l i b r a r y p e r s o n n e l to p r o v i d e a d e -
q u a t e r e a d e r s ' s e r v i c e s . 

Readers' Services.—The s t u d y of r e a d e r s ' 
s e r v i c e s is c o n c e r n e d u s u a l l y w i t h the c a l i b r e 
of the r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e , the n a t u r e and 
e f f e c t i v e n e s s of the c i r c u l a t i o n s y s t e m , i n t e r -
l i b r a r y l o a n s , and the c h a r a c t e r and p r o b l e m s 

192 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



of d e p a r t m e n t a l and b r a n c h l i b r a r i e s and 
special collections. Q u e s t i o n s of o r g a n i z a t i o n , 
c o n t r o l s , f a c i l i t i e s , and r o u t i n e s a r e i n v o l v e d 
h e r e as e l s e w h e r e . 

Personnel.—In the S t a n f o r d s u r v e y , the 
portion of the s u m m a r y concerning p e r s o n n e l 
began w i t h the s t a t e m e n t : " T h e p r o b l e m s re-
l a t i n g to l i b r a r y p e r s o n n e l a r e a m o n g the m o s t 
u r g e n t c o n f r o n t i n g the A d m i n i s t r a t i o n in its 
e f f o r t to i m p r o v e the l i b r a r y p r o g r a m . " T h e n 
f o l l o w e d specific r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s calling f o r 
a reclassification of positions, a listing of 
needed positions, r e c r u i t m e n t of i n d i v i d u a l s 
w i t h p r o p e r e d u c a t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d and e x -
perience, p a r t i c u l a r need f o r p e r s o n n e l w i t h 
s u b j e c t specializations, and the inclusion of 
p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r i a n s in the m e m b e r s h i p of 
the U n i v e r s i t y S t a f f . I n most other s u r v e y s , 
c o n s i d e r a b l e attention is g i v e n to the o r g a n -
ization, size and t r a i n i n g of s t a f f , division of 
p r o f e s s i o n a l f r o m c l e r i c a l activities, w o r k i n g 
conditions, s a l a r y scale, physical q u a r t e r s , and 
esprit de corps. 

Holdings.—Examination of a l i b r a r y ' s h o l d -
ings becomes an involved t a s k since acquisition 
and collections need to be considered in con-
j u n c t i o n w i t h a study of the i n s t r u c t i o n a l and 
r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m s and f u t u r e p l a n s of the in-
stitution. T h i s v a r i e s c o n s i d e r a b l y f r o m insti-
tution to institution in v a r i o u s time periods, 
and the c o n s i d e r a t i o n s of financial s u p p o r t , 
distribution of book f u n d s and c h a r a c t e r of 
collections c a l l f o r t a i l o r e d m e a s u r e m e n t s . 

Use of Libraries.—The t r u e e v a l u a t i o n of 
a l i b r a r y should be a r r i v e d at by a study of 
the e x t e n t to w h i c h its clientele accomplishes 
its p u r p o s e s . C o m p a n y and o t h e r special li-
b r a r i e s a r e compelled constantly to j u s t i f y 
their e x i s t e n c e — t h e y either become i n t e g r a l 
p a r t s of the o r g a n i z a t i o n s u p p o r t i n g them o r 
they a r e s h o r t - l i v e d . T h e r e is no reason w h y 
o t h e r types of l i b r a r i e s should not j u s t i f y their 
e x p e n d i t u r e s in t e r m s of the a c h i e v e m e n t of 
their p a t r o n s . F o r this reason, those engaged 
in g e n e r a l s u r v e y s a r e keenly conscious of the 
need to e x a m i n e u s e r s a t i s f a c t i o n and diffi-
culties. 

Buildings and Equipment.—In most g e n e r a l 
s u r v e y s , building p r o b l e m s a r e of a p r e s s i n g 
n a t u r e . L a c k of space f o r books, r e a d e r s , and 
staff is a common f a i l i n g . T h e s u r v e y o r s 
a r e f r e q u e n t l y f a c e d w i t h the need to e x a m i n e 
p l a n s f o r n e w s t r u c t u r e s , o r w i t h the d e v e l o p -
ment of plans f o r r e n o v a t i o n s or expansions. 
U n l e s s it is stipulated, s u r v e y o r s do not d r a w 

up p l a n s f o r a n e w building. H o w e v e r , rec-
o m m e n d a t i o n s m a y i n v o l v e w o r k i n g out p l a n s 
f o r the b e t t e r u t i l i z a t i o n of f l o o r space, the 
p u r c h a s e of efficient f u r n i t u r e and o t h e r equip-
ment, the i n s t a l l a t i o n of m o d e r n lighting and 
v e n t i l a t i n g systems, the painting of w a l l s , and 
so on. 

Cooperation.—Another g e n e r a l a r e a studied 
in some of the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y s u r v e y s has 
been s t a t e o r r e g i o n a l cooperation. I n s t a t e 
u n i v e r s i t i e s , the p r o b l e m of s u p p o r t i n v o l v e s 
the u s u a l a v a i l a b i l i t y of limited f u n d s f o r all 
s t a t e - a i d e d e d u c a t i o n a l and l i b r a r y f a c i l i t i e s . 
T h e s u r v e y o r s a r e s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d upon to 
'outline a p r o g r a m of c o o p e r a t i o n w h i c h w i l l 
be designed to m a k e the g r e a t e s t use of the 
f u n d s which a r e a v a i l a b l e . S p e c i a l i z a t i o n 
in collecting, e x c h a n g e p r o g r a m s , c o o r d i n a t e d 
use of s t a n d a r d f o r m s , and o t h e r p r o p o s a l s 
h a v e been developed. A s u r v e y of one s t a t e 
u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y has r e s u l t e d in the d e v e l o p -
ment of a council of l i b r a r i a n s of a l l s t a t e 
l i b r a r i e s . M e e t i n g s a r e held f o r discussion 
and action on p r o b l e m s of m u t u a l interest. 

M E T H O D O L O G Y 

T h e m e t h o d s of s u r v e y s a r e p r o b a b l y f a -
m i l i a r to most l i b r a r i a n s . P e r h a p s the best 
w a y of indicating the m e t h o d o l o g y is to f o l l o w 
t h r o u g h a typical s u r v e y , t h a t of V i r g i n i a 
P o l y t e c h n i c I n s t i t u t e m a d e in 1 9 4 9 . C o r r e -
spondence w i t h the L i b r a r i a n of V . P . I , began 
in the f a l l of 1 9 4 8 , a f t e r the P r e s i d e n t of the 
institution had received a g r a n t f r o m the 
G e n e r a l E d u c a t i o n B o a r d f o r a s u r v e y . A 
c o l l a b o r a t o r on the s u r v e y staff w a s selected. 
A c o n t r a c t w a s d r a w n up, and included the 
m a j o r p u r p o s e s of the s u r v e y ( t o m a k e a 
c o m p r e h e n s i v e study of the entire l i b r a r y 
situation, and to submit r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r 
a plan of d e v e l o p m e n t f o r the l i b r a r y ) , an 
outline of the p r o j e c t , responsibilities of the 
l i b r a r y s t a f f , distribution of budget, and plan 
f o r publication. 

P r i o r to the a r r i v a l on the c a m p u s , J a n u -
a r y 5, 1 9 4 9 ( t h e s u r v e y staff w a s in B l a c k s -
b u r g f o r t w o w e e k s ) , c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h the 
l i b r a r i a n w a s concerned w i t h m a t e r i a l s a v a i l -
able f o r study. H i s t o r i c a l m a t e r i a l s , staff 
m a n u a l s , special and a n n u a l r e p o r t s , r e p o r t s 
and c a t a l o g s , special s t a t e m e n t s of d e p a r t -
m e n t a l and g e n e r a l l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s , and 
other p a p e r s w e r e p r o v i d e d the s u r v e y o r s f o r 
study p r i o r to the visit to the c a m p u s . T h e 
l i b r a r y staff assisted in checking holdings, fill-

APRIL, 1954 193 



ing o u t j o b d e s c r i p t i o n sheets, and d e v e l o p i n g 
r e p o r t s on a r e a s w h i c h a p p a r e n t l y h a d not 
been s t u d i e d . M e a n w h i l e , the l i b r a r i a n w a s 
c a r e f u l l y b u i l d i n g up a s p i r i t of c o o p e r a t i o n 
on the p a r t of the s t a f f . 

O n a r r i v a l , d i s c u s s i o n s w e r e f i r s t h e l d w i t h 
the l i b r a r i a n and the p r e s i d e n t . T h e p r e s i -
dent, w h o w a s l o o k i n g a h e a d to a t e n - y e a r 
d e v e l o p m e n t of V . P . I . , i n d i c a t e d w h a t he e x -
pected of the s u r v e y , and listed a n u m b e r of 
specific q u e s t i o n s on such basic m a t t e r s as 
b u d g e t , p e r s o n n e l , c e n t r a l i z a t i o n of s e r v i c e s , 
b u i l d i n g , and s t a t e c o o p e r a t i o n . H e issued a 
m e m o r a n d u m t o the f a c u l t y and a d m i n i s t r a -
t i v e o f f i c e r s of the i n s t i t u t i o n a s k i n g f o r col-
l a b o r a t i o n on the s u r v e y . 

F o r the f i r s t f e w d a y s c o n f e r e n c e s w e r e 
h e l d w i t h the A g r i c u l t u r e b r a n c h l i b r a r y 
c o m m i t t e e ( t h e r e w a s no g e n e r a l l i b r a r y c o m -
m i t t e e ) , the s e v e r a l d e a n s , d e p a r t m e n t h e a d s , 
a l l o t h e r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o f f i c e r s , m a n y indi-
v i d u a l m e m b e r s of the f a c u l t y , a r e p r e s e n t a -
t i v e g r o u p of s t u d e n t s , i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t s , 
a n d m e m b e r s of the l i b r a r y staff i n d i v i d u a l l y 
a n d in g r o u p s . T h e l i b r a r i a n and s u p e r v i s o r s 
w e r e c o n s t a n t l y c o n s u l t e d d u r i n g the s t a y . 
V i s i t s w e r e m a d e to the d e p a r t m e n t a l and 
b r a n c h l i b r a r i e s , and to the R a d - T e c h and 
R a d f o r d C o l l e g e ( W o m e n ' s C o l l e g e of 
V . P . I . ) l i b r a r i e s . C o r r e s p o n d e n c e w a s c a r -
r i e d on w i t h the e x t e n s i o n division and e x p e r i -
m e n t s t a t i o n s of the i n s t i t u t i o n . 

A f t e r a r e v i e w of the m a t e r i a l s on h a n d , a 
s e r i e s of q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w e r e d r a w n u p : one 
on h o l d i n g s a n d needs to i n s t r u c t i o n a l d e p a r t -
m e n t h e a d s , one on technical s e r v i c e s in the 
v a r i o u s l i b r a r y u n i t s , one r e l a t e d to o t h e r 
m a t t e r s c o n c e r n i n g d e p a r t m e n t a l l i b r a r i e s , 
and one to u s e r s ( s t u d e n t s and f a c u l t y m e m -
b e r s ) . T h e r e s p o n s e s on the q u e s t i o n n a i r e s 
w e r e t h o r o u g h and p r o m p t . 

I n a d d i t i o n to the i n t e r v i e w s , q u e s t i o n -
n a i r e s , and v i s i t s , t h e r e w a s a l s o the t a s k of 
checking h o l d i n g s a g a i n s t s p e c i a l l i s t s , w h i c h 
p r o v i d e d s o m e idea of the s t r e n g t h s and w e a k -
nesses of the c o l l e c t i o n s . T h e j o b d e s c r i p t i o n s 
p r o v i d e d a u s e f u l body of d a t a r e g a r d i n g the 
d u t i e s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of a l l s t a f f m e m -
b e r s . J o b a n a l y s e s w e r e a l s o p r e p a r e d , w i t h 
m e m b e r s of the s u r v e y s t a f f w o r k i n g w i t h 
s t a f f f o r c e r t a i n p e r i o d s in o r d e r to o b s e r v e 
the n a t u r e of the p r o b l e m s f a c i n g t h e m . S t a f f 
m a n u a l s , o r g a n i z a t i o n c h a r t s , and f l o w c h a r t s 
w e r e u s e d w h e r e a p p r o p r i a t e . E f f o r t s w e r e 
m a d e to u s e such s t a n d a r d s of e f f e c t i v e l i b r a r y 

s e r v i c e w h i c h h a v e been d e v e l o p e d . T h e 
p r a c t i c e of u s i n g the c o m p a r a t i v e m e t h o d w a s 
a l s o i n t r o d u c e d into this s t u d y . V . P . I , is 
r e l a t i v e l y a s m a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n , and the e l a b o -
r a t e a n a l y s i s s o m e t i m e s m a d e in o t h e r studies 
w a s not r e q u i r e d f o r e v e r y r o u t i n e . D e s p i t e 
c e r t a i n d e l i c a t e s i t u a t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y in con-
nection w i t h c e n t r a l i z a t i o n of s e r v i c e s , col-
l a b o r a t i o n and c o o p e r a t i o n w e r e e x c e l l e n t . 
T h e c a m p u s f a m i l y as a w h o l e w a s a w a r e of 
the i n a d e q u a t e l i b r a r y f a c i l i t i e s and w a s a n x -
ious f o r i m p r o v e m e n t . 

D u r i n g the s t a y of the s u r v e y o r s , the p r o b -
l e m a r e a s w e r e o u t l i n e d in c o n s i d e r a b l e de-
t a i l . U s e of an ediphone m a d e it possible 
to t r a n s c r i b e m a t e r i a l s f r o m c o n f i d e n t i a l r e -
p o r t s and f r o m i n t e r v i e w s . A p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 
c y l i n d e r s of m a t e r i a l w e r e r e c o r d e d b e f o r e 
the s u r v e y o r s l e f t the c a m p u s . B e f o r e the 
s u r v e y o r s d e p a r t e d , an i n t e r v i e w w a s held 
w i t h the p r e s i d e n t to i n f o r m him of t e n t a t i v e 
a n s w e r s to the m a j o r q u e s t i o n s t h a t he h a d 
r a i s e d . 

W r i t i n g of the r e p o r t e x t e n d e d f r o m the 
c o m p l e t i o n of the v i s i t to the m o n t h of M a y . 
M y c o l l a b o r a t o r on the s u r v e y , W i l l i a m H . 
J e s s e , m a d e a n o t h e r v i s i t to B l a c k s b u r g b e f o r e 
the c o m p l e t i o n of the r e p o r t , and of l a t e he 
h a s been the c o n s u l t a n t to V . P . I , f o r its n e w 
b u i l d i n g . T h e v a r i o u s p o r t i o n s of the s u r v e y 
r e p o r t w e r e e x a m i n e d by the l i b r a r i a n and 
his s t a f f , and w h e r e e r r o r s of f a c t o r m i s -
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a r o s e they w e r e pointed o u t . 
T h e c o n c l u s i o n s of the s u r v e y o r s w e r e d r a w n 
on the b a s i s of t h e e v i d e n c e . L i k e a l l s u r v e y s 
in w h i c h t h e r e is f r a n k n e s s and c o o p e r a t i o n 
b e t w e e n the p a r t i e s i n v o l v e d , the f i n d i n g s a r e 
b a s e d on a c t u a l conditions and the r e c o m -
m e n d a t i o n s a r e f r a m e d w i t h i n the b o u n d s of 
possible a c h i e v e m e n t . T h e published r e p o r t , 
like m a n y r e p o r t s of u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y s u r -
v e y s , does not c o n t a i n a l l the w o r k - s h e e t s , 
w o r k a n a l y s e s , d i a g r a m s , b u i l d i n g s k e t c h e s 
and o t h e r m a t e r i a l s w h i c h the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
m a y u s e in d e v e l o p i n g the l i b r a r y p r o g r a m . 
Q u e s t i o n n a i r e s u s e d , h o w e v e r , w e r e i n c o r p o -
r a t e d in the f i n a l r e p o r t . T h e p r e s e n t a t i o n 
a l s o i n c l u d e d t a b u l a r d a t a , o r g a n i z a t i o n 
c h a r t s , and o t h e r i l l u s t r a t i v e m a t t e r . 

T h e p r e s i d e n t of V . P . I . u s e d the s u r v e y 
r e p o r t f o r the p r e p a r a t i o n of a condensed 
r e p o r t w h i c h w a s d i s t r i b u t e d w i d e l y in V i r -
g i n i a to i n f o r m f r i e n d s and o t h e r s of the li-
b r a r y n e e d s of the i n s t i t u t i o n . I t m e t w i t h 
p r o m p t r e s p o n s e f r o m the V i r g i n i a l e g i s l a t u r e , 

194 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



w h i c h p r o v i d e d t h e a d d i t i o n a l b o o k f u n d s a n d 
p e r s o n n e l r e q u i r e d f o r i m p r o v e d l i b r a r y s e r v -
ice. A $ 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g , f o r w h i c h 
f u n d s h a v e been a c q u i r e d , is u n d e r c o n s t r u c -
t i o n . 

R E S U L T S 

T h e i m p r o v e m e n t s r e s u l t i n g f r o m the 
V . P . I , s u r v e y h a v e been d u p l i c a t e d in o t h e r 
i n s t i t u t i o n s w h i c h h a v e h a d g e n e r a l l i b r a r y 
s u r v e y s . T h e s e r e s u l t s , w h i c h h a v e b e e n 
s p e l l e d o u t in d e t a i l b y D r . W i l s o n in t h e 
a r t i c l e c i t e d e a r l i e r , m a y be s u m m a r i z e d 
b r i e f l y . S u r v e y s h a v e been i n s t r u m e n t a l in 
i n c r e a s i n g t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g by the a d m i n i s -
t r a t i o n a n d f a c u l t y of w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s a 
p r o p e r l i b r a r y p r o g r a m , in c l a r i f y i n g t h e 
p o l i c y o r g o v e r n m e n t of t h e l i b r a r y , in i n -
t e g r a t i n g t h e l i b r a r y p r o g r a m w i t h i n s t r u c -
t i o n a n d r e s e a r c h , in r a i s i n g the p o s i t i o n of 
t h e l i b r a r y p e r s o n n e l , in g a i n i n g i n c r e a s e d 
s u p p o r t f o r t h e l i b r a r y , in i m p r o v i n g o p e r a -
t i o n s of the l i b r a r y , a n d in s t i m u l a t i n g u s e of 
t h e l i b r a r y . 

T h e s p e e d w i t h w h i c h i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a n d s u g g e s t i o n s m a d e in 
s u r v e y s is i n i t i a t e d v a r i e s a m o n g l i b r a r i e s . 
I n a n u m b e r of i n s t a n c e s , c h a n g e s in o p e r a -
t i o n s a n d r o u t i n e s h a v e b e e n m a d e w h i l e t h e 
s u r v e y o r s w e r e s t i l l on the c a m p u s . I n o t h e r s , 
a s W i l s o n h a s p o i n t e d o u t , t h e r e m a y be d e -
l a y s w h i c h h a v e d e v e l o p e d b e c a u s e of t h e 
g e n e r a l s l o w n e s s of s o m e a c a d e m i c i n s t i t u t i o n s 
to c h a n g e . T h i s h a s b e e n e s p e c i a l l y t r u e in 
r e g a r d to p e r s o n n e l c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s . I m p r o v e -
m e n t s in g e n e r a l o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d in t e c h n i c a l 
s e r v i c e s a p p e a r to be m o s t s p e e d i l y i n t r o d u c e d . 

I t is n o t a l w a y s p o s s i b l e f o r s p e c i f i c p e r -
s o n n e l t o h a v e t h e a d v a n t a g e of p u t t i n g i n t o 
p r a c t i c e t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s of a l i b r a r y 
s u r v e y . T h i s is u n d o u b t e d l y a d i f f e r e n c e b e -
t w e e n t h e l i b r a r y s u r v e y a n d t h e l o n g - t e r m 
m a n a g e m e n t a n a l y s i s . T h e S t a n f o r d l i b r a r y 
s u r v e y , by L . R . W i l s o n a n d R . C . S w a n k , 
is a n e x a m p l e of s u c h a s i t u a t i o n . L i b r a r i a n 
S w a n k h a s h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y of t a k i n g e a c h 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n a n d w o r k i n g w i t h it in the 
d e v e l o p m e n t of the l i b r a r y ' s s e r v i c e s . E l m e r 
M . G r i e d e r h a s w r i t t e n a b o u t s o m e of the 
o r g a n i z a t i o n a l r e s u l t s in t h e J u l y , 1 9 5 2 , i s s u e 
of College and Research Libraries, in an 
a r t i c l e e n t i t l e d " T h e R e o r g a n i z a t i o n of t h e 
S t a n f o r d U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r i e s . " 

T w o of t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t s u r v e y s of 
l a r g e n o n - u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s in r e c e n t y e a r s 

w h i c h w e r e m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r w e r e t h o s e by 
J o e c k e l a n d his a s s o c i a t e s a t t h e L i b r a r y of 
C o n g r e s s ( 1 9 3 9 ) a n d by M e t c a l f a n d his a s s o -
c i a t e s a t t h e A r m y M e d i c a l L i b r a r y ( 1 9 4 3 ) , 
n o w t h e A r m e d F o r c e s M e d i c a l L i b r a r y . A 
r e c e n t l e t t e r f r o m V e r n e r W . C l a p p , a c t i n g 
l i b r a r i a n of C o n g r e s s , p o i n t s o u t t h a t t h e 
J o e c k e l c o m m i t t e e r e p o r t m a r k e d t h e b e g i n -
n i n g of a n e w e r a in p r o c e s s i n g in t h e L i b r a r y 
of C o n g r e s s , b u t t h a t so m a n y c h a n g e s h a v e 
b e e n m a d e s i n c e t h a t t i m e t h a t it is p r a c t i c a l l y 
i m p o s s i b l e to s a y h o w m a n y of t h e m w e r e 
d u e to t h e C o m m i t t e e . O n e c o n s u l t a n t to t h e 
J o e c k e l t e a m w a s a p p o i n t e d t o t h e L i b r a r y 
of C o n g r e s s s t a f f f o r a y e a r w h i c h f a c i l i t a t e d 
the c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e c o m m i t t e e ' s r e c o m -
m e n d a t i o n s . 

T h e A r m e d F o r c e s M e d i c a l L i b r a r y r e -
p o r t s m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y on t h e r e l a t i o n of t h e 
s u r v e y to the r e o r g a n i z a t i o n of t h e l i b r a r y 
a s f o l l o w s : 

T h e Survey Committee lent the great 
weight of its prestige and authority and 
made it seem much easier to 

( 1 ) convince the higher echelons holding 
the purse strings that action was neces-
s a r y ; 

( 2 ) gain the confidence and cooperation 
of the staff; 

( 3 ) steel the souls of the top administra-
tive officers to go ahead with the enor-
mous task of the reorganization. 

T h e Survey Committee also pointed the 
direction in some specific ways. T h i s w a s 
desirable, if only to illustrate the more gen-
eral charge. Some of the specific proposals 
were f o l l o w e d f a i t h f u l l y ; others have been 
modified in the course of time and changing 
pressures, as one might expect. 

T h e r e is no doubt w e have made great 
progress since the Survey, and that a large 
part of the progress has been expedited by 
the Survey findings. 

A f u r t h e r e x a m i n a t i o n of t h e r e p o r t s of 
v a r i o u s m e m b e r s of the A r m e d F o r c e s M e d i -
c a l L i b r a r y r e v e a l s t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of 
s p e c i f i c r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . T h e a r t i c l e b y M . 
R u t h M a c D o n a l d in t h e J u n e , 1 9 5 3 , i s s u e 
of the Journal of Cataloging and Classifica-
tion on " C a t a l o g i n g a t the A r m e d F o r c e s 
M e d i c a l L i b r a r y , 1 9 4 5 - 1 9 5 2 , " p o i n t s u p in 
s o m e d e t a i l t h e i m p o r t a n t c h a n g e s t h a t h a v e 
o c c u r r e d . A s M i s s M a c D o n a l d o b s e r v e s : 

T h e survey recommendations on cataloging 
were based on a reassessment of the Library's 
mission at the end of its first one hundred 

APRIL, 1954 195 



years, and the changes specified w e r e not 
indictments of past activities but w e r e due, 
rather, to a recognition of the Library's en-
larged responsibilities. 

I n m o s t l i b r a r y s u r v e y s t h e r e is a c o n t i n u e d 
i n t e r e s t in t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s b y t h e s u r v e y o r s . 
I n the S o u t h C a r o l i n a s u r v e y , a m e m b e r of 
t h e s t a f f w e n t b a c k to t h e i n s t i t u t i o n to h e l p 
i n s t a l l t h e r e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n p r o j e c t . A s a r e s u l t 
of t h e C o r n e l l s u r v e y , c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h 
s u r v e y o r s on v a r i o u s q u e s t i o n s h a s c o n t i n u e d 
e v e n t o t h e p r e s e n t d a y . I n t h e D a r t m o u t h 
s u r v e y , t h e c o n s u l t a n t w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h 
t h e p e r s o n n e l in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of v a r i o u s 
f o r m s f o r a c q u i s i t i o n s . 

W h a t a b o u t t h e f u t u r e of s u r v e y s ? U n -
d o u b t e d l y , l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r s w i l l f a c e 
e v e n g r e a t e r p r o b l e m s in t h e f u t u r e t h a n t h e y 
h a v e h a d in t h e p a s t . T h e s t u d y of i n d i v i d u a l 
l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s w i l l n e c e s s a r i l y h a v e to g o 
on w i t h o u t e n d . T h e s k i l l s of m a n a g e m e n t 
a n a l y s i s a n d s c i e n t i f i c p e r s o n n e l a d m i n i s t r a -

t i o n w i l l n e e d to be a s s i m i l a t e d w i t h i n t h e 
g e n e r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of l i b r a r i e s a n d the 
p r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g of l i b r a r i a n s . T h e v a r i -
o u s c o o p e r a t i v e u n d e r t a k i n g s ( a n d p r o p o s a l s 
f o r n e w o n e s ) w h i c h t h e l i b r a r y p r o f e s s i o n 
h a s h a d b e f o r e it f o r t h e l a s t f e w y e a r s w i l l 
r e q u i r e t h e e a r n e s t a t t e n t i o n of a l l . S p e c i a l i -
z a t i o n in c o l l e c t i n g , i n t e r l i b r a r y c e n t e r s , s t o r -
a g e l i b r a r i e s , u n i o n c a t a l o g s , p r i n t e d b o o k 
c a t a l o g s , a n d o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s of c o o p e r a t i o n 
— i f d e v e l o p e d a n d e x p a n d e d — s h o u l d h a v e 
d e f i n i t e e f f e c t s u p o n t h e i n d i v i d u a l l i b r a r y 
s i t u a t i o n in m a n y of t h e p r o b l e m a r e a s t h a t 
h a v e b e e n d i s c u s s e d in t h i s p a p e r . E f f i c i e n c y 
in m a n a g e m e n t m u s t be a c o n s t a n t c o n c e r n 
in the i n d i v i d u a l l i b r a r y , a n d t h e e x p e r i m e n t s 
of a n y l i b r a r y s h o u l d be e n c o u r a g e d . T h e r e 
is l i t t l e n e e d to e m p h a s i z e t h e f a c t t h a t i m p l e -
m e n t a t i o n of r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s is d i r e c t l y r e -
l a t e d to t h e m o r a l e of the s t a f f a n d t h e a b i l i t y 
of t h e s u p e r v i s o r y p e r s o n n e l to p l a n a n d c o n -
t r o l t h e w o r k of t h e p r o g r a m . 

By T . D. M O R R I S 

The Management Consultant in the Library1 

Mr. Morris is a member of the firm of 
management engineers, Cresap, McCormick 
and Paget, New York. 

CAN T H E M A N A G E M E N T CONSULTANT r e n -d e r a g e n u i n e s e r v i c e to l i b r a r i a n s ? 
T h i s is n o t a q u e s t i o n w h i c h t h e c o n s u l t a n t 

c a n a n s w e r in g e n e r a l t e r m s . I n f a c t , t h e 
w r i t e r ' s firm f e e l s t h a t t h i s q u e s t i o n c a n n o t 
be a n s w e r e d w i t h a p o s i t i v e " y e s " o r " n o " f o r 
a n y p r o s p e c t i v e c l i e n t until t h e c l i e n t ' s p r o b -
l e m is c l e a r l y d e f i n e d a n d the o b j e c t i v e s of 
t h e p r o p o s e d s t u d y h a v e been e s t a b l i s h e d . 
W h e n t h e s e d e t e r m i n a t i o n s h a v e b e e n m a d e , 2 

it m a y t h e n b e c o m e a p p a r e n t t h a t : 

—the library staff itself is best equipped to 
solve its problems; or that 

— a library specialist should be retained to 
conduct the study; or that 

— a management consultant is the proper 
vehicle f o r achieving the desired i m p r o v e -

1 Developed from a slide presentation at the Eastern 
College Librarians Conference, Columbia University, 
November 28, 1953. 

2 The consultant is glad to aid in making these deter-
minations. 

ments—usually in collaboration with one 
or both of the first two approaches. 

H o w c a n t h e l i b r a r i a n d e t e r m i n e w h e n a n d 
f o r w h a t p u r p o s e s t h e m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t a n t 
s h o u l d be r e t a i n e d ? T h e f o l l o w i n g c o m m e n t s 
p r o v i d e b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n to a s s i s t " t h e 
l i b r a r i a n w i t h a m a n a g e m e n t p r o b l e m " in 
s e c u r i n g a n a n s w e r to t h i s q u e s t i o n . T h r e e 
s u b j e c t s a r e e x p l o r e d : I . T h e R o l e of the 
C o n s u l t a n t in M a n a g e m e n t ; I I . T h e T e c h -
n i q u e s of M a n a g e m e n t C o n s u l t i n g ; I I I . T h e 
A p p l i c a t i o n of C o n s u l t i n g T e c h n i q u e s to P r o -
f e s s i o n a l O r g a n i z a t i o n s s u c h a s l i b r a r i e s . 

/—The Role of the Consultant 
in Management 

H i s t o r i c a l l y , m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t i n g s p r a n g 
f r o m the p i o n e e r i n g e f f o r t s of F r e d e r i c k W . 
T a y l o r , w h o , 7 0 y e a r s a g o , e v o l v e d a n d a p -
p l i e d " s c i e n t i f i c m a n a g e m e n t t e c h n i q u e s " to 
p r o d u c t i o n o p e r a t i o n s . T a y l o r , w i t h r e m a r k -
a b l e i n s i g h t , d e f i n e d s c i e n t i f i c m a n a g e m e n t a s : 

— T h e development of a true science in the 
o p e r a t i o n of an enterprise. 

268 
COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



— T h e scientific selection of the workman. 
— H i s scientific education and development. 
—Intimate, friendly cooperation between the 

management and the men. 

W h i l e s o m e of the e a r l y s u c c e s s o r s to T a y l o r 
( t h e " e f f i c i e n c y e x p e r t s " ) l o s t s i g h t of t h e a l l -
i m p o r t a n t h u m a n e q u a t i o n , p r e s e n t - d a y p r a c t i -
t i o n e r s h a v e r e t u r n e d t o t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s . 
A b o v e a l l e l s e , t o d a y ' s p r o f e s s i o n a l m a n a g e -
m e n t c o n s u l t a n t is c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e b e s t 
u s e of h u m a n r e s o u r c e s t h r o u g h the a p p l i c a -
t i o n of s k i l l f u l s u p e r v i s i o n , a d e q u a t e i n c e n -
t i v e s a n d w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n s , a n d the n u m e r -
o u s o t h e r f a c t o r s w h i c h m o l d a g r o u p of p e o -
p l e i n t o a h a r m o n i o u s w o r k i n g t e a m . 

T o d e f i n e the r o l e of the m o d e r n c o n s u l t a n t , 
l e t u s i n q u i r e i n t o the t y p e s of s e r v i c e s he 
p e r f o r m s , h i s p e r s o n a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a n d 
the c l i e n t s he is s e r v i n g . 

A—Services Performed. Firms engaged in 
a g e n e r a l p r a c t i c e of m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t i n g 
c o n d u c t s t u d i e s a n d r e n d e r c o u n s e l in a l l o r 
m o s t of s i x b a s i c f i e l d s of m a n a g e m e n t : 

1. Executive Management—which is con-
cerned with over-all questions of organiza-
tion, policies, objectives and controls. T h i s 
is the sphere of the top policy group ( B o a r d 
of Directors or Trustees) and the top 
executive staff (President, Director, Chan-
cellor or Librarian and the key department 
h e a d s ) . 

2. Personnel Management—which embraces 
all of the aspects of human relations in 
any organization, including procurement 
of personnel, training, assignment, com-
pensation,. upgrading, employee w e l f a r e 
and benefit programs, etc. 

3. Consumer Relations Management (Sales 
M a n a g e m e n t ) — w h i c h is that phase of 
managing an enterprise concerned with 
merchandising and distributing its p r o d -
ucts or services to its users. W h i l e such 
activities are most readily identified in 
profit-making enterprises, skillful presenta-
tion and distribution are essential ele-
ments in the management of any o r g a n i z a -
tion which is dependent upon reaching an 
audience or clientele. T h e library has a 
substantial interest in consumer relations 
management. 

4. Office Management—which comprises the 
administrative and supporting clerical 
operations of an organization. T h e chief 
product of the office is "paper w o r k " — r e c -
ords, files, reports, correspondence, etc. 
Office management is thus concerned with 
the personnel, materials, methods and 
facilities (space, furniture, equipment) 

required to process the organization's a d -
ministrative work. Office management is a 
major part of library administration. 

5. Production and Plant Management—which 
refers to the "physical aspects" of an 
enterprise—the personnel, materials, meth-
ods and facilities required to manufacture 
a product as well as to maintain the physi-
cal plant and equipment. Production prob-
lems are most characteristic of manufactur-
ing organizations. H o w e v e r , a library 
requires a substantial physical plant and 
the librarian has an important interest in 
plant design, layout and maintenance, as 
well as in materials handling methods and 
devices. 

6. Financial Management—which comprises 
those policies and procedures by which an 
organization budgets and accounts for the 
use of its funds. T h i s is, obviously, an 
indispensable phase of management in any 
organization, profit or non-profit. 

T h e t y p i c a l c o n s u l t i n g a s s i g n m e n t c o v e r s a 
c o m b i n a t i o n of the a b o v e p h a s e s of m a n a g e -
m e n t . T h u s c o n s u l t i n g s u r v e y s a r e u s u a l l y 
c o n d u c t e d by t e a m s c h o s e n to p r o v i d e t h e f u l l 
r a n g e of s p e c i a l i z e d k n o w l e d g e r e q u i r e d . 

B—Personal Characteristics of Manage-
ment Consultants. W h e n m y f i r m a d d e d its 
h u n d r e d t h s t a f f m e m b e r r e c e n t l y , a s t u d y w a s 
m a d e of the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e g r o u p . I t 
w a s f o u n d t h a t a l l w e r e c o l l e g e t r a i n e d , a l -
m o s t h a l f h o l d i n g p o s t g r a d u a t e d e g r e e s . 
T h r e e o u t of f o u r w e r e t r a i n e d f o r a b u s i n e s s 
c a r e e r . S i n c e g r a d u a t i o n , the a v e r a g e m e m -
b e r of t h e g r o u p h a d h a d t w e n t y y e a r s of p r o -
g r e s s i v e l y s u c c e s s f u l w o r k i n g e x p e r i e n c e , a n d 
p r i o r to e n t e r i n g c o n s u l t i n g h a d h e l d f i v e 
s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i o n s in s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n t o r -
g a n i z a t i o n s . E s p e c i a l l y s t r i k i n g is the i n t e r e s t 
of the g r o u p in s p e a k i n g , w r i t i n g o r t e a c h i n g — 
i n d i c a t i n g t h a t " a d u l t e d u c a t i o n " is a s t r o n g 
m o t i v a t i o n a m o n g t h o s e w h o e n t e r p r o f e s s i o n a l 
c o n s u l t i n g . 

T h e c o m b i n e d t a l e n t s of t h e g r o u p c o v e r 
the s i x f i e l d s of m a n a g e m e n t d e s c r i b e d e a r l i e r , 
b u t f e w m e m b e r s a r e s p e c i a l i z e d in a s i n g l e 
f i e l d since the g o a l of t h e m a n a g e m e n t c o n -
s u l t a n t is to b e c o m e a w e l l - r o u n d e d g e n e r a l i s t . 

C—Clients Served. An analysis of the 
c l i e n t s s e r v e d by t h e w r i t e r ' s f i r m d u r i n g the 
p a s t e i g h t y e a r s r e v e a l s t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n s 
of a l l t y p e s a r e d r a w i n g u p o n c o n s u l t i n g 
s e r v i c e s . A l m o s t h a l f a r e p r o d u c t i o n e n t e r -
p r i s e s ( i n c l u d i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n , m a n u f a c t u r i n g , 
m i n i n g , r e f i n i n g , p u b l i s h i n g , u t i l i t i e s ) . A n o t h e r 
2 0 p e r c e n t a r e s e r v i c e e n t e r p r i s e s ( i n c l u d i n g 

APRIL, 1954 197 



f i n a n c i a l , r e t a i l i n g , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , r e c r e a t i o n ) . 
O v e r 3 0 p e r c e n t a r e n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s 
( i n c l u d i n g e d u c a t i o n a l , r e l i g i o u s , c i v i c , c h a r i -
t a b l e a n d g o v e r n m e n t a l ) . T h e s e o r g a n i z a -
t i o n s d r a w u p o n t h e s e r v i c e s of m a n a g e m e n t 
c o n s u l t a n t s f o r r e a s o n s s u c h as t h e f o l l o w i n g : 

1. The Need For Specialized Knowledge— 
Not Readily Available In The Organiza-
tion 
T h e r e is a shortage of executives and 
technicians in our nation's organizations 
w h o have "time to spare" f o r critical, 
painstaking self-analysis. Consulting firms 
represent a reservoir of trained executives 
and technicians with "time to sell." 

2. The Need For Objectivity 
T h i s frequently is of greater importance 
than the first reason. Established o r g a n i -
zations, like family units, often find it 
difficult to make an impersonal and realistic 
appraisal of internal strengths and w e a k -
nesses. 

3. The Desire To Have A "Fresh Look" 
Progressive managements are ever alert 
to the need f o r breaking through the b a r -
riers of habit and tradition. Outsiders 
with comparative knowledge of m a n a g e -
ment practices can concentrate on con-
ceiving new approaches to old problems, 
free f r o m the restraints of past policies 
and practices. 

II—The Techniques of Management 
Consulting 

O r g a n i z a t i o n s r e t a i n c o n s u l t a n t s f o r t h e i r 
k n o w l e d g e a n d e x p e r i e n c e e i t h e r in a p a r t i c u -
l a r s u b j e c t f i e l d o r in a p a r t i c u l a r p h a s e of 
m a n a g e m e n t . B u t it is n o t k n o w l e d g e a l o n e 
w h i c h m a k e s t h e c o n s u l t a n t of v a l u e , s i n c e 
t h e r e a r e e x e c u t i v e s in e v e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n w h o 
p o s s e s s a k n o w l e d g e of t h e i r b u s i n e s s f a r b e -
y o n d t h a t of t h e a v e r a g e c o n s u l t a n t . T h e 
p r o v e n c o n s u l t a n t h a s o n e a b i l i t y w h i c h is 
r a r e . . . t h i s is t h e a b i l i t y TO A N A L Y Z E M A N -
AGEMENT PROBLEMS. 

I n p r i n c i p l e t h i s is a s i m p l e a b i l i t y . I n p r a c -
t i c e w e h a v e n o t l e a r n e d h o w t h i s a b i l i t y is 
a c q u i r e d o r h o w it c a n be t a u g h t . A t b e s t 
w e c a n d e s c r i b e the s t e p s w h i c h the a n a l y t i c a l 
m i n d e m p l o y s . 

F i r s t , a w o r d a b o u t t h e p h i l o s o p h y of t h e 
m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t a n t . I n s i m p l e t e r m s 
t h e c o n s u l t a n t ' s a i m is to s o l v e p r o b l e m s 
w h i c h a r e w i t h i n his c o m p e t e n c e o r t o h e l p 
m a n a g e m e n t f i n d t h e m e a n s of s o l v i n g p r o b -
l e m s w h i c h a r e b e y o n d t h e t e c h n i c a l c o m p e -
t e n c e of b o t h . T h e c o n s u l t a n t is c o n c e r n e d 

w i t h t h r e e c r i t e r i a in d e s i g n i n g a s a t i s f a c t o r y 
s o l u t i o n : w o r k a b i l i t y , t i m e l i n e s s a n d a c c e p t a -
b i l i t y . T h e f i r s t c r i t e r i o n m e a n s t h a t the 
c o n s u l t a n t m u s t v a l i d a t e t h e f e a s i b i l i t y of 
h i s i d e a s b y s u f f i c i e n t t e s t e v i d e n c e ; o t h e r w i s e 
he w i l l be p r e s e n t i n g e x p e r i m e n t a l i d e a s w h i c h 
the c l i e n t m u s t v a l i d a t e . T h e s e c o n d c r i t e r i o n 
r e q u i r e s t h e c o n s u l t a n t t o c o m p l e t e h i s w o r k 
w i t h i n t h e c a l e n d a r a n d m a n - d a y " b u d g e t " 
a r r a n g e d w i t h h i s c l i e n t , a n d t h a t h e d e a l 
in s o l u t i o n s w h i c h c a n be e f f e c t u a t e d q u i c k l y 
e n o u g h t o s u s t a i n the c l i e n t ' s i n t e r e s t in t h e 
c h a n g e . I n s o m e s i t u a t i o n s t h e c l i e n t m a y 
h a v e t h e p a t i e n c e to d i g e s t c h a n g e s e x t e n d i n g 
o v e r s e v e r a l y e a r s ( l o n g - r a n g e i m p r o v e -
m e n t s ) ; in o t h e r c a s e s t h e c l i e n t m a y i n s i s t 
t h a t r e s u l t s be p r o d u c e d i m m e d i a t e l y , o r c o n -
c u r r e n t l y w i t h t h e f i n d i n g s of t h e s u r v e y . 
T h e t h i r d c r i t e r i o n s t i p u l a t e s t h a t s o l u t i o n s 
m u s t be u n d e r s t o o d a n d a d o p t e d b y m a n a g e -
m e n t ( p r e s e n t o r f u t u r e ) . T h u s t h e c o n s u l t -
a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o p r e s e n t , e x p l a i n a n d d e f e n d 
h i s i d e a s is j u s t a s i m p o r t a n t a s h i s a b i l i t y to 
d e v e l o p w o r k a b l e a n d t i m e l y i d e a s . 

T h e m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t a n t a p p l i e s t h i s 
p h i l o s o p h y t h r o u g h the s y s t e m a t i c a p p l i c a -
t i o n of p r i n c i p l e s l o n g r e c o g n i z e d b y t h e 
e n g i n e e r a n d t h e s c i e n t i s t . C a r e f u l s c r u t i n y 
of the m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t a n t r e v e a l s t h a t 
h i s " w o r k c y c l e " c o n s i s t s of the f o l l o w i n g f o u r 
p h a s e s ( i l l u s t r a t e d in t h e e x h i b i t ) . 

1. Research Phase. T h i s first phase of a 
management survey involves careful pre-
planning of the study, f o l l o w e d by pains-
taking fact gathering. Between one-half 
and two-thirds of the time spent in con-
ducting a management survey is spent in 
the research phase. It is rare, in fact, that 
the consultant is able to spend enough time 
in research to exhaust the subject ( o r 
fully to quench his thirst f o r factual k n o w l -
e d g e ) . A s a consequence, most m a n a g e -
ment research is a selective process of 
exploring, in priority order, the various 
elements of the problem under study. 

2. Analysis Phase. Facts are but the raw m a -
terial of the management survey. A n a l y -
sis is the application of the creative skill 
of the management consultant. T h e p r o c -
ess of analysis consists of six steps p o r -
trayed in the exhibit: ( i ) precise definition 
of the problem under analysis, ( i i ) de-
termination ( f r o m the facts) of the causes 
of the problem, ( i i i ) establishment of the 
objectives—i.e., specifications—of a satis-
factory solution, ( i v ) development of the 
solution in principle—i.e., in broad outline, 

198 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



T H E F O U R P H A S E S OF M A N A G E M E N T P L A N N I N G 

0 O B J E C T I V E 

0 S C O P E 
( D F A C T O R S 

© S O U R C E S 

0 F O R M 

0 A N A L Y S I S 

0 I N T R O D U C T I O N A N D S C H E D U L E 
0 R E C O R D O F N O T E S 

0 P R O B L E M L I S T S 
0 C O M P A R A T I V E K N O W L E D G E 

P R O J E C T , O U T L I N E S 

P R O J E C T R E S E A R C H 

O R G A N I Z A T I O N O F D A T A 

( v ) confirmation of the acceptability of the 
solution in principle with the client, and 
finally ( v i ) design of the solution in detail. 

3. Presentation. T h i s is the stage which 
brings the end product of the management 
survey into being. T h e presentation in-
volves not only the submission of a re-
port (visual or written) but the explana-
tion and defense of the findings to the 
client's organization. 

4. Installation and Folloiv-up. T h e extent 
of the consultant's participation in the 
fourth phase is dependent upon the client's 
desire f o r continued assistance in the im-
plementation of the proposals. Whether 
he administers the installation or not, the 
consultant keeps in touch with the progress 
of the installation in order to counsel upon 
the inevitable adjustments required to 
introduce a new management program. 

A s u c c e s s f u l m a n a g e m e n t s u r v e y c a n n o t be 
a o n e - s i d e d e f f o r t by t h e c o n s u l t a n t . T h e 
c l i e n t m u s t n o t o n l y c o o p e r a t e w i t h the c o n -
s u l t a n t ; he m u s t a c t i v e l y c o l l a b o r a t e if he 
is to s e c u r e f u l l and l a s t i n g b e n e f i t s f r o m t h e 

u n d e r t a k i n g . E x a m p l e s of t h e c l i e n t ' s p a r ' 
in e a c h p h a s e of a m a n a g e m e n t s u r v e y a r e a s 
f o l l o w s : 

C l i e n t P a r t i c i p a t i o n 
In The Research Phase 

— P r e p a r e the organization f o r the study by 
appropriate announcements and the display 
of interest and confidence in the survey. 

— R e v i e w the plan of study with the consult-
ing team and acquaint the organization 
with the fact finding process and schedule. 

— P r o v i d e all practical assistance to the con-
sulting team in fact gathering. It is f r e -
quently desirable f o r a member of the 
client organization to participate in the 
survey. 

C l i e n t P a r t i c i p a t i o n 
In The Analysis Phase 

— M e e t with the consulting team periodically 
to discuss the validity of findings and alter-
native courses of action. 

— K e e p an open and experimental point of 

APRIL, 1951 199 



— B e g i n to "condition" the organization to 
the possible courses of action which will 
be recommended by the survey. 

C l i e n t P a r t i c i p a t i o n 
In The Presentation Phase 

A s q u i c k l y a s p o s s i b l e , b r i n g t h e k e y m e m -
b e r s of t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n i n t o f u l l p a r t i c i p a t i o n 
in t h e r e v i e w a n d d i s c u s s i o n of t h e s u r v e y r e -
p o r t . T h i s f r e q u e n t l y i n v o l v e s the a p p o i n t -
m e n t of t a s k g r o u p s t o a n a l y z e the r e p o r t a n d 
d e v e l o p p r o p o s e d p l a n s of a c t i o n . C a r e m u s t 
be e x e r c i s e d t o a v o i d u n n e c e s s a r y t i m e b e i n g 
d e v o t e d to t h i s p h a s e , s i n c e it is e a s y f o r a 
s u r v e y r e p o r t to be " t a l k e d to d e a t h . " 

C l i e n t P a r t i c i p a t i o n 
In The Installation Phase 

T h i s is n o r m a l l y t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of t h e 
c l i e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n , w i t h t h e a d v i c e a n d e n -
c o u r a g e m e n t of t h e c o n s u l t a n t . W h e n t h e 
c o n s u l t a n t is r e t a i n e d to m a n a g e t h e i n s t a l l a -
t i o n , he b e c o m e s in l a r g e m e a s u r e a p a r t of 
the c l i e n t ' s o r g a n i z a t i o n . 

Ill—Application of Consulting Techniques 
to Professional Activities Such as Those 
Performed by Libraries and Educational 
Organizations Generally 

T h e w r i t e r ' s f i r m h a s p e r f o r m e d s t u d i e s 
f o r a l a r g e n u m b e r of i n s t i t u t i o n a l o r g a n i z a -
t i o n s . T h e s e p r o j e c t s h a v e r a n g e d in d u r a -
t i o n f r o m a f e w w e e k s to m o r e t h a n a y e a r . 
A r e v i e w of the b e n e f i t s d e r i v e d b y t h e s e 
c l i e n t s i n d i c a t e s t h a t the c o n s u l t a n t ' s c o n t r i b u -
t i o n m a y r e s u l t f r o m t h r e e d i f f e r e n t c i r c u m -
s t a n c e s : 

1. Specialized K n o w l e d g e and Skill. T h i s 
type of contribution occurs when the con-
sultant is qualified by reason of ( i ) 
specialized knowledge of the subject, a n d / 
or ( 2 ) specialized skill and objectivity in 
analysis. 

2. Ability to Correlate Ideas of Others. Here 
the consultant's contribution lies in f o r m u -
lating definite plans of action by d r a w i n g 
upon the ideas of client personnel, as well 
as his o w n . 

3. Ability to Secure Agreement On Broad 
Principles and Objectives. W h e n the 
issues are concerned primarily with j u d g -
ment and opinion, the consultant's contri-
bution is to secure agreement on broad 
principles and objectives in order to 
stimulate action by those who are responsi-
ble f o r the policy management of the o r -
ganization and its program. 

T h e r e a d e r s h o u l d r e r e a d t h e a b o v e s t a t e -
m e n t s so a s to u n d e r s t a n d the f a c t t h a t c o n -
s u l t a n t s a r e not substitutes f o r e f f e c t i v e m a n -
a g e m e n t , b u t r a t h e r a m e a n s of supplementing 
m a n a g e m e n t in the a n a l y s i s of its p r o b l e m s . 
T h e d e g r e e a n d s c o p e of t h e c o n s u l t a n t ' s 
c o n t r i b u t i o n v a r i e s f r o m o r g a n i z a t i o n to o r -
g a n i z a t i o n , a n d f r o m s u b j e c t to s u b j e c t . 
K e e p i n g t h i s f a c t in m i n d , the r e a d e r m a y be 
i n t e r e s t e d in the f o l l o w i n g e x a m p l e s of s u b -
j e c t s w h i c h h a v e b e e n s t u d i e d by m a n a g e m e n t 
c o n s u l t a n t s in l i b r a r i e s a n d e d u c a t i o n a l o r -
g a n i z a t i o n s g e n e r a l l y . 

Examples of General Management Studies 
1. Evaluation of the role of the trustees and 

top policy officials. 
2. Evaluation of basic departmental o r g a n i z a -

tion to secure best balance in distribution 
of responsibility and best use of the c a p a -
bilities of key personnel. 

3. Development of long-term plans to increase 
the administrative competence of super-
visors and prospective supervisors. 

4. Securing of agreement on fundamental 
objectives and policies. 

Examples of Personnel Management Studies 
1. Application of job analysis to identify p r o -

fessional versus nonprofessional work con-
tent, and to propose ways of securing 
greater utilization of professional skills. 

2. W a g e and salary administration practices. 
3. Performance evaluation techniques. 
4. Recruitment and training plans f o r p r o -

fessional and nonprofessional staff. 

Examples of Office Management Studies 
1. Analyses leading to simplification of work 

methods; introduction of laborsaving de-
v i c e s ; improvement in furnishings, layout 
and physical factors. 

2. W o r k measurement to improve control of 
clerical costs. 

3. W o r k planning and scheduling to improve 
control o v e r professional costs. 

4. Improvement of inspection, revision and 
quality controls. 

Examples of Production and 
Plant Management Studies 

1. Studies of materials handling and storage 
practices. 

2. Studies of plant maintenance procedures, 
programs and cost controls. 

3. Studies of building layout and space utili-
zation. 

200 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



Examples of Consumer Relations 
Management Studies 

1. Development of more effective techniques 
for the presentation of materials and 
services to the user. 

2. Studies of clientele served and the nature 
of current demand f o r services. 

3. Forecasts of prospective clientele and na-
ture of future demand. 

Examples of Financial Management Studies 
1. Development of budgetary techniques to 

relate proposed and actual expenditures to 
program performance. 

2. Cost accounting analyses of revenue-pro-
ducing services to establish an accurate 
basis f o r fees. 

3. Development or refinement of chart of 
accounts. 

W h e n a m a n a g e m e n t s u r v e y is m a d e p r i m a r i l y 
f o r the l i b r a r i a n o r a s i n g l e m a j o r d e p a r t m e n t 
of a n i n s t i t u t i o n , the f u l l f o c u s of t h e 
a n a l y s i s is b r o u g h t to b e a r on m a t t e r s of 
g r e a t e s t i n t e r e s t to t h e s e o f f i c e r s . T h e f o l l o w -
i n g a r e t y p i c a l m a t t e r s of g r e a t e s t i m p o r t : 

—Studies of the basic organization structure, 
and evaluation of the performance and 
potentiality of key personnel. 

—Studies of detailed work methods and 
procedures, especially in departments h a v -
ing the largest numbers of personnel. 

—Studies of personnel utilization, both p r o -
fessional and clerical. 

—Studies of layout, furnishings and equip-
ment. 

—Studies of clientele and type of demand. 

W h e n it is b u t o n e c o m p o n e n t of a n e d u c a -
t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n w h i c h is b e i n g s t u d i e d a s a 
w h o l e , t h e l i b r a r y is v i e w e d p r i m a r i l y a s it 
f i t s i n t o the o v e r - a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d p r o f e s -
s i o n a l p r o g r a m of t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . I n t e r n a l 
o p e r a t i o n s of e a c h d e p a r t m e n t a r e a u d i t e d 
in o r d e r t o i d e n t i f y m a j o r o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r 
i m p r o v e d p e r f o r m a n c e . P r i m a r y q u e s t i o n s 
c o n s i d e r e d i n c l u d e ( 1 ) s i z e a n d c o s t in r e l a -
t i o n to t h e o v e r - a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n , ( 2 ) a d e q u a c y 
of o r g a n i z a t i o n and m a n a g e m e n t in r e l a t i o n to 
the o v e r - a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n , ( 3 ) p r i n c i p a l n e e d s 
f o r i m p r o v e m e n t , ( 4 ) p r i n c i p a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s 
f o r r e d u c t i o n in c o s t , ( 5 ) r e s p e c t s in w h i c h 
the l i b r a r y s h o u l d be s u b j e c t to c o n t r o l s a n d 

s e r v i c e s in c o m m o n w i t h o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s — 
p a r t i c u l a r l y on m a t t e r s of b u d g e t a n d p e r -
s o n n e l . 

M a n a g e m e n t s t u d i e s m a y be u n d e r t a k e n 
f o r a g r o u p of c o o p e r a t i n g l i b r a r i e s . T h e 
o b j e c t i v e s h e r e m a y i n c l u d e the f r a m i n g of 
p l a n s f o r the s h a r i n g of h o l d i n g s , f a c i l i t i e s a n d 
s e r v i c e s . A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t o b j e c t i v e m a y 
be t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of u n i f o r m a c c o u n t i n g 
a n d s t a t i s t i c a l r e p o r t i n g p r a c t i c e s to f a c i l i t a t e 
p e r f o r m a n c e a n d w o r k l o a d c o m p a r i s o n s . 

S U M M A R Y 

The Role of The Consultant in Management 

T h e m a n a g e m e n t c o n s u l t a n t ' s v a l u e to a n y 
o r g a n i z a t i o n l i e s in t h e f a c t ( 1 ) t h a t he is 
a t r a i n e d a n a l y s t w i t h v a r i e d e x p e r i e n c e , ( 2 ) 
t h a t he h a s t h e t i m e a n d o p p o r t u n i t y t o p e r -
f o r m a s y s t e m a t i c j o b of m a n a g e m e n t r e -
s e a r c h , a n d ( 3 ) t h a t he is o b j e c t i v e . 

The Techniques of Management Analysis 

T h e t e c h n i q u e s of the m a n a g e m e n t c o n -
s u l t a n t a r e i l l u s t r a t e d by t h e s y s t e m a t i c p r o -
c e d u r e f o l l o w e d by t h e t r a i n e d a n a l y s t : ( 1 ) 
p r e c i s e d e f i n i t i o n of t h e p r o b l e m , ( 2 ) p r e c i s e 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n of t h e c a u s e s of t h e p r o b l e m , 
( 3 ) f o r m u l a t i o n of a t t a i n a b l e o b j e c t i v e s f o r 
a n a c c e p t a b l e s o l u t i o n , ( 4 ) d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e 
s o l u t i o n in p r i n c i p l e , ( 5 ) c o n f i r m a t i o n of the 
s o l u t i o n in p r i n c i p l e w i t h the c l i e n t , ( 6 ) d e -
sign of t h e s o l u t i o n in d e t a i l . 

H i g h e s t r e s u l t s a r e a c h i e v e d w h e n t h e 
c l i e n t p l a y s his p a r t t h r o u g h o u t a l l p h a s e s of 
the s u r v e y . 

Application of Consulting Techniques 
to Professional Organizations 

I n l i b r a r i e s a n d o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l o r g a n i -
z a t i o n s t h e r e a r e r e s p e c t s in w h i c h t h e c o n -
s u l t a n t m a k e s a c o n t r i b u t i o n d u e t o h i s s p e c i a l -
i z e d k n o w l e d g e , a n a l y t i c a l s k i l l , a n d o b j e c -
t i v i t y . T h e r e a r e r e s p e c t s in w h i c h his c o n t r i -
b u t i o n is to c o r r e l a t e t h e i d e a s f o u n d in t h e 
c l i e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n w i t h h i s o w n a n d to 
f o r m u l a t e d e f i n i t e p l a n s of a c t i o n . F i n a l l y , 
t h e r e a r e r e s p e c t s in w h i c h t h e c o n s u l t a n t ' s 
c o n t r i b u t i o n is t o s e c u r e a g r e e m e n t on b r o a d 
p r i n c i p l e s a n d o b j e c t i v e s in o r d e r to s t i m u l a t e 
a c t i o n b y t h o s e w h o s e p r o f e s s i o n a l j u d g m e n t is 
t h e k e y to the s o l u t i o n of p r o b l e m s . 

A P R I L , 1954 201 



By R O B E R T E. K I N G E R Y 

What Happens When the Management Engineers Leave? 

Mr. Kingery is chief, preparation division, 
New York Public Library. 

OBVIOUSLY, t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s a r e t w o : n o t h i n g , o r s o m e t h i n g . W h i l e t h e r e is 
g r e a t t e m p t a t i o n to d i s c u s s t h e s p e c i f i c a p p l i -
c a t i o n s of t h e p r i n c i p l e s a n d p r o c e d u r e s M r . 
M o r r i s so v i v i d l y e x p o s e d , o r to c o n s i d e r 
a g a i n t h e b o d y of e x c i t i n g t h e o r y 1 b e h i n d t h e 
s e v e n t y - f i v e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s he a n d h i s s t a f f 
d e v e l o p e d f o r t h e P r e p a r a t i o n D i v i s i o n of t h e 
R e f e r e n c e D e p a r t m e n t of T h e N e w Y o r k 
P u b l i c L i b r a r y , I h a d b e s t s t a y w i t h m y 
o r i g i n a l a s s i g n m e n t w h i c h I u n d e r s t a n d to be 
" H o w t o m a k e s o m e t h i n g h a p p e n w h e n t h e 
m a n a g e m e n t e n g i n e e r s l e a v e . " 

C u s t o m a r i l y , s u c h g e n t l e m e n l e a v e b e h i n d a 
r e p o r t , w h i c h in o u r c a s e r u n s to s e v e r a l 
h u n d r e d p a g e s a n d w a s m a d e to t h e D i r e c t o r 
of T h e N e w Y o r k P u b l i c L i b r a r y on A u g u s t 
2 2 , 1 9 5 1 . 2 T h u s , o u r i n i t i a l p r o b l e m w a s to 
s e c u r e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a c c e p t a n c e of the r e -
p o r t . F u n d a m e n t a l to M r . M o r r i s ' m e t h o d is 
his i n s i s t e n c e u p o n t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n of t h e 
s t a f f of t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n b e i n g s u r v e y e d in t h e 
s u r v e y , i t s e l f . T h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n w a s c o n -
t i n u e d by o u r D i r e c t o r , R a l p h A . B e a l s , in 
t h e p r o c e s s of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n of 
t h e R e p o r t . 

T h e D i r e c t o r a u t h o r i z e d t h e r e l e a s e of 
t h e R e p o r t to t h e g e n e r a l a n d u n i t s u p e r -
v i s o r s of t h e P r e p a r a t i o n D i v i s i o n i m m e d i -
a t e l y u p o n h i s r e c e i p t of it. F o r a t h r e e -
w e e k p e r i o d it w a s r e a d , s t u d i e d a n d d i s c u s s e d 
i n f o r m a l l y by t h i s g r o u p . B e c a u s e of t h e i n -
v o l v e m e n t of t h e s e p e o p l e in t h e s u r v e y , m u c h 
of t h e R e p o r t i t s e l f w a s a l r e a d y f a m i l i a r to 
t h e m a n d in m a n y i n s t a n c e s r e f l e c t e d t h e i r 
o w n s u g g e s t i o n s . 

O n S e p t e m b e r 1 3 , M r . B e a l s c a l l e d t h e 
g e n e r a l a n d u n i t s u p e r v i s o r s of the P r e p a r a -
t i o n D i v i s i o n t o g e t h e r a n d a s k e d e a c h o n e to 
c o m m e n t o n : 

1 Cf. Kingery, Robert E., " A Management Engineering 
Look at Cataloging." College and Research Libraries, 
14:52-56, Jan., 1953. 

2 Cf. Cresap, McCormick and Paget, The New York 
Public Library Survey of Preparation Procedures, Ref-
erence Department. [New York, 1 9 5 1 ] n.p. 

x. T h e adequacy of the fact-finding on which 
the Report w a s based. 

2. T h e i r o w n reactions to the general recom-
mendations made in the Report. 

3. T h e i r guess as to the probable reaction 
of the division staff as a whole to the 
recommendations of the Report. 

T h e r e w e r e , of c o u r s e , s o m e r e s e r v a t i o n s . 
H o w e v e r , t h e g r o u p f o u n d the f a c t - f i n d i n g 
a d e q u a t e , a g r e e d t h a t a l l t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s 
d e s e r v e d c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n , a n d f e l t t h a t 
t h e m a j o r i t y of t h e s t a f f w o u l d r e a c t f a v o r a -
b l y . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e D i r e c t o r a u t h o r i z e d t h e 
r e l e a s e of t h e r e p o r t to t h e s t a f f as a w h o l e . 

B e g i n n i n g w i t h S e p t e m b e r 1 4 , r a n k i n g a s -
s i s t a n t s n e x t t o t h e u n i t s u p e r v i s o r s w e r e 
a s s i g n e d the r e a d i n g of the r e p o r t s as a w h o l e 
d u r i n g w o r k i n g h o u r s . O t h e r m e m b e r s of 
t h e s t a f f w e r e g i v e n t i m e to r e a d as m u c h of 
t h e r e p o r t a s t h e y w i s h e d , a n d a s r a p i d l y a s 
c o p i e s c o u l d be m a d e a v a i l a b l e . 

H a v i n g s e c u r e d t h e i n i t i a l a d m i n i s t r a t i v e 
a c c e p t a n c e of t h e r e p o r t , s u b j e c t to s u b s e q u e n t 
e x a m i n a t i o n of s p e c i f i c r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s , o u r 
n e x t t a s k w a s to s e c u r e t h o r o u g h , r e a s o n e d 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n of e a c h of t h e R e p o r t ' s s e v e n t y -
f i v e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . F r o m S e p t e m b e r 1 9 
t h r o u g h O c t o b e r 1 9 , b i - w e e k l y m e e t i n g s of 
t h e s u p e r v i s o r y g r o u p i n c l u d i n g r a n k i n g a s -
s i s t a n t s w e r e h e l d a n d e a c h of t h e r e c o m -
m e n d a t i o n s a n d t h e p l a n of i n s t a l l a t i o n , 
i n c l u d e d in t h e R e p o r t , w e r e d i s c u s s e d . 
M a n y of t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e e n t h u s i -
a s t i c a l l y e n d o r s e d w i t h o u t m u c h d i s c u s s i o n . 
I n o t h e r i n s t a n c e s , t h e i n i t i a l r e a c t i o n w a s 
e m o t i o n a l a n d s o m e t i m e s i m p a t i e n t . W h e n 
t h i s h a p p e n e d , t h e g r o u p s i m p l y m o v e d on to 
t h e n e x t r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , w i t h h o l d i n g f i n a l 
o p i n i o n . O n c e t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a n d p l a n 
of i n s t a l l a t i o n h a d b e e n c o n s i d e r e d , t h e g r o u p 
b a c k - t r a c k e d a n d r e c o n s i d e r e d t h o s e u p o n 
w h i c h w e h a d b o g g e d d o w n t h e f i r s t t i m e 
t h r o u g h . B e c a u s e t h e w h o l e p i c t u r e w a s 
c l e a r e r on the s e c o n d g o r o u n d , m o r e of t h e 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e e n d o r s e d so t h a t a t 
t h i s p o i n t , t h e s c o r e s t o o d s i x t y - t w o a c c e p t e d , 
f o u r r e j e c t e d a n d n i n e h e l d f o r f u t u r e c o n -
s i d e r a t i o n . O f t h o s e a c c e p t e d , s o m e u n d e r -

202 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



w e n t i m m e d i a t e r e v i s i o n , a n d a l l w e r e c o n -
s i d e r a b l y e l u c i d a t e d in t e r m s of w h a t t h e y 
m e a n t in p o l i c y a n d p r o c e d u r a l c h a n g e s . 

A t this p o i n t , t h e s u p e r v i s o r y g r o u p h a d 
h a d f u l l o p p o r t u n i t y t o b e c o m e f a m i l i a r in d e -
t a i l w i t h a n d to r e a c t in a r e a s o n e d w a y t o 
e a c h of the r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . A c c o r d i n g l y , 
e a c h s u p e r v i s o r w a s a s k e d to p r e p a r e a w r i t -
t e n r e p o r t on his r e a c t i o n s to t h e s u r v e y . 
T h e s e r e p o r t s w e r e l a t e r f o r w a r d e d to t h e 
d i r e c t o r a s e v i d e n c e of g e n e r a l s u p e r v i s o r y 
s u p p o r t . 

M e a n w h i l e , the n o n - s u p e r v i s o r y s t a f f h a d 
a c c e s s to t h e R e p o r t . D u r i n g the w e e k of 
O c t o b e r 2 3 , the d i v i s i o n chief m e t w i t h t h e 
e n t i r e s t a f f of the P r e p a r a t i o n D i v i s i o n in 
e i g h t a p p r o p r i a t e g r o u p s to d i s c u s s the b a s i c 
t h e o r y b e h i n d the v a r i o u s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s , 
t o c l a r i f y m i s c o n c e p t i o n s as to w h a t the R e -
p o r t ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s r e a l l y w e r e , a n d to 
a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s . W h i l e , as a n t i c i p a t e d by 
t h e s u p e r v i s o r s , t h e g e n e r a l r e a c t i o n w a s 
h i g h l y f a v o r a b l e , m a n y m e m b e r s w e r e c o n -
c e r n e d w i t h the e f f e c t of a s u b s e q u e n t r e o r -
g a n i z a t i o n on t h e i r o w n j o b s . F r a n k n e s s w a s 
t h e o n l y p o s s i b i l i t y . T h e y w e r e a s s u r e d t h a t 
w h i l e n o b o d y a t t h i s p o i n t c o u l d a n t i c i p a t e 
s u c h e f f e c t , s i m p l i f i c a t i o n of s p e c i f i c t a s k s 
w o u l d l e a d to a s s i g n m e n t to n e w t a s k s a p p r o -
p r i a t e t o t h e i r a b i l i t i e s . 

D u r i n g the p e r i o d of the s u p e r v i s o r y m e e t -
i n g s on t h e s u r v e y , m i n u t e s w e r e t a k e n a n d 
c i r c u l a t e d t o t h e w h o l e s t a f f a s w e l l as t o t h e 
d i r e c t o r of t h e l i b r a r y a n d t h e chief of t h e 
R e f e r e n c e D e p a r t m e n t . 

O n N o v e m b e r 7 , t h e chief of t h e P r e p a r a -
t i o n D i v i s i o n m a d e a d e t a i l e d r e p o r t on w h a t 
h a d been d o n e u p to this p o i n t . T h i s r e p o r t 
s a i d in s u m m a r y , " T h e a t t i t u d e of t h e s t a f f 
of t h e P r e p a r a t i o n D i v i s i o n t o w a r d t h e C M P 
( C r e s a p , M c C o r m i c k a n d P a g e t ) r e p o r t is 
g e n e r a l l y e n t h u s i a s t i c a g a i n s t a r e a l i z a t i o n 
t h a t t h e r e p o r t is a b l u e p r i n t , s u b j e c t to n e c e s -
s a r y a l t e r a t i o n a s f u r t h e r e x p e r i e n c e a n d 
t h o u g h t m a y i n d i c a t e , a s to f i n a l f o r m of 
o r g a n i z a t i o n , s p e c i f i c p r o c e d u r e s , a n d t i m i n g . " 

M e a n w h i l e , t h e chief of t h e R e f e r e n c e D e -
p a r t m e n t h a d c i r c u l a t e d the R e p o r t t o the 
v a r i o u s d i v i s i o n c h i e f s a n d t h e i r s t a f f s . L a t e 
in N o v e m b e r , t h e chief of t h e P r e p a r a t i o n 
D i v i s i o n w a s g i v e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to p r e s e n t 
the m a j o r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s in a d i v i s i o n 
c h i e f s ' m e e t i n g a n d to a n s w e r s p e c i f i c q u e s -
t i o n s . A g a i n , t h e g e n e r a l r e a c t i o n w a s f a v o r -
a b l e . S h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r , t h e d i r e c t o r p r e -

APRIL, 1954 

s e n t e d the R e p o r t to t h e T r u s t e e s , i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t the d i v i s i o n ' s s t a f f r e c o m m e n d e d its a c -
c e p t a n c e a n d r e q u e s t e d a u t h o r i t y to p r o c e e d 
t o i m p l e m e n t s u c h r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a s the 
s t a f f f e l t c o u l d be u n d e r t a k e n . T h i s a u t h o r i t y 
w a s g i v e n so t h a t f i n a l a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a c c e p t -
a n c e w a s a c h i e v e d . B e c a u s e of t h e e m p h a s i s 
on s t a f f p a r t i c i p a t i o n , t h e v a r i o u s s t a g e s of 
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a c c e p t a n c e a n d s t a f f e x a m i n a -
tion w e r e l a r g e l y c o n c u r r e n t . 

T h e r e is n o n e c e s s i t y f o r g o i n g i n t o the 
t e c h n i c a l d e t a i l s of t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of t h e 
v a r i o u s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . M u c h of it w o u l d 
n o t be of i n t e r e s t . R a t h e r , I w i l l d i s c u s s 
b r i e f l y s o m e of t h e t h i n g s w e f e e l w e h a v e 
l e a r n e d in o u r r e o r g a n i z a t i o n , t h i n g s t h a t 
s e e m v e r y o b v i o u s n o w . 

I m u s t f i r s t r e p o r t d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t . D u r i n g 
t h e s u r v e y , w h e n m a n y of u s s p e n t l o n g h o u r s 
on it, w e l o o k e d f o r w a r d t o t h a t h a p p y d a y 
w h e n l i f e w o u l d be n o r m a l a g a i n . W e r e a l i z e 
n o w t h a t l i f e n e v e r w i l l be " n o r m a l . " F o r it 
a p p e a r s t h a t o n e r e s u l t of a s u c c e s s f u l s u r v e y 
is the r e c h a r g i n g of the b a t t e r i e s of t h o s e s u r -
v e y e d , so t h a t it s e e m s c e r t a i n as t h e d a y s p a s s 
a n d a d d i n t o y e a r s , t h i s c r i t i c a l s e l f - e x a m i n a -
tion by o u r s e l v e s w i l l n e v e r e n d . T h i s , n o t 
a n y o n e o r a l l of t h e s e v e n t y - f i v e r e c o m m e n d a -
t i o n s , is the i m p o r t a n t r e s u l t of w h a t M r . 
M o r r i s a n d h i s s t a f f d i d w i t h u s , a n d u l t i -
m a t e l y t o u s . 

W e h e a r m u c h of the i m p o r t a n c e of c o m -
m u n i c a t i o n " u p " a n d " d o w n " t h e s e d a y s . R e -
o r g a n i z a t i o n m a k e s c o m m u n i c a t i o n e v e n m o r e 
i m p o r t a n t . A s w e d e v e l o p e d a n d i n s t a l l e d 
n e w p r o c e d u r e s , it w a s n e c e s s a r y t o p u t t h e m 
in w r i t i n g , to e x p l a i n t h e m in m e e t i n g s , t o 
w a t c h t h e m c a r e f u l l y d u r i n g t h e i r i n i t i a l u s e , 
a n d then to r e v i s e t h e m . 

T h e need f o r revision arises out of several 
factors: 
a. In a sense, a survey is done in a vacuum 

in that as recommendations are built one 
upon another, the movement is a w a y f r o m 
the known, present organization and opera-
tion into the increasingly unknown and 
theoretical. 

b. Accordingly, new procedures were also 
thought through in a vacuum, and while 
we attempted to bring our full collective 
knowledge to bear, w e were never suc-
cessful in developing a perfect, final pro-
cedure until we had tried it out. 

c. A s more and more new procedures are 
installed, they have impact on each other, 
so that the new procedures as a body 

203 
( 



undergo revision f r o m time to time, and 
still do. 

O n e r e a s o n f o r the s u r v e y w a s the l a r g e 
a n d g r o w i n g b a c k l o g s of m a t e r i a l in v a r i o u s 
s t a g e s of p r o c e s s . A s n e w p r o c e d u r e s w e r e 
i n s t a l l e d f o r c u r r e n t m a t e r i a l , w e s t i l l h a d 
on h a n d t h e b a c k l o g s p a r t l y h a n d l e d u n d e r 
old m e t h o d s . T h e r e s u l t of t h i s w a s to c r e a t e 
a d o u b l e o p e r a t i o n w h e r e s o m e m a t e r i a l w a s 
h a n d l e d u n d e r n e w m e t h o d s a n d o t h e r m a -
t e r i a l u n d e r t h e o l d . I n t h e l a t e r s t a g e s , 
w h e n m o r e of t h e n e w p r o c e d u r e s w e r e d e -
v e l o p e d , w e d i s c o v e r e d t h a t , in m a n y in-
s t a n c e s , it w a s s i m p l e r to d i s r e g a r d the w o r k 
a l r e a d y d o n e a n d t o h a n d l e b a c k l o g m a t e r i a l 
a s if it w e r e b e i n g c u r r e n t l y r e c e i v e d . T h i s 
t o o k c o u r a g e . 

S e v e r a l f a c t o r s a p p e a r to i n f l u e n c e t h e 
s p e e d of i m p l e m e n t a t i o n : 

a. W h e r e procedures being changed are l o n g -
standing (in this instance, some had been 
in effect f o r ten to twenty years or m o r e ) 
and the staff members have been f o l l o w -
ing them f o r comparable periods, train-
ing in the new procedures is complicated 
by the need to untrain. Often, new staff 
members can learn new procedures in a 
shorter time than those familiar with the 
old ways of doing things. Understanding 
of this problem removes the danger of 
impatience. 

b. T h e number of new procedures that can 
be developed within a period of time is 
limited because of the pressure of current 
work, the limited amount of creative 
thought and energy available to most of 
us within a span of time, the difficulty 
of arranging f o r staff members to have 
the necessary "peace of m i n d " to do it, 
and the importance of not having the 
whole organization in a state of flux at 
the same time. 

T h e r e is n o r u l e of t h u m b I c a n g i v e y o u on 
t h i s . I d o k n o w t h a t the t e m p o of r e o r g a n i z a -
t i o n h a s m u c h to do w i t h t h e t e m p e r of it. 
T h e h e a d of t h e o p e r a t i o n m u s t be c o n s t a n t l y 

on t h e w a t c h f o r s i g n s of t e n s i o n . S p a c e d 
c h a n g e w i t h p e r i o d s of a b s o r p t i o n of t h e 
c h a n g e a n d r e c u p e r a t i o n f r o m c h a n g e is i n d i -
c a t e d . B y c o n s e n s u s , o u r s u p e r v i s o r y g r o u p 
w o u l d f r e q u e n t l y c o n c l u d e t h a t w e h a d h a d 
e n o u g h f o r t h e p r e s e n t . 

T h e p r o b l e m s of c o m m u n i c a t i o n , t r a i n i n g 
a n d r a t e of c h a n g e c a n be e a s e d if c a r e f u l 
a t t e n t i o n is g i v e n to u s i n g t h e f u l l a v a i l a b l e 
e x p e r i e n c e of t h e s t a f f in d e v e l o p i n g n e w 
r o u t i n e s — " p a r t i c i p a t i o n " in s h o r t . F e w w i l l 
a r g u e t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r it, c e r t a i n l y f e w e r s t i l l 
w i l l a r g u e t h a t it is e a s y to a c h i e v e . M r . 
M o r r i s a n d his s t a f f l a u n c h e d p a r t i c i p a t i o n 
f o r u s , a n d it w a s t h u s e a s y to c o n t i n u e to 
i n v o l v e t h o s e m o s t c o n c e r n e d in the v a r i o u s 
s t a g e s of o u r r e o r g a n i z a t i o n . O n e b e n e f i t n o t 
a n t i c i p a t e d by u s w a s t h e e f f e c t p a r t i c i p a t i o n 
h a s in r a i s i n g the l e v e l of p e r f o r m a n c e of t h e 
p a r t i c i p a t e d s t a f f m e m b e r . T h e r e is a c o n -
s i d e r a b l e t e m p t a t i o n t h a t n o a d m i n i s t r a t o r o r 
s u p e r v i s o r c a n c o m p l e t e l y r e s i s t t o be t o o 
c o n s c i o u s of t h e p a s s i n g of d a y s a n d m o n t h s . 
I n t h e s e , o u r f i n a l s t a g e s of m a j o r r e o r g a n i z a -
t i o n , w e see c l e a r l y t h a t t h e s u r e s t w a y t o 
m o v e s l o w l y is n o t to t r a v e l t o o f a s t . 

T h e s e t h e n , a r e s o m e of t h e t h i n g s w e h a v e 
l e a r n e d , a n d o n e m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g — t h a t 
w e w i l l g o on l e a r n i n g t o g e t h e r . 

F i n a l l y , t h e r e s e e m s t o be m u c h d i s c u s s i o n 
on the p l a c e of t h e m a n a g e m e n t e n g i n e e r in 
l i b r a r i e s . S h o u l d w e l i b r a r i a n s c a r r y on s u c h 
e x a m i n a t i o n s o r s h o u l d w e g o o u t s i d e the 
p r o f e s s i o n ? I n o u r s u r v e y , w e h a d t h e h e l p -
f u l p a r t i c i p a t i o n a n d a d v i c e of t h e s t a f f s a t 
t h e L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s , H a r v a r d a n d Y a l e . 
A m o n g o u r o w n s t a f f , w e h a d s u b s t a n t i a l 
c o m p e t e n c e in t h e t e c h n i c a l a s p e c t s of c a t a l o g -
i n g . M r . M o r r i s a n d h i s s t a f f g a v e t h e 
c a t a l y s t , t h e c o m p e t e n c e of the m a n a g e m e n t 
e n g i n e e r . P e r h a p s t h e i m p o r t a n t t h i n g n o w 
is n o t to a r g u e a b o u t w h o is g o i n g t o s o l v e 
o u r p r o b l e m s , b u t r a t h e r to b r i n g to b e a r on 
t h o s e p r o b l e m s t h e n e c e s s a r y i n s i g h t s to s o l v e 
t h e m , w h e r e v e r t h e y m a y be f o u n d , in o r o u t 
of t h i s p r o f e s s i o n o r t h a t o n e . 

204 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES