College and Research Libraries B y W A R R E N B . H I C K S Open or Closed Stacks? Mr. Hicks was formerly librarian, JVest- ern State College, Gunnison, Colorado. A G E N E R A L L Y A C C E P T E D P R I N C I P L E i n A m e r i c a n c o l l e g e l i b r a r i a n s h i p is that m a t e r i a l s s h o u l d be as accessible to users as possible. T h e p r e v a i l i n g practice in r e g a r d to this p r i n c i p l e w a s a m o o t point d u r i n g a recent v i s i t of an a c c r e d i t i n g c o m m i t t e e to o u r l i b r a r y . T h i s f o c u s e d attention on the question of open o r closed stacks in li- b r a r i e s of colleges and t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g in- stitution h a v i n g less than 1 , 0 0 0 students. Library Literature w a s c o n s u l t e d , b u t n o t h i n g w a s f o u n d t h a t w o u l d shed m u c h l i g h t on the p r o b l e m . I n the t e n - y e a r period f r o m 1 9 4 3 to 1 9 5 3 , o n l y six entries w e r e f o u n d w h i c h d e a l t w i t h the s u b j e c t " A c c e s s to S h e l v e s . " I n a l l cases the arti- cles w e r e not concerned w i t h practices in A m e r i c a n a c a d e m i c l i b r a r i e s . A q u e s t i o n n a i r e w a s t h e r e f o r e p r e p a r e d a n d m a i l e d to 8 3 l i b r a r i e s of G r o u p I I I C o l l e g e s ( w i t h a l i b r a r y b u d g e t of u n d e r $ 3 1 , 0 0 0 ) and T e a c h e r - E d u c a t i o n I n s t i t u - tions w i t h less than 1 , 0 0 0 s t u d e n t s selected f r o m the 1 9 5 1 - 5 2 " C o l l e g e and U n i v e r s i t y S t a t i s t i c s " g i v e n in the J a n u a r y 1 9 5 3 issue o f C O L L E G E A N D R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I E S . T h e response w a s m o s t s a t i s f a c t o r y . O f 8 3 q u e s t i o n n a i r e s sent o u t , 6 9 , or 8 3 % , w e r e r e t u r n e d . T h e d a t a w h i c h w e r e d e r i v e d - f r o m the q u e s t i o n n a i r e should be r e g a r d e d o n l y as f a c t s of a c t u a l practice and not as a d e f e n s e o r c o n d e m n a t i o n of either open o r closed stack systems. T h e 6 9 colleges h a v e an a v e r a g e e n r o l - m e n t of 6 2 3 s t u d e n t s ; of the 6 9 l i b r a r i e s a n s w e r i n g , 5 2 ( 7 5 % ) h a v e open stacks, a n d 1 7 ( 2 5 % ) h a v e closed stacks. O n e r e t u r n e d q u e s t i o n n a i r e m a r k e d as a closed stack l i b r a r y w a s not usable. T A B L E I E n r o l l m e n t o f C o l l e g e s W i t h O p e n a n d C l o s e d S t a c k L i b r a r i e s High Low Average No. of Libraries Open Stacks 989 278 609 52 Closed Stacks 992 329 653 1 7 O P E N S T A C K S T h e p o p u l a r i t y of open stacks seems to be f o u n d e d on the f o l l o w i n g s e n t i m e n t , as stated by a l i b r a r i a n : " O u r policy, in gen- e r a l , is to e l i m i n a t e as m a n y b a r r i e r s be- t w e e n the book and r e a d e r s as p o s s i b l e . " T h i s policy seems to be a d h e r e d to since o n l y 1 2 of the 5 2 open stack l i b r a r i e s exercise a n y c o n t r o l o v e r the passage of p a t r o n s into and out of the stack a r e a . T h e s e 1 2 use one c o n t r o l desk. T e n use s t u d e n t as- sistants, one a c l e r i c a l , and one a p r o f e s - sional at the c o n t r o l desk. T w e n t y - o n e li- b r a r i e s reported the existence of a c o n t r o l desk but o n l y 1 2 do a n y c h e c k i n g . A l l but one of the l i b r a r i e s h a v e no restrictions on w h a t m a t e r i a l s or possessions can be t a k e n into the stacks. O n e l i b r a r y a l l o w s only notebooks to be taken into the stacks. T w o of the l i b r a r i e s r e q u i r e the s t u d e n t s to r e g i s t e r w h e n e n t e r i n g the stacks. T h i r t y - f i v e of the l i b r a r i e s h a v e either an e n t r a n c e and an e x i t or one combined e n t r a n c e and exit. S e v e n t e e n h a v e m u l t i p l e e n t r a n c e s a n d / o r e x i t s . A s k e d h o w open stacks h a v e a f f e c t e d the n u m b e r a n d disposition of the l i b r a r y s t a f f , 3 0 r e p o r t e d t h a t it is impossible to s a y . O f the r e m a i n d e r , 1 3 r e p o r t e d that less staff is JULY, 1954 309 T A B L E I I T h e E f f e c t o f O p e n S t a c k s o n t h e N u m b e r s o f S t a f f M e m b e r s No. of Libra- ries Pages Circu- lation Help Cleri- cals Pro- fes- sionals Stack Help Additional 9 3 1 0 1 4 Less 1 3 10 4 S 3 4 needed and nine said m o r e is needed. O n e l i b r a r y w h i c h s h i f t e d to open s t a c k s re- sponded that a s h i f t in duties w a s necessary. I t f o u n d that m o r e shelf r e a d i n g w a s neces- s a r y a n d t h a t less time w a s spent g o i n g f o r books in the stacks. T A B L E I I I C o l l e c t i o n s S e p a r a t e d f r o m the S t a c k A r e a Docu- ments Periodi- cals Refer- ence Brows- ing Room Open Stacks 14 37 34 1 2 Closed Stacks 4 1 3 17 7 T h e 5 2 open stack l i b r a r i e s a v e r a g e 3 . 8 8 f u l l time s t a f f . T h e a v e r a g e f o r p r o f e s - sionals is 2 . 7 4 ; f o r c l e r i c a l s , 1 . 1 4 ; f o r stu- dent assistants, 1 1 . 2 6 . ( S e e T a b l e I V ) . I n the m a t t e r of c i r c u l a t i o n , e i g h t li- b r a r i a n s said t h a t open s t a c k s increase cir- c u l a t i o n , one said they decrease c i r c u l a t i o n , a n d 4 3 said t h e y had no r e l e v a n t d a t a . S e v e n l i b r a r i e s r e p o r t e d t h a t open stacks in- crease the n u m b e r of p a t r o n s a n d 4 5 indi- cated t h e y c o u l d n o t p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n on this point. T h r e e of the l i b r a r i e s g a v e statistics on t h e i r increase of c i r c u l a t i o n as 2 5 % , e i g h t a n d one-half times, a n d 5 0 % . O n e l i b r a r y said t h a t c i r c u l a t i o n decreased but p a t r o n use i n c r e a s e d . T h i r t y - e i g h t of the open stack l i b r a r i e s still g i v e page service a n d 1 4 do not. T e n l i b r a r i e s g i v e p a g e service to n o n - c o l l e g e users. T w e n t y - e i g h t of the l i b r a r i e s r e p o r t e d that t h e y h a v e no f i g u r e s a v a i l a b l e on per- c e n t a g e of book loss. T w e n t y - t h r e e indi- c a t e d that their losses are b e t w e e n z e r o and 5 % a n d one said b e t w e e n 5 % and 1 0 % . O n e l i b r a r y r e p o r t e d the loss of 8 7 1 titles, o u t of 3 1 , 1 1 2 t o t a l v o l u m e s , d u r i n g the p e r i o d f r o m 1 9 2 5 to 1 9 5 2 . A n o t h e r l i b r a r y r e p o r t e d . 0 8 % loss f o r the period f r o m 1 9 4 1 to 1 9 4 8 . O n l y t w o l i b r a r i e s r e p o r t e d t h a t they a r e p l a n n i n g c h a n g e s in the policy of open stacks. A l i b r a r i a n in a l i b r a r y w h i c h has a l w a y s h a d open stacks s t a t e d : " W e are n o w p l a n n i n g a n e w l i b r a r y and t h i n k i n g s e r i o u s l y of h a v i n g closed stacks. W i t h open s t a c k s w e f i n d it h a r d to keep books in p r o p e r p l a c e ; also, w e f i n d w e lose q u i t e a n u m b e r . " T h e o t h e r l i b r a r y r e p o r t e d t h a t they p l a n closer c o n t r o l at the m a i n e n t r a n c e . I n a n s w e r to the question, " H o w l o n g has y o u r l i b r a r y h a d open s t a c k s ? " it w a s f o u n d t h a t 3 3 h a v e a l w a y s h a d open stacks, nine less t h a n f i v e y e a r s , three b e t w e e n six and ten y e a r s , one b e t w e e n eleven and f i f t e e n y e a r s , one b e t w e e n sixteen a n d t w e n t y y e a r s , a n d f i v e o v e r t w e n t y - o n e y e a r s . I n a d d i t i o n to h a v i n g open stacks, 1 5 l i b r a r i e s h a v e r e c r e a t i o n a l r e a d i n g r o o m s . I n h a n d l i n g p e r i o d i c a l s , 1 5 l i b r a r i e s h a v e o n l y the c u r r e n t issues on open shelves a n d T A B L E I V P e r s o n n e l o f O p e n a n d C l o s e d S t a c k L i b r a r i e s P r o f e s s i o n a l C l e r i c a l S t u d e n t A s s i s t a n t s F u l l T i m e S t a f f H i g h L o w A v e r . H i g h L o w A v e r . H i g h L o w A v e r . H i g h L o w A v e r . O p e n 6 1 2 . 7 4 3 - 5 0 1 . 1 4 3 0 0 1 1 . 2 6 7 2 3 - 8 8 C l o s e d 3 1 2 . 3 1 2 . 0 0 . 7 0 2 2 5 1 1 . 5 8 5 2 3 . 0 1 310 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 7 l i b r a r i e s h a v e both c u r r e n t a n d b o u n d copies on open shelves. A l l but one l i b r a r y h a v e a l l r e f e r e n c e books on open shelves. I t w a s f o u n d t h a t 1 9 of the 5 2 l i b r a r i e s h a v e an open shelf r e s e r v e collection, and 1 2 h a v e d e p a r t m e n t a l or d i v i s i o n a l collections. A f e w l i b r a r i e s h a v e collections outside the l i b r a r y , f o u r h a v e c l a s s r o o m collections, s i x h a v e d o r m i t o r y collections, and t w o h a v e f r a t e r n i t y or s o r o r i t y collections. F o u r of the open stack l i b r a r i e s h a v e b u d g - ets o v e r $ 3 1 , 0 0 0 . T h e y h a v e an a v e r a g e en- r o l m e n t of 6 7 1 s t u d e n t s . T w o are G r o u p I I I C o l l e g e s a n d t w o are T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e s . C L O S E D S T A C K S O f the 1 7 l i b r a r i e s w i t h closed stacks, 4 r e p o r t e d t h a t a c h a n g e w a s being con- sidered ; the others indicated s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h present a r r a n g e m e n t s . A m o n g the m o r e f r e q u e n t reasons g i v e n f o r not open- i n g stacks w e r e the f o l l o w i n g : possi- b i l i t y of increased staff costs, c u r r e n t archi- t e c t u r a l difficulties, and a n t i c i p a t e d serious loss of books. A l i b r a r i a n of an institu- tion w h i c h h a d s h i f t e d f r o m open to closed stacks g a v e the f o l l o w i n g as its r e a s o n : " T h e c l o s i n g of stacks seem j u s t i f i e d because w e f e l t that open stacks c o n t r i b u t e d to a gen- eral s l a c k i n g in the s y s t e m a t i c use of the l i b r a r y w h i c h seems a p r o p e r c o n t r i b u t i o n of the l i b r a r y to u n d e r g r a d u a t e students. I n short, there seemed to be too m a n y stu- dents seeing j u s t w h a t the l i b r a r y happened to h a v e on the shelf and not r e a l l y l e a r n i n g w h a t the resources are t h r o u g h p r o p e r c o n j u n c t i v e use of the c a r d c a t a l o g a n d b i b l i o g r a p h i e s . " T h i s l i b r a r i a n a d d e d t h a t the f a c u l t y and students resented the c h a n g e to closed stacks and that their n e w b u i l d i n g w i l l h a v e c o m p l e t e l y open f a c i l i t i e s but w i t h p r o v i s i o n f o r s h u t t i n g the stacks off w h o l l y , o r in p a r t , if need f o r a c h a n g e is seen. A n o t h e r l i b r a r i a n said t h a t there w a s e n o u g h m i s - s h e l v i n g by f a c u l t y and pages w i t h o u t a l l o w i n g g e n e r a l f r e e d o m in the stacks. ( T h e question w a s raised as to the w i s d o m of s p e n d i n g f u n d s on c r e a t i n g a good c a r d c a t a l o g if users a r e g o i n g to g e t w h a t t h e y w a n t by g o i n g d i r e c t l y to s h e l v e s ! ) T h e other three l i b r a r i a n s w h o are t h i n k i n g of c h a n g i n g to open stacks are w a i t i n g f o r n e w f a c i l i t i e s . T h e closed stack l i b r a r i e s h a v e some p r o v i s i o n s f o r d i r e c t use of m a t e r i a l s by s t u d e n t s . T h e s e i n c l u d e r e c r e a t i o n a l read- ing rooms, p e r i o d i c a l collections, c h a n g i n g c i r c u l a t i n g collections, r e s e r v e collections, a n d d e p a r t m e n t a l and d i v i s i o n a l collections. O n e l i b r a r y has p r o v i s i o n f o r direct s t u d e n t use by c l a s s r o o m collections, t w o by d o r m i t o r y collections, a n d one by f r a t e r n i t y a n d s o r o r i t y deposits. F o r the t a b u l a t i o n of collections s e p a r a t e f r o m the stacks a r e a see T a b l e I I I . I n the m a t t e r of book loss, eight l i b r a r i e s h a v e a z e r o to 5 % loss and the r e m a i n i n g closed stack l i b r a r i e s said t h a t no figures a r e a v a i l a b l e . O n e l i b r a r y r e p o r t e d that it keeps an a c c u r a t e r e c o r d of losses. T h e loss figure is . 0 1 of one p e r cent. A n o t h e r l i b r a r y r e p o r t e d : " W e had open stacks but o u r loss w a s h e a v y so w e r e t u r n e d to closed stacks w i t h p e r m i t s . " W h e n asked f o r the loss figure as an open stack l i b r a r y , their a n s w e r w a s . 0 0 2 per cent. T h i s w a s 6 1 titles out of a book stock of 2 5 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s f o r the y e a r 1 9 5 0 w h i c h w a s their last y e a r w i t h open stacks. T h e closed s t a c k l i b r a r i e s h a v e an a v e r a g e f u l l time staff of 3 . 0 1 . T h e pro- f e s s i o n a l s a v e r a g e 2 . 3 1 , the clericals, .7, a n d s t u d e n t assistants, 1 1 . 5 8 . O n e l i b r a r y , t h a t of a teachers college, has a b u d g e t o v e r $ 3 1 , 0 0 0 . C O N C L U S I O N S A c c o r d i n g to the a n s w e r s of the question- n a i r e , the p o p u l a r i t y of open stacks f o r col- leges u n d e r 1 , 0 0 0 s t u d e n t s seems to be established. O p e n stack l i b r a r i e s w i t h c o n t r o l o v e r the passage of p a t r o n s f r o m the stacks a r e JULY, 1954 311 in a m i n o r i t y . W i t h o u t m o r e e x a c t f i g u r e s as to book loss, it is d i f f i c u l t to j u d g e w h e t h e r p a t r o n s c o m i n g out of the stacks s h o u l d be checked. T w o open s t a c k li- b r a r i e s that r e p o r t e d e x a c t d a t a h a v e a l o w book loss. O n e m a y s p e c u l a t e w h a t the p i c t u r e w o u l d be if e v e r y l i b r a r y kept e x a c t f i g u r e s on book loss as c o m p a r e d to t o t a l v o l u m e s . A t w o per cent loss in a college l i b r a r y of 5 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s m e a n s a loss of 1 , 0 0 0 books. W h e n r e p l a c e m e n t costs are c o n s i d e r e d , a s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e loss c o u l d be quite serious. T h e r e seems to be no c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n of an increase or decrease of c i r c u l a t i o n w i t h open stacks. A most i m p o r t a n t f a c t b r o u g h t out by the q u e s t i o n n a i r e is the absence of sufficient d a t a on w h i c h to base definite conclusions of the m e r i t s of open or closed stacks. R e s u l t s of the q u e s t i o n n a i r e i n d i c a t e that there is d i v i d e d opinion on the n u m b e r of p e r s o n n e l needed by an open stack l i b r a r y . L o c a l conditions m a y d i r e c t l y a f f e c t the size of s t a f f . C o l l e g e s w i t h open stack l i b r a r i e s a v e r a g e 6 0 9 s t u d e n t s . C o l l e g e s w i t h closed stack l i b r a r i e s a v e r a g e 6 5 3 s t u d e n t s . Y e t the l i b r a r i e s w i t h open stacks a v e r a g e a p p r o x i - m a t e l y one m o r e f u l l time person, 3 . 8 8 as a g a i n s t 3 . 0 1 . A l s o 3 8 o u t of 5 2 open stack l i b r a r i e s still g i v e page s e r v i c e . I t w o u l d seem t h a t p a g e service c o u l d be dispensed w i t h w h e n the stacks are opened to p a t r o n s , but this does not seem to be t r u e in the m a - j o r i t y of the open s t a c k l i b r a r i e s . A l i b r a r y that c h a n g e d to open stacks r e c e n t l y r e p o r t e d t h a t it f o u n d t h a t t h e r e had to be a s h i f t in duties b u t no decrease in s t a f f . F r o m the a n s w e r s g i v e n to the question- n a i r e , there is a t r e n d t o w a r d u n r e s t r i c t e d or f r e e r use of p e r i o d i c a l s . A n o t h e r i n t e r e s t i n g point b r o u g h t out by the q u e s t i o n n a i r e is t h a t 2 3 o u t of 6 9 li- b r a r i e s h a v e r e s e r v e books on open shelves. T h e s i g n i f i c a n t f a c t b r o u g h t out by this s u r v e y of the l i b r a r i e s of colleges w i t h less than 1 , 0 0 0 s t u d e n t s is that r e g a r d l e s s of w h e t h e r a l i b r a r y has open o r closed stacks, l i b r a r i a n s are g e n e r a l l y t h i n k i n g in t e r m s of a f r e e r use of m a t e r i a l s . T h i s t r e n d seems to w a r r a n t the p r e d i c t i o n that the p r a c t i c e of open stacks w i l l be e x t e n d e d in ac- c o r d a n c e w i t h such t h i n k i n g . T h e Farmington Plan (Continued from page 284) f o u n d a t i o n f o r the second w o u l d seem that their i m p o r t a n c e a n d use in t h a t t h e r e is i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . S h o u l d the F a r m i n g t o n P l a n c o n s i d e r r e m o v i n g any of its i n t e n t i o n a l e x c l u s i o n s ? P e r i o d i c a l s did not a p p e a r at a l l in this s t u d y , a n d so n o s u g g e s t i o n can be o f f e r e d . D i s s e r t a t i o n s a n d t e x t b o o k s did a p p e a r , but to no c o n s i d e r a b l e e x t e n t . T h e s e c a t e g o r i e s are u n d e r discussion f o r inclusion, a n d it seems p r o b a b l e t h a t some selection of these w i l l be o b t a i n e d in the f u t u r e , if a satis- f a c t o r y basis f o r selection can be a g r e e d u p o n . G o v e r n m e n t d o c u m e n t s a r e re- m a r k a b l e f o r their v i r t u a l absence, but it this c o u n t r y m i g h t be the s u b j e c t of f u r t h e r i n q u i r y . F r o m this brief s t u d y of the success of the F a r m i n g t o n P l a n acquisition policy, it seems that c o m p l i m e n t s a r e due its o r g a n - i z e r s f o r so c o m p e t e n t l y c o v e r i n g the f i e l d in such a s h o r t span of time. H o w e v e r , this s t u d y indicates the d e s i r a b i l i t y of a n o t h e r — m u c h m o r e d i f f i c u l t to c o n d u c t — i n t o the a c t u a l source of the needed research books w h i c h are supplied to research w o r k e r s . I n s h o r t , the opposite of the present i n q u i r y w o u l d be v a l u a b l e as a positive a p p r o a c h . 312 COI.LEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES