College and Research Libraries B y R I C H A R D D . A L T I C K The Scholars Paradise* Dr. Altick is professor of English, Ohio State University. HEN i CHOSE the title " T h e S c h o l a r ' s P a r a d i s e " f o r the r e m a r k s t h a t are to f o l l o w , I 'had in m i n d a sentence in a l e t t e r w r i t t e n by one s c h o l a r to a n o t h e r — E r a s m u s to B i s h o p F i s h e r , m o r e than f o u r centuries a g o : " I k n o w h o w busy y o u are in y o u r li- b r a r y , w h i c h is y o u r p a r a d i s e . " T h e uni- v e r s i t y and research l i b r a r i e s w h i c h y o u ladies and g e n t l e m e n t represent are, at least p o t e n t i a l l y , the closest t h i n g to p a r a d i s e w h i c h the g e n u i n e l y d e v o t e d h u m a n i s t i c s c h o l a r w i s h e s in his m o r t a l l i f e . T h e y a r e the precincts w h e r e he meets the i n t e l l e c t u a l c h a l l e n g e s that are the essence of his pro- f e s s i o n a l existence, and w h e r e , if conditions are r i g h t , he e m e r g e s v i c t o r i o u s . M y in- s t r u c t i o n s h a v e been to g i v e y o u m y p e r s o n a l v i e w s on w h a t the r i g h t conditions a r e ; h o w , in other w o r d s , y o u as l i b r a r i a n s c a n m a k e the s c h o l a r ' s h u n t i n g g r o u n d s still h a p p i e r . S p e a k i n g s t r i c t l y f o r m y s e l f , I should say t h a t to be a s c h o l a r ' s p a r a d i s e , a research l i b r a r y s h o u l d h a v e the f o l l o w i n g f e a t u r e s . T h e s c h o l a r ' s w o r k i n g q u a r t e r s should, f i r s t of a l l , be c o m f o r t a b l e , and it w o u l d n o t h u r t too m u c h if they v e r g e d on the l u x u r i o u s . I w o u l d be w i l l i n g to settle f o r the i n t e r i o r a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d i m m e d i a t e s u r - r o u n d i n g s o f , say, the H o u g h t o n L i b r a r y at H a r v a r d , or the F o l g e r , or the H u n t i n g t o n . I h a v e n e v e r held w i t h the t h e o r y t h a t the b r a i n w o r k s better w h e n the body is u n c o m - * Paper presented at a meeting of the University Li- braries Section, ACRL, Minneapolis, Minn., June 22, I 9 S 4 - f o r t a b l e . T h e r e f o r e I should expect to h a v e m y w o r k i n g q u a r t e r s p e r f e c t l y air-condi- tioned, and in o r d e r to c o u n t e r a c t the temp- tation to sleep, w h i c h the s o f t a r m c h a i r s and the l o v e l y e n v e l o p i n g silence b r i n g w i t h them, I r e c o m m e n d that a touch of ben- z e d r i n e be w a f t e d t h r o u g h the air-condi- t i o n i n g system. N o w in this i d y l l i c e n v i r o n m e n t , w h a t h a p p e n s ? W e l l , suppose I , b e i n g deep in m y researches, h a v e a sudden w h i m to see a book t h a t m i g h t possibly contain a sentence of v a l u e to m e . I do not stir f r o m m y c h a i r ; instead, I m u r m u r the a u t h o r and title into an i n t e r c o m box t h a t is placed inconspicu- ously by m y side. W i t h i n no m o r e than t h i r t y seconds, the book slides s i l e n t l y o n t o m y table, borne hither by a v e l v e t - l i n e d con- v e y o r belt. T h e r e is n e v e r , y o u see, any necessity f o r m y g o i n g to the bother of con- s u l t i n g a c a r d c a t a l o g , let alone of m y chas- i n g the book on m y o w n t w o f e e t . T h e i n t e r c o m system is a sort of a l l - p u r p o s e l a m p , w h i c h the genie-scholar need o n l y r u b to h a v e his w i s h e s a m p l y f i l l e d . I n a d d i t i o n to s u p p l y i n g e v e r y book he needs, it also a n s w e r s e v e r y question that enters his m i n d in the course of his w o r k i n g d a y . F o r this f u n c t i o n , it m u s t be connected w i t h the r e f e r e n c e d e p a r t m e n t , w h e r e a d u l c e t - v o i c e d and omniscient l i b r a r i a n is a l w a y s p r i m e d to d e l i v e r the a n s w e r the s c h o l a r needs as soon as he has finished p h r a s i n g his q u e r y , no m a t t e r h o w recondite it m a y be. F i n a l l y , j u s t as the m e l l o w chimes hidden in the trees outside a n n o u n c e f o u r o ' c l o c k , the door to o u r s c h o l a r ' s cell q u i e t l y opens, and in glides a t r o u p e of l i g h t l y - c l a d houris b e a r i n g r e f r e s h m e n t s s u i t a b l e to the h o u r . S i n c e the l o n g h a r d d a y of research is n o w o v e r , w e w i l l d r a w the c u r t a i n at this point, w i t h j u s t one f o o t n o t e in passing. T h e r e is a lot of t a l k n o w a d a y s about e l e c t r o n i c g a d g e t s e v e n t u a l l y r e p l a c i n g h u m a n e f f o r t in all r e s e a r c h . W e s c h o l a r s v i e w the pros- pect w i t h e q u a n i m i t y , f o r w e are no enemies to l a b o r - s a v i n g devices, especially w h e n the l a b o r they save m a y be o u r o w n . B u t it w o u l d be r a t h e r a shame, I t h i n k , to m e c h a - nize research so c o m p l e t e l y t h a t the di- a p h a n o u s l y - g a r b e d houris w o u l d be t h r o w n out of w o r k . A s I said w h e n I e m b a r k e d on this per- haps too h i g h l y c o l o r e d d r e a m of p a r a d i s e , the v i e w s expressed are s t r i c t l y m y o w n . S o m e of m y c o l l e a g u e s w o u l d be able to dispense w i t h the a i r - c o n d i t i o n i n g and even some f e w , possibly, w i t h the cocktails. B u t e v e r y one of us w o u l d a g r e e , f o r f a i r l y obvi- ous reasons, that the sine qua non of a n y s c h o l a r ' s p a r a d i s e is books, books in infinite a b u n d a n c e . N o w I k n o w v e r y w e l l w h a t chills such a s t a t e m e n t m u s t send t h r o u g h y o u . I k n o w p r e t t y m u c h about y o u r e t e r n a l s t r u g g l e s w i t h b u d g e t s , the r i s i n g cost of processing n e w acquisitions, a n d the r e a l l y f o r m i d a b l e p r o b l e m of h o u s i n g a l l the books y o u a c q u i r e . I k n o w that y o u h a v e been busy f o r m a n y y e a r s t r y i n g to w o r k out f o r m u l a s , such as the F a r m i n g t o n P l a n , f o r s o l v i n g these p r o b l e m s , a n d doubtless y o u are h u n g r i l y h o p i n g t h a t I w i l l take y o u off the hook by o f f e r i n g some n e w ideas. A l a s , I can s u m m o n up n o w o r d s of w i s d o m , m u c h as I w i s h I c o u l d . I h a v e o n l y t w o t h i n g s to say. O n e is t h a t e v e r y w e l l - i n f o r m e d user of research l i b r a r i e s s y m p a - thizes w i t h y o u in y o u r i n c r e a s i n g l y desperate d i l e m m a s . If y o u o f t e n f e e l that y o u don't g e t e n o u g h u n d e r s t a n d i n g f r o m scholars, I w o n d e r if the reason m a y be t h a t y o u h a v e n ' t s u f f i c i e n t l y p u b l i c i z e d y o u r p r o b l e m s so that e v e r y o n e in y o u r a c a d e m i c c i r c l e — n o t m e r e l y the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n — i s a w a r e of w h a t y o u a r e f a c i n g . T h e o t h e r t h i n g is that scholars w o u l d not be s c h o l a r s if they d i d n ' t expect a l i b r a r y to c o n t a i n , and h a v e i m m e d i a t e l y a v a i l a b l e , e v e r y book they w i l l c o n c e i v a b l y e v e r h a v e occasion to g l a n c e into. W e are no doubt u n r e a s o n a b l e , but g i v e us c r e d i t f o r being idealists. I can speak w i t h some f e e l i n g on this second point, because f o r the past six or e i g h t y e a r s I h a v e been w o r k i n g on a re- search p r o j e c t that has r e q u i r e d me to use l i t e r a l l y t h o u s a n d s of books t h a t s e e m i n g l y n o b o d y else has needed to look into. T h e y h a v e not been r a r e books in the o r d i n a r y sense, but s i m p l y books in fields w h i c h h a v e not been m u c h c u l t i v a t e d by s c h o l a r s — t h e r e p o r t s of c e r t a i n n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y P a r - l i a m e n t a r y inquiries, obscure V i c t o r i a n m e m o i r s , the files of the Publishers' Circu- lar and of E n g l i s h l i b r a r i a n s ' p e r i o d i c a l s . U n t i l I c a m e a l o n g , w i t h the design of w r i t i n g a h i s t o r y of the mass r e a d i n g pub- lic in n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y E n g l a n d , these books had been u n d i s t u r b e d f o r fifty or a h u n d r e d y e a r s . T o some l i b r a r i a n s they w o u l d r e p r e s e n t dead w o o d , w h i c h o n l y a high sense of p r o f e s s i o n a l responsibility has s a v e d f r o m being t h r o w n out to m a k e room f o r m o r e " u s e f u l " items. T o me as a re- s e a r c h e r , they h a v e been m a n n a , albeit o f t e n d u s t y and d r y . A n d there could be no m o r e fitting occasion than this on w h i c h to i n v o k e a c o m p r e h e n s i v e blessing on all the l i b r a r i a n s w h o b o u g h t and c a t a l o g e d and g a v e precious shelf space to those t h o u s a n d s of obscure books. T h e y had f a i t h that some time, no m a t t e r h o w f a r in the f u t u r e , somebody m i g h t w a n t to use those b o o k s ; and that somebody happened to be m e . T his b r i n g s me to a n o t h e r , but not un- r e l a t e d , point. A s the l i b r a r y p r o f e s s i o n has g r o w n m o r e specialized and c o m p l i c a t e d it has lost touch to some e x t e n t w i t h the people it serves. I s h o u l d like to u r g e that 376 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES the best w a y of c l o s i n g this g a p is to en- c o u r a g e m o r e l i b r a r i a n s to h a v e a b r o a d t r a i n i n g and a c o n t i n u i n g interest in subject areas. I am the last person to underesti- m a t e the v a l u e of specialized l i b r a r y t r a i n - i n g . B u t j u s t as it is a b s u r d and d a n g e r o u s f o r o u r teachers to be g i v e n an overdose of " m e t h o d s of e d u c a t i o n " at the expense of t r u e k n o w l e d g e , so is it u n d e s i r a b l e f o r li- b r a r i a n s , h o w e v e r fine their technical e q u i p m e n t , to be i g n o r a n t of the special p r o b l e m s of the researchers they are in business to help. I t is especially r e g r e t t a b l e that so m a n y people in the top echelons of l i b r a r i e s h a v e had no personal experience in h u m a n i s t i c research. W i t h the best w i l l in the w o r l d , they c a n n o t possibly see things as the s c h o l a r sees them, any m o r e than a school s u p e r i n t e n d e n t w i t h a d o c t o r ' s degree in e d u c a t i o n a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n but no class- room experience can adopt the v i e w p o i n t of the o r d i n a r y teacher. B y l a y i n g m o r e emphasis on a l i b e r a l post- g r a d u a t e e d u c a t i o n , w i t h g e n e r o u s a l l o w - ance f o r first-hand experience in s c h o l a r l y r o u t i n e , you can m a k e a good s t a r t t o w a r d b r e a k i n g d o w n the u n f o r t u n a t e l a c k of u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t o f t e n exists b e t w e e n the m a n a g e m e n t of l i b r a r i e s and the customers. B u t such t r a i n i n g has an even m o r e practi- cal v a l u e in the case of the men and w o m e n w h o w o r k in r e f e r e n c e rooms and specialized g r a d u a t e r e a d i n g rooms. O n the staff of e v e r y l a r g e research l i b r a r y there should be at least a f e w persons w h o s e m a j o r t r a i n i n g has been, not in l i b r a r y science, but in the v a r i o u s fields of the h u m a n i t i e s and social sciences. T h e s e people should not o n l y h a v e had e x t e n s i v e p e r s o n a l experience in re- search, but even m o r e i m p o r t a n t , they s h o u l d be expected to keep up w i t h a l l the latest d e v e l o p m e n t s in their fields, such as the ap- p e a r a n c e of n e w r e f e r e n c e w o r k s and bibli- ographies. I h a v e good reason to k n o w h o w v a l u a b l e such l i b r a r i a n s a r e to the scholar, because time a f t e r time a question addressed to the r i g h t i n d i v i d u a l has resulted in a short cut to m a t e r i a l of w h i c h I w a s e n t i r e l y i g n o r a n t , or w h i c h I c o u l d h a v e come across only t h r o u g h a l o n g a n d time- w a s t i n g process of i n v e s t i g a t i o n . I c a n sug- gest n o t h i n g w h i c h w o u l d e a r n y o u w a r m e r g r a t i t u d e f r o m p r a c t i c i n g scholars than m u l t i p l y i n g the n u m b e r of w e l l - i n f o r m e d , a l e r t , and ingenious r e f e r e n c e l i b r a r i a n s w h o can t a l k to the researcher in his o w n lan- g u a g e and help fill in the gaps w h i c h in- e v i t a b l y exist in his o w n b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l k n o w l e d g e . W h i l e I ' m on the subject of personnel, I cannot resist t o u c h i n g on one m a t t e r on w h i c h I am s u r e all of us think alike but w h i c h is nevertheless an unnecessary source of a n n o y a n c e in some l i b r a r i e s . S o m e y e a r s a g o I w a s d o i n g research f o r a book in the public l i b r a r y of a l a r g e eastern city. I shall cloak the l i b r a r y in m e r c i f u l a n o n y m i t y by not n a m i n g the city but m e r e l y m e n t i o n i n g that the street address is F i f t h A v e n u e and F o r t y - S e c o n d S t r e e t . I n g o i n g t h r o u g h the a u t h o r c a r d s r e f e r r i n g to the w o r k s of the m a n I p l a n n e d to w r i t e about, I f o u n d that this l i b r a r y , like some others t h a t d i d n ' t use their H a l k e t t and L a i n g as o f t e n as they s h o u l d , had a t t r i b u t e d to him c e r t a i n books w h i c h w e r e in f a c t not his. T h i n k i n g to be of some service to the l i b r a r y in r e t u r n f o r the use I w a s m a k i n g of it, I took the cata- l o g t r a y to the m a n on d u t y at the i n f o r m a - tion desk and said, " W o u l d y o u be interested in k n o w i n g about a f e w f a l s e a t t r i b u t i o n s in these c a r d s ? " H e looked me s t r a i g h t in the eye and said, " N o . " I confess I w a s s l i g h t l y t a k e n aback, al- t h o u g h I r e a l i z e n o w t h a t , to repay c a n d o r w i t h c a n d o r , the c o r r e c t r e p l y on m y p a r t w o u l d h a v e been, " I d o n ' t b l a m e y o u a b i t . " T h e assistant's f r a n k n e s s w a s r e f r e s h i n g r a t h e r than i r r i t a t i n g . B u t too o f t e n the OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 m a n n e r of l i b r a r y people in d e a l i n g w i t h their p a t r o n s is s i m p l y e x a s p e r a t i n g . I a m s p e a k i n g n o w not of d e p a r t m e n t heads or o t h e r d i g n i t a r i e s b u t of the people u n d e r t h e m — t h e c l e r k s and a t t e n d a n t s and as- sistants w i t h w h o m the s c h o l a r has the m o s t f r e q u e n t d e a l i n g s . I d o n ' t t h i n k I a m being u n f a i r w h e n I say that m a n y people in sub- o r d i n a t e l i b r a r y posts b e h a v e t o w a r d those they a r e p r e s u m a b l y there to help in a m a n n e r that w o u l d w i n t h e m instant dis- missal f r o m behind the c o u n t e r of a n y s e l f - respecting d e p a r t m e n t store. L e t me hasten to add t h a t I k n o w f u l l w e l l that w e s c h o l a r s o f t e n are p r i m a d o n n a s ; o u r o w n m a n n e r is brusque, o u r t e m p e r a m e n t is t o u c h y , o u r d e m a n d s o f t e n are excessive. I a m a w a r e t h a t the t a n t r u m s I t h r o w sometimes in m y o w n u n i v e r s i t y li- b r a r y a r e as d e p l o r a b l e as they a r e spec- t a c u l a r . B u t in p a r t i a l e x t e n u a t i o n I s h o u l d say that I h a v e f o u n d t h r o u g h considerable e x p e r i e n c e t h a t a d i s p l a y of apoplectic w r a t h gets r e s u l t s in s i t u a t i o n s w h e r e p a t i e n t sweetness p r o v e s of n o a v a i l . A n d in a n y case, I see n o reason w h y the l i b r a r y pro- fession as a w h o l e s h o u l d not c u l t i v a t e the same t r a d i t i o n of u n d e v i a t i n g c o u r t e s y , no m a t t e r h o w t r y i n g the c i r c u m s t a n c e s , as has been b u i l t up, say, by the telephone com- p a n y . T h e h a b i t u a l d i s c o u r t e s y or i n d i f f e r - ence of c e r t a i n l i b r a r y people w h e n d e a l i n g w i t h p a t r o n s , be t h e y f r e s h m e n o r w o r l d - f a m e d s c h o l a r s , g i v e s substance to the im- pression h e l d by some t h a t l i b r a r i e s are o p e r a t e d , n o t to be of a l l possible service to r e a d e r s , but f o r the p r i v a t e c o n v e n i e n c e of the m a n a g e m e n t . I k n o w that such an im- pression is the v e r y opposite to t h a t w h i c h y o u r p r o f e s s i o n seeks t o c u l t i v a t e , and I m e n t i o n the m a t t e r n o w o n l y because I h a v e a f e e l i n g t h a t since y o u y o u r s e l v e s h a v e r e l a - t i v e l y l i t t l e o p p o r t u n i t y to o b s e r v e the o r d i n a r y d a y - t o - d a y contacts b e t w e e n y o u r staff and the p u b l i c , y o u sometimes m a y n o t be a w a r e of the e x t e n t to w h i c h d i s c o u r t e s y , o r , I s h o u l d a d d , sheer incompetence helps breed m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g b e t w e e n l i b r a r i a n s and s c h o l a r s . A s I s a y , it is s c a r c e l y f i t t i n g f o r m e , either as an i n d i v i d u a l or as the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e f o r the m o m e n t of the s c h o l a r l y p r o f e s s i o n , to cast the f i r s t stone. I am s u r e both parties h a v e m u c h room f o r i m p r o v e m e n t . N o w f o r one or t w o o t h e r p r a c t i c a l sug- gestions as to h o w y o u can smooth the w a y of the s c h o l a r . O n e relates to the processing of recent acquisitions. Y o u all k n o w h o w i m p a t i e n t m a n y scholars are to receive books they h a v e o r d e r e d f r o m the l i b r a r y . O n F r i d a y they m a r k a b o o k s e l l e r ' s c a t a l o g or fill out c a r d s f o r books r e v i e w e d in the n e w Times Literary Supplement, and they w a n t to h a v e the v o l u m e s in their h a n d s by T u e s - d a y at the latest. I s u b m i t that this is i n d e f e n s i b l e ; they s h o u l d be w i l l i n g to w a i t , if necessary, u n t i l T h u r s d a y . B u t I ' d like to e x p l a i n w h y w e a r e so e a g e r to h a v e books p a r o l e d f r o m the c a t a l o g e r s ' prison-house into o u r l o v i n g c u s t o d y . I n the case of old books, w e w a n t to see t h e m i m m e d i a t e l y f o r v e r y t a n g i b l e r e a s o n s — a s , f o r instance, w e are j u s t finishing a research p a p e r to w h i c h they w i l l c o n t r i b u t e a f a c t o r t w o , or w e are c o n d u c t i n g a g r a d u a t e s e m i n a r that is discussing the v e r y s u b j e c t c o v e r e d by those books. T h e s e reasons also h o l d f o r n e w books and in a d d i t i o n there is the desire, evi- dent in e v e r y s e l f - r e s p e c t i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l m a n , to keep abreast of the n e w e s t i n f o r m a - tion on the s u b j e c t . N o d o u b t the h e a v e n s w o u l d not f a l l if w e had to put off r e a d i n g t h a t book f o r three m o n t h s or a y e a r , so t h a t the c a t a l o g e r s c o u l d c o n d u c t their pe- c u l i a r rites in a m o r e l e i s u r e l y f a s h i o n . B u t I a m s u r e that a l l of y o u , w h a t e v e r y o u r p e r s o n a l tastes in r e a d i n g , o f t e n f e e l the same u r g e n c y that w e p r o f e s s i o n a l s c h o l a r s do, to let not a n o t h e r m i n u t e go by w i t h o u t seeing w h a t so-and-so s a y s a b o u t such-and- 378 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES such in his newly published book. I think that we should all be less admirable creatures if we were more easygoing in such respects. Right next door to this matter of getting books on the shelves with the least possible delay is that of binding periodicals. One of the most frustrating experiences a scholar can have is to discover, when he has a list of ten articles to look up, that half of them are in periodicals whose recent numbers have been sent to the bindery. The reason why your practice often conflicts with our inter- ests is this. In literary scholarship, as in some other fields of the humanities and the social sciences, we depend heavily for our knowledge of recent publications upon specialized serial bibliographies that come out a few months or so after the end of the calendar year they cover. These bibliogra- phies are godsends to the busy man who can't possibly keep up with all the publica- tions in his field as they are issued. Just about now, specialists in Victorian literature are checking over the M a y issue of Modern Philology, which prints a full list of the articles and books, and the reviews thereof, that have been published in their field during J953- These men and women naturally will want at once to read the articles and im- portant reviews that deal with topics of particular interest to them. But I wonder what proportion they will actually find on the shelves—because you librarians have sent last year's numbers of PMLA and the Times Literary Supplement and Studies in Philology to be bound. N o b o d y , c e r t a i n l y , can q u a r r e l w i t h y o u r p o l i c y of b i n d i n g periodicals as soon as possible. I t is too bad t h a t b i n d i n g time comes j u s t w h e n w e are especially bent upon l o o k i n g at the v e r y n u m b e r s of periodicals t h a t a r e m a r k e d f o r b i n d i n g , but n o t h i n g can be done about t h a t . A l l w e c a n ask of y o u is that y o u m a k e e v e r y e f f o r t to r e d u c e the time w h e n periodicals are u n a v a i l a b l e . D o n ' t r e m o v e the u n b o u n d n u m b e r s f r o m the shelves u n t i l the b i n d e r y is r e a d y to get busy on them, and once they are in the b i n d e r y , let them h a v e p r i o r i t y o v e r o t h e r j o b s . N e v e r f o r g e t t h a t a l i b r a r y ' s h o l d i n g s are b o u g h t to be used, and e v e r y book that g a t h e r s dust in the c a t a l o g i n g room and e v e r y periodical that is sequestered on the b i n d e r ' s table reduces to t h a t e x t e n t the l i b r a r y ' s e f f e c t i v e n e s s as an i n s t r u m e n t of research. O n e m o r e suggestion c o n c e r n i n g l i b r a r y p r o c e d u r e . T h e m o d e r n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y of course serves a h i g h l y c o m p l e x p u r p o s e — some of its f u n c t i o n s h a v i n g been t h r u s t upon it by the e v o l v i n g scheme of h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n , others h a v i n g been m o r e or less developed by y o u r p r o f e s s i o n itself in its a d m i r a b l e eagerness to be of f u r t h e r s e r v i c e . F o r that reason, it is inescapable t h a t the book-stock be d i s t r i b u t e d in a n u m b e r of places in a d d i t i o n to the m a i n stack. I n m y o w n u n i v e r s i t y , f o r e x a m p l e , a g i v e n book m a y t u r n out to be in one of the g r a d u a t e r e a d i n g rooms, one of the u n d e r g r a d u a t e r e a d i n g rooms, on closed r e s e r v e , in the r e f e r e n c e r o o m , in the b i b l i o g r a p h y r o o m , in one of the m a n y d e p a r t m e n t a l l i b r a r i e s scattered o v e r the c a m p u s , in the " s t a c k a n n e x " located in the m e n ' s g y m n a s i u m , or, finally, deposited in the M i d w e s t I n t e r - L i b r a r y C e n t e r , some 3 2 0 miles a w a y in C h i c a g o . A l l of y o u c a n m a k e s t r o n g a r g u m e n t s f o r such w i d e s p r e a d d i s t r i b u t i o n . T h e v e r y r e a l inconvenience it causes us s c h o l a r s is no doubt o u t w e i g h e d by its a d v a n t a g e s to others. B u t I do w a n t to plead that de- c e n t r a l i z a t i o n of stock be held to a mini- m u m , a n d that, b e f o r e any t r a n s f e r is m a d e f r o m the m a i n stack to some other location, y o u s a t i s f y y o u r s e l v e s t h a t it w o u l d be f o r the best interests of the g r e a t e s t n u m b e r of l i b r a r y users. D o not, f o r goodness' sake, OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 m o v e books w i t h o u t a d e q u a t e p r e l i m i n a r y p r a y e r and m e d i t a t i o n . I h a v e a notion that in the course of such m e d i t a t i o n a m y s t e r i o u s v o i c e — i t m i g h t be that of s c h o l a r s g e n e r a l l y — m i g h t be h e a r d sug- g e s t i n g t h a t d e c e n t r a l i z a t i o n has gone too f a r , and that it is n o w time to reassemble books in one location. U n t i l that t r e n d does set in, h o w e v e r , m a y I beg one f a v o r of y o u ; that w h e n e v e r a book is shelved e l s e w h e r e than in the m a i n stack, its c u r r e n t w h e r e - abouts be c l e a r l y noted on e v e r y r e l e v a n t c a r d in the public c a t a l o g . B y current I do not mean its l o c a t i o n as of 1 9 5 2 , but as of this w e e k . K e e p i n g the c a t a l o g up to date is, I k n o w , a d i f f i c u l t and e x p e n s i v e p r o c e s s ; but if y o u m u s t d e c e n t r a l i z e y o u r collection, t h a t is the least c o m p e n s a t i o n y o u can m a k e f o r the time, e n e r g y , and shoe-leather w e e x p e n d in c h a s i n g d o w n the items w e f i n d a b s e n t — w i t h o u t l e a v e , as f a r as w e a r e c o n c e r n e d — f r o m their l o g i c a l place in the s t a c k . I h a v e an idea, indeed, that y o u w o u l d find keeping the c a t a l o g up to date too high a price to p a y f o r d i s t r i b u t i o n of books, a n d that if w e s c h o l a r s h a d the p o w e r to e n f o r c e the rule, the present e x o d u s of books f r o m the m a i n stack to e v e r y point of the c a m p u s a n d beyond w o u l d be s l o w e d d o w n , if not a c t u a l l y r e v e r s e d . S o f a r I h a v e been t a l k i n g about l i b r a r y p r o c e d u r e s as they a f f e c t both home s c h o l a r s and v i s i t i n g researchers. I s h o u l d like to t u r n n o w to one or t w o considerations t h a t bear p r i m a r i l y upon s c h o l a r s outside -your o w n i n s t i t u t i o n , w h i c h m e a n s , of course, the g r e a t m a j o r i t y of w o r k e r s in a g i v e n f i e l d . Y o u are c o n s t a n t l y , and p r o p e r l y , concerned w i t h e n c o u r a g i n g the g r e a t e r use of y o u r h o l d i n g s , especially of those collections in w h o s e s t r e n g t h y o u take p a r t i c u l a r pride. T h e p r o b l e m boils d o w n to one of pub- l i c i t y . S o m e of y o u issue p e r i o d i c a l s in w h i c h y o u describe those collections as w e l l as a n n o u n c e n o t e w o r t h y recent a c q u i s i t i o n s ; some, in a d d i t i o n , c o m m u n i c a t e such n e w s to y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l j o u r n a l s . T h i s is all to the g o o d , but it does not strike to the heart of the m a t t e r , w h i c h is to let p r a c t i c i n g s c h o l a r s t h e m s e l v e s k n o w w h a t y o u h a v e . F e w of us r e g u l a r l y see the j o u r n a l s y o u issue as i n d i v i d u a l l i b r a r i e s , and even f e w e r see the Library Quarterly or the Library Journal. U n l e s s an a r t i c l e on a g r e a t n e w acquisition in an A m e r i c a n l i b r a r y is cited in one of o u r specialized serial b i b l i o g r a - phies in l a n g u a g e and l i t e r a t u r e , the chances are that w e w i l l h e a r about t h a t acquisition o n l y t h r o u g h the a c a d e m i c g r a p e v i n e . A s f a r as e x i s t i n g collections are c o n c e r n e d , Downs' American Library Resources is, needless to say, l i m i t e d t o those collections w h i c h h a v e been described in p r i n t , and m a n y o t h e r collections, t h o u g h i m m e n s e l y v a l u a b l e f o r research, h a v e not been so honored. T h e American Library Directory supplement and Special Library Resources, because of their l a c k of detail and their at- tempt to c o v e r e v e r y field of l e a r n i n g , are of l i t t l e p r a c t i c a l aid to s c h o l a r s in a g i v e n f i e l d . H e n c e , if American Library Re- sources f a i l s us, a l o n g w i t h the s e v e r a l v a l u a b l e books on r e g i o n a l l i b r a r y h o l d i n g s w h i c h M r . D o w n s and others h a v e com- piled, there is r e a l l y no good w a y f o r a s c h o l a r w o r k i n g on a p a r t i c u l a r p r o j e c t to discover w h e r e the richest p a y - d i r t is h i d d e n . H o w , then, can y o u let r e s e a r c h e r s k n o w w h a t you h a v e to o f f e r them ? M y p r i n c i p a l s u g g e s t i o n is t h a t y o u use the c h a n n e l s of c o m m u n i c a t i o n a l r e a d y w e l l established in the v a r i o u s a r e a s of s c h o l a r s h i p — t h e l e a r n e d j o u r n a l s and the m o r e i n f o r m a l n e w s l e t t e r s that keep people w i t h like interests i n f o r m e d of recent h a p p e n i n g s in their f i e l d . I s h o u l d think that the e d i t o r s of l e a r n e d j o u r n a l s w o u l d w e l c o m e short c o m m u n i q u e s r e m i n d - i n g their r e a d e r s that in y o u r u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y there is a fine collection of r a r e books or m a n u s c r i p t s w h i c h has not been exten- s i v e l y u t i l i z e d as yet. F o r e x a m p l e , a couple of y e a r s ago the l e a d i n g p e r i o d i c a l f o r lan- 380 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES g u a g e - a n d - l i t e r a t u r e scholars, Publications of the Modern Language Association, ran a most i n f o r m a t i v e article on the holdings of the M o r g a n L i b r a r y . A s f o r the news- letters, I can speak w i t h some a u t h o r i t y about one, w h i c h , in atonement f o r some u n k n o w n sin, I edit. T h e Victorian News Letter goes twice a y e a r to between 4 0 0 and 5 0 0 scholars w h o are specially interested in nineteenth-century E n g l i s h l i t e r a t u r e . I make a p a r t i c u l a r point of including notes on recent l i b r a r y accessions in our field, as w e l l as more f o r m a l articles on certain s t r o n g collections. L a s t year, f o r instance, the News Letter contained a detailed ac- count of the H u n t i n g t o n ' s rich collection of V i c t o r i a n books and manuscripts, and in the near f u t u r e I hope to print similar articles on the N e w b e r r y , the F o l g e r , the U n i v e r - sity of T e x a s , and other rich collections. I s t r o n g l y recommend, t h e r e f o r e , that you take the initiative in publicizing y o u r holdings to the people directly concerned, through the media w h i c h they are most likely to see. I hereby invite you to let me personally k n o w of holdings you w i s h V i c - torian scholars to k n o w about. A s f o r other fields, w h y not ask the advice of the best men on y o u r o w n campuses as to the j o u r n a l s and newsletters w h i c h w o u l d be most likely to serve y o u r purpose ? F a i l i n g that, I ' d suggest that you w r i t e to the secretary of the national professional as- sociation in each field. I n that of the modern l a n g u a g e s and literatures, w r i t e to the secretary of the M o d e r n L a n g u a g e Association in N e w Y o r k ; or consult the directory of addresses in the a n n u a l di- rectory number of PMLA f o r a list of j o u r n a l s and newsletters in w h o s e pages you might spread the g l a d tidings. Y o u have a definite responsibility to let us k n o w much more than w e at present can about y o u r s t r o n g collections and y o u r i m p o r t a n t acquisitions. Y o u r anxiety to have y o u r special collec- tions more intensively used is the brighter side of a coin to whose d a r k e r side I must n o w r e l u c t a n t l y r e f e r . A l t h o u g h the subject is a v e r y touchy one, I should be u n f a i r both to you and to my o w n profession if I did not speak of it. I allude to the practice of w i t h h o l d i n g certain materials, principally manuscripts, f r o m the use of everyone but some privileged person w h o has successfully asserted his right to a monopoly. A colleague of mine, w i t h w h o m I discussed m y intention of mentioning the subject to you and w h o because of the n a t u r e of his o w n research has had w i d e and bitter experience in the matter, b l u n t l y described the practice as a national scandal. H e w e n t on to mention certain libraries w h i c h are p a r t i c u l a r l y notorious in this respect. I do not think any l i b r a r y is justified in assenting to w h a t m a y w e l l be called the squatter's rights theory of research property. I make one exception, w h i c h I think is f a i r enough. A f a c u l t y member w h o has ma- terially aided in the acquisition of a certain collection is entitled to first crack at its c o n t e n t s — p r o v i d e d , and it is an indispensa- ble proviso, that he use it w i t h i n a reasona- ble time. A f t e r the expiration of that time, the collection should be t h r o w n open, w i t h as f e w restrictions as possible, to any serious and sufficiently qualified scholar. A s m a t t e r s stand n o w , f a r too m a n y collections are sewed up indefinitely simply because some p o w e r f u l local f a c u l t y mem- bers hope some day to w r i t e g r e a t books w i t h the help of their contents. T h e motive m a y be even more selfish than that, it m a y amount to nothing more than a desire to keep out of other people's hands w h a t a man is unable or disinclined to use f o r him- self. E v e n if the more charitable interpre- tation of motive is the correct one, too o f t e n the result is that one m a n ' s expressed inten- tion of using a collection " s o m e d a y " denies that collection to a score of other scholars w h o are ready and eager to share its riches. OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 I a m a w a r e that as l i b r a r i a n s w h o m u s t p l a y b a l l w i t h t e a c h i n g m e m b e r s of the f a c u l t y , y o u are in a d i f f i c u l t position. Y o u m a y also f e e l that a c e r t a i n s c h o l a r w i t h w h o m y o u l u n c h at the F a c u l t y C l u b is p e r f e c t l y sincere in his p l a n s f o r t h a t e v e n t u a l " g r e a t b o o k . " B u t I need h a r d l y r e m i n d you t h a t u n i v e r s i t y campuses are p a v e d w i t h good i n t e n t i o n s . Y o u r o b l i g a t i o n , I t h i n k , is c l e a r . I t is not an o b l i g a t i o n to acquiesce in w h a t , w h e n all is said a n d done, is a deed of selfishness. Y o u r o b l i g a t i o n is a h i g h e r one, f o r it is to the w o r l d of l e a r n i n g in g e n e r a l . M o d e r n s c h o l a r s h i p has no room f o r closed deer p a r k s , and m o d e r n l i b r a r i a n s h i p should re- sist b e i n g c a l l e d upon to p r o t e c t g a m e that is the p r o p e r t y of s c h o l a r s in g e n e r a l f o r the p r i v a t e interest of a h a n d f u l of selfish m e n . B y p u t t i n g up " N o T r e s p a s s i n g " signs o v e r c e r t a i n collections, y o u are b e t r a y i n g the l o f t y ideals to w h i c h y o u r p r o f e s s i o n is d e d i c a t e d . A s I say, there are c i r c u m s t a n c e s u n d e r w h i c h t e m p o r a r i l y l i m i t i n g access to a body of m a n u s c r i p t s or o t h e r m a t e r i a l is legiti- m a t e . B u t I stress the w o r d temporarily. Y o u c a n n o t , in good conscience, c o n t i n u e to s t a n d g u a r d o v e r those t r e a s u r e s a f t e r the p r i v i l e g e d one has s h o w n no i n c l i n a t i o n to p r o f i t by his a d v a n t a g e . H e n c e , despite the d i f f i c u l t i e s and the v e r y r e a l prospect of per- sonal bitterness i n v o l v e d , I beg y o u to cleanse y o u r l i b r a r i e s of the shame of t o l e r a t i n g dogs in the m a n g e r . I h a v e used f o r t h r i g h t l a n g u a g e in speak- i n g of this u n p l e a s a n t s u b j e c t because I t h i n k it deserves to be d e a l t w i t h b l u n t l y . F o r the assumption u n d e r l y i n g y o u r i n v i t a t i o n to me is that w e are a l l e n g a g e d in a c o m m o n enterprise, the end of w h i c h is the extension of h u m a n k n o w l e d g e . Y o u r j o b is not o n l y to collect but to make available the m a - t e r i a l s of s c h o l a r s h i p ; o u r s is to m a k e use of it f o r the best interests of society. Y o u can do w i t h o u t us, and I h a v e no doubt at a l l t h a t m a n y times o u r u n r e a s o n a - ble d e m a n d s , o u r f a i l u r e to a p p r e c i a t e y o u r side of an issue, impel y o u to f e e l t h a t y o u c o u l d do w i t h o u t us v e r y w e l l indeed. B u t w e c a n n o t do w i t h o u t y o u . I t is no e x a g - g e r a t i o n to say t h a t the w h o l e edifice of m o d e r n s c h o l a r s h i p rests upon the f o u n d a - tion of y o u r l i b r a r i e s . I n the past f e w y e a r s I h a v e h a d occasion to d i g p r e t t y deeply into the history of l i b r a r i a n s h i p in E n g l a n d and A m e r i c a in the past c e n t u r y or so, and one aspect above a l l has impressed m e . T h a t is the s t i r r i n g t r a n s f o r m a t i o n w h i c h has o c c u r r e d in the a t t i t u d e of the p r o f e s s i o n g e n e r a l l y t o w a r d its place in society and t o w a r d its clients. A h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o , f i f t y y e a r s a g o , even less time than that, m o s t l i b r a r i a n s w e r e , to say the least, suspicious of their r e a d e r s . B o o k s w e r e to be g u a r d e d , not to be f r e e l y dispensed to a p p l i c a n t s . L i b r a r i e s w e r e treasure-houses, but the a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r the use of those t r e a s u r e s w e r e r o u g h l y s i m i l a r to those in e f f e c t in F o r t K n o x . T o d a y , w i t h the one r e g r e t t a b l e exception of w h i c h I h a v e j u s t been s p e a k i n g , t h a t a t t i t u d e is no m o r e . R e c o g n i t i o n of the p a r t n e r s h i p of l i b r a r i a n a n d s c h o l a r is a l l but complete, and t h a t r e c o g n i t i o n , I be- lieve, is as s t r o n g on one side as on the o t h e r . W h a t r e m a i n s is to m a k e o u r p a r t n e r s h i p m o r e e f f e c t i v e ; to see each o t h e r ' s aims a n d p r o b l e m s m o r e c l e a r l y , and to oil the m a - c h i n e r y by w h i c h l i b r a r i a n s h i p serves the needs of r e s e a r c h . I hope t h a t the o b s e r v a - tions I h a v e m a d e in the course of this t a l k w i l l c o n t r i b u t e their mite t o w a r d this end. T h e s c h o l a r has not yet e n t e r e d into his h e a v e n l y c i t y , but he is c o m i n g closer a n d closer to it. I t is w i t h i n y o u r p o w e r — w i t h the by no m e a n s n e g l i g i b l e help of the people w h o a p p r o v e y o u r b u d g e t s — t o t u r n his vision of p a r a d i s e into a v i s i o n of h a p p y r e a l i t y . 382 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES