College and Research Libraries B y K E Y E S D . M E T C A L F W h y W e Need to be Investigated* Mr. Metcalf is director, Harvard Uni- versity Library. LIFE IS FULL OF p r o b l e m s — a n d w o u l d be a ' p r e t t y d u l l a f f a i r if it w e r e not. I f l i b r a r i e s and l i b r a r y w o r k w e r e n o t f u l l of p r o b l e m s , the lives of most of us here w o u l d be less i n t e r e s t i n g than they are. T h e problems of research l i b r a r i e s — a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y the financial i m p l i c a t i o n s that are to be f o u n d in most of these p r o b l e m s — are so i n t e r e s t i n g that the A s s o c i a t i o n of A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s i t i e s hopes to s t u d y them d u r i n g the c o m i n g m o n t h s t h r o u g h a spe- cial commission w h i c h it w i l l sponsor. T h e l a r g e research l i b r a r i e s , in o t h e r w o r d s , are g o i n g to be i n v e s t i g a t e d by the u n i v e r s i t y presidents, and this should help to m a k e l i f e i n t e r e s t i n g f o r research li- b r a r i a n s . T h e idea that there o u g h t to be such an i n v e s t i g a t i o n o r i g i n a t e d w i t h li- b r a r i a n s . I t w a s their o w n idea, so it w o u l d seem that the l i b r a r i a n s are not too w o r r i e d o v e r w h a t w i l l be f o u n d o u t about t h e m ; but y o u can n e v e r be quite sure, w h e n an i n v e s t i g a t i o n s t a r t s , j u s t h o w it w i l l end. T h e r e w o u l d be no point to one a n y w a y if the a n s w e r s w e r e k n o w n to s t a r t w i t h . A s a m a t t e r of f a c t , w e are not even sure that w e k n o w the r i g h t questions, let alone the a n s w e r s . I n o r d e r t o g i v e the investi- g a t o r s some help in d e c i d i n g j u s t w h a t they o u g h t to i n v e s t i g a t e , the A s s o c i a t i o n of R e - search L i b r a r i e s is sponsoring a c o n f e r e n c e that w i l l meet O c t o b e r 2 9 - 3 1 at A l l e r t o n H o u s e ( w h i c h belongs to the U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s ) n e a r M o n t i c e l l o , I l l i n o i s . T h o s e * Paper presented at the general session of A C R L , Minneapolis, Minn., June 22, 1954. w h o meet there w i l l be the l i b r a r i a n s of l i b r a r i e s b e l o n g i n g to the A R L , presidents of universities b e l o n g i n g to the A A U , and p r o f e s s o r s ( n o t m o r e than one per u n i v e r - s i t y ) f r o m the same institutions. T h e r e are o n l y f o r t y - f i v e l i b r a r i e s that belong to the A R L . T h e l i b r a r i a n s here w h o come f r o m s m a l l e r institutions m a y w o n d e r if they h a v e a n y real stake in the c o n f e r e n c e and s t u d y that I h a v e m e n t i o n e d . T h e i r p r o b l e m s m a y seem d i f f e r e n t . T h e i r l i b r a r i e s are not g o i n g to be i n v e s t i g a t e d , at least not d i r e c t l y . B u t I s h o u l d not be g i v i n g this t a l k to this g r o u p if I w e r e not convinced that w e are a l l in the same boat. T h e r e are t w o chief r e a s o n s : the first is t h a t all of o u r l i b r a r i e s are g r o w i n g , and g r o w t h seems to be the u n d e r l y i n g cause of n e a r l y all the financial p r o b l e m s that need to be s t u d i e d ; the second reason is that a l l of o u r l i b r a r i e s serve scholars, and that each m u s t t u r n to others f o r help in s u p p l y i n g some of the m a t e r i a l s that scholars need. If the l a r g e s t research l i b r a r i e s can be s t r e n g t h - ened, it w i l l help scholars e v e r y w h e r e ; if they g r o w w e a k e r , it w i l l h u r t . I f n e w d e v e l o p m e n t s in cooperation result f r o m s t u d y of research l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s , all of us w i l l be a f f e c t e d . G r o w t h is c e r t a i n l y not bad in i t s e l f . B u t college and u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s are p a r t s of the institutions to w h i c h they belong, and it is obvious that c o m p l i c a t i o n s w i l l arise if they g r o w — a t least if the cost of m a i n t a i n - i n g them g r o w s — m o r e r a p i d l y than the col- leges and u n i v e r s i t i e s themselves. W e k n o w , as F r e m o n t R i d e r , D e a n R i d e n o u r of the U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s , and others h a v e told us d u r i n g recent y e a r s , that research OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 l i b r a r i e s h a v e d o u b l e d in size e v e r y sixteen to t w e n t y y e a r s ; and it is o b v i o u s that this e x p o n e n t i a l or g e o m e t r i c rate of increase in h o l d i n g s c a n n o t continue i n d e f i n i t e l y . I t is in f a c t s l o w i n g d o w n , at least in o u r l a r g e s t l i b r a r i e s . B u t the r a t i o of l i b r a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s to t o t a l e x p e n d i t u r e s of the c o l l e g e or u n i v e r - sity is the h e a r t of the m a t t e r , and there are m a n y reasons, it seems to me, w h y l i b r a r i e s m u s t tend to take m o r e and m o r e of the t o t a l if they go on as in the past. L i b r a r i e s g r o w c u m u l a t i v e l y ; they a c q u i r e but do not d i s c a r d . A u n i v e r s i t y a d m i t s s t u d e n t s and g r a d u a t e s them, unless they d r o p by the w a y s i d e ; it can s t a b i l i z e its e n r o l m e n t . P r o f e s s o r s come a n d p r o f e s s o r s g o ; the f a c u l t y g r o w s r e l a t i v e l y s l o w l y in size if the s t u d e n t body does not increase. B u t the l i b r a r y continues to g r o w w h e t h e r or not the s t u d e n t b o d y and f a c u l t y g r o w ; an old book is not d i s c a r d e d because a n e w one has been b o u g h t . M o r e and m o r e space is needed. E a c h v o l u m e that is a d d e d costs s o m e t h i n g f o r s t o r a g e and service e v e r y y e a r as l o n g as it r e m a i n s in the c o l l e c t i o n . L i b r a r i e s , m o r e o v e r , a r e not like f a c t o r i e s . M a s s p r o d u c t i o n is a m e a n s of c u t t i n g u n i t costs in i n d u s t r y ; l a r g e p l a n t s are built be- cause they can be m o r e efficient than s m a l l ones. I n a l i b r a r y , on the c o n t r a r y , u n i t costs h a v e tended to increase as the collec- tion g r o w s , and so f a r w e h a v e been u n a b l e to c h a n g e this t e n d e n c y . I t is m o r e e x p e n - sive to add a book w h e n y o u h a v e a m i l l i o n v o l u m e s than w h e n y o u h a v e a h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d . Y o u h a v e to describe it in g r e a t e r d e t a i l to d i s t i n g u i s h it f r o m others. Y o u h a v e to use a m o r e c o m p l i c a t e d s u b j e c t head- ing f o r it. Y o u h a v e to file the c a r d s in a c a t a l o g that is ten times as l a r g e . T h e stacks are l a r g e r , so y o u h a v e to go f u r t h e r to g e t the book and to put it back w h e n it is r e t u r n e d . T h e c h a r g e file is m o r e diffi- c u l t to h a n d l e . If a l i b r a r y is i m p r o v e d — a n d g r o w t h is i m p r o v e m e n t — i t is also used m o r e h e a v i l y . M o r e books are b o r r o w e d . I f it d e v e l o p s o u t s t a n d i n g collections, m o r e and m o r e v i s i t o r s come f r o m o t h e r campuses to use it, and m o r e and m o r e requests f o r i n t e r l i b r a r y loans are received. O n e o t h e r m a j o r reason f o r r i s i n g l i b r a r y costs o u g h t to be m e n t i o n e d . I n m a n y insti- tutions s a l a r i e s f o r l i b r a r i a n s h a v e been in- c r e a s i n g m o r e r a p i d l y than s a l a r i e s f o r pro- f e s s o r s , but they are still l o w e r than they o u g h t to be, and f u r t h e r increases m u s t and should be e x p e c t e d . T h i s p r o b l e m is not one of those e n t a i l e d by g r o w t h , but it is one that m u s t be f a c e d by a l l o u r l i b r a r i e s , l a r g e and s m a l l . I t o u g h t to be a d d e d that in m a n y insti- tutions u n u s u a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s d u r i n g recent y e a r s h a v e p r e v e n t e d l i b r a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s f r o m r i s i n g m o r e r a p i d l y than the total c o l l e g e or u n i v e r s i t y b u d g e t . T h e n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s increased r a p i d l y a f t e r the w a r , and a doubled u n d e r g r a d u a t e e n r o l m e n t , w h i l e it i n v o l v e s l i b r a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s f o r p u b l i c services and f o r d u p l i c a t i o n of books assigned f o r r e a d i n g , does not a f f e c t the li- b r a r y as m u c h as some other p a r t s of the i n s t i t u t i o n . L i k e w i s e , g r e a t u n i v e r s i t y b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m s d u r i n g the p o s t w a r y e a r s h a v e tended to conceal the g r o w i n g space needs of l i b r a r i e s . T h e point is that o t h e r p a r t s of the u n i v e r s i t y can h a l t or g r e a t l y r e t a r d their rate of g r o w t h as a " b o o m " period of this sort comes to an end, but the l i b r a r y w i l l c o n t i n u e its g r o w t h unless it reduces its services d r a s t i c a l l y . G r e a t l y ex- tended i n t e r l i b r a r y c o o p e r a t i o n , some of us hope, m a y o f f e r an a l t e r n a t i v e . I h a v e said that I t h i n k w e are all in the same boat, and that one reason f o r this is t h a t a l l o u r l i b r a r i e s are g r o w i n g , b u t — t h o u g h I am w e l l a w a r e that this is d a n g e r - ous g r o u n d — I w a n t to a d d that I think the g r o w t h p r o b l e m o u g h t to be less serious 384 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES f o r the c o l l e g e than f o r the u n i v e r s i t y li- b r a r y . I do not w a n t to propose any abso- lute l i m i t f o r the size of l i b r a r i e s in l i b e r a l a r t s or t e a c h e r s ' colleges. P e r h a p s such a l i b r a r y o u g h t to discard an o u t - o f - d a t e m o n o g r a p h e v e r y time, or n e a r l y e v e r y time, it a d d s a n e w one, but even so, serial col- lections w o u l d c o n t i n u e to g r o w . A collec- tion f o r u n d e r g r a d u a t e s such as the L a m o n t L i b r a r y at H a r v a r d can be stabilized in size, but even this is not easy, t h o u g h L a m o n t is less than a m i n u t e a w a y f r o m the m a i n collection of the u n i v e r s i t y . T h e difficulties are m u c h g r e a t e r w h e n m e m b e r s of a college f a c u l t y m u s t depend on the li- b r a r y , f o r they w i l l n e v e r be satisfied, h o w - e v e r l a r g e it is. T h e college o u g h t to s u p p o r t a l i b r a r y that w i l l take care of the n o r m a l needs of its s t u d e n t , but I believe that college pro- fessors w i l l h a v e to rely m o r e and m o r e d u r i n g the y e a r s ahead on l a r g e r l i b r a r i e s in the a r e a f o r research m a t e r i a l s . E a c h of o u r s m a l l l i b e r a l a r t s colleges cannot hope to build up a g r e a t collection of books, and it w o u l d be v e r y w a s t e f u l if each tried to do so. C o o p e r a t i o n , as I h a v e said a l r e a d y , is not s o m e t h i n g that a f f e c t s o n l y m e m b e r s of the A R L . S o o n e r or l a t e r , indeed, cooperation m a y entail d e v e l o p m e n t s that w i l l not be w e l - comed by the s m a l l e r l i b r a r i e s . If w e come to realize m o r e and m o r e c l e a r l y that the n a t i o n ' s l i b r a r y resources are a r e s e r v o i r that serves the w h o l e nation, and if the l a r g e s t l i b r a r i e s d e l i b e r a t e l y b u y books that are needed by that n a t i o n a l r e s e r v o i r r a t h e r than by the p a r t i c u l a r institution that buys them, it seems l i k e l y that the question of fees w i l l arise. I should describe this as i n e v i t a b l e if it w e r e not possible that g o v e r n m e n t or in- d u s t r y w i l l assume some of the burden of p r o v i d i n g this type of n a t i o n a l l i b r a r y service. I h a v e spoken of fees b e f o r e , and it is not a p o p u l a r t h i n g to do. I h a v e done so be- cause I p r e f e r , w h e n e v e r I can, to f a c e un- pleasant possibilities w h i l e there is still time to discuss them f u l l y and reach u n h u r r i e d decisions. W e m a y not be able to avoid fees f o r i n t e r l i b r a r y services, but, by c o n s i d e r i n g them n o w , w e m a y at least w o r k out a m o r e sensible plan than if w e w a i t u n t i l f i n a n c i a l pressure f o r c e s l i b r a r i e s to act h a s t i l y and i n d e p e n d e n t l y . T h i s theory that it is better to f a c e prob- lems w h i l e they are still problems, r a t h e r than to w a i t u n t i l they become crises, is back of the M o n t i c e l l o C o n f e r e n c e and of the proposal that it be f o l l o w e d by an i n v e s t i g a - tion. If g r o w t h is g o i n g to b r i n g pressure on o u r budgets, it m a y be h i g h l y desirable to s t a r t e x a m i n i n g l i b r a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s n o w , and to get p r o f e s s o r s and u n i v e r s i t y presi- dents to e x a m i n e them w i t h us. I f the scholars and a d m i n i s t r a t o r s produce any n e w and p r a c t i c a b l e ideas on h o w to save m o n e y , that w i l l be f i n e ; if they do not, at least they w i l l h a v e been educated a good deal in the process. T h e M o n t i c e l l o C o n f e r e n c e , t h e r e f o r e , w i l l s t a r t by c o n s i d e r i n g w h e r e w e spend most of o u r m o n e y and w h y . S p a c e f o r books, f o r r e a d e r s , and f o r staff is a m a j o r item, and too m a n y of o u r present l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g s are so p o o r l y designed that they are m o r e expensive to m a i n t a i n than they o u g h t to be. C o n t i n u i n g g r o w t h m e a n s t h a t w e all f a c e the necessity sooner or l a t e r f o r p l a n n i n g n e w b u i l d i n g s or a d d i t i o n s ; w i s e p l a n n i n g w i l l save m o n e y in construc- tion, and w i l l save even m o r e on upkeep costs t h r o u g h o u t the l i f e of the s t r u c t u r e . O u r acquisition p r o g r a m s o b v i o u s l y c a l l f o r s t u d y by our f a c u l t i e s , and can h a r d l y be e f f e c t i v e unless they are u n d e r s t o o d by the p r o f e s s o r s to w h o m w e m u s t t u r n f o r help in book selection. L i b r a r i a n s are w e l l a w a r e that the purchase price of a v o l u m e is o n l y a f r a c t i o n of its total cost to the l i b r a r y , OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 w h i c h i n c l u d e s acquisition, c a t a l o g i n g , a n d s t o r a g e s p a c e ; the n o n - l i b r a r i a n s w h o r e c o m m e n d books f o r p u r c h a s e o u g h t to k n o w this, too. B i n d i n g policies, inci- d e n t a l l y , m a y also c a l l f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , f o r it is e x t r a v a g a n t at present prices to in- v e s t in f i r s t class b i n d i n g f o r a book that m a y be used o n l y once or t w i c e in a decade. C a t a l o g i n g costs a r e l i k e l y to shock the l a y m a n , and they c e r t a i n l y do not m a k e the l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r h a p p y . F e w of us a r e satisfied w i t h w h a t w e h a v e accomplished either in s i m p l i f i c a t i o n or in c o o p e r a t i v e c a t a l o g i n g , a n d f e w of us f e e l sure t h a t o u r c a t a l o g s m i g h t not be better designed to s e r v e those w h o use them. I t w o u l d be both c r u e l and i m p r a c t i c a b l e to staff o u r c a t a l o g d e p a r t m e n t s w i t h people w h o dislike cata- l o g i n g , but w e suspect t h a t those w h o choose to become c a t a l o g e r s f r e q u e n t l y h a v e a tendency t o w a r d p e r f e c t i o n i s m t h a t is not h e l p f u l in k e e p i n g costs d o w n . I n p u b l i c services, as in c a t a l o g i n g , the p r o f e s s o r s w h o use o u r l i b r a r i e s a n d the presidents w h o pass on b u d g e t s o u g h t to con- sider w h e t h e r , in v i e w of the costs i n v o l v e d , w e are d o i n g m o r e o r less than w e o u g h t . If f u r t h e r research assistance is to be g i v e n to p r o f e s s o r s , it w i l l be e x p e n s i v e ; if w e need o n l y g i v e s t u d e n t s and f a c u l t y a m i n i - m u m of a d v i c e on h o w to help themselves, some of us c a n save m o n e y . A t e v e r y point in a n y c o n s i d e r a t i o n of li- b r a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s , this question of service s t a n d a r d s arises. I f w e w e r e to close o u r stacks and shelve books by size w e c o u l d save a g r e a t deal of space. I f w e can d i s c a r d books or store them c h e a p l y , w e m a y save m o r e than m i g h t be e x p e c t e d . F o r e x a m p l e , if a l a r g e l i b r a r y , by d i s c a r d i n g or s t o r a g e , can postpone the c o n s t r u c t i o n of a n e w $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 b u i l d i n g f o r f i v e y e a r s , it can save the interest on this s u m , a m o u n t i n g to $ 2 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 , w h i c h w o u l d go a l o n g w a y to i m p r o v e the l i b r a r y in o t h e r respects. T h o s e w h o a d v o c a t e s t o r a g e or discard- ing o u g h t not, of course, to u n d e r e s t i m a t e the cost of w i t h d r a w i n g books f r o m the collection or the d i f f i c u l t i e s of selecting m a - t e r i a l that is to be d i s c a r d e d or stored. I t is m o r e e x p e n s i v e to c h a n g e the r e c o r d s f o r the a v e r a g e m o n o g r a p h t h a n to store it f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s . I t is not easy to get m e m b e r s of the f a c u l t y to a g r e e on v o l u m e s t h a t need not be kept at a l l or on those that m a y be stored at a distance f r o m the m a i n c o l l e c t i o n . S t o r a g e can be p r o v i d e d i n d i v i d u a l l y , but g r e a t e r s a v i n g s are promised by c o o p e r a t i v e p r o j e c t s , such as the H a m p s h i r e a n d 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 s , t h a t e l i m i n a t e d u p l i c a t e s . T h i s b r i n g s us back to coopera- tion and s u g g e s t s a n o t h e r reason f o r the M o n t i c e l l o C o n f e r e n c e . T h e i n d i v i d u a l li- b r a r i a n can a t t e m p t to e d u c a t e his f a c u l t y a n d his p r e s i d e n t by e n c o u r a g i n g them to p o n d e r l i b r a r y p r o b l e m s of the sort that h a v e been s u g g e s t e d . L i b r a r i a n s as a g r o u p can m e e t and w o r k t o g e t h e r on c o o p e r a t i v e plans, and their a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s a l o n g these lines h a v e been c o n s i d e r a b l e . B u t li- b r a r i a n s alone c a n n o t c o m m i t their institu- tions to p a r t i c i p a t i o n in i n t e r l i b r a r y centers or to a division of c o l l e c t i n g fields t h a t w o u l d b r i n g real s a v i n g s ; they are helpless w h e n it comes to a division of fields of in- s t r u c t i o n and research b e t w e e n u n i v e r s i t i e s . I t seems d o u b t f u l that they can go m u c h f u r t h e r w i t h c o o p e r a t i v e p l a n s on a n a t i o n a l scale unless their f a c u l t i e s and presidents u n d e r s t a n d a n d s u p p o r t these p l a n s . A t M o n t i c e l l o , f o r the f i r s t time, t h e r e w i l l be a discussion of n a t i o n a l l i b r a r y cooperation by r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of a l l three of the g r o u p s most d i r e c t l y c o n c e r n e d . I a m not o p t i m i s t i c e n o u g h to p r e d i c t that a l l — o r a n y — o f the p r o b l e m s of cooperation are g o i n g to be solved this y e a r at M o n t i - cello or soon a f t e r w a r d w h e n the A A U ' s s t u d y is m a d e . T h e M i d w e s t is e n g a g e d in an e x p e r i m e n t that a l l of us s h a l l w a n t to 386 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES o b s e r v e c l o s e l y , b u t i t w i l l b e s o m e t i m e b e - f o r e e v e r y o n e is c o n v i n c e d e i t h e r t h a t t h e a n s w e r h a s b e e n f o u n d o r t h a t s o m e a l t e r n a - t i v e is p r e f e r a b l e t o s t o r a g e i n a r e g i o n a l c e n t e r . E v e n if t h e m a j o r u n i v e r s i t y l i - b r a r i e s of t h e M i d w e s t p r o v e t o be w i l l i n g a n d a b l e t o b u i l d u p a g r e a t r e g i o n a l l i b r a r y in C h i c a g o , i t m a y n o t f o l l o w t h a t H a r v a r d , Y a l e , C o l u m b i a , a n d o t h e r e n d o w e d i n s t i t u - t i o n s i n t h e N o r t h e a s t w i l l d o l i k e w i s e f o r t h e i r r e g i o n . A n o t h e r m a j o r f i e l d f o r c o o p e r a t i v e e f f o r t is m i c r o r e p r o d u c t i o n . W e s h o u l d n o t o v e r - l o o k t h e f a c t t h a t , e x c e p t in t h e c a s e o f n e w s - p a p e r s , i t c o s t s m o r e t o f i l m a v o l u m e t h a n t o s t o r e t h e o r i g i n a l , a n d t h a t t h e r e p r o d u c - t i o n is l e s s s a t i s f a c t o r y i n m a n y w a y s . I f c o p i e s o f t h e o r i g i n a l c a n be e l i m i n a t e d f r o m s e v e r a l l i b r a r i e s , s t o r a g e c o s t s c a n o f c o u r s e b e r e d u c e d b y f i l m i n g . M u c h m o r e f i l m i n g w i l l h a v e t o be d o n e , if o n l y t o p r e s e r v e t h e t e x t o f h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s o f v o l u m e s p r i n t e d o n w o o d - p u l p p a p e r t h a t w i l l n o t b e w i t h u s m u c h l o n g e r . W e c a n t a k e p r i d e i n t h e m i c r o f i l m a n d m i c r o p r i n t p r o j e c t s t h a t l i b r a r i e s h a v e u n d e r t a k e n o r s u p p o r t e d , b u t a r e w e s u r e t h a t a m o r e e c o n o m i c a l b a s i s w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n p r a c t i c a b l e ? M i c r o - filming p r o j e c t s h a v e b e e n o p e r a t e d l i k e p u b l i s h i n g v e n t u r e s ; as m a n y l i b r a r i e s as p o s s i b l e h a v e b e e n i n d u c e d t o s u b s c r i b e t o e a c h s e r i e s i n o r d e r t o b r i n g d o w n t h e c o s t p e r s u b s c r i b e r . S o m e m a t e r i a l s a r e n e e d e d in so m a n y c o l l e c t i o n s t h a t p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s k i n d is a d v i s a b l e ; b u t i n m a n y o t h e r c a s e s it s e e m s c l e a r t h a t r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s a s a g r o u p w o u l d s a v e m o n e y i f , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e m a s t e r n e g a t i v e , o n l y o n e o r t w o p o s i - t i v e s w e r e p r o d u c e d f o r l o a n o r r e n t a l . T h e c o m p l i c a t i o n s , o f c o u r s e , a r i s e w h e n y o u t r y t o d e c i d e h o w m u c h t o c h a r g e w h e n o n e r e e l o u t of a g r e a t s e t is w a n t e d o n l o a n b y a l i b r a r y t h a t d i d n o t h e l p t o finance t h e p r o j e c t . H e r e , a s a t s o m a n y p o i n t s i n c o - o p e r a t i o n , l i f e is g r e a t l y s i m p l i f i e d if s o m e o u t s i d e s o u r c e , s u c h a s a g o v e r n m e n t o r a f o u n d a t i o n , w i l l p r o v i d e t h e m o n e y a n d m a k e i t u n n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e l a r g e r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s t o t a x t h e m s e l v e s f o r c o o p e r a t i v e e n t e r p r i s e s . I t is t r u e t h a t s i x t y l i b r a r i e s a r e n o w " t a x - i n g " t h e i r b o o k f u n d s t o s u p p o r t t h e F a r m - i n g t o n P l a n a n d a r e n o t c h a r g i n g n o n - p a r - t i c i p a n t s f o r u s e o f t h e m a t e r i a l s t h e y a c q u i r e u n d e r i t . T h i s first s t e p t o w a r d n a t i o n w i d e s p e c i a l i z a t i o n o r d i v i s i o n o f fields in c o l l e c t - i n g e n c o u r a g e s u s t o h o p e t h a t f u r t h e r s t e p s w i l l f o l l o w . S e r i a l s a n d n o n - t r a d e p u b l i c a - t i o n s r e m a i n t o be t a c k l e d . H o w e v e r , e v e n if t h e F a r m i n g t o n P l a n w e r e " c o m p l e t e " — if i t w e r e b r i n g i n g t o t h i s c o u n t r y o n e c o p y o f e v e r y p u b l i c a t i o n t h a t o u g h t t o b e h e r e — m u c h m o r e w o u l d s t i l l r e m a i n t o b e d o n e i n t h e field o f s p e c i a l i z a t i o n . I f s p e c i a l i z a t i o n is g o i n g t o h e l p u s r e d u c e t h e r a t e a t w h i c h o u r l i b r a r i e s g r o w , a n d t h u s is g o i n g t o s u p p o r t a m a j o r a t t a c k o n t h e p r o b l e m o f r i s i n g c o s t s , i t s e e m s c l e a r t h a t c o l l e g e s a n d u n i v e r s i t i e s , n o t j u s t t h e i r l i b r a r i e s , a r e g o i n g t o h a v e t o s p e c i a l i z e . E a c h o f u s m u s t c o n t i n u e t o b u y b o o k s o n a l m o s t e v e r y s u b j e c t u n d e r t h e s u n a s l o n g a s e a c h o f o u r i n s t i t u t i o n s is s p o n s o r i n g i n s t r u c t i o n a n d r e s e a r c h o n a l m o s t e v e r y s u b j e c t . I f t h e M o n t i c e l l o C o n f e r e n c e c a n d o a n y t h i n g t o s t a r t u s t o w a r d a s o l u t i o n o f t h i s p r o b l e m , i t w i l l e a r n i t s e l f a v e r y h o n o r a b l e p l a c e i n l i b r a r y h i s t o r y . H a v i n g first d i s c u s s e d w h a t l i b r a r i e s d o f o r m e m b e r s o f a u n i v e r s i t y a n d h o w m u c h t h e y c o s t , a n d h a v i n g t h e n t a k e n a l o o k a t t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f c o o p e r a t i o n a n d s p e c i a l i - z a t i o n , t h e C o n f e r e n c e w i l l d e v o t e a s e s s i o n t o t h e o u t l o o k f o r l i b r a r y financing. I s h a l l n o t v e n t u r e t o p r e d i c t w h a t t h e c r y s t a l b a l l w i l l r e v e a l a t t h i s s e s s i o n , w h i c h w i l l b e f o l l o w e d b y a final o n e a t w h i c h t h e r e w i l l b e a n a t t e m p t t o i d e n t i f y t h e p r o b l e m s t h a t s e e m m o s t d e s e r v i n g o f f u r t h e r s t u d y d u r i n g (Continued on page 392) OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 B o o k p u b l i s h i n g , per se, is a tough busi- ness. T h e per unit cost s t e a d i l y m o u n t s . N o single element in the cost of m a n u f a c t u r e r e v e a l s any o t h e r t e n d e n c y . T h e cost of composition, p a p e r , b i n d i n g , j a c k e t s and even prospectuses, f o l l o w the t r e n d . I n a s m a l l business, also, h i g h e r costs c a n n o t be passed a l o n g to the c o n s u m e r . " P u b l i s h i n g and c e r t a i n specialized t e x t i l e o p e r a t i o n s , " states an economist, " c a n n o t cope w i t h in- flation." T h e y are e x a m p l e s of " t h e sort of business w h i c h finds itself c a u g h t be- t w e e n an inelastic s e l l i n g price and costs it c a n n o t c o n t r o l . " T h e " b r e a k - e v e n p o i n t " is too h i g h . T h e L i b r a r y has l e a r n e d that no one w i l l pay $ 7 . 0 0 f o r a t r a d e book, no m a t t e r h o w a u t h o r i t a t i v e and s c h o l a r l y . S m a l l businesses, too, find it impossible to cut o v e r h e a d . I n o u r case one person, cer- t a i n l y , is needed to take o r d e r s o v e r the phone, to m a i l out books, to c a l l on dealers, to m a i n t a i n the records, and to c o r r e s p o n d o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t h a n x i o u s a u t h o r s ! M o r e - o v e r , books c a n n o t be d i s t r i b u t e d w i t h o u t p a y i n g the postage fee, and c e r t a i n l y e n o u g h a d v e r t i s i n g m u s t be done to n o t i f y p o t e n t i a l c u s t o m e r s t h a t a book has been published. T h e o u t l e t f o r h a r d b o u n d books is d i m i n - ishing. I n 1 9 5 1 there w e r e 3 , 5 0 0 bookstores of some r e p u t a t i o n . T o d a y there are f e w e r than 3 , 0 0 0 . T h e " s o f t - b o u n d s , " m a r k e t e d in d r u g s t o r e s , g r o c e r y stores, stations, etc. h a v e taken a h a r d t o l l of the retail b o o k m a n . A t best, then, o u r enterprise is one j u m p ahead of the s h e r i f f . O n the o t h e r h a n d , the H u n t i n g t o n L i - b r a r y is a research l i b r a r y w i t h r a r e book and m a n u s c r i p t resources that g r o w con- t i n u a l l y , and w i t h a l a r g e f o l l o w i n g of s c h o l a r s in the h u m a n i t i e s . I t is inconceiva- ble that the L i b r a r y should not m a k e an e f f o r t to publish the results of the best w o r k done here. T o be s u r e , a f e w men are promi- nent e n o u g h to receive the b a c k i n g of com- m e r c i a l publishers and a f e w others can c o u n t on their u n i v e r s i t y presses, but the l a r g e m a j o r i t y ( a m o n g them m a n y promis- ing y o u n g m e n ) h a v e o n l y the d i s c o u r a g i n g prospect of p u b l i c a t i o n by u s i n g their sav- ings. T h e h e a r t of the m a t t e r rests in the f a c t that the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y has m a n a g e d to publish the best of the w o r k of its r e a d e r s r e g a r d l e s s of cost. T o p a r a p h r a s e N o r m a n C o u s i n s , book p u b l i s h i n g is essential to the n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e , and book p u b l i s h e r s , l a r g e and s m a l l , are custodians, in a sense, of i n f i n i t e l y v a l u a b l e l i t e r a r y properties, the f u t u r e p r o t e c t o r s of talent yet to be developed. T h i s period of a d v e n t u r i n g , t h e r e f o r e , w i l l c o n t i n u e so l o n g as t a l e n t e d s c h o l a r s are w i l l i n g , at such personal sac- rifices to them, to ponder and appraise the c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e of the E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g people. P u b l i s h i n g by the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y f o s t e r s this t a l e n t . Why We Need to be Investigated (Continued fro the i n v e s t i g a t i o n that w i l l s t a r t soon a f t e r - w a r d s . I s h a l l be s u r p r i s e d if the p r o b l e m s a r e not p l e n t i f u l . I s h a l l be s u r p r i s e d also if it does n o t do us good to be i n v e s t i g a t e d . I think the i n v e s t i g a t o r s w i l l benefit too. W e do n o t w a n t to s u p p l y m o r e books or m o r e services than are needed. If there are non-essentials m page 387) t h a t can be e l i m i n a t e d , w e shall be g l a d to k n o w of t h e m . W e s h a l l w e l c o m e help in s o l v i n g o u r p r o b l e m s , and w e can f e e l sure that p r o f e s s o r s and presidents w h o u n d e r - stand these p r o b l e m s wTill not a d v o c a t e solu- t i o n s — o r b u d g e t s — t h a t w i l l r u i n o u r l i b r a r i e s , w h i c h a f t e r a l l are theirs as m u c h 392 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES