College and Research Libraries B y E D G A R B R E I T E N B A C H Letter from Germany Dr. Breitenbach is Library of Congress Representative at the American Memorial Library in Berlin. WHEN ONE CONSIDERS the s t a t e of u t t e r d e t e r i o r a t i o n i n t o w h i c h m o s t G e r - m a n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s h a d f a l l e n by the e n d of the w a r , o n e m u s t c o n c e d e t h a t t h e y h a v e m a d e a r e m a r k a b l e r e c o v e r y . M a n y b u i l d i n g s a r e b e i n g r e s t o r e d , a n d it is a h o p e - f u l s i g n t h a t e v e r y n o w a n d t h e n a r e f e r - ence w i l l be m a d e to a n e w l y c o m p l e t e d r e a d i n g r o o m o r to a d d i t i o n a l s t a c k f a c i l i - ties. I n s o m e l i b r a r i e s , h i g h e r b u d g e t s h a v e p e r m i t t e d e x t e n s i v e book p u r c h a s e s , w h i c h p a r t l y c o m p e n s a t e f o r the w a r losses. T h e p r o g r a m f o r g e t t i n g b a c k to n o r - m a l h a s on the w h o l e m a d e s u c h s a t i s f a c t o r y p r o g r e s s t h a t a t t h i s p o i n t o n e is q u i t e j u s t i f i e d in a s k i n g : A r e t h e u n i v e r s i t y li- b r a r i e s a g a i n to r e s u m e t h e i r f u n c t i o n as e f f i c i e n t t o o l s of h i g h e r l e a r n i n g , a n d w i l l t h e y once a g a i n be a b l e to p r o v i d e t h e re- s e a r c h s c h o l a r w i t h his m a t e r i a l , a n d to assist the s t u d e n t in his s t u d i e s ? U n f o r t u - n a t e l y , if o n e p u t s this q u e s t i o n to the p e o p l e w h o c o n s t i t u t e the l a r g e s t g r o u p of l i b r a r y u s e r s , n a m e l y t h e f a c u l t y a n d g r a d u a t e s , the a n s w e r is an e m p h a t i c " N o . " S i g n i f i c a n t l y e n o u g h t h i s n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e is to be f o u n d j u s t as m u c h in G o t t i n g e n a n d M i i n s t e r , w h i c h h a v e r e l a t i v e l y a d e q u a t e b u d g e t s , as it is in W i i r z b u r g a n d K i e l , w h e r e r e c o v e r y h a s been s l o w d u e to l i m i t e d r e s o u r c e s . T h e l o u d e s t c r i t i c i s m c o m e s f r o m the s c i e n t i s t s , s o m e of w h o m w o u l d l i k e to d i s s o l v e the u n i - v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s a l t o g e t h e r . T h e l a t t e r g o so f a r as to p r o p o s e t h a t the books w h i c h a r e s t i l l c o n s i d e r e d u s e f u l f o r r e s e a r c h a n d t e a c h i n g be d i s t r i b u t e d a m o n g the i n s t i t u t e s a n d s e m i n a r s ; the r e m a i n i n g b o o k s s h o u l d be p r e s e r v e d in the m a i n l i b r a r y , j u s t as o n e p r e s e r v e s r e l i c s of the p a s t in a m u s e u m . N o t e v e r y b o d y h o l d s s u c h e x t r e m e v i e w s , of c o u r s e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , a r e c e n t p u b l i c o p i n i o n p o l l h a s s h o w n t h a t t h e r e is u n i - v e r s a l a g r e e m e n t a m o n g f a c u l t y a n d s t u - d e n t s on the f o l l o w i n g p o i n t s : r e a d i n g r o o m f a c i l i t i e s a r e i n a d e q u a t e ; o p e n i n g h o u r s a r e too s h o r t ; t h e r e is a l w a y s d e l a y in o b t a i n i n g the book o n e h a s o r d e r e d ; the i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s e r v i c e is a p p a l l i n g l y s l o w a n d f a r t o o e x p e n s i v e ; c a t a l o g s f r e q u e n t l y p e r p e t u a t e l o n g o u t m o d e d s y s t e m s ; p r o c - e s s i n g of n e w books t a k e s f a r too l o n g to s u i t t h e r e a d e r s ; t h e r e is f r e q u e n t l y a l a c k of i n t e r e s t o n t h e p a r t of the l i b r a r i a n t o w a r d s s u g g e s t i o n s f o r a c q u i s i t i o n s . W h e n c o n f r o n t e d w i t h these c h a r g e s , t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n w i l l v e r y l i k e l y a d m i t to m o s t of t h e m . I n self d e f e n s e he w i l l t h e n p o i n t o u t the d i f f i c u l t i e s on his s i d e : his b u i l d i n g is fifty o r m o r e y e a r s o l d ; his b u d g e t is f r e q u e n t l y too s m a l l b e c a u s e it is a l l o c a t e d by t h e m i n i s t e r i e s of c u l t u r a l a f f a i r s in the v a r i o u s " L a n d e r , " w h i c h h a v e f a i l e d to g i v e a d e q u a t e s u p p o r t to the u n i - v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s e v e r since t h e first w o r l d w a r ; his s t a f f is too s m a l l a n d o f t e n o v e r - w o r k e d ; o u t of e v e r y g r o u p of f o u r o r five l i b r a r i a n s w i t h a c a d e m i c t r a i n i n g , t w o a r e l i k e l y to be a p p r o a c h i n g r e t i r e m e n t a g e , a n d a r e n o l o n g e r p u l l i n g t h e i r f u l l w e i g h t . I f he h a p p e n s to be a p r o g r e s s i v e m a n he w i l l a d m i t t h a t t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n m e t h o d s used in b o o k p r o c e s s i n g a r e i n e f f i c i e n t , t h a t p u b l i c 412 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES relations, p a r t i c u l a r l y w i t h the u n i v e r s i t y , c o u l d be g r e a t l y i m p r o v e d , and that aca- demic l i b r a r i a n s as a body h a v e an out- m o d e d conception of their p r o f e s s i o n . I t c a n n o t be denied that G e r m a n u n i v e r - sity l i b r a r i e s are n o w in a state of crisis, a crisis w h i c h the w a r served to a g g r a v a t e but did not cause in the f i r s t place. T h e r e a l causes are the c h a n g i n g methods of scientific research, w h i c h has m o v e d f r o m the class- rooms into the l a b o r a t o r i e s . A s a result there has been an unprecedented and un- c o n t r o l l e d g r o w t h of h i g h l y specialized book collections in the institutes and semi- n a r s . T h r o u g h the g r e a t e r p a r t of the nineteenth c e n t u r y the m a i n l i b r a r y of the u n i v e r s i t y could a t t e m p t to c o v e r a l l fields of k n o w l e d g e r e a s o n a b l y w e l l , and to pro- v i d e the tools f o r research and i n s t r u c t i o n . T h i s time has l o n g since passed, but since a t t i t u d e s based on old t r a d i t i o n s c h a n g e s l o w l y it has taken the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s a l o n g w h i l e to realize that they m u s t re- define the c h a r a c t e r and purpose of their o w n l i b r a r i e s , as w e l l as that of the li- b r a r i e s of the institutes and seminars. T h e issue is f u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t e d by the f a c t that most G e r m a n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s are ad- m i n i s t r a t i v e l y not p a r t of their u n i v e r s i t y , but are independent bodies u n d e r the cul- t u r a l m i n i s t r y of their " L a n d . " A t the f o r t h c o m i n g a n n u a l m e e t i n g of the A s s o c i a t i o n of G e r m a n ( a c a d e m i c ) L i - b r a r i a n s , the problem w i l l be b r o u g h t into the open. T h e m a i n topic w i l l be a dis- cussion of a paper p r e p a r e d by D r . G e r h a r d R e i n c k e entitled " M e m o r a n d u m concern- ing the situation of the institute l i b r a r i e s and their r e l a t i o n to the u n i v e r s i t y and high school (i.e. technical u n i v e r s i t y ) l i b r a r i e s . " T h i s paper w a s commissioned last y e a r by the " D e u t s c h e F o r s c h u n g s g e m e i n s c h a f t , " in o r d e r to find out w h e t h e r it should con- tinue to s u p p o r t the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s or t r a n s f e r its assistance to the institutes, as m a n y f a c u l t y m e m b e r s had requested. A l - t h o u g h the report w a s published last f a l l , it has still not been o f f i c i a l l y released. A limited n u m b e r of copies w e r e sent to inter- ested parties, t o g e t h e r w i t h a q u e s t i o n n a i r e , to sample their reaction to c e r t a i n issues raised by the a u t h o r . T h e replies, in a s u m m a r i z e d f o r m , w i l l be s u b m i t t e d to the C o n f e r e n c e of U n i v e r s i t y P r e s i d e n t s ( R e k t o r e n k o n f e r e n z ) f o r f u r t h e r discus- sion. D r . R e i n c k e collected his m a t e r i a l by v i s i t i n g m o r e than 2 5 0 institutes and semi- n a r s in 1 9 universities and technical high schools. I n each instances he s t a r t e d his i n v e s t i g a t i o n by discussing the p r o b l e m s w i t h the president of the u n i v e r s i t y , the director of the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y , f a c u l t y m e m b e r s and the l i b r a r y s t a f f . H e en- d e a v o r e d to get a f a i r cross-section by selecting both l a r g e and s m a l l institutes, in some cases efficiently run and in other cases b a d l y r u n . W i t h r e g a r d to the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s , he paid special attention to p u r - chasing policies, book processing, c a t a l o g s and o p e n i n g hours. O n e of the first things he noticed w a s that there is no c l e a r distinction b e t w e e n the t e r m s " i n s t i t u t e " and " s e m i n a r . " T h e p o p u l a r notion that the f o r m e r is m o r e i m p o r t a n t than the l a t t e r is i n c o r r e c t ; there are quite i n s i g n i f i c a n t institutes and v e r y l a r g e seminars. C o n s e q u e n t l y he classified them a c c o r d i n g to the f u n c t i o n s they f u l f i l l , w h e t h e r they p r i m a r i l y serve u n d e r g r a d u - ates, or are g e a r e d to the needs of upper- classmen w h o are w r i t i n g t h e i r d o c t o r a l theses. T o the f o r m e r g r o u p belongs the m a j o r i t y of the institutes and s e m i n a r s in the fields of l a w , social science and hu- m a n i t i e s ; to the l a t t e r most of the institutes and s e m i n a r s in the fields of science, medi- cine and t e c h n o l o g y . T h e d i f f e r e n c e be- t w e e n the t w o g r o u p s of readers is reflected in the o r g a n i z a t i o n of the l i b r a r i e s ; m a x i - OCTOBER, 1954 38 7 m u m s e a t i n g c a p a c i t y , s u p e r v i s i o n , m u l t i p l e c o p i e s o n t h e o n e h a n d ; p r i v a c y a n d n o s u p e r v i s i o n o n t h e o t h e r . L a r g e i n s t i t u t e s o f a d v a n c e d s t u d i e s c o n - s t i t u t e a t h i r d g r o u p , e . g . , t h e i n s t i t u t e s o f t h e M a x P l a n c k G e s e l l s c h a f t . T h e s e i n s t i - t u t e s u s u a l l y c a l l t h e m s e l v e s " X " I n s t i t u t e at " Y " U n i v e r s i t y , t h u s p l a i n l y i n d i c a t i n g t h e i r q u a s i - i n d e p e n d e n t c h a r a c t e r . W i t h r e s p e c t t o a c c o m m o d a t i o n t h e r e is a w i d e v a r i e t y d e p e n d i n g o n l o c a l c o n d i - t i o n s . A t best t h e a v e r a g e s t u d e n t i n s t i t u t e is l o c a t e d i n t h e m a i n a u d i t o r i u m b u i l d i n g o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y . L a w i n s t i t u t e s a r e o f t e n h o u s e d in a s p e c i a l b u i l d i n g , w i t h a c o m m o n l a w l i b r a r y . S i m i l a r l y i n s t i t u t e s in t h e f i e l d s o f s c i e n c e a n d t e c h n o l o g y a r e u s u a l l y l o c a t e d n e a r t o e a c h o t h e r , a n d so a r e m e d i - c a l i n s t i t u t e s a n d t h e i r l i b r a r i e s . T h e r e a r e m a n y i n s t a n c e s , h o w e v e r , p a r t i c u l a r l y in s o c i a l s c i e n c e s a n d h u m a n i t i e s , w 7 here i n s t i - t u t e s o c c u p y t o t a l l y i n a d e q u a t e q u a r t e r s , f r e q u e n t l y f o r m e r a p a r t m e n t h o u s e s . S o m e a r e s o s h o r t o f s p a c e t h a t t h e y c a n o f f e r f e w if a n y r e a d i n g r o o m f a c i l i t i e s t o t h e i r s t u - d e n t s . N e a r l y 1 0 % o f t h e i n s t i t u t e s v i s i t e d b y R e i n c k e h a v e h a d t o a b a n d o n t h e o p e n - s h e l f r e f e r e n c e s y s t e m a n d r e v e r t t o t h e s t a c k a n d h o m e l o a n s y s t e m , w h i c h d e - f e a t s t h e v e r y p u r p o s e f o r w h i c h t h e s e l i b r a r i e s w e r e c r e a t e d . T h e s i z e a n d c o n t e n t s o f t h e i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s v a r y w i d e l y . S o m e a r e d e f i n i t e l y t o o s m a l l f o r t h e n e e d s o f t h e s t u d e n t s w h i l e o t h e r h a v e g r o w n t o q u i t e u n w i e l d y p r o p o r t i o n s . R e i n c k e i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s p o i n t w i t h s o m e i n t e r e s t i n g e x a m p l e s . I n o n e p l a c e he f o u n d a l a w l i b r a r y o f m e r e l y 7 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s w h i l e in a n o t h e r p l a c e it c o n t a i n e d 8 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s . S o m e p r o f e s - s o r s h a v e b u i l t u p l a r g e c o l l e c t i o n s o n s p e - c i a l t o p i c s , o f t e n at t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e i r l i b r a r y in g e n e r a l , e . g . , T h e o l o g i c a l S e m i - n a r in K i e l w h i c h a m o n g its 3 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s has a v a s t n u m b e r o f h y m n b o o k s a n d a c o m p r e h e n s i v e c o l l e c t i o n o f b o o k s o n B e d o u i n s . A t t h e s a m e u n i v e r s i t y t h e I n s t i - t u t e f o r T h e o r e t i c a l P h y s i c s o w n s a l i b r a r y o f 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s , w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e b o o k s o f t h e K i e l O b s e r v a t o r y . T h e m a - t e r i a l is a l l k e p t in t h e s t a c k s , a n d c a n o n l y be u s e d b y s p e c i a l p e r m i s s i o n . I n H a m b u r g t h e S e m i n a r f o r A n c i e n t H i s t o r y h a s 3 5 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s , i n c l u d i n g m a n y w T hich l e g i t i m a t e l y b e l o n g in o t h e r f i e l d s . T h e n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s u s i n g this l i b r a r y is v e r y s m a l l . R e i n c k e t h i n k s , a n d I b e l i e v e r i g h t l y s o , t h a t m i n i m u m a n d m a x i m u m f i g u r e s c a n b e e s t a b l i s h e d f o r t h e v a r i o u s f i e l d s . T h e l i - b r a r y o f a l a w s c h o o l m i g h t r e a c h t h e s a t u r a t i o n p o i n t w i t h 4 0 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s , w h i l e in s u c h f i e l d s as h i s t o r y a n d t h e o l o g y t h e m i n i m u m b a s i c c o l l e c t i o n is e s t i m a t e d at 7 , 0 0 0 - 8 , 0 0 0 v o l u m e s . T h e r e is a l s o a w i d e v a r i e t y in t h e s c a l e o f t h e b u d g e t s o f t h e i n s t i t u t e s . A n a r t h i s t o r y s e m i n a r m a y h a v e D M 1 , 2 0 0 in o n e p l a c e a n d D M 6 , 0 0 0 in a n o t h e r . L a w i n - s t i t u t e s w e r e f o u n d t o r a n g e b e t w e e n D M 5 , 0 0 0 a n d D M 1 6 , 0 0 0 . N e a r l y e v e r y - w h e r e t h e i n s t i t u t e s r e c e i v e a r e g u l a r b u d g e t a n d a s p e c i a l b u d g e t w h i c h v a r i e s f r o m y e a r t o y e a r . O c c a s i o n a l l y t h e r e a r e s p e c i a l d o n a t i o n s f r o m p r i v a t e o r g a n i z a t i o n s o r f r o m i n d u s t r y a n d b u s i n e s s . M e m b e r - s h i p f e e s o f t h e s t u d e n t s a r e an i m p o r t a n t s o u r c e o f i n c o m e . I n s t i t u t e s w h i c h p u b l i s h b o o k s o r p e r i o d i c a l s use t h e m w i d e l y f o r e x c h a n g e p u r p o s e s . W h e n a p r o f e s s o r is o f f e r e d a n a p p o i n t m e n t b y a n o t h e r u n i v e r - s i t y , he u s u a l l y m a k e s his a c c e p t a n c e c o n d i - t i o n a l u p o n a s p e c i a l g r a n t f o r t h e i n s t i t u t e he is t o t a k e o v e r . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d if h e d e c l i n e s a n e w a p p o i n t m e n t , h e m a y use this f a c t as a b a r g a i n i n g p o i n t t o h a v e his b u d g e t i n c r e a s e d . C a s e s a r e k n o w n o f e m i n e n t p r o f e s s o r s w h o u s e d this t e c h n i q u e t o s u c h g o o d e f f e c t t h a t t h e y w e r e a b l e t o g e t t h e i r i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s i n t o e x c e l l e n t .414 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES s h a p e . W o r s t o f f a r e t h e i n s t i t u t e s in t h e h u m a n i t i e s w h i c h h a v e t o m a k e e n d s m e e t o n a b u d g e t o f D M 2 , 5 0 0 - 3 , 0 0 0 . S c i e n c e i n s t i t u t e s a r e a g r e a t d e a l b e t t e r o f f , a v e r a g - i n g D M 1 0 , 0 0 0 - 1 2 , 0 0 0 . T h e r a p i d g r o w t h o f t h e i n s t i t u t e l i - b r a r i e s has n o t b e e n m a t c h e d w i t h an i n - c r e a s e i n p e r s o n n e l . L e s s t h a n 1 0 % o f t h e i n s t i t u t e s i n s p e c t e d b y R e i n c k e e m p l o y t r a i n e d l i b r a r i a n s , a n d t h e s e a r e m o s t l y l a w l i b r a r i e s . M e t h o d s o f l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a - t i o n u s e d a r o u n d 1 9 0 0 still p r e v a i l . A s a r u l e it is l e f t t o t h e t e a c h i n g o r r e s e a r c h assistant t o t a k e c a r e o f t h e l i b r a r y . S i n c e he u s u a l l y o n l y stays f o r a f e w y e a r s , t h e r e is l i k e l y t o be l a c k o f c o n t i n u i t y in t h e s y s t e m o f a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . S o m e i n s t i t u t e s m a y n o t e v e n h a v e an a s s i s t a n t . I n m a n y i n s t a n c e s t h e l i b r a r y is in t h e h a n d s o f a s e c r e t a r y o r a n u r s e ( i n m e d i c a l i n s t i t u t e s ) . R e i n c k e ' s s u r v e y o f t h e p e r s o n n e l p r o b l e m s p r e s e n t s q u i t e an a l a r m i n g p i c t u r e . U n d e r t h e h e a d i n g " a c c e s s i o n p o l i c i e s " R e i n c k e states t h a t n o w h e r e d i d he find a c l e a r c o n c e p t o f o b j e c t i v e s . T h e o r i g i n a l p u r p o s e o f t h e i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s m e r e l y t o p r o v i d e s t u d e n t s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o o l s has b e e n a b a n d o n e d in f a v o r o f b u i l d i n g u p c o m p r e h e n s i v e c o l l e c t i o n s f o r r e s e a r c h . T h e d i r e c t o r s o f t h e i n s t i t u t e s j u s t i f y this s t e p b y p o i n t i n g o u t t h e g e n e r a l i n e f f i c i e n c y o f t h e m a i n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y ; t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y c a n n o l o n g e r a f f o r d p r i v a t e l i b r a r i e s t h e m s e l v e s ; a n d a l s o t h e f a c t t h a t t o d a y i n s t r u c t i o n a n d r e s e a r c h a r e i n s e p a r a b l e . T h e r e s u l t is t h a t e a c h i n s t i t u t e d i r e c t o r t r i e s t o be as i n d e p e n d e n t as p o s s i b l e . T h e y b u y a g r e a t d e a l o f c o l l a t e r a l m a t e r i a l , w i t h o u t t o o m u c h c o n c e r n t h a t t h e s a m e b o o k s m a y w e l l be p u r c h a s e d b y o t h e r i n s t i - t u t e s , p o s s i b l y e v e n in t h e s a m e b u i l d i n g . S p e c i a l c o l l e c t i o n s a r e s t a r t e d a n d s u b s e - q u e n t l y a b a n d o n e d w h e n a p r o f e s s o r m o v e s o n t o a n o t h e r u n i v e r s i t y o r r e t i r e s . S u c h p r a c t i c e s a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y u n f o r t u n a t e in v i e w o f t h e i n a d e q u a t e b u d g e t s . R e i n c k e p a i d s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n t o f o r e i g n p e r i o d i c a l s , w h i c h h e f o u n d t o be m o s t i n a d e q u a t e l y r e p r e s e n t e d . O f t h e i n s t i t u t e s v i s i t e d n e a r l y 1 5 % h a d e i t h e r n o n e o r o n l y o n e f o r e i g n p e r i o d i c a l , 3 0 % h a d b e t w e e n 2 a n d 5 , 2 5 % h a d b e t w e e n 5 a n d 1 0 , a n d o n l y 3 0 % h a d m o r e t h a n 1 0 ( m o s t l y t h r o u g h e x c h a n g e ) . G a p s in t h e s e q u e n c e s f o r t h e w a r y e a r s w e r e t h e r u l e . N o t h i n g s h o w s t h e n e e d f o r g u i d a n c e m o r e c l e a r l y t h a n t h e c a t a l o g s o f t h e i n s t i - t u t e s , w h i c h f o r t h e m o s t p a r t w e r e d r a w n u p b y a m a t e u r s . A l t h o u g h m o s t l i b r a r i e s h a v e at l e a s t an a u t h o r c a t a l o g a n d m a n y o f t h e m e v e n h a v e s o m e k i n d o f s u b j e c t c a t a l o g , R e i n c k e f o u n d s e v e r a l i n s t i t u t e s w h e r e t h e s t a f f i n s i s t e d t h a t a c a t a l o g w a s s u p e r f l u o u s . O n e c a n o n l y u n d e r s c o r e R e i n c k e ' s u r g e n t p l e a t h a t t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s c o n c e r n t h e m s e l v e s w i t h this p r o b - l e m a n d l e n d t h e i r a s s i s t a n c e w h e r e v e r p o s s i b l e . T h i s w o u l d i n d e e d s t a r t a n e w e r a , f o r at p r e s e n t t h e m a i n l i b r a r y ' s d e a l - i n g s w i t h t h e i n s t i t u t e s is l i m i t e d t o t h r e e t y p e s o f t r a n s a c t i o n : it l o a n s b o o k s in t h e r e g u l a r m a n n e r ; it m a k e s s o - c a l l e d l o n g - r a n g e l o a n s w h i c h in c a s e o f r e c a l l a r e t h e c a u s e o f e n d l e s s f r i c t i o n ; a n d it h a n d l e s r e q u e s t s f o r i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n s f o r t h e i n s t i t u t e s . I n s u m m i n g u p his findings R e i n c k e m a k e s a n u m b e r o f r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . F o r t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s he asks f o r m o d e r n - i z e d b u i l d i n g s , h i g h e r b u d g e t s a n d an i n - c r e a s e d s t a f f . F u r t h e r m o r e , he d e m a n d s a n e w p r o f e s s i o n a l a t t i t u d e . T h e u n i v e r - s i t y l i b r a r i a n s s h o u l d m a i n t a i n c l o s e l i a i s o n w i t h t h e i n s t i t u t e s ; h e r e is a p o t e n t i a l l y v a s t a r e a o f p u b l i c s e r v i c e w h i c h u p t o n o w has b e e n l i t t l e e x p l o r e d . T h e y s h o u l d d r a w u p a g r e e m e n t s o n b o o k p u r c h a s i n g p o l i c i e s w i t h t h e v a r i o u s i n s t i t u t e d i r e c t o r s a n d s h o u l d s o l i c i t t h e l a t t e r ' s a d v i c e o n b o o k s e l e c t i o n f o r t h e m a i n l i b r a r y . T h e y s h o u l d assist OCTOBER, 1954 415. t h e i n s t i t u t e s in s e t t i n g u p s o u n d s y s t e m s o f l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , a n d a b o v e a l l , t h e y s h o u l d see t o it t h a t t h e e f f i c i e n c y o f t h e i r o w n l i b r a r i e s is v a s t l y i m p r o v e d . A s f o r t h e i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s R e i n c k e b e - l i e v e s t h a t a c l e a r d e f i n i t i o n is n e e d e d as t o w h a t e a c h o f t h e m s h a l l c o l l e c t , so as t o a v o i d u n n e c e s s a r y o v e r l a p p i n g . L i t t l e u s e d m a t e r i a l s h o u l d be t u r n e d o v e r t o t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y . H e is n o t c e r t a i n w h e t h e r a u n i o n c a t a l o g f o r t h e u n i v e r s i t y as a w h o l e w o u l d w a r r a n t t h e e f f o r t s a n d c o s t it e n t a i l s , b u t he s t r o n g l y a d v o c a t e s a u n i o n c a t a l o g o f p e r i o d i c a l s . L a r g e i n s t i - t u t e s m u s t o b v i o u s l y e m p l o y p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r i a n s ; f o r t h e m a n y s m a l l e r o n e s h e s u g g e s t s t h a t i n s t i t u t e s in r e l a t e d fields s h o u l d s h a r e t h e s e r v i c e s o f a t r a i n e d p e r - s o n . M e r g i n g o f s m a l l l i b r a r i e s i n t o a s t r o n g d e p a r t m e n t a l l i b r a r y s h o u l d b e u n d e r t a k e n w h e r e v e r p o s s i b l e ( e . g . l a w , e c o n o m i c s , t h e o l o g y ) . F o r t h e A m e r i c a n r e a d e r o f R e i n c k e ' s m e m o r a n d u m m o s t o f t h e s e r e c o m m e n d a - t i o n s w i l l a p p e a r t o be n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n c o m m o n s e n s e ; f o r m a n y G e r m a n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s t h e y a m o u n t t o l i t t l e s h o r t o f h e r e s y . T h e F o r s c h u n g s g e m e i n s c h a f t has a l r e a d y r e c e i v e d a g r e a t n u m b e r o f p r o t e s t s f r o m b o t h t h e i n s t i t u t e s a n d t h e m a i n u n i - v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s ; f a r f r o m b e i n g d i s m a y e d , it w e l c o m e s t h e f a c t t h a t this issue has b e e n f o r c e d i n t o t h e o p e n f o r g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n . A n u n b i a s e d o b s e r v e r w i l l s c a r c e l y c h a l l e n g e t h e f a c t s as R e i n c k e p r e s e n t s t h e m , n o r is h e l i k e l y t o t a k e e x c e p t i o n t o t h e r e m e d i e s h e p r o p o s e s . W h a t is l a c k i n g , h o w e v e r , is a c l e a r s t a t e m e n t t h a t the i d e a o f u n i v e r s a l i t y , o n c e e m b o d i e d s o l e l y in t h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y , m u s t n o w be s h a r e d w i t h a l l l i b r a r i e s w i t h i n t h e c o n f i n e s o f t h e u n i - v e r s i t y . O n c e this p r i n c i p l e has b e e n g e n - e r a l l y a c c e p t e d , t h e a r t i f i c i a l b a r r i e r s b e t w e e n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s a n d i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s w i l l g r a d u a l l y d i s a p p e a r . T h e u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s h o u l d a c c e p t w i t h g o o d g r a c e s t h e i n e v i t a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t s in t h e a c a d e m i c w o r l d w h i c h a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t u r n i n g his l i b r a r y m o r e a n d m o r e i n t o a c e n t r a l c o l l e c t i o n o f less f r e q u e n t l y u s e d m a t e r i a l — a n d at t h e s a m e t i m e , i n t o a s t u d y c e n t e r w h e r e s t u d e n t s c a n c o n s u l t a n d b o r r o w b o o k s o f c u r r e n t i n t e r e s t . B y g i v - i n g g u i d a n c e t o t h e i n s t i t u t e l i b r a r i e s a n d b y a p o l i c y o f c l o s e c o o p e r a t i o n t h e m a i n l i - b r a r y c a n n e v e r t h e l e s s a g a i n p l a y a v i t a l p a r t in t h e l i f e o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y as a w h o l e . K n o w i n g t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h m o s t G e r - m a n u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s a r e b o u n d b y t r a d i t i o n a n d a l s o t h e e x t r e m e i n d i v i d u a l i s m o f t h e a v e r a g e G e r m a n p r o f e s s o r , I d o n o t a n t i c i p a t e an e a r l y s o l u t i o n . H o w e v e r , t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t t h e d i s c u s s i o n s h a v e b e g u n is in itself an e n c o u r a g i n g s i g n . The Aquisition of British Documents (Continued fr c l u m s y a n d n o n - c o o p e r a t i v e a t t i t u d e o f t h e o t h e r t w o a g e n c i e s t o t r y t h e s e w a y s ) , a n d he finds t h a t t h e w e l l - m e a n i n g b o o k s e l l e r , d o i n g this as a f a v o r t o a c l i e n t , b e c o m e s s w a m p e d in t h e p l e t h o r a a n d is u n a b l e t o g i v e g o o d s e r v i c e . T h e w o r s t o f this is n o t t h e p o o r m e t h o d o f d i s t r i b u t i o n , a l t h o u g h t h a t is b a d e n o u g h , b u t t h e b a d i m p r e s s i o n c r e a t e d in this c o u n t r y o f o f f i c i a l B r i t i s h s e r v i c e s . I t om page 411) w o u l d be g r a c i o u s , w i s e a n d f a r s e e i n g if t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m r e a c t i v a t e d t h e d e p o s i t o r y s y s t e m . S t a n f o r d w o u l d be g l a d t o p a y a l u m p s u m a n n u a l l y f o r t h e " p r i v i l e g e . " A l l m e a n s o f p r o t e s t h a v i n g f a i l e d s o f a r it is m y h o p e t h a t s o m e e m i n e n t v i s i t i n g E n g l i s h - m a n w i l l b e c o m e a w a r e o f t h e s i t u a t i o n t h r o u g h r e a d i n g t h i s p l a i n t a n d u p o n his r e t u r n h o m e m a k e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s t o i m - p r o v e t h i s s o r r y b u s i n e s s . .416 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES