College and Research Libraries By HAYNES M c M U L L E N American University Libraries, 1955-2005 Dr. McMullen is associate professor of library science, Indiana University. EV E R Y R E S P O N S I B L E O F F I C E R i n a n A m e r i -can u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y is c o n s t a n t l y m a k i n g guesses a b o u t the f u t u r e of his insti- t u t i o n ; e v e r y decision he m a k e s should be predicated on one or more of these guesses. Y e t he has a l m o s t n o w h e r e to t u r n w h e n he searches f o r i n f o r m a t i o n about the f u t u r e . T h e o n l y reliable g u i d e s to f u t u r e events are the n a v i g a t o r s ' ephemerides. B u t they are of no use to a l i b r a r i a n unless he still f o l l o w s the w a y s of the astrologers, and is able to re- late the m o v e m e n t s of the h e a v e n l y bodies to the c h a n g e s t h a t w i l l take place in such e a r t h l y bodies as the s t u d e n t b o d y , the f a c - u l t y , or the board of trustees of his u n i v e r - sity. T h e purpose of the present a r t i c l e is not to supply this m u c h needed i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t the f u t u r e of u n i v e r s i t y libraries in so m a n y w o r d s b u t r a t h e r , first, to s u g g e s t three simple rules a b o u t the physical en- v i r o n m e n t c o n d u c i v e to good g u e s s i n g a b o u t the f u t u r e ; second, to name some principles t h a t m a y serve as c h a n n e l s f o r t h i n k i n g a b o u t the f u t u r e ; and t h i r d , to present a f e w guesses about the history of A m e r i c a n uni- v e r s i t y libraries d u r i n g the n e x t 5 0 years. T h e s e guesses h a v e been m a d e to g i v e the reader p r a c t i c e in m o d i f y i n g or d e m o l i s h i n g t h e m . T h e three rules a b o u t e n v i r o n m e n t m a y seem obvious to some l i b r a r i a n s , b u t others m a y v i o l a t e t h e m r e g u l a r l y w i t h c o m p l e t e i m p u n i t y . T h e first r u l e is t h a t all guessing should be done in one's office. T h e h o w - t o - s t u d y experts a g r e e t h a t high school and c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s should h a v e a r e g u l a r place to s t u d y because t h a t place w i l l acquire con- n o t a t i o n s of p r o d u c t i v e t h o u g h t . I n the same w a y , a l i b r a r i a n can t h i n k a b o u t the f u t u r e of his i n s t i t u t i o n to best a d v a n t a g e if he does his t h i n k i n g at the same desk w h e r e he is accustomed to t h i n k a b o u t the institu- tion's present and past. T h e second e n v i r o n m e n t a l r u l e is con- cerned w i t h the time of day t h a t is appropri- ate f o r a session of guessing. Thinking of this kind should always be done at night, w h e n the o n l y distractions are the visits of j a n i t o r s or mice. D u r i n g the day one's col- leagues i n t e r r u p t the train of t h o u g h t , and, w h a t is m u c h w o r s e , these c o l l e a g u e s are l i k e l y to be severely disturbed if they see one t h i n k i n g . N o t h i n g can be w o r s e f o r m o r a l e t h a n the k n o w l e d g e t h a t the boss sits at his desk and stares i n t o space. T h e t h i r d r u l e m a y be u s e f u l to those w h o do not use d i c t a t i n g machines. One should use pencil and paper while thinking about the future, but should make notes only infrequently. A person should m a k e notes because w i t h o u t them, he m a y easily lose even his most b r i l l i a n t ideas. H e should be s p a r i n g because each note w i l l be m o r e v a l u - able if it represents a conclusion reached a f t e r several possibilities h a v e been con- sidered and r e j e c t e d . F o r some people, it is easier to revise or r e j e c t a t h o u g h t b e f o r e it has been c o m m i t t e e d to paper. N o w f o r some principles t h a t m a y help to keep the t h i n k e r m o v i n g in the r i g h t direc- 286 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES tion w h e n he considers the f u t u r e of his li- b r a r y or of u n i v e r s i t y libraries in g e n e r a l . T h e first of these principles is that li- braries have, in the past, behaved in some ways like similar social institutions; there- fore they probably will behave like them in the future. T h e t r i c k in a p p l y i n g this r u l e is in k n o w i n g w h i c h o t h e r social institutions are r e a l l y similar to libraries, and to g e t hold of precise i n f o r m a t i o n about their behavior. I t is u n l i k e l y t h a t l i b r a r i a n s w i l l benefit b y a t t e m p t i n g to m a k e use of the g r a n d p a t t e r n s w h i c h men like S p e n g l e r , T o y n b e e , and S o r o k i n have developed to e x p l a i n the rise and f a l l of c i v i l i z a t i o n s . H o w e v e r , it is quite probable t h a t c e r t a i n discoveries about less extensive social phenomena can be used in prediction a b o u t libraries. L o u i s N . R i d e n o u r in Bibliography in an Age of Science has a l r e a d y d e m o n s t r a t e d the strik- i n g similarities b e t w e e n the g r o w t h of l a r g e A m e r i c a n research collections, as indicated by the n u m b e r of v o l u m e s , and the g r o w t h of o t h e r r e l a t i v e l y n e w and u s e f u l phenom- ena as indicated by the g r o w t h in assets of l i f e insurance companies, the increase in a u t o m o b i l e registrations, and the increase in airline passenger-miles t r a v e l e d in this coun- t r y . I t is quite possible that i m a g i n a t i v e research w o r k e r s could use these similarities as an aid in p l o t t i n g the f u t u r e course of g r o u p s of libraries. A n o t h e r characteristic of certain social institutions w h i c h m a y have application to libraries is expressed, but not e x p l a i n e d , by the " r a n k - s i z e r u l e . " If all cities and t o w n s in the U n i t e d States are ranked in order of size, and the rank of each ( c o u n t i n g N e w Y o r k C i t y as I, the n e x t s m a l l e r as 2, e t c . ) is m u l t i p l i e d by its population, the p r o d u c t s obtained w i l l be s i g n i f i c a n t l y similar. Social scientists do not k n o w w h y this is so. M a n y g r o u p s of social institutions seem to f o l l o w the same p a t t e r n quite closely, and still others f o l l o w it to some e x t e n t . F o r e x a m p l e , if l a r g e retail firms of the U n i t e d States are ranked a c c o r d i n g to gross sales, the products of the ranks times the sales in d o l l a r s are sufficiently similar to indicate some relationship. T h i s rule and its possible implications are discussed in the s u m m e r , 1 9 5 2 , issue of the U N E S C O p u b l i c a t i o n , Impact of Science on Society, in an a r t i c l e by J o h n Q . S t e w a r t . D o all libraries in the LTnited States f o l l o w the rank-size r u l e ? D o u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s ? C l o s e l y or to some e x t e n t ? W h y ? A second principle to g u i d e a l i b r a r i a n in t h i n k i n g about his l i b r a r y is that, w h i l e it is t r u e t h a t libraries are prone to behave like o t h e r types of o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h are in some w a y s similar to them, it m u s t also be remembered t h a t a library is the kind of institution that may be directly affected by changes taking place outside itself. Some of these e x t e r n a l changes are easily r e c o g n i z e d , but others can g o u n n o t i c e d f o r years. I t is easy to see the close connection b e t w e e n the financial support of a u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y and the economic status of its p a r e n t institution, and m a n y of the dislocations m a d e by w a r s are p a i n f u l l y clear, b u t a l i b r a r i a n m a y f a i l to observe the changes in his collection that are b r o u g h t about by less t a n g i b l e f o r c e s such as the g r a d u a l changes in the basic beliefs of scholars in a certain discipline. F o r e x a m p l e , l i b r a r i a n s some- times are u n a w a r e that the usefulness of o l d e r m a t e r i a l s in the area of l i t e r a r y and artistic history and criticism is being di- minished by the c u r r e n t m o v e m e n t a w a y f r o m a s o m e w h a t relativistic, c o m p a r a t i v e , and s u b j e c t i v e state of mind t o w a r d a g r e a t e r dependence on o b j e c t i v e s t a n d a r d s f o r artistic j u d g m e n t s . Sometimes a l i b r a r i a n m a y even f a i l to notice i m p o r t a n t changes in e d u c a t i o n a l practices in his o w n institution. If the head of the E c o n o m i c s D e p a r t m e n t makes use of the set of m a t c h e d l u g g a g e t h a t the f a c u l t y gives him at the d i n n e r c e l e b r a t i n g his re- t i r e m e n t , then l o n g r o w s of ancient j o u r n a l s JULY, 1955 287 m a y n e v e r leave their shelves. If the v i g o r - ous n e w head of the same d e p a r t m e n t soon i m p o r t s f a c u l t y m e m b e r s w h o e n j o y f o r c i n g g r a d u a t e students to scramble a r o u n d in g o v e r n m e n t d o c u m e n t s and reports of busi- ness firms, the l i b r a r y m a y need an addi- tional staff m e m b e r w h o k n o w s h o w to m a k e the students' s c r a m b l i n g m o r e n e a r l y w o r t h the time it takes. A third principle w h i c h w e sometimes ig- nore is that different trends are of greatly varying lengths. A t r e n d t h a t has b e g u n in the last f e w years m a y f a d e o u t sooner t h a n does an o l d e r one t h a t started m a n y years ago. I n f a c t , it is almost c e r t a i n t h a t some trends n o w in existence w i l l soon die and that other trends w i l l begin to m o v e in the opposite direction. O n e of these reversals of direction w h i c h m a y be t a k i n g place n o w in the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y field is to be seen in practices con- nected w i t h the s t o r a g e of books. I n the l a t t e r p a r t of the n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , a com- bination of c i r c u m s t a n c e s b r o u g h t about the g e n e r a l acceptance of the m u l t i - l e v e l stack in p r e f e r e n c e to the o l d e r p l a n of s h e l v i n g books in alcoves a r o u n d the r e a d i n g room. T h e present t r e n d in u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g s t o w a r d the interspersing of stacks w i t h s m a l l r e a d i n g areas w i l l b r i n g back the close c o n t a c t w h i c h the a l c o v e p r o v i d e d be- t w e e n readers and books. T h e decreased o p p o r t u n i t y f o r intercourse b e t w e e n the l i b r a r i a n s and the y o u t h f u l oc- c u p a n t s of the seats m a y raise p r o b l e m s in those c o e d u c a t i o n a l institutions w h e r e the d o r m i t o r y p a r l o r s are insufficient to seat the socially inclined y o u n g men and w o m e n . S u c h p r o b l e m s are said to h a v e existed in the days of alcoves, and they became n o t i c e a b l y less acute w h e n r e a d i n g rooms of a l a t e r time p r o v i d e d an u n o b s t r u c t e d v i e w f r o m the li- b r a r i a n ' s desk. A f o u r t h principle t h a t one should con- sider in guessing a b o u t the f u t u r e is never to mix this guessing process with two related processes, planning and wishful thinking. P l a n n i n g should t a k e place a f t e r guessing, and of course w i s h f u l t h i n k i n g should be avoided e n t i r e l y . P e o p l e w h o p l a n w i t h o u t first guessing a b o u t trends, or w h o d r e a m of a better f u - t u r e w i t h o u t a n y c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g , are in- clined to i g n o r e one of the f e w r e a l l y obvious f a c t s t h a t can be l e a r n e d f r o m the s t u d y of l i b r a r y h i s t o r y : as present prob- lems are solved in the f u t u r e , or as they e v e n t u a l l y die of old age, others w i l l rise to take their places. D u r i n g the n e x t 5 0 years, u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s w i l l be busy s o l v i n g p r o b l e m s t h a t are not y e t even g l e a m s in the eyes of the students, f a c u l t y , or publishers. T h e r e is still a n o t h e r principle w h i c h the w o u l d - b e p r o g n o s t i c a t o r m u s t c o n s i d e r : the rate and direction of change will vary greatly from institution to institution. I t seems probable t h a t a person s u m m a r i z - i n g the state of A m e r i c a n u n i v e r s i t y libraries in the y e a r 2005 w i l l find his task as a r d u o u s as does a w r i t e r in 1 9 5 5 because m a n y li- braries w i l l be a t y p i c a l . I t is w i t h i n the r e a l m of p r o b a b i l i t y t h a t some libraries w i l l not h a v e reached, in p a r t i c u l a r aspects, a state of d e v e l o p m e n t w h i c h has a l r e a d y been reached by others in 1 9 5 5 . W e m a y be sure t h a t the l a g g a r d s w i l l be able to c o v e r their l a c k of progress w i t h the s t a t e m e n t that has a l r e a d y p r o v e d its w o r t h by 1 9 5 5 , " O u r reasons f o r d o i n g it this w a y are his- t o r i c a l . " N o w f o r some predictions a b o u t the f u - t u r e of A m e r i c a n u n i v e r s i t y libraries. T h e f o l l o w i n g guesses have been m a d e u n d e r the c i r c u m s t a n c e s prescribed in the three en- v i r o n m e n t a l rules stated at the b e g i n n i n g of this a r t i c l e , and an a t t e m p t has been m a d e to abide by the five principles t h a t f o l l o w e d the rules. H o w e v e r , the predictions m a y be f a r f r o m the m a r k because their a c c u r a c y depends also on the w r i t e r ' s k n o w l e d g e of recent l i b r a r y history and his n a t i v e intelli- gence. If they stir a n y o n e to r e f u t e them, 288 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES they w i l l h a v e served a l a r g e p a r t of their purpose. If w e pay a n y a t t e n t i o n w h a t s o e v e r to our second principle, the one that says a l i b r a r y is q u i c k l y a f f e c t e d by changes t a k i n g place outside itself, then w e should speculate a b o u t the n e x t 50 years in universities as a w h o l e before w e t h i n k about the libraries w h i c h l i v e w i t h i n them. B y the y e a r 2005, the student body in m a n y a u n i v e r s i t y m a y no l o n g e r be so s h a r p l y divided into u n d e r g r a d u a t e and g r a d u a t e segments. I t is probable that pro- gressive universities w i l l offer m a n y m o r e degrees than they do n o w . If a s t u d e n t leaves school at a n y time b e t w e e n his second and eighth year of residence, he w i l l receive a d i p l o m a of some sort i n d i c a t i n g the a m o u n t and k i n d of w o r k he has done. T h e f a c u l - ties in these m o r e progressive universities w i l l have l o n g ceased to a r g u e o v e r the rela- tive m e r i t s of g e n e r a l , special, and v o c a t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n because they w i l l r e c o g n i z e the i m p o r t a n c e of the i n d i v i d u a l differences be- t w e e n students. T h e y w i l l k n o w that each s t u d e n t ' s p a t t e r n of courses m u s t v a r y f r o m e v e r y other s t u d e n t ' s pattern, b u t they w i l l fill their learned j o u r n a l s w i t h a r g u m e n t s o v e r the r e l a t i v e m e r i t s of v a r i o u s systems f o r d i s c o v e r i n g each s t u d e n t ' s needs. F a c u l - ties in the more c o n s e r v a t i v e institutions w i l l profess to find a l l of this v e r y c o n f u s i n g and w i l l fill other learned j o u r n a l s w i t h w i t t y a t t a c k s on the w h o l e idea of progressive higher e d u c a t i o n . F a c u l t i e s m a y disagree a b o u t the efficacy of progressive higher education in the y e a r 2005, b u t students w i l l line up w h o l e - h e a r t e d l y on the side of the conservatives. T h e y w i l l all say that the t h o r o u g h testing and c o u n s e l i n g p r o g r a m s in some institutions leave them no p r i v a c y w h a t e v e r . T h e y w i l l l o n g f o r the good old days b e f o r e the effects of a g a l a w e e k e n d w e r e e v i d e n t to one's adviser d u r i n g the f o l l o w i n g three depth i n t e r v i e w s . S t u d e n t s w i l l sigh also f o r the days b e f o r e " f l e x i b l e scholarships," the mon- strous a r r a n g e m e n t s w h e r e b y the a m o u n t paid to the recipient is d i r e c t l y and precisely p r o p o r t i o n a l to the q u a l i t y of his w o r k . In short, it seems l i k e l y that m a n y A m e r i c a n u n i v e r s i t y students in 2005 w i l l m a k e in- tensive use of libraries, but t w o of their m a i n reasons w i l l be that if they f a i l to do so their counselors w i l l soon k n o w it and their incomes w i l l soon drop. A l t h o u g h changes in the habits of stu- dents w i l l have n o t e w o r t h y effects on the characteristics of A m e r i c a n u n i v e r s i t y li- braries in the n e x t 50 years, changes in the research habits of the f a c u l t y w i l l p r o b a b l y cause more p r o f o u n d a l t e r a t i o n s in l i b r a r y collections and services. T h e most notice- able of the broader changes w i l l be the in- c r e a s i n g use of scholars in the h u m a n i t i e s of m e t h o d s of investigation that, b e f o r e the 1 9 5 0 ' s and 6o's, had been used a l m o s t ex- c l u s i v e l y in the n a t u r a l and social sciences. I t seems l i k e l y that m o r e students of music, art, and l i t e r a t u r e w i l l be inclined to c o u n t items and that some of the bolder spirits w i l l even a t t e m p t to c o n t r o l the conditions of ex- periments. T h i s t e n d e n c y t o w a r d the statis- tical t r e a t m e n t of artistic m a t e r i a l m a y mean t h a t libraries w i l l have to possess m a n y more items in these fields t h a n they n o w do. H o w e v e r , it is probable that f o r m a n y types of investigations, lists or r e p r o d u c t i o n s w i l l suffice. P e r h a p s iconographies, lists of copy- r i g h t entries and b i o b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l com- pendia w i l l become m o r e p o p u l a r w i t h scholars. A n o t h e r research trend m a y appear to some e x t e n t in a l l fields of l e a r n i n g and m a y have a m a r k e d e f f e c t on the n a t u r e of uni- versity collections b e f o r e 2005. I t is quite possible that scholars g e n e r a l l y w i l l become less interested in s t u d y i n g the p r o d u c t i o n of ideas, and w i l l expand their present interest in the consumption of ideas by the v a r i o u s " p u b l i c s . " A l o n g w i t h the d e v e l o p m e n t of this con- JULY, 1955 289 cern a b o u t the consumers of l i t e r a r y , ar- tistic, scientific, or social ideas w i l l come an increased a t t e n t i o n to the m i d d l e m a n — editors, p o p u l a r i z e r s , a n t h o l o g i s t s , book re- v i e w e r s , booksellers, p r o d u c e r s of educa- t i o n a l m o t i o n pictures, m u s e u m directors, librarians, and w h a t n o t — w h o chop the r a w f r u i t s of genius and a r r a n g e them in salads that are both a t t r a c t i v e to the eye and easy to s w a l l o w . P e r h a p s the historian of science in 2005 w i l l accord as m a n y p a r a g r a p h s to E . E . Slosson or B r u c e B l i v e n as to scientists w h o have been m a k i n g m e m o r a b l e dis- coveries in recent years. I f m o r e and m o r e scholars begin to s t u d y the d i s t r i b u t i o n and c o n s u m p t i o n of intel- l e c t u a l p r o d u c t s , then u n i v e r s i t y libraries w i l l need to o v e r h a u l their acquisition po- licies in s e v e r a l w a y s . J u s t as some l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r s in 1 9 5 5 w i s h t h a t the prede- cessors had c o l l e c t e d dime n o v e l s and mail- o r d e r c a t a l o g s , so in 2005, m a y others w i s h t h a t their professional ancestors h a d ac- quired at least a representative s a m p l i n g of comic books, paper-backed reprints, and tele- vision kinescopes. W h a t of the people and devices t h a t w i l l a t t e m p t to c o n t r o l these collections and m a k e t h e m u s e f u l ? F i r s t , the head l i b r a r i a n . F i f t y years f r o m n o w he w i l l still be the key i n d i v i d u a l a m o n g those w h o s e ideas are of i m p o r t a n c e to the d e v e l o p m e n t of the li- b r a r y , but he w i l l feel t h a t those above and b e l o w him in the h i e r a r c h y are s l o w l y hem- m i n g h i m in. If the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y be- comes more and m o r e v i t a l to the u n i v e r s i t y , as it is quite l i k e l y to become, then presidents and deans w i l l c o n c e r n themselves more and m o r e w i t h l i b r a r y a f f a i r s , l e a v i n g f e w e r op- portunities f o r the l i b r a r i a n to m a k e sweep- i n g policy decisions. I f A m e r i c a n c l e r i c a l and i n t e l l e c t u a l w o r k e r s c o n t i n u e to or- g a n i z e themselves into m o r e c o m p l e x social and professional patterns, then staff associa- tions and ad hoc staff c o m m i t t e e s m a y p l a y a l a r g e r p a r t in the m a n a g e m e n t of the in- t e r n a l a f f a i r s of the l i b r a r y . U n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r s w i l l cry on each o t h e r ' s s h o u l d e r s w h e n they discuss their n a r r o w i n g area of responsibility, but the m o r e discerning a m o n g t h e m w i l l feel that, as their role has c h a n g e d f r o m that of c o m m a n d e r to t h a t of c o o r d i n a t o r , the n e w c h a l l e n g e s have not p r e v e n t e d t h e m f r o m m a k i n g s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the w e l l - being of their institutions. T h e i n c r e a s i n g need on the p a r t of the l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t o r t o w o r k in close co- operation w i t h u n i v e r s i t y officials and l i b r a r y staff m e m b e r s w i l l have one beneficial re- s u l t : he w i l l no l o n g e r be able to choose b e t w e e n b e i n g either a b o o k m a n or an a d m i n i s t r a t o r . H e w i l l h a v e to be a v e r y k n o w l e d g e a b l e b o o k m a n to keep the respect of deans, d e p a r t m e n t heads, and the like, and he w i l l h a v e to use a l l of the w i l e s k n o w n to business m a n a g e m e n t if he is to keep his staff f r o m t a k i n g o v e r a l l responsibility f o r the operation of the l i b r a r y . If the staff of the u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y of the f u t u r e comes to play a m o r e i m p o r t a n t p a r t in p o l i c y m a k i n g , it w i l l s u r e l y need to develop techniques to reduce the cost per h o u r of g r o u p a c t i v i t y . W h e n a l l c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g s are recorded f o r sound and sight, staff m e m b e r s w i l l be c a r e f u l t o m a k e f e w e r i r r e l e v a n t r e m a r k s and w i l l a b s o l u t e l y n e v e r take u n s i g h t l y snoozes at the c o n f e r e n c e table. I t is u n l i k e l y that the t y p i c a l u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y staff of 2005 w i l l e m p l o y a n y me- c h a n i c a l devices w h i c h are not a l r e a d y in existence in 1 9 5 5 . T h e r e w i l l be three rea- sons f o r this a p p a r e n t l a c k of f u t u r e p r o g - ress : ( 1 ) r e c e n t l y developed i n s t r u m e n t s such as indexers, t r a n s m i t t e r s , t r a n s l a t o r s , and c o p y i n g devices m a y require m a n y years b e f o r e they are developed to the stage w h e r e they can be e c o n o m i c a l l y used in a v a r i e t y of l i b r a r i e s ; ( 2 ) some e n t i r e l y n e w i n s t r u m e n t s w i l l be i n v e n t e d d u r i n g the n e x t 50 years, (Continued on page 295) 290 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES ijof the l i b r a r y collection. E v e r y a t t e m p t w i l l be m a d e to keep the t e r m i n o l o g y and f o r m of this s u b j e c t analysis in line w i t h c a t a l o g - i n g principles w h e r e v e r possible. T h e re- sponsibility of the l i b r a r y w i l l be to f o l l o w the w o r k of the staff m e m b e r , to c o n f e r on choice of t e r m s and to p r o v i d e links f r o m the s u b j e c t c a t a l o g to the analysis file, or if the a n a l y t i c s are put into the c e n t r a l c a t a l o g , to see that they are edited and i n t e g r a t e d into the m a i n s u b j e c t index. W e f e e l that a recognition of the c o m p l e x - ity of the p r o b l e m at hand is c r u c i a l to its s o l u t i o n — t h o u g h not its solution. W h e n several specialists have an i m p o r t a n t stake in the successful solution of a p r o b l e m , a m e e t i n g of the minds, a w i l l i n g n e s s to under- stand one a n o t h e r ' s difficulties, to p e r m i t a flexibility in established procedures all com- bine to set the stage f o r this v i t a l l y i m p o r t a n t operation. I t is no l o n g e r feasible m e r e l y to entertain expectations. Discussions a r o u n d a c o n f e r e n c e table f r o m time to time b e t w e e n l i b r a r y staff and p r o g r a m staff can do m o r e than a n y t h i n g else to m a i n t a i n the i m p o r t a n t respect and cooperation w h i c h w i l l ensure the success of the p r o g r a m and the g r o w t h of the l i b r a r y as the repository of its m a j o r collections of research ma- terials. A m e r i c a n University Libraries, 1955-2005 (Continued from page 290) but they quite p r o b a b l y w i l l still be so ex- pensive in 2005 t h a t o n l y a f e w libraries w i l l be able to a f f o r d t h e m ; ( 3 ) there m a y be a l i m i t to the a m o u n t of speed and efficiency f a c u l t y members w i l l accept. L i b r a r i a n s w i l l not a p p r o v e of this ap- parent b a c k w a r d n e s s on the p a r t of scholars, but it w i l l be the result of habits of t h o u g h t w h i c h are hard to c h a n g e . If a m a n is g o i n g to spend a period of six m o n t h s to six years in p r o d u c i n g a piece of research, it c a n n o t m a k e m u c h d i f f e r e n c e to him if the li- b r a r i a n is able to assemble and to present h i m w i t h the m a t e r i a l s he needs w i t h i n a period of t w o days instead of a period of t w o w e e k s . I t m i g h t be w o r t h w h i l e to t u r n to some of the less m e c h a n i c a l w e a p o n s employed by u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r y staffs in f i g h t i n g the battle f o r b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l c o n t r o l of f a c t s and ideas. I f card c a t a l o g s g r o w m u c h in size, they w i l l s u r e l y be broken in pieces; some have al- ready lost sizable chunks. W i l l these breaks f o l l o w s u b j e c t lines, f o r m a t or l a n g u a g e lines, or lines that divide the books a c c o r d i n g to date of p u b l i c a t i o n ? W i l l the c a t a l o g some day describe only those m a t e r i a l s not described in printed b i b l i o g r a p h i e s ? G u e s s e s about the f u t u r e of the w e a p o n s to be used in b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l w a r f a r e c o u l d easily m a k e a book in themselves. T h e present discussion should come to a stop b e f o r e it, too, becomes a book. L e t it close, h o w e v e r , w i t h the expression of a hope t h a t l i b r a r i a n s w i l l n o t a l l o w their guessing about the f u t u r e to stop as books do, b u t w i l l e x t e n d it indefinitely, in the m a n n e r of the healthier serials. JULY, 1955 295