College and Research Libraries REDMOND A. BURKE, C.S.V. The Separately Housed Undergraduate Library Versus the University Library The need to accommodate a growing undergraduate student popula- tion on the university campus is of serious concern. The differences between university and undergraduate book collections are evident in the former's commitment to a research-oriented program which be- cause of its bulk contains materials that are seldom consulted, exten- sive range in the complicated card catalog file, and the appointment of personnel qualified to serve scholars and handle complex reference tasks. This has led some librarians to doubt if the undergraduate student can best be served by university library facilities. As an alter- native many have adopted the concept of separately housed under- graduate libraries composed of carefully selected collections of materials, a card catalog tailored to the needs of undergraduates, and the selection of specially trained professional librarians. This paper attempts to examine these assumptions and to offer an alternative solution. THE RATIONALE underlying the plan- ning of library facilities on a university campus requires some elaboration. A ba- sic problem is the diverse nature of the community to be served. Because of dif- ferences between college and university library book collections and physical fa- cilities one may reasonably ask if the undergraduate student in the university environment can be offered or provided with library services that are as effective as those available in a separately housed library for undergraduates. A growing number of institutions apparently are convinced that a university library is in- appropriate for the undergraduate, pre- sumably because the enormous book col- lection will overwhelm him. The prob- lem of college student use of the li- brary collection has been the topic of Dr. Burke is Associate Director, The Catholic University of America Press, Washington, D.C. numerous published reports without any uniform solutions. Some proposals call for large-scale investments in new sep- arately housed undergraduate libraries. Harvard constructed . an independent building, the Lamont Library, and printed a catalog of the undergraduate book collection. Cornell University de- signed the new 0 lin Library for re- search, and redesigned the old Uris Li- brary facilities to provide a separate building for undergraduate students. The extent to which the book collec- tions and periodical holdings are dupli- cated or geographically separated in fa- vor of graduate use is difficult to assess. Whether the plans encompass a sepa- rately housed undergraduate library building, altered older buildings, a re- arrangement of the book holdings or special services for undergraduates, the aim is to serve students in the most ef- fective way. A number of universities / 399 400 I College & Research Libraries • November 1970 have been exploring the problem and the varying solutions. Any librarian in preparing a program statement for new library facilities to serve the needs of both undergraduates, graduates, and an increasingly scholar- ship-conscious faculty, can only hope to make decisions that are valid. It appears that the trend is toward a pattern of a separate college library operating within the framework of a university library system. The implied assumption is that the best situation for undergraduates is a separately housed undergraduate li- brary. To what extent this is a valid as- sumption needs examination. The differences between a university and a college library are several A uni- versity is committed to research pro- grams reflected in extensive collections of monographs and scholarly treatises. This is obvious in the sciences, but even in the humanities a collection on Shake- speare or John Milton will encompass extensive studies well beyond the ken of an undergraduate. On two counts, sheer bulk and quality, he may be ba:ffled. Of- ten the magnitude of a collection forces the librarian to make it a closed collec- tion, th·ereby denying the wonderful privilege of free access to books. The card catalog of a university library of- fers another stumbling block, since it must exploit in detail the extensive range of research materials for the ben- efit of scholars. In addition, the person- nel who staff a university library may be better suited by temperament to serve scholars and their complex reference problems than the needs of the under- graduates. In considering these characteristics of a university library, with its large collec- tion of seldom-used materials, its size, its complicated card catalog, and its spe- cially trained personnel, one may justly ask if the undergraduate can make ef- fective use of a university library con- sidering his prior training and present needs. The alternative is to set up a sep- arately housed undergraduate library consisting of those books he will prob- ably have to use, and be able to use, with a smaller and more convenient card catalog, and a library staff trained for the college program. Educators and librarians continue to analyze library programs for college students in the hope of discovering or designing at least ground rules that may be adapted to various situations. In spite of increasing emphasis on the library playing an active role in the col- lege curriculum, it sometimes seems there is more talk than actual imple- mentation; where systems are presently operating, there is need for valid evalu- ations of results. There is need to ex- amine the problem as it relates to un- dergraduates in a manner that will assist in planning a library program of genu- ine and fruitful educational nature for college students. There are several facets to this total problem: some practical, as the physical accoutrements and arrangements within the library building or an independent building; some theoretical, as training students in use of the library, providing facilities, materials and personnel to as- sist these trained users, and planning for the stimulus or motivation for stu- dent use of the facilities. The practical problems are resolved largely by com- promise between the ideal and the real as represented by such factors as the ac- tual size and shape of a building and the funds available. The theoretical problems are more difficult and compli- cated. Some librarians propose to base plans for future library facilities and educational programming on the idea of training and inducing students to use the library and providing a book collec- tion and staff adequate for the student's educational needs. Whatever his future, whether he goes on to graduate studies or terminates with a bachelor's degree, the student will be prepared to make li- braries an integral part of his adult life. Separately Housed Undergraduate Library I 401 Regardless of size, any university book collection presents problems not only to the undergraduates but to re- search scholars as well. It is easy to indi- cate the difficulties encountered in using any large library; it is also important to recognize its virtues, especially those that may be of particular value for its undergraduates. A university library possesses all kinds of books found in a college library, but with greater num- bers and variety. The library personnel is composed of subject specialists who, taken as a group, possess a deeper bib- liographical knowledge than the con- siderably smaller college library staff. And there are some positive values to be found in a more complete university public card catalog. Possibly some merit may be found in bringing a research li- brary with its highly skilled personnel and large card catalog to an undergrad- uate instead of developing separate un- dergraduate facilities. The solution may not be to tailor a program to accord with the student's limitations in library training, but to make every effort to train every college student in the use of books and libraries in relation to his ed- ucational needs. It remains to state these educational needs in detail. The educational needs of the college student must be related to the aims, pur- poses, and functions of the institution. In the undergraduate curricular design of some universities it is planned that all students will receive an education founded on the liberal arts tradition. In practical terms, this encompasses three educational goals: first, an exten- sive knowledge and understanding of the history of man and his cultural achievements; second, the development of the necessary intellectual attitudes, habits, and skills for the formation of an able, informed, articulate, and con- tributing member of society and for his continued intellectual growth after for- mal education ceases; and third, the ac- quisition of a sense of values requisite to the final goal of all human develop- ment, growth in wisdom. Thus the grad- uate should acquire knowledge, skills, habits, and attitudes enabling him to perform competently and fruitfully in the material, social, intellectual, and spiritual environment of his post-col- lege years. Since the reading of books is still the most effective instrument for learning yet developed, the liberal arts program envisions a sweeping educational poten- tial of the college library that goes be- yond the limited concept of a combina- tion study hall and place for dispensing of a group of required reading assign- ments. The faculty is expected to awak- en the intellectual curiosity of the stu- dent; the extensive reading of many books becomes increasingly important in the teaching process. The center is the individual learner who will be encour- aged to engage in the learning process voluntarily and individually. As deci- sion-making is brought closer to the stu- dent, the college can adopt policies that extend responsibility to the undergradu- ate, who will have to fend for himself in a matter of years. The college library is tailored to fa- cilitate the attainment of the education- al needs of its patrons; it accomplishes its role in cooperation with the instruc- tional corps. The first library function is to acquire, process, and make avail- able the materials, printed and other- wise, necessary to the student body and to make provisions for materials neces- sary for the pursuance of advanced study of faculty members. In relation to these functions, a uni- versity library is undoubtedly in a bet- ter position than a separately housed un- dergraduate library. The vexing prob- lem to be solved concerns the extent to which students have the ability to use collections and to actually exploit the facilities. Even where special undergrad- uate libraries and/ or library instruction programs have been in operation much 402 I College & Research Libraries • November 1970 is still to be effected. Both librarians and educators are unhappy that students do not utilize and enjoy fully the library facilities provided for them. Is it possible for a student to accom- plish the three-fold objectives of the liberal arts program, yet be ignorant of the library's role or its use? As to a knowledge and understanding of man's cultural attainments and the develop- ment of a sense of values, it would ap- pear that students have demonstrated their ability to achieve these ends through faculty lectures and a mini- mum of reading assignments. Without extensive use of books or libraries it is questionable whether students can de- velop intellectual attitudes and skills, become enlightened, informed and ac- tive individuals in society, and continue their self-directed learning throughout their lives. It is generally conceded that skill in the use of the library is being neglected or ineffectively taught in spite of agree- ment that this skill is essential in for- mal education as well as in preparation of self-directed learning after gradua- tion. There are some commendable ori- entation programs now in operation. Some utilize sound films, some instruc- tors make library assignments within their specific courses; some schedules in- clude required or elective courses in li- brary usage. What appears to be desired is a deeper knowledge and understand- ing of books and libraries to prepare students to pursue independent pro- grams of learning that may place a floor but never a ceiling on the ambitions of any student. A liberal arts program assumes that in curriculum planning, course objec- tives be so clearly stated as to be of gen- uine assistance to the student in select- ing desirable learning experiences. A unique feature of this program could be the bold assertion that a know ledge of the university library and its bibli- ographical operations and skill in mak- ing total use of it constitute a major discipline in the total curriculum. Each department could assume an obligation to develop this art of library knowledge and skill in its area. Creativity in both instructors and students could be stimu- lated. Without infringing upon the re- sponsibility for covering definite ma- terials within the framework of a schedule, the approach of the faculty and reaction of the student should be unhampered enough to permit individu- al development. This freedom could not be merely permissiveness ; it would rather be the expansion of free will founded upon intelligence and self- discipline. For the student this would mean independent study in the universi- ty library and promotion of study in depth for elite students. Such a program encompassing the concept of library knowledge and skill as one of the arts can succeed only if it is not only accepted but believed in and promulgated by administration and faculty alike for the inspiration and motivation of the student body must come from them. Any dramatic and ex- citing educational adventure can be ruined or impaired by either the admin- istration and / or faculty dragging their feet. Possibly the greatest consequence of contemporary education is an abid- ing appreciation of the value of candid self-criticism. The present program in- volves basic improvements that appear necessary. The effective advocacy of this educational enterprise must spring from a chorus of many voices-administra- tion, faculty members, and librarians; each individual voice must be strong and clear, not mere lip service but an ex- pression of deep conviction.