College and Research Libraries


) - . Change! Change! Change! 

One of the ways mankind avoids the problems of the present is to con-
stantly demand change. Whatever exists must by implication be wrong and 
needs to be changed. There is also an aura of excitement, of challenge, that 
wafts on the winds of change. Academic libraries, while probably in reality 
no worse than any other type of library, have become known almost as 
arch-enemies of change, their excuses being "no money," "no time," "no 
staff," "we are doing our duty," ' or even .. no one's complaining." Somewhere 
between the two extremes of total change and the status quo lies the an-
swer. 

The academic library is facing pressure both internally and externally. 
There are increasing demands by knowledgeable publics for newer, better 
services, for improvement of old services, for more materials, for different 
types of materials, and even for different types of librarians. One of the areas 
perhaps .most influenced by both internal ·and external pressures is the 
.. Catalog Department," .. Technical Services," or whatever might be its ap-
pellation. Internally, most libraries are understaffed in processing areas; 
costs of processing are phenomenally high; the volume of material is inun-
dating; control often appears~ particularly to the patron, totally nonexistent. 
There are no standards~ the world is in a state of flux and the picture 
is pretty grim. 

Externally the demand is cut costs, do it faster more efficiently and if 
you cannot do it alone ......... cooperate. This, of course, is the ringing challenge 
of tbe decade. By cooperating, all ills, particularly in processing, must of 
need disappear. This of cours·e is stated somewhat with .. tongue in cheek." 
All too often, however, such a philosophy prevails. There is indeed a chal-
lenge here, a challenge to change which bears serious consideration, the li-
brary network. 

What is new about that? Academic libraries have cooperated and par-
ticipated in networks for years, particularly in interlibrary ,loan services. 
They have used Library of Congress services to cut cataloging costs, and 
processing centers to the same end. But these networks, represented by 
the New England Library Network, the Ohio College Library Center, and 
others, are birds of a different feather. They are based on common shared 
bibliographic cataloging information and services which emanate from such 
bases. They are essentially .. automated," .. standardized," and perhaps .. anti-
septic" as a result. They are not cheap; they have not become fully opera-
tional; they have a great many bugs to work out. But they are meeting 
the challenge internally and externally which may prove the saving grace 
of many academic libraries both large and small. They are demanding 

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162 I College & Research Libraries • May 1974 

change; they indeed require change in order to function: change in the 
type of professional personnel needed to operate such systems; change in 
bibliographic structure, format, cataloging; change in function for technical 
processing that is not just cooperation and centralization. It is a whole new 
concept of bibliographic control and use which has sparked the imagination 
of many; which is fundamental to the entire library and . its services. 

A new opportunity thus presents itself to the academic community, to 
the academic library. This is not a call to change necessarily. It is a call to 
consider, to recognize a challenging force, and to give it its day in court 
with as objective an attitude as possible, as open a mind as possible, to 
recognize it as new and not just the old rehashed. 

ANN F. PAINTER 

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