College and Research Libraries


Keyes D. Metcalf 

FOR OVER SEVENTY YEARS KD M has 
worked in and for libraries. Since he is 
so widely known as a consultant on aca-
demic library building design, one may 
forget that his most significant contribu-
tions have been in personnel develop-
ment, financial planning, cooperative 
cataloging, applications of microfilm, 
education for librarianship, counsel to 
the national libraries, and development 
of cooperative programs. 

As one who was privileged to serve as 
his personal assistant during the last five 
years he was Harvard's director, I _be-
lieve his greatest contributions were 
those in personnel development and co-
operative programs. To both of these 
broad areas he brought special wisdom, 
particularly with respect to staff de-
velopment and training, as suggested by 
his article in this issue. 

It seems to me significant that he had 
seventeen siblings and that his father 
was a prominent railroad engineer. Cer-
tainly these influences led to his dedica-
tion to teamwork and to helping young-
er persons learn and grow professional-

346 I 

Karsh, Ottawa 

ly. Further, his engineer father certain-
ly must have bequeathed some of the 
mental skills which KDM later applied 
to microphotography and building plan-
ning. Indeed, as the son of a railroad 
engineer in years when the iron horse 
was still carving out the West and link-
ing all parts of the country in commu-
nication networks, it is no wonder that 
KD M created outstanding proposals to 
further regional and national coopera-
tive programs. 

He is a lifetime honorary member of 
the ALA, has been given many honorary 
doctorates, and has been called upon 
for advice_ by scores of university presi-
dents. Yet I remember him even more 
as a patient, tactful, phenomenally ac-
tive, exceptionally generous, sympathet-
ic, and encouraging mentor. The organi-
zation, calmness, and hard work that 
must have made him an excellent foot-
ball player are still in evidence today. 
Mr. Metcalf continues to be an espe-
cially sage voice in our profession.-
David C. Weber, Director of Libraries, 
Stanford University.