College and Research Libraries


The Year Ahead 
B y R O B E R T V O S P E R 

President, A C R L 

TH E P H I L A D E L P H I A M E E T I N G w a s a s u c -cess, despite the inconsiderate w e a t h e r , 
and the w h o l e a f f a i r had a c o m m e n d a b l y 

bookish tone. A l p h o n s e T r e z z a did a yeo-

m a n j o b w i t h local a r r a n g e m e n t s ; a l r e a d y 

G e o r g e R o s n e r of the U n i v e r s i t y of M i a m i 

is p l a n n i n g f o r M i a m i B e a c h , J u n e 1 7 to 23, 

1 9 5 6 . W e hope then to c o o r d i n a t e A C R L 

p r o g r a m and business sessions so that there 

w i l l be ample o p p o r t u n i t y to e n j o y the 

beach. A r t h u r H a m l i n ' s boat trip in P h i l a -

delphia w a s a stroke of g e n i u s ; w e ' l l t r y 

to do as w e l l in 1 9 5 6 w i t h , perhaps, a bar-

becue on the beach u n d e r the palms. 

U n t i l then, there's m u c h to keep us busy. 

V a r i o u s c i r c u m s t a n c e s h a v e g i v e n us three 

m a j o r tasks on w h i c h to c o n c e n t r a t e this 

n e x t y e a r , and they deserve i m a g i n a t i o n and 

e f f o r t . T h e good intentions of the R e p o r t 

of the A L A M a n a g e m e n t S u r v e y received 

g e n e r a l support. T h e w o r k i n g o u t of de-

tails requires vision, and these details w i l l 

a f f e c t A C R L v e r y closely. I said in P h i l a -

delphia t h a t I hope w e can approach this 

m a j o r p o l i c y s h i f t w i t h a degree of states-

manship, r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t the best interests 

of a l l libraries and l i b r a r i a n s m u s t be served 

unselfishly. A C R L is an i m p o r t a n t profes-

sional o r g a n i z a t i o n , rich in good w o r k s and 

in distinguished members. I am c o n f i d e n t 

t h a t it w i l l become only more i m p o r t a n t . 

T h o s e l i b r a r i a n s w h o p u t it t o g e t h e r so effec-

t i v e l y and w h o started its p r o g r a m s per-

f o r m e d a l a r g e service f o r librarianship in 

this c o u n t r y . T h e results of their w o r k w i l l 

e n d u r e . T h e time has n o w come, t h o u g h , to 

t h i n k c a r e f u l l y about the distinguished posi-

tion the A L A holds on the n a t i o n a l and in-

t e r n a t i o n a l level, as a peer a m o n g o t h e r pro-

fessional, s c h o l a r l y , and g o v e r n m e n t a l bodies. 

A s t r o n g A L A , s p e a k i n g f o r a l l l i b r a r i a n s , 

is essential. 

A t o u r P h i l a d e l p h i a b a n q u e t D r . H o m e r 

W . T u r n e r turned over a $30,000 check 

to P r e s i d e n t L y l e as a g r a n t f r o m the U . S . 

Steel F o u n d a t i o n . W i t h these f u n d s w e 

are to s t r e n g t h e n the c o l l e g e l i b r a r y pro-

g r a m by u s i n g about o n e - f i f t h of the g r a n t 

to support research i n t o p r o b l e m s of college 

libraries and by d i s t r i b u t i n g the b u l k of the 

f u n d s d i r e c t l y to c o l l e g e libraries in o r d e r 

to enhance their book collections and in 

other w a y s to p r o v i d e better t e a c h i n g tools 

t h r o u g h the l i b r a r y . 

T h e use of the research f u n d s is b e i n g 

considered by the A C R L P u b l i c a t i o n s C o m -

mittee. A n y o n e w h o w i s h e s to u n d e r t a k e a 

research p r o g r a m or suggest one should 

w r i t e to the c o m m i t t e e c h a i r m a n , J e r r o l d C . 

O r n e at M a x w e l l A i r F o r c e Base. G e n -

e r a l l y speaking, the research p r o g r a m should 

support c o l l e g e libraries, but b e y o n d this 

there are no limitations. F u n d s c o u l d be 

used f o r equipment, assistance, t r a v e l , or f o r 

direct f e l l o w s h i p g r a n t s support. 

R e q u e s t s f o r direct g r a n t s f o r libraries 

w i l l be considered by a special c o m m i t t e e 

n o t yet appointed. T h i s c o m m i t t e e w i l l set 

criteria and screen requests, t a k i n g into ac-

c o u n t not only need b u t also the i m a g i n a -

tion behind the request. W r i t e to A r t h u r 

H a m l i n at h e a d q u a r t e r s if y o u are inter-

ested. G r a n t s , a m o u n t i n g to a f e w hun-

dred d o l l a r s each, w i l l be m a d e p a r t i c u l a r l y 

to l i b e r a l arts colleges t h a t are p r i m a r i l y 

p r i v a t e l y supported, in line w i t h U . S . Steel 

F o u n d a t i o n policy. Since this is the first 

direct f o u n d a t i o n support f o r l i b r a r y col-

lections in m a n y years, it behooves us to 

e x p e n d it n o t on a f o r m u l a basis, but w i t h 

f o r e s i g h t and i m a g i n a t i o n . 

A r t h u r H a m l i n ' s initiative has p u t our 

t h i r d task to us w i t h his proposal f o r a col-

lege r e a d i n g p r o g r a m , to be supported on an 

e x p e r i m e n t a l basis by other f o u n d a t i o n f u n d s . 

I f these three tasks can be h a n d l e d w i t h 

distinction this n e x t y e a r , w e w i l l have done 

o u r share.