College and Research Libraries B y P H I L I P M . B E N J A M I N The Relation Between the Librarian and the College Administration* Mr. Benjamin is librarian, Allegheny Col- lege, Meadville, Pa. TH E PRESIDENT OF A COLLEGE m a y w e l l be j u d g e d by the l i b r a r i a n he appoints, f o r this selection m a y r e v e a l a basic edu- c a t i o n a l policy of his a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . T h e ideal choice is still too o f t e n w i t h i n the r e a l m of the h y p o t h e t i c a l . H e m u s t fit into an ideal s i t u a t i o n , w h i c h has been sketched at l e n g t h in the course on c o l l e g e l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , w h e r e the l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g is a f u n c t i o n a l m a r v e l , air-conditioned and h u m i d i f i e d precisely to preserve both books and s t a f f , the a n n u a l a p p r o p r i a t i o n inex- haustible, the f a c u l t y c o m p l e t e l y c o n v e r s a n t w i t h the classification, the u n d e r g r a d u a t e s m o r e pervasive t h a n s i l v e r fish, and the president p r o n o u n c i n g at e v e r y c o n v o c a t i o n t h a t " t h e l i b r a r y is the h e a r t of the c o l l e g e . " A c t u a l l y , w e are o n l y b e g i n n i n g to o v e r - come the g r e a t e s t h a n d i c a p to our profes- sion, both in the l i b r a r y school and a c t u a l p r a c t i c e : n a m e l y , t h a t the daily routines of l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n are necessary f o r good housekeeping and an o r d e r e d pro- c e d u r e , b u t o n l y as a means to a f a r m o r e s i g n i f i c a n t end. E n c o u r a g i n g as the t r e n d is t o d a y , Library Literature and l i b r a r y school c u r r i c u l a are still too preoccupied in m a n y cases w i t h procedures, and only the g r a v e s h o r t a g e of the so-called profes- s i o n a l l y t r a i n e d l i b r a r i a n has s h o w n a l l too c l e a r l y to us t h a t a l e r t , o b s e r v a n t and in- * A paper presented at the meeting of the College and Reference Section of the Pennsylvania Library Association in Buck Hill Falls, November 5, 1954. quisitive " u n t r a i n e d " personnel can o f t e n b r i n g the s t u d e n t and the book t o g e t h e r m o r e s t i m u l a t i n g l y t h a n one w h o has been t a u g h t a l l the p r o p e r authorities, and yet f o r w h o m the book has n o t become a l i v e . I h a v e r e c e n t l y visited a c o l l e g e l i b r a r y w h e r e e v e r y obstacle in a m a d e - o v e r class- r o o m b u i l d i n g has been o v e r c o m e by the e x h i l a r a t i n g and i n v i t i n g atmosphere sur- m o u n t i n g a l l difficulties of supervision. I h a v e visited a n o t h e r m o d e r n , f u n c t i o n a l b u i l d i n g that is f o r b i d d i n g in its c l i n i c a l efficiency. If the l i b r a r i a n has no consum- i n g love f o r the book, a l l his professional t r a i n i n g is of l i t t l e real use. T h i s persistent p r o b l e m , h e a r t e n i n g as the a t t a c k upon it is, the c o l l e g e president m u s t be a w a r e of in c h o o s i n g the a d m i n i s t r a - t o r of his l i b r a r y . F o r if he is satisfied w i t h a custodian of the book c o l l e c t i o n , then the l i b r a r y has no v i t a l part in his basic e d u c a t i o n a l policy. H e c a n n o t be a w a r e of the d e a d e n i n g influence of course l e c t u r e s t h a t m e r e l y rephrase the t e x t - b o o k ; of course e x a m i n a t i o n s , p u r e l y o b j e c t i v e , per- m i t t i n g no synthesis of a c c u m u l a t e d k n o w l - e d g e ; and of s y l l a b i that are no s t a r t i n g point into the vast r e a l m of books. G r a d u - ates w i l l r e t u r n , r e s e n t f u l t h a t they never f o u n d in the l i b r a r y as u n d e r g r a d u a t e s the w e a l t h of ideas that w a s theirs. N o w , to be sure, the president m a y find, upon i n a u g u r a t i o n , that he has inherited a l i b r a r i a n , as he has a dean of the f a c u l t y , and a dean of students, to say n o t h i n g of f a c u l t y or u n d e r g r a d u a t e s ! B u t this is a n o r m a l e v o l u t i o n a r y process a d m i n i s t r a - 350 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES t i v e l y , and w e w o u l d p r o b a b l y compile statistics s h o w i n g s i m i l a r situations in all a d m i n i s t r a t i v e offices f r o m the president d o w n . B u t a p a r t , at least, of the m u t u a l dedication to the c a l l i n g of higher e d u c a t i o n is to be f o u n d in the a d a p t a b i l i t y , resiliency and respect s h o w n in a n e w e n d e a v o r by a l l p a r t i c i p a t i n g . T h e d a n g e r t o d a y lies in too m u c h anticipation of these changes, w h e r e security is s o u g h t in j o b analyses, detailed e n u m e r a t i o n of responsibilities, obligations and p r i v i l e g e s ; a security t h a t suggests sus- picion, and makes of a p r i v i l e g e to serve, a task to be done and no m o r e . Specifically, the relation of the l i b r a r i a n and the president can be readily ascertained in three w a y s . F i r s t , in w h a t w a y is the a n n u a l a p p r o p r i a t i o n h a n d l e d ? Is it arbi- t r a r i l y established? W i l l it be only the precise percentage of the t o t a l e d u c a t i o n a l a p p r o p r i a t i o n , or the prescribed d o l l a r s and cents per s t u d e n t , c a l c u l a t e d w i t h l i t t l e re- g a r d of i n d i v i d u a l i n s t i t u t i o n a l b u d g e t a r y p r o b l e m s ? O r is it one m u t u a l l y accepted w i t h the f u l l r e a l i z a t i o n that the s a l a r y scale m u s t be i m p r o v e d , the book and periodical appropriations expanded w i t h g r o w i n g costs, contingencies a l l o w e d f o r , such as the increased cost in postage of L i - b r a r y of C o n g r e s s cards, m i c r o f i l m h o l d i n g s ( t h a t in t u r n a l l e v i a t e the space p r o b l e m at least t e m p o r a r i l y ) , and even capital build- i n g i m p r o v e m e n t s w h i c h have u s u a l l y no place in the l i b r a r y b u d g e t b u t m u s t be paid f o r by the same kind of d o l l a r s ? H o w h e a r t e n i n g it is, w h e n the l i b r a r i a n can honestly s h o w these needs by w o r k i n g f a i t h - f u l l y and u n c o m p l a i n i n g l y w i t h w h a t he has, and the president is e q u a l l y determined to provide the needed money as his re- sponsibility. S e c o n d l y , this relation is ascertained by the president's interest in the l i b r a r y s t a f f , in the selection of n e w m e m b e r s as a l e r t and p r o m i s i n g as f a c u l t y appointments, in r e w a r d i n g l o y a l t y and ability in the old members. O n the question of status w e shall speak presently. I n the third place, this relation is ascer- tained in the q u a l i t y and use of the collec- tion. T h e l i b r a r i a n is distressingly handi- capped if his president does not f r e q u e n t and use his l i b r a r y . T h e r e b y it becomes difficult to point o u t needs and usage, and even m o r e c l e a r l y the evidence of f a c u l t y m o t i v a t i o n in s t u d e n t use of the l i b r a r y . I t is not w i t h o u t reason t h a t the M i d d l e States A s s o c i a t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e , devotes a third of its i n q u i r y in the questionnaire pre- l i m i n a r y to its a c c r e d i t i n g visitation, to the l i b r a r y , f o r m u c h of the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of the c o l l e g e can be ascertained f r o m the w e l l - b e i n g of the l i b r a r y . O u r presidents m a y be appalled to dis- cover t h a t the l i b r a r y is so decisive a f a c t o r in their professional success, b u t it is na- t u r a l f o r us to t h i n k so, since, w i t h f e w exceptions, w e are d i r e c t l y responsible to t h e m ! I n this capacity, w e a r e similar to f e l l o w a d m i n i s t r a t o r s ( w e still are to come to the perennial discussion of s t a t u s ) . B u t let us r e a l i z e that w e , the presidents' lieu- tenants, m u s t be capable of a d m i n i s t e r i n g their e d u c a t i o n a l policies in o u r o w n baili- w i c k . I n t u r n , w e have to deal w i t h other a d m i n i s t r a t i v e officers. L i k e K i n g C h a r l e s ' head, up comes the question of m o n e y again. T h e l i b r a r i a n ' s relation to the treasurer is constant. E v e n t h o u g h his a d v a n c e m e n t seems to h i n g e on his ability to say " n o , " I c a n n o t speak un- k i n d l y of him. O n c e the l i b r a r i a n has f a i r l y convinced his president of a need, he has an a d v o c a t e w h o m the t r e a s u r e r c a n n o t deny. T h e n , I believe, it is the l i b r a r i a n ' s obliga- tion to stay w i t h i n his b u d g e t . F o r I have f o u n d that if the t r e a s u r e r can be assured, y e a r a f t e r y e a r , that the l i b r a r i a n w i l l h a v e no deficit, h o w e v e r h u r t he m a y feel t h a t his good s t e w a r d s h i p o n l y balances some d e p a r t m e n t a l s q u a n d e r i n g , the l i b r a r i a n w i l l have a devoted c o l l e a g u e , and see his b u d g - OCTOBER, 1955 351 et d o u b l e d , as I have, w i t h o u t c o m p l a i n t , indeed almost w i t h c o l l u s i o n ! L i k e w i s e , if the l i b r a r i a n is t r u l y an in- f e c t i o u s l o v e r of books, he can w i n r a n k i n d u l g e n c e s f r o m the h a r r i e d s u p e r i n t e n d e n t of b u i l d i n g s and g r o u n d s . I h a v e w o n m a n y concessions f r o m an official w h o is a C i v i l W a r a d d i c t : f r i e n d s h i p , c o n t r o l l e d heat, l i g h t , p a i n t and p l u m b i n g , and I r a n k t h e m in their o r d e r of greatness. T o c a r r y o u t the president's e d u c a t i o n a l policies s u c c e s s f u l l y , the l i b r a r i a n m u s t be able s k i l l f u l l y to e x p l o i t his f a c u l t y l i b r a r y c o m m i t t e e . H e r e he succeeds by c o l l a b o r a - tion, and it m a t t e r s less w h e t h e r he is f o r - m a l l y c h a i r m a n or s e c r e t a r y of the c o m m i t - tee, t h a n w h e t h e r he is accepted as a col- l e a g u e . H e r e once a g a i n I do not believe he can be on e q u a l t e r m s w i t h the f a c u l t y , and any m o r e t h a n a custodian of books, " a harmless d r u d g e , " to paraphrase D r . J o h n s o n , unless he is w i d e l y a c q u a i n t e d w i t h the contents of books, and a r e c o g n i z e d specialist in some discipline. I t is a h e a v y b u r d e n , f o r one is expected to k n o w all fields. N e v e r t h e l e s s a c o n t i n u - i n g interest in one l a r g e a r e a — l i t e r a t u r e , h i s t o r y or science, f o r e x a m p l e — c o m m a n d s respect and keeps one a w a r e of the g r o w t h of k n o w l e d g e as it occurs in a l l fields. M a y I i n j e c t t w o c o m m e n t s h e r e : the l i b r a r y school c u r r i c u l u m m u s t be c o n s t a n t l y con- cerned w i t h the r e l a t i v e v a l u e s placed u p o n the M a s t e r ' s degree in l i b r a r y science or in a s u b j e c t f i e l d ; and, the a b s u r d i t y of a s k i n g f o r time w h i l e on d u t y f o r even professional r e a d i n g m u s t be obvious. F i n a l l y , the l i b r a r i a n approaches his task as an a d m i n i s t r a t o r and teacher in d e a l i n g w i t h his s t a f f , f o r he m u s t h a v e both the requisite ability to supervise and d e l e g a t e a u t h o r i t y and responsibility, and b r i n g a b o u t the w o r k i n g - o u t of the presidential educa- tional policies at their v i t a l point of c o n t a c t b e t w e e n l i b r a r y and its public. I f the t e a c h i n g f u n c t i o n of his position is upper- most, as I believe it s h o u l d be, then I be- lieve it is f a r better to be e x e m p l a r y t h a n s u p e r v i s o r y . G i v e n a staff w i l l i n g to t a k e its p a r t in the chain of a c h i e v e m e n t of the c o l l e g e ' s e d u c a t i o n a l g o a l , I r e g a r d detailed i n s t r u c t i o n and e n u m e r a t i o n of duties as a d e t e r r e n t to real g r o w t h and a d v a n c e m e n t , both of the i n s t i t u t i o n and the i n d i v i d u a l . 1 I believe t h a t by n o w I h a v e m a d e it c l e a r t h a t the l i b r a r i a n ' s position is both that of a d m i n i s t r a t o r and t e a c h e r , and t h a t he m u s t be successful in b o t h capacities f o r a c a d e m i c r e c o g n i t i o n . H e is v i r t u a l l y the head of a d e p a r t m e n t , his classes the m o s t i n f o r m a l of seminars, his t e a c h i n g d a i l y and n o t h o u r l y . H i s a c h i e v e m e n t resolves the v e x i n g p r o b l e m s of status, f o r he suc- ceeds in his o w n r i g h t and can take pride in his o w n profession, w i t h o u t the f r u s t r a t i n g concern of f a c u l t y r a n k o r v o t e . T h o s e dubious honors w i l l come w h e n the presi- dent is m a d e a w a r e of the superior achieve- m e n t of the l i b r a r y t h r o u g h its staff. H e r e lies the w a y f o r the profession to o v e r c o m e the handicap t h a t it w a s still a d m i t t i n g high school g r a d u a t e s to its l i b r a r y schools less t h a n t w e n t y - f i v e years a g o . W h a t are the benefits t h a t a c c r u e in this f u l l y r e a l i z e d relationship b e t w e e n the li- b r a r i a n and the c o l l e g e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ? T h e r e are m a n y of m u t u a l and tested w o r t h . T h e r e p u t a t i o n of the c o l l e g e is enhanced by the a c h i e v e m e n t s of the l i b r a r y . N e w f a c u l t y are impressed and u n d e r t a k e their partnership w i t h z e a l . A l u m n i and p a t r o n s of the l i b r a r y find its g r o w t h and a c t i v i t y s t i m u l a t i n g and r e k i n d l i n g , and become, f o r m a l l y or i n f o r m a l l y , f r i e n d s of the l i b r a r y , b r i n g i n g s m a l l g i f t s and l a r g e , and f r e q u e n t l y p r o m p t e d thereby to take a g r e a t e r concern in the c o l l e g e as a w h o l e . T h e l i b r a r y becomes the i n t e g r a t i n g p o w e r (Continued, on page 359) 1 Sidney B. Smith, director of libraries, Louisiana State University, has dealt cogently with these per- sonnel problems in his article " A Co-operative T e a m , " Library Journal, L X X I X (November, 1954), 19. 352 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES its p r o d u c t s in m u c h the same m a n n e r as does a n y c o m m e r c i a l m a n u f a c t u r e r . A n - o t h e r gain lies in the c h a r a c t e r of l i b r a r y personnel and the g e n e r a l m o r a l e of the entire l i b r a r y staff w h i c h is due l a r g e l y to the success of our salesmen. W e n o w have a steadily i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r of o u t - g o i n g personnel, independent t h i n k e r s w h o m o v e f r e e l y and c o n f i d e n t l y to and f r o m their w o r k , as opposed to the f o r m e r pedestrian, w a i t i n g , i n w a r d - t u r n i n g g r o u p . W e h a v e personnel w h o k n o w i n t i m a t e l y and com- pletely w h a t w e have to sell, e n g a g e d v i r - t u a l l y f u l l - t i m e in s e l l i n g the n e w , the use- f u l , and the p r o d u c t i v e , a c h i e v i n g a fresh- ness of m a t e r i a l s beyond all c o m m o n prac- tice. F r o m the point of v i e w of the course director, the i n s t r u c t o r and the s t u d e n t , this is a most happy situation. O u r fields of en- d e a v o r require the freshness of last w e e k ' s i n f o r m a t i o n to keep up w i t h the air age. T h r o u g h the b i b l i o g r a p h i c assistants and their c o n t i n u o u s s c r u t i n y of the w o r k i n g collections our courses have this c u r r e n c y . F r o m the l i b r a r y ' s point of v i e w , a g r e a t gain is m a d e in the i m m e d i a c y of use. T h i s l i b r a r y is no a r c h i v e . M a t e r i a l s w h i c h come in one day are in d e m a n d the n e x t . T h e r e can be no p r o l o n g e d delays in han- d l i n g or a v a i l a b i l i t y . E v e r y t h i n g m o v e s to the point of use and the point of use is as sharp as our k i n d of h u m a n e n g i n e e r i n g can m a k e it. C O N C L U S I O N S O b v i o u s l y , a n y other k i n d of academic institution w o u l d h a v e its o w n p r o b l e m s in c a r r y i n g o u t the concept of b i b l i o g r a p h i c assistance. W e have had u n u s u a l and g r e a t l y appreciated f r e e d o m to e x p e r i m e n t in this field. T h e e x p e r i m e n t in a sense w a s f o r c e d upon us, since w i t h o u t it p l a i n l y the l i b r a r y w a s f a i l i n g . R e g a r d l e s s of w h a t the e x p e r i m e n t has done f o r us or w h a t its application m a y be in other institutions, it does seem clear t h a t academic libraries in the f u t u r e m u s t seek w a y s of p r o m o t i n g the use of their m a t e r i a l s r a t h e r than c o u n t i n g heads in r e a d i n g rooms if the profession of librarianship is to m a i n t a i n its present high status. T h e Relation Between the Librarian and the College Administration (Continued from page 352) in the c u r r i c u l u m , w h e r e the u n d e r g r a d u a t e o f t e n first becomes a w a r e of the interrela- tionship of s e e m i n g l y u n r e l a t e d courses. O u t of this c o m m o n experience of f o u r y e a r s m a y come one of the greatest v a l u e s of higher e d u c a t i o n : its c a r r y - o v e r into l i f e beyond the c a m p u s years, in the persistence of l e a r n i n g . I c a n n o t close w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e to the published papers of the nineteenth a n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e of the G r a d u a t e L i b r a r y S c h o o l of the U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o a p p e a r i n g in the O c t o b e r , 1 9 5 4 issue of the Library Quarterly. H e r e , at l e n g t h , f r o m e v e r y angle, by distinguished authorities, the w h o l e problem of " T h e F u n c t i o n of the L i b r a r y in the M o d e r n C o l l e g e " has been t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g l y e x p l o r e d . I h a v e d e l i b e r a t e l y a v o i d e d specific r e f e r e n c e to a n y single paper, s t i m u l a t i n g as I f o u n d each of them, f o r these w o r d s of mine w o u l d have been at best an i m p e r f e c t distillation. N e v e r t h e - less t h e i r papers h a v e p r o m p t e d and en- c o u r a g e d me in this s u r v e y of the imple- m e n t a t i o n and i n t e g r a t i o n of the c o l l e g e president's e d u c a t i o n a l o b j e c t i v e s as evi- dence of the relation b e t w e e n the l i b r a r i a n and the college a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . OCTOBER, 1955 359