College and Research Libraries


ELDRED R. SMITH TOWARD THE 
WHITE HOUSE 

CONFERENCE 
AND BEYOND 

The Academic Library within 

a National Information Policy: 

THE FOLLOWING P~PERS were presented 
during the 1978 Annual Conference of the 
American Library Association in Chicago at 
a program of the Association of College and 
Research Libraries. The theme of the pro-
gram was: The Academic Library within a 
National Information Policy-Toward the 
White House Conference and Beyond. Each 
speaker was urged to approach the topic 
from his or her individual professional 
perspective, focusing on issues that seemed 
particularly critical or meaningful on the 
basis of that perspective. 

The papers clearly express a wide range 
of views on this very complex topic. They 
also raise, I believe, some critical and inci-
sive issues with regard to academic libraries 
and a national information policy. 

Richard M. Dougherty views the prospect 
of a national information policy from the 
perspective of the major research library. 
After identifying a number of difficulties and 
hazards, he suggests that a national informa-
tion policy should be explored, but with ex-
treme caution. 

Irma Y. Johnson brings a "science and 
technology" focus to bear on the issue. Per-
suasively arguing that academic libraries are 

Eldred R. Smith is director of libraries, Uni-
versity of Minnesota , Minneapolis . He was presi-
dent of the Association of College and Research 
Libraries in 1977-78. 

Introduction 

presently subsidizing the exchange of scien-
tific information , particularly the results of 
research supported by government con-
tracts , she asserts that the national interest 
would be much better served if this process 
were federally funded also. She sees such a 
development as an essential and fundamen-
tal cornerstone of a national information pol-
icy. 

John P . McGowan reviews several issues 
related to a national information policy from 
the perspective of the private university li-
brary. He identifies a number of critical 
problems-the difficulties that private in-
stitutions encounter in coping with gov-
ernmental requirements, the year-to-year 
uncertainty of state and federal funding, the 
enormous overhead costs of such support-
and makes some provocative suggestions for 
programs that should be supported: 

William A. Moffett reviews the attitudes 
of college librarians on this topic. He finds 
that they run the gamut, from indifference 
through distrust and concern to enthusiasm. 
Moffett also raises an intriguing related is-
sue, having to do with the names and con-
tributions of academic librarians. 

I found this group of papers to be 
stimulating and enlightening on a variety of 
facets of a very complex issue that is of con-
siderable concern to academic librarians. I 
am very much pleased that College & Re-
search Libraries is publishing them. 

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