National Commission on 4Braries and Information Texas, to Gather
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 092 129 IR 000 688 TITLE National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Regional Hearing, 24 April 1974, San Antonio, Texas. INSTITUTION National Commission on 4braries and Information Science, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 24 Apr 74 NOTE 593p. EDRS PRICE MF-$1.05 HC-$28.20 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS Federal Aid; Federal Programs; *Financial Needs; *Government Role; *Information Needs; Information Networks; *Library Planning; Library Programs; *Library Services; National Programs IDENTIFIERS National Commission Libraries Information Science; *Southwest; Testimony ABSTRACT On April 24, 1974, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science held hearings in San Antonio, Texas, to gather testimony on its proposed program. Six questions were specifically raised by the Commission: priorities for service, improved services and community relations, deficiencies in service, non-book services, paying for services, and federal government role. Evidence was presented by library personnel from many types of libraries and administrative levels, as well as by other interested individuals and organizations, concerning the information and library needs of populations in the southwestern United States and suggested priorities for improving and federal involvement. This document consists of a transcript of the oral testimony and the written statements which were solicited from witnesses and other concerned parties. (SL) NATIONAL COMMISSION C LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE REGIONAL HEARING 24 APRIL 1974 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS U S CEPAkTME WOEHEALTH. FDIJCAT,ON S.VSELFARE N,11.0 4AL iNSTI rijTE Of LIDUCATION , P-IA, C L1.4 PEPRO rn ,"'CrAs AUCLIvi D FROM ' ,"E,I1,4`,0"4CRCPC,M...2411ON ORicoN Pr) OR OPIscONS A .1 , C SS44iLY StEr.PE ,1 iNIST IL'IL 01 4 P ",OPP PoiItr NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRII,RIESAND INFORMATION SCIENCE SUITE 601 1717 K STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 TELEPHONE. (202) 382.6595 FREDERICK II. BURKHARDT CHARLES H. STEVENS Chairman SCHEDULE OF WITNESSES Fxecutive. DIrector SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL HEARING 24 April 1974 San Antonio, Trccas 8:00 a.m. - Maryann Duggan 10:30 a.m. - OPEN SLICE Office Director Dallas, Texas 8:15 - SLICE 10:45 - Howard Clark, Trustee (Continuing Education Arkansas Library Assoc. Project) Springdale, Arkansas 8:30 - Richard O'Keeffe 11:00 - Mrs. Roy Craig Texas Library Association Western Plains Lib. System Houston, Texas (See Ray's testimony) 8:45 -*Texas Library Association, 11:15 - June Phillips, Chairman English Department Southern U., Shreveport 9:00 - James Wallace, Librarian 11:30 a.m. - PUBLIC TESTIMONY San Antonio College Library 1:30 p.m. San Antonio, Texas 9:15 - Julie Bichteler 1:30 p.m. - OPEN Graduate Library Science University of Texas, Austin 9:30 -*Aphrodite Mamoulides 1:45 - Robert Norris, Director Shell Development Company Indian Education Programs Houston, Texas (See Sahmaunt's testimony) 9:45 - Ralph Yarborough 2:00 - Joseph Sahmaunt Former U.S. Senator Board Member, NIEA Austin, Texas Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 10:00 - Donald Hendricks 2:15 - Talitha Gilkerson University of Texas Tucson Public Library Health Science Center Tucson, Arizona 10:15 - Mary Cheatham, Librarian 2:30 - Martha Cotera Hot Spring County Library Juarez Lincoln Center Malvern, Arkansas Austin, Texas *No Written Testimony (over) 11)Jrcv, A. Ames, W'illt,rin Hiker 11),eph Heck 1 retIcricl, liorkharjr DjnIci ca,c) Harold C. ('run) Carlos A. Cuadrd I..e.he W. Dunlap Martin Gol,flid 1.0u1..\I erncr lics%ie linchm Moore L. ()Limo Nturnford (.'alherinc D. Scott John I Velde, Jr. Juh,t I.r Wu 2 2:45 p.m. - Coralie Parsil, Librarian 4:30 p.m. - Claudia Dickson, Librarian Valencia Branch Library Natiunal Association for Tucson, Arizona Retarded Children, Arlington 3:00 - Suzanne de Satrustegui 4:45 - Wilbur Hurt, Texas College Nat'l. Organization for Women and University System San Antonio, Texas Austin, Texas 3:15 - Adela Navarro, Founder 5:00 - R. Henderson Shuffler Texas Hispanic American History Institute of Texas Cultures Institute of San Antonio San Antonio, Texas 3:30 - OPEN 5:15 - Jean Martin University of Texas (See Gasaway's testimony) 3:45 -taw Mexico Video Tape 5:30 - Lo Parr, Librarian Dorothy Rosen Ft. Worth Art MUEUM Library New Mexico State Library Ft. Worth, Texas 4:15 - A. G. Matlock, Prp.a'Aent Community Library Board Olney, Texas *No Written Testimony Revised 17 April 1974 STATEMENT OF CONCERNS * Southwesterh Library Associations The Southwestern Library Association was founded in 1922 asa result of the interests and needs of librarians and library trustees in the states of Arizona,:ew Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana. The initial coil- cern of the founders of this regional library association was primarily the prov',Jion of adequate library service to a geographically remote and thinly populatea area. Another prime concern of the founders in 1922 was the need for the few librarians scattered throughout the six states to havean or- ganized means of getting together regularly to sharecommon problems and experiences i.e., continuing education. The early history of this regional association reflects the nature and characteristics ofa rapidly growing yet geographically disperse region. The region covered by SWLA includes 674,460 square miles (20% of the continental United States) which now contains 21,910,682 people (11% of the continental United States population). A review of the history of this regional association reflect'a continuous trend of mutual concerns varying from time to time in specific nature but always oriented towards improving library services in these six states. The cultural diversity of these citizens as wellas the below national aver- ages in economic and education levels has presented both unique challenges es well as unique opportunities. The Indian in the hogan in Arizona - the rancher in New Mexico - The French-speaking native in the Bayou areas of Louisiana - The mountain folk of Arkansas- the dirt farmer on the wind swept plains of Oklahoma and Texas - the rural as well as urban black- all inter- twined with the pervasive influence region-wide of the Spanish cultures and value systems deserve and need library service. This six state region has undergone the most rapid population growth in the nation in the past 15 years. The increasing movement to large urban areas and the changing nature of the employment patterns from agriculture tomanu- facture to service-oriented jobs has strained the financial base for the funding of library services throughout the region as wellas challenged the librarians' abilities to adjust to the rapid changes and new demands for services. :nt, 'library co- operation has been a way of life in the Southwest for many :1,::;1 Minimal library resources dispersed over the wide geographicalarea hav ejuired the early adoption of interlibrary cooperative activities. she cooperative activities have ta'ken many forms- some formal and many ;.A. la'. Thus, it was entirely in keeping with the philosophy of library yes in the Southwest for the Southwestern Library Association tc _ele- a,:tanned and coordinated interstate library cooperative ende vo: SLICE) _313. like most of the other interlibrary cooperative activities, not have been initiated without. Feaeral funds provided by t-.. L.ary Seevce Construction act Title iii (which were conveyed thru library agencies to SWLA). The LSGA Title III legislation 1.4,3 ST,1LUS and catalyst which created the legal base as well as the funding base for the sharing of library resources and expertise across state lines. A ,:;escription of the SLICE Project is attached. SWLA ia concerned that the importance of multistate regional library coopera- tive activities be recognized by national library systems planners as having a viable and unique role to play in the improvement of library services at all levels to all citizens. The advent of telecommunications and computer based bibliographic networks pPovide a potential "delivery system" ideal for implementaion at the regional multistate level. "Economies of scale" of regional multistate network systems are more advantageous than those possi- ble at the state or local level. Therefore, the Southwestern Library Associa- tion respectfully urges that the NCLIS consider the role, funding, and organi- zation of multistate interlibrary cooperative structures in the planning of future national library development. As with all cooperative ventures at any geographical level, coordination of such regional library agencies and services should be implemented within the framework of national library standards and objectives. We welcome an opportunity to explore various alternative forms and patterns of multistate regional library developments with the Commission. The Southwestern Library Association has long been concerned with improving the capabilities of all library staffs in the six Southwest states to provide improved library services to the diversity of citizens in these states.Since less than 30% of the library staffs in these six states have achieved a masters degree level of formal education, and since 85% of the masters level libra- rians are concentrated in only eight urban areas, the need for training of library staffs throughout the six Southwest states becomes apparent. This need has been expressed by library staff members as well as library trustees. The quality of library services can be no better than the quality of library staffs - in spite of the best of plans, materials or applications of technology. The training requirements