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Notes from the ACRL Office HE HAMPSHIRE Inter-Library Center, to faculty needs that the Hampshire Inter- TInc., in western Massachusetts may Library Center assumes an important role. well be a very significant development in While each of the colleges concerned has a library economy. The purposes of the Cen- better than average library and very con- ter deserve careful study by all college siderable endowment, no one of the three librarians. The annual report for its first could completely meet the need for materi- year of operation is available from the als to keep the faculty abreast of their fields Center's Secretary, Newton McKeon, li- for teaching purposes. And not even Har- brarian of Amherst College. The corpora- vard University, with its vast library system tion is a cooperative book storage and and financial resources, provides fully the selection project by three close neighbors, research materials needed by individual Smith, Amherst, and Mt. Holyoke with faculty members. It is in these two areas participation by the Forbes Library in that the Center should play an important Northampton and the University of Massa- role, and that other, now unborn, centers chusetts in Amherst. will exercise great influence on educational A standard text states four principal standards in other neighborhoods. missions for the college library:* "to provide During its first year the Center sub- the study and reference materials required scribed to 119 periodicals, by the common for supplementing classroom instruction . .; agreement of all three faculties. Ninety- to encourage students to use books inde- eight of these titles were previously taken by pendently as a means to the acquisition of one, two, or three of the libraries (180 sub- knowledge; to provide the technical and scriptions). The remaining 21 titles are specialized study materials needed to keep new to the area. Thus cooperation makes the faculty abreast of their fields for teach- available more journals than before at less ing purposes; to provide as far as possible cost. Current issues are circulated to all the materials for research needed by indi- libraries, but back volumes are kept on the vidual faculty members." Center's own book shelves in South Hadley. As we look at these missions and the needs These few paragraphs do scant justice to of Amherst, Smith, and Mt. Holyoke Col- a new form of library cooperation which I leges, it is apparent that each institution believe should have a great future, and I must always provide its own materials to mention it in these columns because the supplement classroom instruction. Each Center has not received the spotlight of pub- college will likewise have no trouble in licity which it should have. The general supplying the books needed for the en- conditions under which the Center is grow- couragement of students in the independent ing to fruitful service exist all over the use of books. For both purposes no very country. The pattern can be altered to fit large collection of books and related materi- local need and conditions. I spoke on this als is required, provided freshness and in- general subject recently at the Southeastern terest are maintained by regular flow of Library Association, and the paper will be additions and withdrawals. printed in its publication, SELA. It is as we look at the library's obligation * * * The Illinois State Association met in * Guy R Lyle. The Administration of the College Library. N.Y. Wilson, 1949 (2nd ed.), p. 24. Springfield in October, and I was present JANUARY, 1953 79 to speak on ACRL chapters. Essentially, The regional association meetings afford a chapter is nothing more or less than a a much better opportunity to talk to people device to help bring closer together the and pick up ideas and attitudes than our national and the state or local library pic- huge annual conference and midwinter tures. The chapter is a subdivision of sorts. meeting. At the latter it is only human It is an entity like ACRL but on a smaller nature for an executive secretary to show scale. It has complete freedom of action a lined and worried face to the world. and interest. Since the chapter is small, Several members have suggested a few it gives interested ACRL members consid- personal anecdotes from these trips: riding erable opportunity to participate in projects, with a mailman on his R.F.D. route through to hold office, and to exercise leadership in the Rockies and inserting the mail in the other ways. Such activity inevitably leads to boxes on the right-hand side (Labor Day better knowledge and more contact with the morning) ; seeing two wild moose from the national association. The leaders in chaptei road in Montana, the first outside captivity affairs will certainly have their opportuni- I have ever seen in spite of considerable ties to lead in national ACRL activity. time spent in the Maine woods; the ever- Chapters, like ball players, inevitably have lasting, continuous, wicked forest fires good and poor seasons. None of their good through which I drove for at least 150 miles works will be performed automatically. in the wee hours between Cincinnati and I hope that chapters will lead to all Knoxville; eating buffalo meat in the Black sorts of cooperative activity. This might Hills; the rollicking good humor that would take the form of the collection of statistics, bubble forth at PNLA meetings; the dreari- or liberal interlibrary loan arrangements ness of any station between 1 and 6 A.M. ; for a given area, or even developments such the bus driver expounding on Hemingway's as the Hampshire Inter-Library Center. new novel; the great physical beauty of our At the business meeting the section voted land which can be found in any region and to seek chapter affiliation with ACRL. the understandable pride of state and region Action on this will be taken by the ACRL on the part of those who live there. Board of Directors at their next meeting. * * * * * Since late August I have taken two long Lawrence S. Thompson, chairman of the trips to represent ACRL. The first of these ACRL Publications Committee, will be was to the Mountain Plains Library Asso- glad to receive more manuscripts to be pub- ciation meeting in Rapid City, South Da- lished as ACRL Monographs. An occa- kota, then on with stops in Montana and sional issue may be devoted to a group of Washington, to the Pacific Northwest Li- short articles on related professional sub- brary Association meeting in Victoria, B.C. jects. Faculties of library schools are urged Late in October I attended Southeastern in to suggest ACRL Monograph publication Atlanta and made stops on the way. to the authors of very superior papers on Both trips were interesting professionally suitable subjects. and personally. I visited a score of college * * * libraries going and coming. In some cases I met with faculty committees or presidents A tentative schedule of the Los Angeles and in other cases spent only an hour or so Conference next June (21-27) has just looking over the collection and discussing come to my desk. This shows for the period library problems with staff. between lunch on Monday and dinner on 80 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES Friday exactly six periods (morning, after- income from members allotting to divisions noon, and evening), which are not taken increased 49%. by ALA general sessions, Council meetings, An analysis of the complete figures of and free periods during which other events ACRL members who joined during the cannot be scheduled. In other words, all months of January, February, and March ALA boards and committees, all the di- 1952 (well over half our membership) visions with their committee activities, and shows that the average member, personal all the sections and other organizations and institutional, paid $9.85. Of this ALA must fit into these six periods. The alterna- took $4.98 or 50.6%, other divisions re- tives are the very undesirable Monday ceived 570 or 5.8%, and ACRL received morning or Friday night spots, or pre- and $4.31 or 43.4%. Two years ago ACRL post-conference arrangements with attend- received approximately 53.8% of the mem- ant special expense. Members with ideas, bership dollar paid to ALA by ACRL please step to the stage. members. * * * The percentage allotted to divisions is Under the first year of operation with the controlled by the ALA Executive Board. new dues scale the income of the divisions A decline from 53.8% to 43.4% in two increased 27% over the previous year (as- years is a matter of grave concern to all suming all divisions had been on the experi- ACRL members. mental divisional support plan) and ALA's —Arthur T. Hamlin, Executive Secretary ASK FOR OUR LATEST LONG NOW CATALOG- 307° • MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS OFF • VULCAN MAGAZINE BINDERS PLAYING • VULCAN MAGAZINE RACKS Except Price • VULCAN BOOK CARTS RECORDS fixed Records • VULCAN NEWSPAPER HOLDERS Long Playing FREE (33'/3 R. P- M.) A POSTCARD CATALOGUE Records Guar- ROM YOU anteed Factory Write for New. All leading WILL BRING Catalog 20-C labels, including (Include 10< to Victor, Decca, Co- A CATALOG Cover Mailing) lumbia, London, AT ONCE! etc. 520 W. 48 St. RECORD New York 36, N.Y. HAVEN If in N.y.C. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE CO. Visit Stores at 1125 SIXTH AVENUE 401-3 TUSCALOOSA AVENUE, S.W. Si^i 1143 SIXTH AVENUE 1211 SIXTH AVENUE BIRMINGHAM II. ALABAMA JANUARY, 1953 81 ACRL Treasurer s Report and ALA Accommodation Account,1 1951-52 INCOME ALA Allotment to ACRL from Dues $19,419.20 Additional Section Dues 105.So Montana State University Library Survey 395-49 University of Notre Dame Library Survey Administration 334-00 Registration Fees, Buildings Institute 226.27 Group Insurance Premium Refund 24.31 Secretary's Share T.I.A.A.