Di AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 7 4th Annual Confere nee Proceedings of the American Library Association At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 3-9, 1955 AMERICA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 50 EAST HUROl'I STREET CHICAGO 11, ILLINOIS AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 74th Annual Con£ erence Proceedings of the American Library Association Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 3-9, 1955 • AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 50 EAST HURON STREET CHICAGO 11, ILLINOIS 1955 ALA Conference Proceedings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTES Audio-Visual Institute .................••.•••.............•....................• 1 Book Selection Work Conference ..••..•.•.•........................•....•........ 1 Board on Personnel Administration ..............................................• 2 Production and Promotion of Children's Books 3 GENERAL SESSIONS First General Session 4 Second General Session ...............•.•....................................... 5 Third General Session .............•.........•.•.•.......•..•..•........•.•.••.• 6 COUNCIL SESSIONS First Council Session .•.....•••.•••....••••••••.•..•..••.•••..•..•.•.•.••.•.•.••. 7 Second Council Session ................••.....................•................• 8 Third Council Session .......................................................... 23 DIVISIONS American Association of School Librarians . • . • . • . • . • • . • • . • . • 26 Association of College and Reference Libraries . • . • . • . • • • . • . • . 30 Cataloging and Classification, Division of • . • • . • . • • . • . • 34 Hospital Libraries Division. • . • . • • • • • • • . • • . • . • . • . • . • . • • • • • • . • • . • • • . • • • 40 Libraries for Children and Young People, Division of . • • • • . • • • • • • 44 Library Education Division . • . • • . • • • . • • . • • . • • . • • • • . • . • • . • • • • . • • . • . • • 51 Public Libraries Division . • . • • • . • . • • • • . • . • . • . • . • • . 52 BOARDS, COMMITTEES, ROUND TABLES Board on Acquisition of Library Materials • • . • . • • . • • • • . • • • . • • • • • . 62 Adult Education Board . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • . • . • • . • . • • • • . • 64 Audio-Visual Board . • • • • . • . • • • . • • • • . • . • . • . • • • 64 ALA Board on Bibliography . • . • • • . • • • • . • . • • . • • • . • . • . • • • • . 65 Board on A wards . • . • • . • • • • • • • • . • . • • . • . 67 Committee on Boards and Committees • • • • . • . • . • • . • • . 67 Buildings Committee . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • . 68 Board on Cataloging Policy and Research . • . • . • . • . • . 68 Editorial Committee . • . • . • • • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • 70 Board of Education for Librarianship • . • • . • . • • . • • • 70 Exhibits Round Table . • • . • . • . • • • • . • • • . • . • . • . • • . 71 Federal Relations Committee . • . • • . • • • • • • • • . • • . • . • . • . • • . • . 71 Friends of Libraries Committee . • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • . 72 lntercultural Action Committee . • . • • • . • . • . • • . 73 International Relations Board . • • . • • • • • • • . • . • • • . • 73 Library Periodicals Round Table . 74 Round Table on Library Service Abroad........................................... 75 Joint Committee on Library Service to Labor Groups . • . 79 Joint Committee on Library Work as a Career. • . • . • . • . 80 Membership Committee • . • . • . • • . • . • • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • • . • . • . • . 83 Public Relations Committee . 84 Board on Resources . • . • . • . • . • • • . • . 84 Serials Round Table • • . • . • . • • . 85 Staff Organizations Round Table . • . 85 Statistics Committee . • . • . • . • . • . • • . 87 Committee on Work With the Blind . • . • . • . • . 87 PROJECTS ALA Adult Education Subgrant Project . • . • • . 88 Office for Adult Education and Public Libraries Division . • 88 Beta Phi Mu . • . • . • • • . • . • • • • . • . • . • . • . • . 89 Association of American Library Schools • . 89 Theme: Libraries in the Life of the Nation PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTES Audio-Visual Institute The Audio-Visual Board, the Audio Visual The Institute featured three speakers outside Round Table and the Office for Adult Educa­ the profession: Dr. H. K. Newburn, president, tion sponsored a Pre-Conference Audio-Visual Educational Radio and Television Center, Ann Institute at the Warwick Hotel, July 2-3. Over Arbor, who spoke on the "Historical Develop­ 300 people registered for the 12 sessions. ment of Television in the United States, with A large program committee, representing some comments on the library's role; Cecile various units of ALA with an interest in audio­ Starr, Saturday Review editor of "Ideas on visual materials, planned a program that in­ Film", who spoke on "What's in a Film?" using cluded sessions on the library and educational portions of films as illustrations; and Dr. Nicho­ television; cooperative film services in public libraries; using films with young adults; use of las Slonimsky, musicologist and author, who audio-visual materials in academic teaching and spoke at the banquet on "Music for the Eyes research; building and servicing a recordings and its Listenable Patterns". Dr. Slonimsky collection; standards for library film service to used the piano to illustrate his informative and children; use of library materials in curriculum amusing remarks. development; and the use of films in discussion. Various audio-visual materials were used in One feature of the Institute was the Problem all of the sessions and there was one session Clinic. At this meeting tables were set up for devoted to the showing of recent films. The the discussion of ten different aspects of audio­ visual services. Resource people were provided committee which selected the films for this ses­ for each table and the conferees were free to go sion also selected the films shown daily at noon from table to table to ask questions or discuss throughout the conference at the University their problems. Museum. Book Selection Work Conference A Book Selection Work Conference, a Pre­ incidents of censorship or attempted censorship Conference co-sponsored by the ALA Intel­ of library materials. Miriam Putnam, librarian lectual Freedom Committee and the Public of the Memorial Hall Library, Andover, Massa­ Libraries Division, was held in the Bellevue­ chusetts, titled her talk "Objectives of the Pub­ Stratford Hotel, July 2-3, 1955. Registration lic Library". She discussed those objectives in began at 10 A.M. on July 2 and the final panel relation to community objectives, and consid­ discussion ended at 5 P.M. on July 3. This con­ ered the specific values of library service in ference was financed partially by means of a relation to intellectual freedom. Eleanor Phin­ grant from Louis Rabinowitz of New York City. ney, of Rutgers University Graduate School of Approximately 230 librarians took advantage Library Service spoke on "Book Selection The­ of this opportunity to discuss their problems in ory" and instructed the participants in the me­ book selection. chanics of the conference. Herbert Brucker, editor of the Hartford, Con­ After the general sessions in which the four necticut, Courant, made the keynote address, principal addresses were given, the participants titled "Let Us Trust Freedom." Mr. Brucker as­ met in discussion groups of approximately 15 sessed the current climate of intellectual free­ persons each to consider the general policies dom. Following him, three librarians discussed and specific problems involved in book selec­ problems peculiar to the world of librarianship. tion. After two sessions in these small groups Paul Bixler, librarian of Antioch College, spoke all conferees met in a general session for a on "The Impact of a Stormy Intellectual Cli­ panel discussion of the conclusions reached by mate on Our Libraries" and discussed various the groups. The panel, composed of Mr. Bixler, I Philadelphia Conference, 1955 Miss Putnam and Miss Phinney, was moder­ in this issue will be excerpts from the book ated by Mrs. Grace T. Stevenson, associate ex­ selection policy statement of 18 libraries. The ecutive secretary of the ALA. complete policy statements have been placed in The proceedings of this work conference will the ALA Headquarters Library and are avail­ comprise Issue No. 4 of The PLD Reporter, able for loan. scheduled for release in October 1955. Included S. Janice Kee Board on Personnel Administration The Pre-Conference Institute for chief ad­ a change from autocratic to democratic admin­ ministrators or their representatives, sponsored istration can be made; how to encourage and by the board, was held on July 1 and 2 at the obtain staff participation; staff associations and Free Library of Philadelphia. The theme, Demo­ unions; methods of communication; civil serv­ cratic Administration in Libraries, was consid­ ice; appointments and promotions; classi­ ered both by the eight small discussion groups fication of positions; professional and staff during three group sessions and in the five gen­ meetings; committee techniques; in-service eral meetings for all participants. Each of the training; service ratings; leaves of absence; discussion groups chose its own leader and re­ and the democratic process in book selection corder and selected the topic or topics it wished and budget planning. to consider. At its series of five business meetings, prob­ Roberta Bowler, assistant city librarian, Los lems basic to the personnel situation at all lev­ Angeles ( Calif.) Public Library presided at all els of library administration were discussed. general meetings.