By FELIX E. H1RSCH

The Use of the Book Collection in the Teaching Program of a Progressive College

Felix E. Hirsch is librarian and instructor a year. These figures are impressive, in- at Bard College. In this article he shows deed, if you hold them against the average how three progressive colleges seek to circulation in American colleges, which teach with books—thus vitalizing and Branscomb puts at only 12 books and 50 individualizing their curricula. to 60 reserve books per capita. Two other progressive colleges in the East, OME YEARS ago President Wriston of Sarah Lawrence and Bard, have had S Brown University made a very telling equally satisfactory experiences with stu- comparison. "When the doctor," he said, dent reading. At Sarah Lawrence Col- "wants to know the general state of your lege the annual book circulation per health, he takes your temperature and your student has ranged from 43 to 50 volumes pulse. In much the same way I regard in recent years. The annual figure for the two-week-book circulation as the most two-week books at Bard College has been significant single indication of the intellec- above 70 per student during the last five tual well-being of the institution." If years; in 1936/37 and 1938/39 it ap- that is true, the progressive colleges in proached 80. The number of overnight America seem to enjoy an unusually fine reserves, meanwhile, sank from 33 to state of health, for their figures of stu- about 10 per capita. dent reading per capita are higher than Since little has been published thus far those of almost any other college. about the relation between the book col- Branscomb in his recent study Teaching lection and the teaching program in pro- with Books points to one of these progres- gressive colleges, I shall give here some sive institutions, Bennington College, as reflections based on more than four years an example for his thesis that the students of my experience as librarian and instruc- will use the library where the curriculum tor at Bard College. Valuable suggestions and method of instruction are planned for this paper have also been received from with that expectation. He gives the cir- the librarians of the other two Eastern culation statistics for Bennington, which progressive colleges, Mrs. Leslie and Miss since 1934 have exceeded annually 55 Stone. Sarah Lawrence College in Bronx- books (1939/40:65) and 9 reserve books ville, N.Y., was the first to appear on the per capita, although the students reside on horizon about twelve years ago. It of- the Bennington campus only thirty weeks fered "A New Design for Women's Edu-

48 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES cation," as President Constance Warren rence has more than thirty-four thousand calls her recent book, which is a lively volumes while Bennington is approaching exposition of progressive college methods twenty thousand, and they have no ambi- in action. A few years later, in 1932, tion to rival their wealthier competitors. Bennington College was established in As President Robert D. Leigh of Ben- Vermont; it carries out similar, but by no nington (also Acting Dean of Bard Col- means identical ideas in the field of wom- lege in 1939) put it in the foreword to en's education. They may be summed up the first annual report of his librarian: in the following sentence taken from a "Our library is designed primarily to serve Bennington College bulletin: "That the as a reading room for a working collection college should accustom its students to the of books, Clearly it is not intended to habit of engaging voluntarily in learning duplicate the great university or metro- rather than of submitting involuntarily politan research libraries." Bard, having at certain periods to formal instruction." deeper roots in the past, has a richer col- Bard College, the only boys' college in lection, containing more than sixty-one this group, has served as an experimental thousand volumes; it is strong in the so- unit of Columbia University since 1934; cial sciences and the humanities. With it grew out of a complete reorganization a maximum enrollment of 150 to 160 stu- of the old St. Stephen's College. The dents it has more than four hundred books man who brought about the educational at the disposal of each student. change, Dr. Donald G. Tewksbury, had Further, the high reading figures of taught before at Sarah Lawrence College, these three progressive colleges cannot be and the present Dean, Dr. Charles Harold explained by the attractiveness of the li- Gray, came from Bennington College. brary buildings or a particularly shrewd Thus there are certain close ties between arrangement of the collections. The the three institutions. buildings which house the libraries at Sarah Lawrence and Bennington are Quality of the Book Collections modern and rather well equipped. They Before we can investigate the relation convey a pleasant atmosphere, but are in between educational programs and use of no way exceptional. There are neither the library, two important questions must magnificent browsing rooms nor romantic be answered. The first is: Would it be ivory towers. The situation at Bard is possible ito explain the high reading figures worse: The library is located in a Greek in these three progressive colleges to a temple because the donor of the building considerable extent by the unusual quality loved classic architecture. Unfortunately, of their book collections? I doubt it. Al- there is nothing less attractive for leisurely though all three of them received gener- reading than an enormous room that re- ous aid from the Carnegie Corporation ceives its bit of light only from the sky. in the process of building up their li- None of the three progressive colleges braries, none of them can compare with tries to push the circulation by introduc- those of some well-endowed conservative ing dormitory libraries or developing an colleges. Sarah Lawrence and Benning- undue number of departmental libraries. ton have excellent modern collections, but A few of the latter, on the other hand, they are certainly not large., Sarah Law- may be indispensable for carrying out the

DECEMBER, 1940 49 educational program effectively. Sarah every student the highest degree of training Lawrence has placed about one thousand he can take. books in the science laboratories, and the There are no required courses. Even music building houses the library collec- the freshmen meet in small informal semi- tion of records and scores. At Bard, be- nars. These are supplemented by indi- cause of the general inadequacy of the vidual conferences which each student has main library building, more branches were with each of his instructors. Such con- developed. A sizable science library serves ferences are usually held bi-weekly. The the students working in the laboratories* instructor has here a splendid opportunity Close to the art studios, there was estab- to arouse a boy's enthusiasm for a great lished an art and music library four years idea and a great book, and he can also ago. In a pleasant room, art books and check up on the actual achievement of reproductions are displayed and music the student in this conversation far better records may be used. This has become a than in any written examination. Any rather popular place with the students student who has a minimum of self-respect who like to look at the beautiful Carnegie will hate to come to such a conference un- art set or to listen to the great music of the prepared, and he will not go away from it past. This kind of appreciation, however, without having received some new hint does not do much to boost the circulation about the treasures of wisdom stored in figures. Bard has classroom collections the college library. Very often such a only in the modern language departments ; conference begins in the instructor's office, they are fulfilling their purpose there to but ends in the stacks of the library. The a considerable extent. highest degree of individualization is reached in the tutorials; here the professor Progressive Methods of Instruction deals only with one student on a subject Since neither the quality of the book in which the boy shows serious interest and collections nor their arrangement would ability. Even the freshman is now to have go far to explain the wide reading of even such a tutorial in his major field of study. the average student in progressive colleges, Needless to say this type of education is one may safely conclude that the laurel expensive. At Bard there is now one in- belongs to their methods of instruction. structor for every four students! The How may these be characterized in a few faculty members are extremely busy in sentences? In the three institutions there spite of this unusually low ratio, for they is no preconceived curriculum for every- are charged with wide responsibilities in body; the needs of each individual student guidance that really never end. are taken into account and his initiative is strengthened by all possible means. A The Librarian as Educator recent bulletin of Bard College says: What is the position of the librarian in A student is not merely a passive listener this educational setup? It would seem to in a class nor a mere reciter of lessons. He be stronger than in the conservative col- is urged to take his education into his own lege, since the progressive method of hands, to follow up his own questionings and to go as fast and as far as he can. The instruction tends to make students book- good student is not held down to the average conscious. At Bard, the librarian is not rate of the class. . . . The aim is to give just a member of the "staff," but his main

50 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES function is that of an educator. In his not only questions of how to use the li- rather few hours of leisure, he teaches brary, but also many other aspects of lib- also. He is a regular member of the Ger- eral education and college life. Between man department, but has taught also in some students, particularly the older stu- the history department. Branscomb, him- dent assistants, and the library staff a self a director of libraries and a professor, friendship has grown up that has out- has discussed with much wisdom the pro lasted the day of graduation. and con of the librarian as instructor in his Teaching with Books. From my own Close Cooperation with the Faculty experience I can only state that a librarian The personal collaboration of the li- Avho has done some teaching in his college brarian with the faculty is at least as close will appreciate better what sort of books as are his contacts with the student body. are useful for instructional purposes than For in the experimental college it is even his colleague who sees students only in his more true than in other educational in- office or near the reference desk. stitutions that the well-informed instructor The informality of the whole educa- is the most effective agent the iibrary has tional work is reflected also in the library at its disposal. Since the faculties in all methods. There is no prescribed course three progressive colleges of the East are in how to use the library. At Bard, at not large, there is no need for having Bennington, and at Sarah Lawrence each library committees. Most questions can freshman has at the beginning of the aca- be settled immediately and amiably in per- demic year an individual conference with sonal conversation between instructor and the librarian to establish the desirable per- librarian, be it in the library, on the side- sonal contact. It is expected that each walks of the campus, or in the evening by student will learn how to use the library the fireside. There is a constant give and when he (or she) will have actual prob- take. Most faculty members help by their lems to solve in handling the catalog, using expert advice in building up the collection. the indexes, and exploring the collection. Their suggestions are gladly accepted, Then the library staff is ready to assist, whether they come from a senior professor and no effort will be spared to explain or from an instructor who has just finished every necessary detail. Two students his graduate work. In fact a nucleus of working on the same problem may get younger scholars, whose enthusiasm is still very different recommendations, each of unbroken, gives the most gratifying co- them according to his capability. This operation. They are the unofficial library individualized reference work supplements committee that meets day by day. On the the efforts that the instructors make in other hand, the library staff supports their conferences and tutorials. It contributes educational work in many ways, for in- indirectly also to the high circulation stance, by assisting them in the prepara- figures, since in the course of such con- tion of syllabi, and by calling their versations the student's attention is called attention to recent literature in their own to many books which he otherwise might fields of interest. We do not want to have overlooked. There is nothing more "teach" them anything; we strive for their rewarding for the library staff than these sympathy and friendship. The observa- informal discussions. They usually cover tion of Branscomb "that the natural

DECEMBER., 1940 51 enemy of the librarian has always been Progressive methods of education can- the professor" does not apply in these pro- not succeed if the spirit of liberality does gressive colleges. not prevail everywhere on campus. Any The flexibility that is so characteristic Bard student may enter the laboratories of our work as a whole, may be found also and studios at any hour of the day or in the handling of the book budget. There night he pleases. Although the library are no fixed appropriations to the depart- cannot go quite that far, we nevertheless ments. The money is spent where it is keep very long hours and operate with a needed most; that is, where serious gaps minimum of rules. Almost all the books, are to be filled, where literature for newly even those that most college libraries designed courses is to be gathered, and would consider to be reference works, and where an old topic is, approached from an the bound periodicals, may go out for two unfamiliar angle. It must be repeated weeks and are open to renewal. Books here: progressive education is expensive. that are not in general demand often are The library at Bard has to buy many lent for the whole semester, particularly books even if no large circulation may be to upperclassmen. Only a few new books expected for them. Often items are pur- are limited to seven-day loans for students chased to suit the legitimate needs of only and faculty alike. two or three persons on the campus. Duplicates are seldom acquired, since they The Problem of Reserved Books are as a rule not needed in individualized Extensive use of reserved books may be education, and only a few inevitable text- a necessity in large institutions, but is books are added occasionally, because the certainly out of place in a small college whole conception of the textbook is in- which stresses individualized instruction. compatible with the spirit of progressive Bard College Library has enough material teaching methods. The emphasis in ac- on most subjects so that each student can quisitions is upon material that is likely read a different book on the topic that to have permanent value. At Bennington is to be discussed in his seminar. Such the policy is somewhat different; current a variety of reading will render possible a publications, particularly in the social sci- more stimulating exchange of opinions in ences, are purchased if they seem useful class than if everybody had used the same for the time being, even though they may assigned work. have to be discarded after a while. A At first I tried teaching without any considerable amount of our money is de- reserved books in a course of my own in voted to good general reading, but even English history. I worked out so com- these books are usually selected with some prehensive a syllabus that each of my educational purpose in mind. We try to fifteen students had plenty of literature get as many recent thought-provoking available for each seminar meeting; the books as possible and to stimulate interest syllabus was supported by the individual by having some elaborate exhibits, but we advice given in the bi-weekly conferences. never lose sight of the fact that the whole- When I saw that it was not difficult to hearted pursuit of his studies is more im- succeed with this method, I began to per- portant for the Bard boy than purely suade faculty members to change their at- recreational reading could be. titude. Some of them who were fully

52 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES aware of our resources in their field co- them in preparing for the Reading Period operated at once and ceased to put books and permits them to take as many library on reserve. The more conservative pro- books with them as they think they may fessors and those who had taught previ- need for their task or would like to have ously in very large institutions insisted on for leisurely reading. The library staff keeping a reserve. It took a long while to has here a fine chance to offer suggestions induce these faculty members to change to students for widening their general edu- their points of view. The first step was cation. to suggest to them a differentiation be- More important, and more difficult, tween various types of reserved books ac- from the point of view of the library, is cording to their general importance to the the Senior Project (or Senior Thesis, as whole class. The library introduced, in it is called at Bennington). Each Bard addition to the overnight reserve, the student is expected to do in his senior year three-day and seven-day reserves. These a piece of independent work, on which gave the students a better chance really to he is to spend at least one-fourth of his read a book instead of hurrying through time. These projects may cover a rather an assignment. And some of the profes- wide field of related subjects or may be sors finally recognized that a book that restricted research studies on one specific was a three-day or seven-day reserve, could topic. Some of them have been truly just as well go out as a regular book for excellent; they have paved for their au- two weeks. There is now unanimity thors the way to a job or a graduate fel- among faculty members and students con- lowship. They seem to many an observer cerned, that under the Bard system of to be the finest proof of what individual- individualized instruction the educational ized education may do for a talented boy. results are better, if the number of re- The librarian helps in planning the proj- served books is kept down to the rather ect, at least as far as its bibliographical few cases of real necessity. aspect is concerned; and in a considerable number of cases, he has been also a mem- Reading Period and Senior Project ber of senior project committees. He dis- Finally, a word must be said about two cusses with the student the literature that distinct features of Bard's educational he may find in the college library. Usu- program and how they affect the use of ally only part of the books that are essen- the book collection. One is the so-called tial for carrying out the project will be "Winter Field and Reading Period." available in the collection. Therefore the The students at Bard, and also Benning- library buys those items that the student ton, spend six to seven weeks after will need constantly, even though these Christmas off campus. Many work in monographs may be of only limited use laboratories, business offices, or research in- to the college community as a whole. This stitutions to get experiences that no small is at times a drain on the book budget, college campus could offer. Others spend but the librarian feels that he should give their time at home or in large metro- here the utmost assistance because of the politan libraries where they engage in educational value of the senior projects. some usually well-planned project of their In addition to these purchases, many im- own choice. The library at Bard helps portant books are secured by interlibrary

DECEMBER., 1940 53 loan. Since Bard is affiliated with Colum- library to help in realizing the educational bia University, the cooperation of the ideals of the college. Columbia Library is given generously. I have tried to describe here some phases But often help will be received also from of the work done in the libraries of the other libraries. The best example of liber- three Eastern progressive colleges in gen- ality and understanding is offered by New eral, and experiments at Bard in particu- York State Library. When one of the lar. I am fully aware not only of our ablest Bard students decided to write his achievements, but also of our shortcomings Senior Project on the history of Mc- and of the fact that some of the methods Clure's Magazine, the State Library im- we use cannot be employed very easily in mediately agreed, in this exceptional case, large institutions. But whatever faults to send to Bard the fifty-odd volumes that there may be, these three libraries seem to were needed. Sometimes, however, the be moving in the right direction. To quote task of getting the literature for the senior once more from Branscomb: "If funds are projects together becomes too heavy for limited and staffs are inadequate, it may be the Bard Library, and the students are necessary to be less correct along formal advised to do research in the metropolitan lines in order to take an active part in the scholarly libraries. That in itself will be shift of the teaching program from reliance a useful experience for students who in- on formal instruction towards a greater tend to go into graduate or professional faith in individual study." The libraries schools. On the whole, the Senior Project at Bard, Bennington, and Sarah Lawrence brings about the crowning effort of the have taken this active part!

The Task of the College Library (Continued from page 41) ers, methods, techniques, and processes to give these things. The ways may not whose only virtue is that they are so gen- be orthodox. There is little reason to eral in their character and so all-inclusive suppose that they will be. The classifi- in their results that some little bit of use- cation system may not be like any other fulness is bound to be in them. If you on earth; the subject catalog may look shoot at a target with a shotgun, you are very strange to a teacher of cataloging. almost bound to hit it, and one of the shots But there is no essential virtue in ortho- may find the bull's-eye. But many of the doxy when it is a question of service. The shots will be wasted. A rifle with a sure only valuable consistency is one that grows aim is much more efficient. out of need, not one that grows out of The task of the college library, it seems practice. The college library is a highly to me, is to become a college library—not specialized institution, giving a very spe- just a library in a college. The task of cial service for a special purpose to a the college library is to find out; first, special group. It will be a wonder in- what it is for and for whom it exists and deed if the best means and methods for what its patrons need, not only in books, doing this do not turn out to be highly but in service; and then to devise ways specialized as well.

54 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES