DOCUMENT RESUME
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AUTHOR Fischer, Linda TITLE The Role and Function of Presidential Libraries. SPONS AGENCY National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC. PUB DATE 91 NOTE 30p. PUB TYPE Reports - General (140)
EARS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Archives; Financial Support; Library Collections; Library Materials; *Library Role; *Library Services; Philanthropic Foundations; *Presidents of the United States; *Special Libraries; Users (Information) IDENTIFIERS *Presidential Libraries
ABSTRACT This paper identifies various elements of presidential libraries. The advantages and disadvantages of the libraries' centralization or decentralization are discussed, and some common misconceptions held by the public as to the role and function of presidential libraries are identified. Criticism and debate from the professional community about whether presidential libraries have degenerated into costly monuments rather than true archives are presented, and major presidential library contributions are reviewed. The geographic dispersion of the libraries and their impact upon, and ties with, the surrounding communities are considered. In addition, the impact of presidential foundations (e.g., the Jimmy Carter Foundation and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation) and other foundations on the libraries is explored. The balance between the museum and archival functions, and the two separate clienteles who are attracted to these two roles are also described. Also identified are some common experiences shared by these libraries as they pass through their life-cycle:(1) the development/nascent stage;(2) the professional use/research stage; and (3) the mature library. The challenges faced by one such mature library, the Herbert Hoover Library, are outlined and the future of all presidential libraries is considered. (21 references) (MAB)
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THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES
Linda Fischer Ronald Reagan Library September, 1991
..
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY BEST COPY AVAILABLE Jefforizi T. llartley
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" Introduction and BackgrtAlnd
From the vantage point of anew Presidential Library, an archivist's immediate futureseems clear: to fulfill the
institution's core archival function ofprocessing the holdings
and providing reference service. But what do archivists do after
the collections have been processed?What happens to a
Presidential Library when researcherscome in fewer numbers and
use the holdings less and less?The ongoing debate surrounding
the continuing function of PresidentialLibraries suggests that many of the challenges these institutionsface are symptomatic of their very nature: their respectiveattention to a single individual's life limits thescope of their holdings and defines the solicitation and oralhistory strategy the institution adopts. Moreover, Presidential Librariesare civic institutions which must serve public needsif they are to justify their continued existence in theircurrent foTm.
Within the Presidential Librarysystem, there are almostas many opinions about the proper roleand function of the Libraries as there are employees. Staff members from the Librarywith the oldest documents--the HooverLibrary--and from theyoungest fully functioning Library--theCarter Library--present divergent perspectives regarding theextent to which an archivesshould depart from itscore mission to undertake auxiliaryprograms. An examination of these differenceswill demonstrate not only the
3 2 unique characteristics of each Libre-y, but will revealthat Libraries experience some common themesas they pass through three developmental stages. Archivists who understand these currents will be better able to help their facilityadjust to a seemingly uncertain future.
Centralization and Decentralization
Some critics have argued that a more "cost-effective"means of preserving and making available historicallyvaluable documents would be to house the collections ina central presidential library similar to the NationalArchives building for federal records in Washington, DC. When Presidents donate their papers to the federal government, theyalso supply the building which houses the materials. The central library argument might arise again since Presidentialrecords are now the property of the Federal government. But, just as the National
Archives has regional facilities,one could argue that presidential libraries can and do playan important social and cultural role, defined in the broadsense, in their respective communities. A clarification of this rolemay well help an aging library retain its vitality afterits primary function appears essentially to have been met. Before the tenth library begins to take shape--the George Bush Libraryin College Station, Texas-- perhaps those involved with PresidentialLibraries should take stock in how the public and those withinthe Presidential Library
4 3 system view the libraries, the stagesa developing librarygoes through, and the potential future of thosefacilities.
Current Thinking andPractices The role and function of presidentiallibraries must begin with a clear understanding of whatthese institutions haveand do. The main misperception, chiefly among the public,is that these libraries contain circulating books; fewpeople realize that a presidential library is primarilya manuscript repository and a showcase for presidential artifacts. The second major
misperception is aboutwho finances thecost of building the facility, and, relatedly, who owns the building. Most
individuals think that"the government"pays for the entire cost of the buildingor that the staff works for the formerPresident. Although the uniqueblend of private funding and publiccontrol has contributedto the public confusion about whowe are and what we do, one can argue that this relationshipis the institution's greatest strength.
"A Suitable Kindof Monument" Criticisms
Beyond the public's misperceptions aboutpresidential libraries, thesystem has come under fire from theprofessional community as well. The core criticism,as expressed by the social scientist, Arnold Hirshon, isthat presidentiallibraries have outlivedtheir usefulness in their presentform. The 4 "concept of Pre.Fidential Librarieswas probably helpful in its
time," he argues, "but the viabilityof such institutions, in
their present form, is doubtful." While the librariesonce provided uniform control andaccess, they have degenerated,
according to Hirshon, into costly "monuments"rather than true archives.'
Many of Hirshon's fears of escalatingcosts and misdirected functions are checked, toa certain extent, by the Presidential
Libraries Act (PLA) of 1986. The Act recognizes both the archival and museum functions ofa Presidential Library and limits the area ofa Library building to 70,000 square feet.
This space restriction willparticularly limit thearea devoted to the Presidential museum. The Act also requires that
Presidential Foundations donatea Library site, building, and equipment and provide foran endowment for Library maintenance.
The Act authorizes the Archivistof the United States toopen a trust fund account for accepting(and encouraging) private donations to a Library. The Act, therefore, addressesHirshon's concerns about the public cost andmandate of Presidential Libraries.2
'Arnold Hirshon,"The Scope, Accessibility,and History of Presidential Papers,"Government Publications Review1 (1974): 374.
2Frank Schick, withRene Schick and Mark Carroll,Records of thPr id nc :Pr si.-ntial Pa er and Libraries from Washin ton to Reagan (Phoenix: OryxPress, 1989), 18.
6 5
Library Contributions
While Hirshun's criticismmay have had some validity, James
O'Neill was not disturbed by it. For O'Neill, who was,
contemporarily, the deputy archivist of theUnited States, a
library combines two elements:a "monument to vanity" and a
"memorial to achievement." As he pointed out, "so longas men continue to honor their own and their fellows' achievements . .
monuments of one sort or another willcontinue to be built. What is significant is not thata presidential library is a monument but that it is a particu. kind, and a particularly suitable
kind, of monument."Their suitability rests, in largepart, in
the cultural role they playin their communities. One historian, Catherine Albanese, wouldargue that monuments, maintained at public expense and "the objectof pilgrimage by tourists," represent America's "civil religion." Specifically, geography Professor, Kenneth Foote,argues that archival documents and artifacts extend the "temporaland spatial range of human communication" by providing durablevehicles for transmitting information "beyond the boundsof interpersonal contact."4
3 James E. O'Neill, "WillSuccess Spoil the Presidential Libraries?,' American Archivist36 (July 1973): 347.
4 Kenneth Foot,, "To Rememberand Forget: Archives, Memory, and Culture," AmericanArctivist, 53 (Summer 1990):379, 384-385, 392.
7 6
Benedict Zobrist, Director ofthe Truman Library, definesthe Presidential Library's role in thiscontext: "when we preserve
[documents], we proveour commitment to the values on whichour society has been built, and it ison the basis of these materials
that posterity will make its judgment ofour lives and times."5
Americans build monuments to remindus of, and to communicate to others, our political heritage. When the edifices are visibly situated, they become central democraticinstitutions.
The creation of a "monument" resultsfrom what John Wickman, former Director of the Dwight D.Eisenhower Library,sees as the distinguishing factor of the PresidentialLibrary: the "creative juxtaposition [of] the manuscripts,museum objects, and physical settings associated witha former President." Accovding tothe Archivist of the United States,Dr. Don Wilson, Presidential
Libraries make two significantcontributions to the cultural landscape. First of all, the librariespreserve and make available, in a timely fashion,the papers of the Presidentand his advisors. While this goal continuesto be the primary function of the presidentiallibrary, with attention to theneeds of the academic community,the second contribution, thatof
5Benedict Zobrist,"The Long-Term Significanceof Presidential Libraries," WhistleStoo: Harrv S. Truman Librarv Institute Newslettes 11 (1983):[no page].
6John Wic kman, "TheDwight D. Eisenhower Library:Its Goal if Infinity," SpecialLibraries 60 (November 1969):593. 7 raising "public consciousness ofthe burdens of presidential
decisions," serves as the main dutyof the presidentialmuseum,
the facility's most popular attraction.7 As Richard Norton
Smith, Director of the Hoover Library,explains, "like the office
they commemorate, presidential librariesare living institutions
. . They are not monuments toone person alone. Rathev they
are storehouses of information and classroomsfor democrdtic
instruction."8In so doing, the librariesserve two separate and
distinct clientele, dispensing culturalinformation to a broader
cross-section of the public than it wouldhave with just one of the two components.
Geographic Dispersion
The geographir; dispersion ofthe libraries has bolstered
their ability to fulfill theirprimary mission and playa
significant cultural role. Remote areas especially havelooked to the presidential lthrary toprovide noted and respected
primary source collections that:;.t otherwise mightnot have. The development of research facilities,and especially of manuscript collections, do not keeppace with the growth of local colleges
7Dan Wilson,"Presidential Libraries,"Prologue 21 (Summer 1989): 100.
8Richard NortonSmith, "A Presidential Revival:How the Hoover Library Overcamea Mid-Life Crisis," Prcagqw 21 (Summer 1989): 116. 8
and universities. William Aeschbacher, former Directorof the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, notedthat the building of three
Presiaential Libraries in the MissouriValley--the Truman,
Eisenhoer, and Hoover Libraries--made"a profound change in the
research available in the Midwest." Moreover, "these libraries
and these kinds of collections,"Aeschbacher wrote, "were not
known--indeed, they were hardlyenvisioned--a half, evena
quarter century ago. Yet they are of such a naturethat they now must be consulted by anyonf- makinga serious study of the periods with which they deal."9
Although presidential librariesmay make a more dramatic
impact in rural areas, their culturalcontribution to urbanor
collegiate areas remainsevery bit as significant, bringingto
other local collectionsa new historical dimension. The collections documentinga man's political apex recasts the
discussion of his politicalstart. Conversely, the early stages
of a public career informs anddefines the debate surroundinghis presidency. "What are essentially localor regional topics,"
Aeschbacher argues, "min begiven national perspectiveby comparison with similar problemsappearing in the Presidential files.
9William D. Aeschbacher,"Presidential Libraries:New Dfmension in ResearchFacilities," Milej;)aQirtrly.6 (January 1965): 207.
1°Ibid., 213. 10 9
Community Ties
Because the President determines where hispapers will be housed, each Library develops a unique relationship withthe surrounding community. Whereas the first several Presidents after Franklin Roosevelt situated their libraries in their hometowns in remote areas, more recent Presidents have built their Libraries on or near research universities in theirhome states. Aczording to David Horrocks, Supervisory Archivistat the Gerald Ford Library, each means of developinga library has its distinct advantages. The libraries on universities havea local clientele and an academic environment compatiblewith the
Archive's primary mission and conducive tosupporting symposia, conferences, and lectures. Although hometown librariesare not in strong research settings, they havedistinctive community appeal and have the advantage of being historicsites. As
Timothy Walch, Assistant Director of the HerbertHoover Library pointed out, Presidential libraries inremote .r..as become significant cultural assets because therear.-: i:awer cultural institutions with "overlapping Aandates." The Hoover Library in
West Branch, Iowa, in conjunction with theHoover Association, plays a relatively stronger culturalrole, becoming a forum for
1 1 10 simple theatrical productions in additionto meeting its research and museum demands."
The Role of Foundations
The extent to which a librarycan sponsor auxiliary events, depends in large part, on how able itis to fulfill its primary archival function. The strength of the PresidentialLibrary system--the blend of public and privatefunding--allows the institution to focus its allocatedresources on its mandated mission while using privatePresidential Foundation money to support auxiliary functions. The breadth of a Library's cultural role, therefore, hingeson how active the Presidential Foundation chooses to be. To a certain extent, the types ofprograms a Library offers is dependenton what the former President and his family wish to pursue. Their support forprograms such as sponsoring lectures, conferences,symposia, research grants, and publication awards, affectssignificantly the role the library plays. Without these programs, thelibrary may serve onlya narrow clientele; with theseprograms, the library may developa reputation for actively engagingin broad social, political, economic, and cultural activitiesand for supporting scholarship on the national level.
"David Horrocks,interview byauthor, Mey 281 1991; Timothy Walch, interview byauthor,May 28, 1991; Johnspan Countv Weekend Advertiser, April 20,1991,17.
9 1 11 The Jimmy Carter Foundation
The variation in Foundation support atthe various Libraries
indicates the independent development ofeach of the Libraries.
The Jimmy Carter Foundation primarily supportsthe activities and
interests of an active former President, includingfamine relief
and helping the homeless, which requirea great deal of money.
Consequently, the Foundation does not financiallysupport the
Carter Library and the Library has had to focusonly on
fulfilling its core archival mission. While the Library is in
its early years of development, thisfocus may be entirely
appropriate. As President Carter becomes less active,his Foundation may begin to directsome of its resources to the
Library's needs, although the CarterCenter, which is run by the
Foundation, eventually will be turnedover tc Emory University
and not to the Carter Library. According to Martin Elzy,
Assistant Director of the Carter Library,the Library has sufficient processing and referenceactivity to occupy the staff
for the next three to four decades,and he does not necessarily see the future need (or have the desire)to make the Library's collections available to school-aged children.12
12 Martin Elzy, interview byauthor, May 28, 1991. 12
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation
The Lyndon B. Johnson Foundationserves as a model for
active support of a Library's functions. The Foundation does not
have its own agenda, and itwas established in 1968 with the sole
purpose of helping the Johnson Library. Within the Presidential
Library system, it alone directlyfinances a portion of the
Library's daily operating costsincluding audio-visual preservation, museum exhibits, preparingoral histories, purchasing archival supplies, and fundingstaff travel. This support allows the Librarymuseum to charge no admission fee.
Additionally, the Foundationsupports the Lyndon Baines Johnson
School of Public Affairs at theUniversity of Texas and funds research grants, a speakersprogram, and symposia. Moreolver, the members of the Foundation Boardprovide the clout to attract recognized individuals forthe speakers program.13
Other Foundations
More typically, a PresidentialFoundation supports the auxiliary programs that theLibraries might not otherwisabe 'able to sponsor. According to David Horrocks,the Ford Foundation plays a crucial role in theconduct of the Ford Library'spublic programs, including supportinga speakers program and providinga research grant fund ofup to $20,000 a year. Moreover, according
Itharles Corkran,interview by author, May 29,1991.
14 13 to Dennis Daellenbach, formerly AssistantDirector of the Ford
Library, that institution hasinitiated, at the behest ofFormer
President Ford, symposia of currentissues and events basedon the Library's collections. The Truman Library Institute initially financed research grantsto that Library but recently has begun focussing on publicprograms and the museum, a shift that may well reflect the transitionof that Library from primarily serving scholarlyresearchers to mainly servingthe general public."
Who the Library Serves
Ever since the opening of theFranklin Roosevelt Libraryin
1941, the Libraries haveattracted two separate clientele. While the archives respond to theneeds of the scholarlycommunity, the museums draw the interest of thegeneral public. Until 19b6, the laws governing the PresidentialLibraries have addressedarchival questions. With the passage of thePresidential Libraries Act of
1986, the law incorporatedthe term "museum" for thefirst time, thereby legitimating theappropriateness of the Presidential exhibit within the PresidentialLibrary.
There is some debate withinthe Library system aboutthe proper balance between themuseum and archival functions. Martin Elzy holds the positionthat the archives existsto serve
Horrock3 interview; DennisDaellenbach interview by author, July 23, 1991;George Curtis interviewby author, May 29, 1991.
15 14 professionil researchers such as journalists, and collegeand university students and faculty; it does not existto serve the general public or school age children. At the other end of the spectrum, Timothy Welch defe the Hoover Library's broad application of its mission Lnclude a program called "Making
History Come Alive," an "interactive activity" for school children. Additionally, the Hoover Library, with theassistance of the Hoover Association, presentsone-person plays of historical figures. A',ccording to the Assistant Director ofthe
Harry Truman Library, George Curtis, the focus fora young
Library should be on archival activity,becoming more involved in public programs only as the facilityages. Although one could dismiss these differences as reflectingthe age of the two libraries, the Ford Library had alreadybegun a strong education program."Clearly, then, the role each Libraryassumes depends upon its particular locale, the size of its holdings,and the desires of the Former President andhis family, Library Director and Presidential Foundation. As long as a Library thoroughly satisfies its core mission, the institution,as part of its civic responsibility, can arguablyserve as broad a clientele as possible, thereby obviatingany criticism of elitism.
15 Interviews Elzy, Walch, Curtis, andHorrocks. 15
A Library's Life-Cycle
A Library's role, therefore, changes as the facilitypasses through a series of stages in its "life-cycle." In 1989, the office of Presidential Libraries conducted an internal study of
Library staffing structures which described three phases ina
Presidential Library's life-cycle. Those three phases correspond to three stages identified by the Archivist of the United States,
Dr. Don Wilson: "museum development and archival processing";a "professional use or research period"; and the "nostalgia period."" These stages are, of course, modified by the unique characteristics of each Presidential Library, suchas the length of a President's tenure, the resulting size of the noldings,the legislative and judicial mandate to release documents, and the support a library receives, in public or private financing,to do its job.
Phase I Library: The Development Stage
Phase I or the "museum development and archival processin6 stage begins while the staff works asa "materials project," initiating referenca projects and assisting themuseum staff in preparing the initial exhibits. The archival staff concentrates on achieving precise intellectual and physical controlover the holdings in expectation of moving themto the permanent site. In
"Wilson, "Presidential Libraries,"101.
7 16 so doing, they become familiar withthe holdings and with
processing highly visible butgenerally open file segments;
fulfill reference requestsfrom the former President'soffice, the current executive, Congress,and the judiciary; provide
courtesy reference service to the generalpublic; and assist the Foundation in preparing themuseum exhibits for the Library's
dedication. Compared to other archival facilitieswithin and outside NARA, PresidentialLibraries provide the public with
rapid access to the historicalrecord. "Most often," Dr. Wilson
boasts, "archival research isunder way within fiveyears of a
president leaving office,a circumstance unequalled anywhereelse in the world."17
The only National Archivesfacility which continuesto
process and make available therecords of a presidencyas a
materials project staff isthe Richard Nixon projectin
Alexandria, Virginia. The peculiar experiencesurrounding the
confiscation of PresidentNixon's papers, and theresulting legislation governing theirpreservation, will keep the collections in the Washington,DC area for the foreseeable
future. As a result, members ofthat staff have devoted their time to processing the papers and servicing referencerequests; they have only recentlyassisted the private RichardNixon Library and Birthplace in building amuseum exhibit. Library project archivists havenot been able to performother tasks,
100.
1 8 17 such as initiating oral historyor solicitation programs, much
less to consider public outreachactivities.
Phase I: The Nascent Stage
Once a Library has been dedicated,the presidential museum
is open to the public and themanuscript repository, if not
opaned simultaneously, will followsoon. The nascent library continues to focus on arranging, describing,and reviewing the papers and making them available to the public. Sch Lars,
journalists, and popular writers,are among the first to use the holdings, anticipating theavailability of new file segments.
Increasingly, the archival staffaddresses mandatory review requasts and initiates oral historyand solicitation programsto capture both the memories andthe documents of key individuals surrounding the President. Moreover, newer libraries, Ruth
Bordin and Robert Warner pointout, have a great bulk of material, all of whichmay not merit preservation andindeed may undergo further appraisalactivities. The size of themuseum staff grows, perhaps addingan education specialist toarrange museum tours and to forge strongerlinks with the surrounding schools. The Library may also considerhiring a public affairs specialist uho will guide theLibrary's media activities. Of the
1 9 18
Libraries interviewed, theCarter and Ford Libraries clearlyfall under this first stage."
The Gerald Ford Library isunique in the system becauseit separated the presidentialmuseum from the archival repository.
Warner sees this divisionas "a decision for archives," notone
against museums, contendingthat researchers do not findthe
proximity of museum objectsto be crucial to their work. The
three hour drive between GrandRapids and Ann Arbor,however,
splits apart the "creativejuxtaposition" identified byWickman. While the Ford Library inAnn Arbor avoids becomingone of the
system's "modern pyramids,"as Warner sees them, it alsoloses a
significant civic element. At this early stage in thelife- cycle, the separation may not matter much. As the facilitynears
the "nostalgia" phase,the archives may be facedwith declining
public interest. David Horrocks speculatedthat the Ford Library will not be doomed to stagnate as itages but may take itscue
from the success of theRoosevelt, Hoover, andEisenhower Libraries in remainingactive with public programs.°
"Ruth B. Bordin,and Robert M. Warner,The Modern Manuscript Library, (NewYork: Scarecrow Press,1966), 5-6; Sister Louise Lovely, "The Evolution ofPresidential Libraries," Government PublicationsReview 6 (1979): 29.
°Robert M.Warner, "The Prologue isPast," American Archivist 18 (January1978): 12-13; Horrocksinterview.
20 19
Phase II: ProfessicnalUse or Research Stage
Twenty-five years afteropening, a Library issquarely in a "professional use or research period." A library has metmost of its primary solicitation,?,nd oral history goalsand archivists
undertake long-term processingprojects including moredetailed
descriptions of the collections. Reference activity reachesits peak; as the more sensitivepapers are made available through
mandatory review anddeclassification, scholars,a generation
removed from the periodthey are studying, plodthrough the boxes, looking for thedocuments to cement theircareers.
The Johnson andTruman Libraries are examplesof facilities in this stage. Charles Corkran of theJohnson Library estimated that two-thirds of thecollections wereopen to research use and that processing wouldnot be completed for anotherten to fifteen years. With key documentsand collections yetto be made available, researchinterest in that Library'sholdings will remain high for theforeseeable future. An archivist's role during this phaseis one of criticallylinking the primary sources to those interpreting them. The presidentiallibrary, therefore, has preserved and made available thematerial which forms the foundation for scholarly debate,strengthening academia specifically and thehumanities generally. A library, with its
Foundation's assistance,might alsosponsor conferences to allow researchers to present their arguments totheir peers inan open forum. Harr/ Truman fashionedhis facility to "notbe a personal
21 20
memorial, but a government-owned center forresearch." In so
doing, the Truman Library "pioneered forother presidential
libraries and similar organizations infostering research and bringing together scholars and public figures.""
Phase III: The Mature Library
Phase III marks the beginning of the "mature"library, a
facility whose archival staff spendsa relatively greater amount of time on reference rather thanon processing activity. The primary oral history and solicitation effortswill have been completed and a /ibrary may be receiving only small or fairly . insignificant additional collections. Declassification, although still a part of the Library's operation,loses its intensity when documents become fifty years old. In 1979, one author estimated the percentage of closed material at theolder libraries: the Roosevelt Library had less thatone tenth of one percent, the
Truman Library had approximately threepercent, and the Hoover
Library had about two percent. With reduced researcher interest and little processing to do, thelibrary requires a smaller staff, losing archivists to attrition.n
"Corkran interview; Donald R. McCoy, The National Asslggtg_iir)ILA_live:Amra'slvnents1934-198(Chapel Hill: University of North CarolinaPress, 1978), 292, 299-300.
21 The figure for the Hoover Librarymight be misleading since it accounts for only thedomestic policy papers; the foreign policy papers remainat the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Lovely, 29, although she doesnot provide any documentation for her statistics; Warner and Bordin, 5-6. 21
The crux of the problem for older libraries,as Warner sees it, is that they cannot rely onmuseums to maintain public
interest. "Presidential libraries will have toaccept the fact
that the research usefulness of these institutionsneeds reexamination." Even though the museums draw a larger number of
patrons than do the libraries, they do not attract thekind of
people who would use the libraries'resources, nor does the
public's attraction bolster theresources available. Because
Libraries must operate on their own, they havebroadened their
traditional functions and adopted "some usefuland innovative
programs" to keep researcher interest alive. He warns that
Presidential libraries "must change if theyare not to become
expensive fossils of limiteduse to the research community and to the archival profession."n
The Herbert Hoover Library
The Hoover Library, under the Directionof Richard Norton
Smith, has met one of the challengesposed by the Archivist of
the United States, Dr. Don Wilson. As Dr. Wilson re(7,ently explained, "in order to retain itsrelevance, the mature
[presidential] library must intensifyits outside activities."
Wilson defined two paths fora library to follow: "We face a
choice in this phase of . . . stagnation, or . . . reaching out
nWarner, 13, 15.
f)3 22 aggressively to non-academic audiencesto make history come
alive.""At the Hoover Library, Smithinitiated a three part
plan to help his facility surviveits "mid-life crisis." Without compromising its reputationas a first-rate archival repository,
Smith hoped that publicprograms and "cooperative ventures with
other museums, libraries, andhistorical organizations" would help the Library raise itsvisibility as a nationalcenter for historical research and becomea premier cultural asset for the entire Midwest."
During the last fewyears, the Hoover Library museum has staged a number of exhibit:1which have attracteda substantial number of visitors. On the archival side, thefacility re- initiated a solicitationprogram focussing on collections which would supplement particularsubject area interests intheir files whether or not the collectionswere directly relevant to Hoover himself.25 While Timothy Walch, theHoover Library's Assistant
Director, cautioned that hedid not believe that thistype of policy should be undertakenby a library duringan earlier phase of its development, he didthink that the Hoover Library,prior to Smith's assuming theDirector's position, hadfallen into a nostalgia stage. The definitive worksabout that President had
""National ArchivistSays Activity Healthy forHayes Center," News-Messenger(Freemont, Ohio), May 31,1991.
"Smith, 117.
25Walch interview. 24 23
been written and researchers had lessreason to visit the
facility in West Branch, Iowa. As Walch commented, the new collections have added value to the Presidential papers and have
renewed research interest in the facility. The Library has also
published documentary works, expanded its ties to the University
of Iowa, and co-sponsored the Center for the Study of theRecent History of the United States.26
The Road Ahead
Archivists within the Presidential Library system have
debated the efficacy of drawing interest into the Librariesby expanding their role. George Curtis, Assistant Director of the
Truman Library, speculated that the current trend towardoutreach may be, in the long run, an experiment in trying to strikea
balance between an archives focussingon its core mission and
offering supplementary publicprograms. He hoped that this balance might be found ,a processing the collectionsto an even greater extent, creating museum exhibits which speakto a more highly educated audience, and publishingcollections to make them more widely available. Moreover, Curtis cautioned thata successful Library may not be judged by thenumber of visitors it has but may be measured by the qualityof work it has produced."
Curtis may be proven correct thatmany of the projects
26Ibid.; Smith, 117, 120.
"Curtis interview. 2 5 24
falling under the realm ofoutreach and publicprograms were just exercises in experimentation. But future archivists will be able
to make that determination only ifthe process of implementing
new ideas continues. Curtis's point that theseprograms should
never overshadow the core purpose of thePresidential Libraries
is one that everyone in PresidentialLibraries should take to heart. Any other programs thata Library may want to sponsor
will be done based upon theobligations established by theformer President and his family, theage of the facility, the staff
resources available, and additional privatefunding.
A Library may only faintlyresemble its earlier manifestation. Certain programs are rightlypursued only during certain stages in a Library'sdevelopment. A first stage Library should not engage in activitieswhich drain itsresources away from processing andreference. Establishing outreachprograms with collIges and universitiesmay not take too much effort and may provide for a lasting relationshipthat the Library willcome to greatly appreciateas the facility ages. Developing outreach projects for school-agedchildren, such as educatiLaialpackets, should come duringa Library's second stage whenthe archives has made availablea sizable portion of its 7Aoldings.
A Library in the thirdstage of its development hasthe greatest need forprograms to keep interest alivebut it should resist adoptingprograms which may be at ot'4d._2 wi.hits core mission. While the Hoover Libraryhas undertaken many commendable projects,such as publishing document and sponsoring
6 25
conferences, it has raised critical archival questionsby
initiating a new solicitation policy basedon acquiring
collections which bear no direct relationship to theformer President. Have all the sources directly related to Herbert
Hoover been acquired and thoroughly processed? Is the Library
competing with other manuscript gathering institutionsfor collections which bear only an indirect connectionto Hoover or his presidency? Is the National Archives the proper entity to
solicit the papers? Is the Federal government trying to overstep its mandate?
Ralph Bledsoe, Director of the RonaldReagan Library, recognizes that a Presidential Library playsan official role as a local representative of the Federal government. Since there are so few Presidential Libraries, Bledsoeargues, each facility can play a unique role in its community; itmay be the only federal government installation with highand positive public recognition in its immediatearea. As such, the library can become a political resource for the localcommunity. As he sees it, the library may well bea vital link to Washington with the library staff assisting the publicin knowing how the national government is structured, how it operates,and what agencies exist for the public benefit. The more experience the Library staff acquires in addressing questionsabout the organization of the Executive Branch of the Federalgovernment, the better able they will be to assist archivalrusearchers in the nuances of the White House staff offices.
7 26
Those Libraries that weather best the "nostalgia"phase will
continue to have strong private support to supplementtheir operating budgets--support that may mean the differencebetween a
Library focusing exclusively on its core mission anda Library which can sponsor a wide variety of educationalprograms. Strong
private financial support will allow thesevery special public
institutions to promote their civic responsibilities andto address the needs and interests of themany and not just of the
few. 27 Bibliography
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