REPO' T R E s UM E$ LI 000$60 ED 020 7% SERVICES. A REPORT SURVEY OF onw LIBRARIESAND STATE. LIBRARY TO THE STATE LIBRARYBOARD. BY- BLASINGAME, RALPH AND ()Twits OHIO STATE LIBRARYBOARD, COLUMBUS PUB DATE 6 EDR$ PRICE MF440.75 NC-57.72 191P.

DESCRIPTORS- *PUBLIC LIBRARIES,*LIBRARY SURVEYS,*STATE LIBRARIES, *PROGRAMDEVELOPMENT, *LUNAR/SERVICES, IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS,FINANCIAL SUPPORT,PROGRAM COORDINATION, LIBRARYPROGRAMS, LIBRARYCOOPERATION, DECENTRALIZED LIBRARYSYSTEM, CENTRALIZATION,REGIONAL PLANNING, OHIO, STUDIES ON VARIOUS USING INFORMATION FROM5 COMMISSIONED REPORT), -ASPECTS OF OHIO LIBRARIES(SUMMARIZED IN THIS QUESTIONNAIRES, AND FIELDVISITS, THIS SURVEYIS INTENDED TO AND TO PROVIDE A SERVE AS A BEGINNINGFOR" ONTINUOUS PLANNING GENERAL FRAMEWORK FORSTATE-WIDE ACTIONPROGRAMS. PROBLEM. AREAS FOR OHIO PUBLICLIBRARIES ARE SEEN AS--FINANCIAL ALLOCATION OF THE SUPPORT ,THAT CONESFROM COUNTY BY COUNTY LIBRARIANS, PUBLIC INTANGIBLES TAX,COMPLACENCY AMONG MANY BY-SCHOOL-BOARDS, A STATELIBRARY LIBRARY BOARDS-APPOINTED THAT IS ORIENTED TORURAL AREAS AND HASAN UNCLEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH STATEGOVERNMENT, AND A LACKOF COMMUNICATION IN MANY AREASOF OHIO LIBRARYSERVICE. SPECIFIC 4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESTATE LIBRARYINCLUDEIMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY REFERENCE ITS COLLECTIONS ANDSTAFF TO PROVIDE TO BECOME A SERVICE, EXPANSIONOF THE UNION CATALOG THE STATE, ELIMINATIONOF DIRECT BIBLIOGRAPHIC CENTER FOR OF CIRCULATION AND TRAVELING LIBRARYSERVICES, AND PROVISION LIBRARIES. GENERAL' CENTRALIZED PROCESSINGSERVICES FOR PUBLIC FOR RECOMMENDATIONS EMPHASIZETHE REGIONAL APPROACH ORGANIZATION OF SERVICE,AND THRE MAJOR AREASCF FURTHER THE FOLLOWING ORDEROF LIBRARY DEVELOPMENTARE SUGGESTED IN Of THE ROLE OF l'PRIORIT-(1) ENLARGEMENTAND CLARIFICATION AND IMPLEMENTATIONOF THE OHIOSTATE LIBRARY, (2) DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF EQUALIZATIONOF LIBRARY SERVICESFOR ALL THE MAJOR RESIDENTSI-AND-13)_ DEVELOPMENTOF PLANS-TO RELATE LIBRARIES TO STATE 4WIDE-NEEDS4-A-- -RESOURCES-OF-THE-CITY RELATED DOCUMENT IS LI000569, AN APPENDIXTO THIS SURVEY, RESULTS. GIVING-THE QUESTIONNAIRES-USEDAND THE STATISTICAL (JO) 1

.3 *

t

a

STATE, LIBRARY SERVICES

a

A report to theState Library Soarcl by Ralph EVasingame SURVEY OF OHIO LIBRARIES

AND

STATE LIBRARY SERVICES

A Reportto the State Library Board

by

Ralph Blasingame

U.S DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH, EDUCAHON & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCEDEXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINION! PERSON OR ORGANIZATIONORIGINATING IT. REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION STATED DO NOT NECE!YARILY POSITION OR POLICY, Assisted by

JamesF. Renard and F. William Summers

Columbus The__State Library of Ohio 1968 RALPH BLASINGAME TEL 201 - 545-7630 24 PINE RIDGE DRIVE EAST BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 08516

February 21, 1963

Mr. Joseph E.Hurst, President State Library 3oard State Library of Ohio Columbus, Ohio 43215

Dear Mr. Thirst: report on the Strvey of I am pleasedto subtit herewith my The-qtudy-has-been=a Obio Librariesand State Library services.- Y wish to thank most interesting onefor me and myassociates. the freedom which ycu u and the othermembers of the 3oard for also wish to have given to all of usinvolved in this work. I given to us by Mr.Joseph Shubert, express my thanksfor the assistance and many other membersof the Miss Ruth Hess,Mrs. Faith Stoughton State Library staff. letter that I regardthis It may be usefulto stress in this rather than as a report as thbeginning of a planning process development in Ohio which complete blueprintfor public library relatively unchanged for many might be put intoeffect whole anti go trustees, librariansand years.If the reportstimuiutes boards of to active andwide-spread others interestedin library development served its purpose. In discussion of itssubstance it will have recommendations followed fact, I should preferthat to having my constructive criticism. slavishlywtthout_drawing_comment_and

Sincerely,

1t13/pr 4

Contents

Acknowledgements

4 Introduction

Chapter I. History of OhioPublic Libraries 16

Chapter II, Present Status

Chapter III. The State Library 52

81 Chapter IV. Personnel

99 Chapter V. Governance

116 Chapter VI. Communication a

Chapter VII. Ohio LibraryAssccietion Ohio Library TrusteeAssociation 127

150 Chapter VIII. Recommendations

Chapter II. Estimated Costs 185

Appendix (Issued separately) Acknowledgements

This study has been carried out under a contract bith the Ohio State Library Board. The members of the Board, the State Librarian and various other members of the State Library staff have all been most helpful. The assistance of all these people has been freely given and invaluable.

At the invitation of the Board, a Survey Advisory Committee comp%)sed of oistinguished Ohioans met with the study director four times during the course of the work. The comments of the Committee members have also been very helpful.Their willingness to devote time and thought to the project is deeply appreciated.

The Ohio Library Association Library Development Committee assisted in a number of ways*The backing of this group lent weight to-the various regulate made of librarians and trustees for information by persons performing special studies. Comments of members of this Committee have also beenvaluable. The names of the persons who served on these committees are listedfollowing this acknowledgement.

The final report is based upon the study director'spersonii review of existing data, returns from specialquestionnaires, and impressions gathered on field trips.All mistakes and omissions are his. However, this study was conceived from tha beginning as the work of several specialists. Five special studies, conse- quently, were commissioned andmuch,of the information and many of the recommendationsinthis report are taken directly from those studies. They are:

Ellen Altman. "The Ohio Library Association and The Ohio Library Trustee Association". CNew Brunswick, N.J., Author a 1967.78 pages.planographede

Kenneth E. Beasley* "Review of Ohio Library Laws and Governing Structure of Boards". 16 pages. In press.

Philip He Ennis. "Ohio Library Manpower: A Statistical Report". 83 pages plus appendices. In press. Nelson Associates. The Ohio State Library: Present Operations and. Future Opportunities ". c New York3 Nelson Associates, Inc., 1967. 46 pages and appendix. planographed.

F. William Summers, "Communications: A Survey of Ohio Libraries". cNewBrunswick, N.J., Author3 1967. 7i pages. planographed. These studies were conceived of as extended memoranda to the study director. Each has been reproduced in very limited edition and is available for study through the Ohio State Library.The study director is deeply indebted to the authors of the studies, not onlj for their excellent reports, but also for their willingness to share their observations and special insights. Chapters III through VII are summaries of these apes al_ studies.

Various data were supplied to the authors of the special studies as it became available. This method resulted in some duplication. In a few cases, this duplication appears in the final report because of its importance to the context ofa chapter. In most cases, it has been eliminated.

Mr. James F. Renard worked as research assistant through out the study, organising data, seeking out appropriate liter. -ature and drafting the chapter on History. Mr. F. Summers, State Librarian of Florida,:in addition towriting the study on communications, devoted several- weeks ofhis time to field visits and to an analysis of bookcollections.

Ralph BLasingame, Director, Survey of Ohio Libraries and State Library Services nrl

Survey Advi,ors,Committee

Ralph Hughes,Columbus . Chairman Thomas 0. Mathues,Dayton Brady Black, Cincinnati Dr. Robert E.Miner, Columbus Erle Bridgewater,Athens O'Neill, Columbus Shaker Heights Hon. C. William Harry 14. Broder, Parsons, Columbus Columbus A. Chapman Charles A. Calhoun, Akron Celebrezze, Cleveland John H. Rebenack, Mrs. Anthony J. Mrs. Milton J,Schloss, Cimcinnati Mrs. Joseph Else,Perrysburg Loren E« Souers,Jr., Canton George J. Gould,Toledo Wieting, Columbus Marietta Dr. C. Maurice Mrs. Raymond Guthrie, William J. Worrell,Akron Mrs, George T.Harding, III,Worthington Dr. Elden T.Smith, Delaware Judge CLArles P.Henderson, Youngstown

gJs.LakuyAugctgiain Librarx DevelopmentCommittee, 196Z

Public Library .Chairman Edward A.DiAlessandro, Cleveland Columbus Robert N. Case,Department of Education, Library, Maumee Dorothy Strouse,Lucas County Public Library,Cleveland Lewis C. Naylor,Cuyahoga County County PublicLibrary Williaar Chait, Daytonand Montgomery Shaker Heights Mildred Krohn PublicSchool Libraries, M:lmberg, Toledo Public Library Mrs, Margie Department of LibraryScience Guy Marco, Dean,Kent State University John H. RebenacksAkron PublicLibrary James PiCkering,Warder PublicLibrary, Springfield Mildred Sandoe,Xenia Science, Dorothy Sinclair,Scluvl of Library Western ReserveUnivereity Cleveland of Ohio, Columbus Joseph F. Shubert,The State Library Sarah Cody, ClevelandHeights Public Library Public Library A. T. Dickinson,Jr., Mansfield Bowling Green StateUniversity Libraries A. Robert Rogers, Library Elizabeth S. BrickersNorth-Canton-Public of Cincinnati Lawrence A. Kane,Jr., Public Library and HamiltonCounty LibraryBoard Introduction

The major domestic problems of the next generation arise from the many-faceted

features of population change.. .

We will have to respond to the employment problems of rapid technological change with a vast array of educational, technical, and vocational programs.We will have to improve graduate education and expand the research resources of our state.

With rising incomes and more leisure time, our citizens will have greater opportunities for recreation, study, and travel. We will have to build upon the foundations of our present programs in these areas to encourage and accomodate participation ink these and other cultural activities. .

Whether we like it or not, we live in a society which is highly industrialized and whose whole style of life has been

deeply affected by massive social and economic changes brought about in a relatively short time by industrialization, urban-

ization and automation.

Because these changes have been the subject of much comment

4nvast4gationo-it is not necessary to do more than present

some of them in brief form here.

Population changes: It is appropriate here again to quote the

report just cited:

1Ohio Development Department. State Regional Planning Bateau. Plannin for Develo ent: The Ohio Com-rehen lye PlAnnin Program. cColumbus, 19 73 11 3. _4_ It is estimated that ourpresent population of 10,600,000 people willswell to nearly 18,000,000 by the year 2000 . anincrease of nearly seventy percent. The staggering magnitude of this growth in populationis realized when we recall that the first142 years of statehood wererequired to accamu. late a population of about7,500,000, little more than the populati2nincrease projected for the next 35 years.4

Not only have we experienced a very greatincrease in the rate at which the population isgrowing, but also we are experiencing other major changes. The low birth rates of the depression years have left us withfar too few persons in the age groups from which leadershipfor the various professions is normally drawn. At the same time, the percentage ofolder persons has risen sharply.

Families migrated in great numbers for aperiod of about fifty years into the great urbancenters in order to be near the centers of production. Now, many families have movedfrom those centers to the suburbs. Traditionally, we have thought ofthe suburbs as feeding persons into theurban centers. Increasingly, the pattern is now changing sothat vage earners live in one

"suburb" and work in another; we aredeveloping a new form of

"multi centered city" less dependent onthe few very large

urban centers than was formerly the case. Meanwhile, a large

number of persons who have notparticipated in the affluent

society and who consequently arenot highly literate,technically

skilled, or otherwise suited toready assimilation have movedinto

the central cities.

2Loc.cite 6.

Occupational Chan es: The influence of industrialization and the mechanization (now-automation) of-production-of-goods flowing from industrialization have brought, and are bringing, major changes to our occupations. In Ohio both the development of industry in and near the urban centers and the revolution in agriculture have radically reduced the number of positions avail - able to unskilled persons. EVen among skilled persons, techno. logical change and economic shifts have created problems of obso. lescence of sklil and, thus- , at leaat or-ary- hardship.-- -"he effortsorts to mak.1 advanced training or retraining facilities avail. able have been less than adequate in many cases.

Demand for persons having received graduate degrees has mushroomed; the supply of such persons has not kept pace.- As individual productivity has increased, the work week for many persons, whose preparation often does not require extensive edu- cation, has been shortened. It is possible that these opposite forces may soon make it seem undesirable for the individual to carry his education forward unless he can foresee more or less immediate reward.

Educational Changes: In 1965, the average educational level of the person in our working force exceeded 12 years for thefirsttimed

This evidence of the trend to educate large numbers of people to a relatively high degree, compared with past conditions, suggests other trends. A vastly increased number of persons are involved

3Speechby Dr. Seymour Wolfbein, Economist, U. S. Department of Labor. 7. in formal and informal programsof education, frompre-school to highly specialized programsof-advanced-study-in_educational institutions on the one hand toin-service programs inindustry on the other.Altogether, the emphasis hasrecently been on independent study, whatever thecontext. The recent rapidgrowth of community colleges and thetrend toward commutingstudents, as

distinguished from students in residence,in-those and-four-year

colleges suggests the need for awide-spread network of libraries

and other study facilities. Compression of the curriculum, so

that subjects once taught onlyin college are now foundin many

high school curricula, and theaddition of subjects oncelabelled

"exotic" suggest increasingattention to education and tospeeding

up and broadeningin the process. __- 1962 of Chan ein Information andKnowledge: The publication in

Fritz Machlup's landmark the United States(Princeton University Press) stands as a

in the developinginformation industry.There are many complex

aspects to this industry. However, the facets ofit which concern

us in this study arethose related to theprodigious increase of prolifer- research in terms of do,larsspent, information produced, sites at which ation of subject specialitiesand sub-specialties, and poten- research is performed andgoVernmental participation in

tial gain from the processes.-Government has, aside from its and other sponsorship of research andthe creation of universities to this research centers, two mainresponsibilities with respect evolvinginformation industry.. First, it isresponsible for insuring the_developmentof the informa.tiotiindustry itself if the new information-basedindustries are to developwithin the state. Information must be harnessed and put to work if any state is to maintain a healthy atmosphere for the business and industry of the future. Second, state government has a responsi- bility_ to provide the_channels through whichapplicable information may flow to and through social institutions so asto ameliorate the effects of some of the other areas of change suggestedhere.

That istthe stategovernment has a responsibility toward the Legalexploitation of the results of re rch. CommunicationChaagea;We live in a multi media age, though one may disagree that-we lia-v-e-t-one-so far that the medium really = is the massage.The dominant media for the dissemination of everyday information (the press, television, radio, forexample) are oriented toward presenting messages useful to one or another sponsor.This is not to suggest that news is falsified; it is to suggestthat much of the newspaper space, of the television screentime and of the "ear time" of both television and radio aredevoted to adver- tieing and the promotion of one or another setof ideas and attitudes.

While one thinks of these media as having certaineducational effects

(reaL or potential) it is nonetheless true that only educational institutions(including libraries) are organized so as to permit

the recipient of information and knowledgeboth to decide what it

is he wishes toknowabout and to makehis own mistakes and dis-

coveries as he attempts to gain some kind ofcontrol over, the 9.

think that subjects he elects to explore. Thus, while we may bookstores are the mass media, paperbackbooks, book clubs and

supplying both massiveamounts of informationand multiple all opportunities to have access toinformation, still these are

information sources are supplier-oriented.The user-oriented

_Yirtually alleitherPuttli4Y_supported_through_taices_or_ in a data -rich privately endowed. This mediating influence

civilization may provide machof the rationale forthe continued and other similar and increased supportof libraries. museums

institutions in the future. rise to many Urbapizationt The urban...industrialsociety has given

institutions-designadteitherpmduce-or-#Sseminate,_knowledge,L_ in the great Among the earliest ofthese institutions to emerge These urban centers were thepredetessors of the publiclibrary. variety of reasons. subscriptionlibraries were established for a mechanics among them,to provide opportunitiesfor artisans and a store of books to pool theirresources in order to require concept of useful to them.: Fromtheseinstitutions emerged the The rapid increase in free- the publicly supportedfree library. of the -public-libraries follows thesharp upturn in urbanization history generally middle of the 19th century. Ohio's public library

-parallels -that-of-the-Uriited-States. development of The great urban centersdid not show any even

libraries free public orotherwise. For example, the Boston and has been Public Library wasestablished over 100 years ago Philadelphia's relatively well supportedfor long periodsof time. 10.

Free Library was established less than 50 years agoand was

poorly supported until rather recently Nonethelessoit was

the large city that there emerged(1) the great variety of special

audiences required for the support of largelibrary systems, and

a multiplicity of separatelibraries, (2) the economy whichboth

-demanded sources of knowledge and couldafford to support them

well and (3) leadership for theformation of such voluntary in-

stitutions. Ohio's city public libraries alsodeveloped somewhat

unevenly.However, thoy are generally welldeveloped and several

are quite outstanding. The central city public library hasbeen

a strong influencein the development of allpublic libraries and

has-been-to some degreeinfluential in the development of other

types of libraries. Particularly in the area, of readerservice

development has the large city librarybeen influential.

The Prototype PublicLibrary: Some of the outstandingcharacter-

istics of many city publiclibraries from the beginning havebeen

(1) support by a single unit ofgovernment, (2) voluntary,rather

than mandatory, nature of support,(3) development of "systems" with

internal hierarchies and multipleservice outlets, (4) lack of

dependence upon state governmentexcept for permissive enabling

legislation. Because of the vigor withwhich these characteristics

have been presented to theprofession, they-have-itiflueneed-virtatallr-

all public libraries, urbanand otherwise. Many non -urban areas

have not presented the conditionsprerequisite to the creation and

support of libraries of aquality the practitioners nowfeel is

acceptable. This lack of variety of models orprototypes has 11.

services especially resulLed in unevendevelopment of library funds (property between cities arld rural areas. The source of intangibles tax) ag. taxes generally; inOhio the local situs relationship to gravated this unevennessbecause of its casual need for services. changing urban New Trends inUrbanization: Now, in the rapidly provided most of the users context, the middleclass which has other types of li. for the large publiclibrary and for certain landscape in such afashion braries, is being dispersedover the concentrations of spa- that it is unlikelythat we will see new future. At the same time, cial audiences anytime in the near

industries are in afair number of casesbeing dispersed from large urban contacts. the traditionallocation in or near the traditionally provided our Thus, both thepopulation which has libraries audience and theeconomic base forsupport of large urban area. In many are being scatteredabout over a large become influentialin local cases, these groupshave not easily

governmental units. university and special The central citylibrary (and the who do not contribute library) are often beingused by people the need for infor. in any way to theirsupport.In other uords, oft;_indeed, it hasintensified mation has in all its aspects. with the increasingcomplexity of society centers of information, The means of supoortof certain large there seems to be a however. may bedeclininc. Or, at least,

considerable danger ofsuch decline. 12.

Pri As this study has progressed,it has appeared to the

-surveyor, that -threemajor -areas-or-further=library development_

are evident. They are here presented inthe, recommended order

of priority:

1. Enlargement and clarificationof the role of the

Ohio State Library andalterations in staffing and

organization to the and that it maybe a strong voice

in Columbus speaking onmatters of importance to

braries generally. There is a traditional role for

the State Library with respect topublic libraries.

That role -should be enlarged,-but-concentration-on

that role should not obscureother potential roles.

The nature and magnitude ofthe problems of state

wide library development pointstrongly to the need

for such an expanded andstrengthened central agency.

In crucial issues such asfuture methods of finance

and development of adequatereference services, cer-

tain critical decisions must bemade in Columbus.

The state government musthave within its own

framework a source of factand interpetation, of

idea development andimplementation which is re..

spected as capable of helpingto make-such decisions.

2. Development andimplementation oi programs of

equalization of opportunity foreach resident of

Ohio. One of the most obviousproblems present in support for Ohio is that, despiteits high average 4.

13.

public libraries, there are markedinequalities

AcittdatIvnunties_as well_asibet_wmmLareas_ot_the__

state. A fundamental reason for theexistence of

state government is to ease suchconflicts. The

greater resources of the state bothin sources

of income and in human resourceswhich can be

tapped, as compared to localgovernment, must be

applied to problems of equalizationof opportun-

ity if the state is to retainits relevance.

3. Development of planswhereby the major resources

represented by the citylibraries of-Ohio can be

related to state-wide needs. Residents of suburbs

which will not ever be thecenters of the rich var.

iety of special audiences asthe cities are

(though perhaps temporarily)show, their need for

the libraries through the usethey make of them.

Students at sail levels fromhigh school through

college (and, in some instances,surely, through

the first year of graduatestudy) cal, on these

libraries. Businesses and industries oftenmain.

tain special libraries whichregard their role as

that of locating informationheld in otherlibraries This as much as buyingmaterials for their own use.

type of use will increase asspecialized businesses

and industries, relyingheavily on large collections,

grow in number,size, and importancerelative to

traditional enterprises. 14.

At the same time, the changing nature of the

central city and consequent changes in thepublic

library must be taken into account. The public

library is still primarily a local responsibility.

It must be adapted to its environment. The major

changes suggested should be the focusof research

and experimentation. Joint sponsorship of such

programs by the cities andthe state will be

required if a body of fact is tobe built up

sufficient to serve as the underpinningsfor

%meaningful services.

The order of priority abovereflects the belief that a strong, articulate State Library is anabsolute requirement for effec. tive action, that equalization is anobvious problem which can be attacked by tested means andthat certain aspects of the een.r tral city problems, while veryimportant, can be immediately tied into an equalization program,but that basic adaptation to the changed environmentwill require long term efforts.

This study is set forth not ascontaining a complete pro- gram for state -wide service but rather as being a beginningfor a continuousplanning process, and also as providing ageneral framework for state -wide action programs. There are limitations inherent in the survey process;ordinarily, a survey raises as many questions as it answers. For this reason, considerable stress should be laid on therecommendations reating to im. provement of information collecting andanalysis methods. It 15.

planning will require should be assumed thatadequate continuous and that both that some general roles oroutlines be followed frequent changes in programs maybe necessary. it is not a study Another limitation ofthis study is that libraries Ohio of library finances orthe method of financing It is, rather, astudy elected to inaugurate ageneration ago. in part, fromthose mat- of the conditionswhich have resulted, finances, both themethod ters. At the same time,the subject of throughout the study. and the levelresulting, has been of concern Chapter I

Brief History of Ohio's Public. Libraries

The beginnings of library service can be traced to the year

1796 when Ohio was then a territory as designated by the Ordinance of 1787. Colonel Israel Putnam, who, in order to share his family books with the nearby community of Marietta, organized a company of shareholders, each share selling for tendollars.1 It soon became known as the Belpre Farmers' Library and established a precedent for some 187 other "social" libraries established throughout Ohio prior to1850.2The subscription or socialli- brary was a prevailing type of "public" library at the time.

Libraries, with few exceptions, were as public asthe schools of that day, open to anyone who could afford thesubscriptionfees.3

In many settlements there-was a notable lack of currency.

Ames Township of nearby Athens, for example, was acommunity of

New England homesteaders who had brought theirculture with them, but not their books. A town meeting in lie fall of1803 led to the formation of the Western Library Association,better known as

1Elizabeth FariAmt, "The History of Libraries inOhio", Ohio Library Association Bulletin, April,1961, Volume 31,- Nutber 2, P.3.

2HaynesMcMullen, "The Use of Books in theOhio Valley before 1850", Journal of Library History, Volume1, Number 1, January, 1966, p. 49.

Farces, op. eit. III D ,40

.16- 17.

whereby subscribers con- the Coonskin Library.It was a plan Boston, sold, and tributed five to ten peltswhich were taken to books purchased with theproceeds Ohio attained Daring this period oflibrary development, in Chillicothe, statehood, and thelegislature, then convening by passing accepted petitions forincorporation of libraries library.5 The separate acts of legislationfor each petitioning became so passage of thesespecial lawsincorporating librarie*s 1817 a general law was burdensome to thelegislature that in of libraries. The number passed providing forthe incorporation these early yearsis indi. of attempts toestablish libraries in self - improvement cative of thegeneral interestin culture and 6 on the partof these Ohiopioneers. Assembly approved Another piece oflegislation the General Thomas Worthingtonto establish in 1317 was arequest of Governor contingency fundsvoted for the a StateLibrary by utilizing the State Library Governor the previous year. At its inception, and governmental was to serveonly members ofthe legislature authorized by the officials, but, intime, the StateLibrary was 7 to the generalpublic. legislature to expandits library services

Kent Early OhioLibraries*, The Serif, 'Grace Goulder, "Some March, 1966, p. State University,Library Quarterly,

3Fairies,op. cit., P. 3. 6 Educational Papers",Educational J. J. Burns,"Libraries and History of Ohio,1903, Columbus, p.237. Ohio: 7C. B. Galbreath, Sketches of OhioLibraries, Columbus, 1902, p. 19. Fred J. Heer,State Printer, 18.

As the population of Ohio expanded during the18201s and

$301s, two new types of libraries sprang up, both importedfrom 8 the east, and each catering to a specific class of people. The apprentices or mechanic library and the mercantilelibrary had appeal to young men of lwer middle class backgroundwho were

learning new skills for the emerging industrialand business

community. In some cases, the expenses of theselibraries were

born by the company or some community philanthropist,but ordin-

arily they were paid for by subscriptions fromtheworkers.9

At the other extreme were libraries whichdeveloped out of

the "ljceum era". Lyceums were associations formed for the par-

pose of holding discussionsand hearing lectures, but in many of

them libraries were established as one of theactivities. Some

of these lyceum associations began to conductlecture series in

order to make money for the purchase ofbooks. Those who spon-

sored the lyceums and the librarieswhich resulted were upper

middle class reflecting the values of a sound educationand an 10 appraciation for cultural activities.

Basically, all the libraries up to this time weresubscripii

tion libraries. They were the public libraries of their day,

8 McMullen, op. cit.. p. 52.

9ElmerD. Johnson, Communication, The ScarecrowPress,Inc., 2nd ed., New York, 19 Gip.

1°Faries,op. cit.. p. 3-4, 19.

College but freedom of accessto these librariesvaried greatly. but most other libraries were often opento the local community, members of some kind collections of books couldbe used only by 11 The passage of theSehool of association whohad paid some fee. long struggle forthe Act in 1853 markedthe culmination of a

school and developed arationale for legis-

tax supported public , tax.supported lation that would empower acommunity to establish libraries, completely public libraries. These first tax.supported services for the subordinated to theschools, did not provide subscription librarycollections out.of-school reader.Many of the libraries that were formed the nuclei forthe new public school legislation authorizedmuni- being organized. Finally, in 1869, and readingrooms.12 cipalities to open andmaintain free libraries important events Just before the turnof the century two Association and the took place...organizationof the Ohio Library the public in general. extension of StateLibrary services to Association at Returning from ameeting of theAmerican Library H. Brett, Directorof the Lake Placid, NewYork in 1895, Mr. W. the need for astate associaa Clsveland PublicLibrary, discussed travelling with, him. An tion with severalcolleagues who were evening, February27, 1895, organization meeting washeld Wednesday about thirty-five at the Neil, House inColumbus. The following day

11McMullen, op. cit., p.49.

12Faries, op. cit., p.4. 20.

13 librarians, representing 202 libraries in existence at that time, assembled at the State Library and completed the organ- 14 ization of the Ohio Library Association by adopting a constitution

The other event of significance was an act of the legisia. ture in 1896 which entitled the State Library to expand its

services in order better to serve the people of Ohio. From this

new encouragement developed the conceptof a travelling library

department in which books were loaned to borrowers outside of

Columbus, thus making books readily available to rural communities

and remote villages where library service did not exist. This

travelling library idea was adapted by several city librarians

who saw its application to the supplying of classroomcollections

to public and private schools and the initiation of depositcol- 15 lections to outlying areas of the city.

The special legislation enacted in 1898 authorizingcounty-

wide library service was the result of the effortsof the Bramback

heirs to effect their father's will that$50,000 be spent for a 16 county library. Thus the Brumback family of Van Wert created

the first county library system, aprecedent which the Cincinnati

Public Library of Hamilton Countyquickly imitated. By these two

13Fifty-third Annual Report of theCommissioners of the Ohio State Library to the Governor of the State ofOhio for the Year Ending November 15, 1898, The Westbote Co., StatePrinters, Columbus, 1899, p. 113.

14NFortyYears of Growth, A Brief History ofthe Ohio Library Association from 1895 to 1935", prepared bythe Anniversary Committee, Effie Power, Chairman, Ohio Library Association Handbook,1935, unpaged.

1 5Faries,op. cit p.5. 16 Galbreath, op. cit., p. 265-286. examples, the county library movement was stimulated in other

17 areas of the State.

Also boosting the expansion of library service in Ohio was the establishment of a law in 1906 which created within the

State Library the office of Library Organizer. This position was designed to provide a professional viewpoint to those cora- munities desiring to establish a library or improve their li- 18 brary service to the community.

Around 1921, other events occurred which had great impact on the form of organization of Ohio'spublic libraries. Brahm's

description follows:

Until 1921, most public libraries in Ohio were either the association or municipal type with a few organized as school dis- trict, township, county and county district. Prior to that time, the legislature passed a 15 mill limitation on real property taxes and subdivisions which had been levying up to a mill and a half tax for libraries sud denly found themselves unable to do so. How- ever, the right of school districtsto levy outside this limitation was re- established in 1921...This caused many of the association and municipal libraries to change their form of government...19

The depression of 1929 caused a crisis in local and state

government funding. To alleviate the taxpayers' mountingfinan-

cial problems, a state constitutional amendmentimposed a tax

limitation of 15 mills---reduced to 10 mills :1111934...on all

17Faries,ort,, cit., p. 5. 18 Ibid., p. 5.

19WalterBrahm, "Commentary on the Library Laws of Ohio and Their Application", Library Laws of Ohio in Force January,1960, Ohio State Library, Columbia, Ohio, 1960, p.86. 22. real property.When this happened, school district libraries and all other public libraries, which had beensupported by real property taxes, were virtually without financialsupport. As revenues fell off, manylibraries were either without a budget or one 1. 1.: was greatly reduced. Some closed entirely; others struggled on with volunteer help or with amuch reduced staff on 0 halfsalary.2

Finally, Robert A. Taft, then StateSenator, drafted arid introduced to the General Assembly in19,3 a bill which was to enable the hard-hit libraries to re-open. This bill provided that any library board which wouldmake the services of its li- brary available to all residents ofthe county could submit its oudget directly to the CountyBudget Commission. This Commission was directed to givethese libraries who agreed to offerlibrary service to anyone in thecounty first consideration of themonies collected from the local intangiblestax of thecounty.2

It was now possible for a communityto establish a library without any cost to them becausethe intangibles was a county tax. Village councils and boardsof education in small communities

began establishing publiclibraries and applying to thecounty

for funds. The number of librariesmushroomed from 197 in 1934

20 Loc. cit.

21Unpublished history of theColumbus Public Library, p. 33-34# 23. 22 thirteen year period. to 280 in 19471 a growthof 42' during this A bill spon. In 1947 the legislature wasforced to take action. hereafter sered by the Ohio LibraryAssociation provided that county -wide basis. Ohio was to establish itspublic libraries on a townships, and school The libraries alreadyestablished by cities, districts were permitted tocontinue, but no taxingauthority other than the county couldestablish newones.23 the fol. Major influences on Ohio'slibrary service during intangibles tax col- lowing twenty years werethe growth of the Services lections and the inaugurationof the federal Library number of libraries and Construction Act. During this period the 258 declined from the 1947high of 280 to itspresent level of library laws libraries, largely a resultof the county district within and, in some cases,the consolidationof school districts

a county.

Comparative Statistics 221938 Directory of OhioLibraries and The 1936, compiled of Public Librariesfor the Years1934, 1935, and State Library,Columbus, by Paul A. T. Noon,State Librarian, Ohio Libraries with Cumu- Ohio, 1938, p 13;1948 Directory of Ohio State Library, lative Statistics for1945, 1946, and 1947, Ohio Columbus, Ohio, 1948, p.36. 23 Brahm, op. cit., p.68. Chapter II

Present Status of Ohia Public Libraries

I. Description

This chapter consists of a reviewof the present status of Ohio's public libraries. Data used are contained inMils of the annual9121tor,ofLibraries, in questionnaires designed for this study andreturned by about 86% of Ohio public libraries* and in notesmade in field trips by various

persons ,lonnectedwith the study. References to the Atectoa

and other printed materials aremade by numbered footnotes*

Other factual material isderived from the analysis of the

questionnaire, reproduced in theAppendix to this report.

Responding libraries weregrouped by the size of collection as

follows:

Group I Under 10,000 volumes Group II 10,001 . 23,000 volumes Group III 25,001 100,000 volumes Group IV, 100,001 . 300,000 volumes Group V More than 500,000 volumes

Population: Ohio's population has beenestimated as of January 1,

196, at 10,641,242, an increase 9,6 percent over the Federal

Census figure of 9,706,397in1960,1 This population is expected

to increase to approximately19,000,000 in2000.2

10hioDevelopment Department. Economic Research Division, "Population Estimates for Ohio".January 1, 1966, Columbus, 1966, 2 The Ohio Development Department. Ply for Dev-cCaltit: p* 1* Ohio Comprehensive PlanningProgram, CColumbus* V9673 25.

Ohio's residents are served by 259 public libraries, a decline of eleven since 1959.3 No resident of the state may be said to lack local public library service completely, since any library receiving funds from the intangibles tax may notlegally deny service to a resident of the county.However, for reasons to be set forth later, it appears that some residents ofOhio do in fact lack public library service. Orzaaludjoutjaarlw The seven types of publiclibraries are enumerated in the llasta. They are:

1. Association; twenty in number 2. County district; 36 in number 3. County; three in number 4. School District; 172 in number 5. Joint School District; one only 6. Municipal; 22 in number (including onenewly formed) 7. Township; five in number.

The Directory further states:

In addition to the county and countydistrict libraries certain libraries in Ohio havebeen designated by the State Library Board as "county extension center libraries". (Sec. 3375.05 R. C.)These are libraries which meet certain standards established bythe State Library Board and which, have formally resolved to provide for extension oftheir services to residents who live in theircounty but outside their regular service area, County extension center, libraries areeli- gible to receive state aid andother services of the State Library of Ohio inextending their services to countyresidents.3

30hio State Library. OfbecilioDix.aries, 1967. Columbus, 1967. p. 2. Ibid p. 6.

5Thid. 26.

Such libraries exist in 80 of Ohio's88 counties.

Financial Supports Ohio is unusual among the statesin the main source of funds used to supportpublic libraries. For the most part, public libraries aresupported by direct levies

on real property orby appropriations from generalfunds re-

sulting primarily from levies on realproperty. As noted in

the first chaptar, such funds weredenied to public libraries

during the 19301s in Ohio and thepresent intangibles tax de.

vised. This intangibles tax yielded$44,5671351 in 1966, of *

which $34,440,514 was distributedto public libraries. Total

public library income from all sourcesincluding the intangibles 6 tax for the same period was$41 405,738. Per capita support

for individual librariesvaried from $.50 (AdamsCounty) to

$6.54 (Cuyahoga County). The average per capita income was

about $3.89, computed on thebasis of the gross figures for popu-

lation and public libraryincome just cited. However, it should

be pointed out thatlibrary income reached or exceededthis per

capita level in only elevencounties. in a like number of coun- 8 ties, the average percapita income was under$1.00, a. figure

considered to yield only"...limited or minimum service"twenty.

6 Ibid., p. 6*

7Ibid**p. 2.

8I bi d. 27. five yearsago.9Total public library expenditurereported in

1964 was $33,044,417610

It should be noted that percapita income or expenditure figures presented as county-wide averages aresomewhat mis- leading. The county budget commission,which distributed the income from the tax, has nostatutory or other external guide- lines to assist it in aohievingequity among several libraries in a county. Ohio's public li- Library Staff: (Appendix, Tables 2 to 10F). braries employ 44602 persons,full or part-time. The libraries are directed byhead librarians appointed,with only eighteen

exceptions, by the libraryboard of trustees. Other professional

personnel (that is, not headlibrarians) are employed following

a variety ofprocedures. Outside the middle-sized libraries,

board participation in the processis rather common.

Forty-two libraries are operatedby head librarians without

professional training. While most of these libraries aresmall

(i.e., hold fewer than 25,000volumes), seventeen are in the

25,000-100,000 volume class. None of the respondinglibraries

over 100,000 in sizereported employing noprofessionally trained

employ by far the majority person. The seven largest libraries

of professionally trained persons.

9American Library Association. Committee on Post-War Planning. p. 55. "Post-War Standards forPublic Libraries". Chicago, 1943,

()OhioState Library, op.Cit p. 46. 28.

Vacancies exist for professionally trained librarians in libraries in all size categories, though byfar the largest num. ber exist in the largest libraries, asmight be expected.

In only sixteen libraries of 204 respondingto this ques- tion, had there been h...any new kinds ofprofessional positions cxeated...such as systems analyst, communityrelations expert, special subject reference librarian oradult education expert."

Library staff members, for the most part, havebeen recruited from, first, the local community and,second, from other places in Ohio. The larger the library the greater the chancethat the recruiting effort for professionally trained personshas been

extended to places outside Ohio. For other than professional

staff members, the local communitysupplies virtually all the talent.

In the smallest size group (under 10,000volumes) three

libraries (out of fifteen responding to thisquestion) did not

offer any in- service training programs orother arrangements

for part -time training of staff. In the largest size class

(over 500,000 volumes) all eight respondents didoffer in-service

training or make other arrangements. The likelihood that staff

will be given in-service training opportunitiesvaries directly

with size, taking all respondents into account.

In the smaller libraries, considerablestress is placed,

according to the respondents, in hiringprofessional personnel

on such factors as havingspecific skills for the position, 29. length of professional experience, and havingcongenial views on the library's policies andphilosophy. Stress on having an advanced degree appears strongly in librariesof over 100,000 volumes and predominates in the largerorganizations. In the largest libraries, Lolding advanced degreesand having specific skills are the most common firstrequirements.

Boards of Trustees: (Appendix, Tables 11A to 21). The mad= contains an explanation of the aumbersof members permitted for the boards of trustees of the seven typesof libraries inOhio.11

Responses to the questionnaire indicatethat these provisions are followed with respect to actualappointments to boards and that there are relatively few vacancies onpublic library boards. How-

ever, the respondentsindicated that attendance at boardmeetings

is considerably less thanperfect. For example, 85 libraries in

Group III indicated that there are sevenmembers permitted on

their boards, that there are onlythree vacancies in sum, but

that in only 34 cases do all boardmembers regularly attend

meetings. The respondents reported that,with rather few excep-

tions, board members serve, on the average,seven years. Only

three respondents indicated thatthere was a formal limitation

on tenure for boardmembers.

In the smaller libraries, there are morewomen than men

serving on boards; the balanceshifts in the 23,001.100,000vol-

ume category andthe percentage of men risessharply as the size

11 Ibid.. P. 30. of the library increases. Board members in the40.60 age bracket account for about 60% of thetotal (for the respondents)while about 30 are over 60 years of age. Only ten percent are under

40. Board members are most oftenbusiness executives, educators

or members ofother professions; fewpolitical leaders or labor

or religious leaders servein this capacity. largest As to their activity inother civic affairs, the

group (569 out of1,352) serve on philanthropicand charitable

organizations or (402)hospital, museum or othercivic boards. (165) are A few (57) are onschool boards and somewhat more

active in political affairsin the community.

Nearly two thirds of thetrustees (954 out of1,558) were while most reported as wanting to expandthe library's program, adequate job of the others (552) werereported as feeling that an variation in this respect is being done. There .4.3 considerable

among the sizesof libraries. In general, the trustees are

about evenly divided onthe issue in the10,001.25,000 volume the 25,001- group; about 2to 1 in favor ofexpanding programs in 100,001.500,000 group and 100 000 volume group;six to one in the In other words, except eight to one in thelargest libraries. where there is alsoconsiderable for the verysmallest libraries, trustees in largerlibraries desire for expansionof programs, service than are are more aptto perceive needfor expansion of

trustees of the more numerousmiddle-sized libraries. regularly attend board For the most part,chief librarians the agenda for meetings and make up orparticipate in making 1p 31. the board. The larger the library, the moreapt the librarian is to make the agenda. Most boards are regarded, in compBison to other boards of theiracquaintance, by the librarian, as very active(116) or somewhat active (94). Pew (12) are re. garded as not very active. Most boards (188) are thoughtof as very supportive ofthe librarians program policies,few (30) as

somewhat supportive and almost none(0 as not very supportive.

Compared to other boards in thecommunity, library boards were

regarded most often as somewhatprestigious (108); however,

many (98) were regarded as veryprestigious and only 16 as not

very prestigious. §nteu.nActies: (Appendix, Tables 22A to25F). The re. in sponding libraries participatedto widely varying degrees

cooperative library activities.In order by frequency of men-

tion, these activities areinterlibrary loan (in whichvirtually outlying all report sharing),contract services to schools or

areas (though thisis far less commonthan participation in

interlibrary loan), centralizedreference services, sharedtech literacy and basic nioal services, and last,special programs on State Library is used as a source education. It appears that the

of interlibrary loan by manylibraries (188) and otherpublic third libraries rank second(132). Local public schools run in num. (50; universities fourth(43). Other replies are so few

ber as to suggest use onlyin very specialcircumstances.

Interlibrary loan is an importantactivity for a variety of

times draw on theresources reasons. Through it, libraries many of specialists of major libraries tosatisfy the information needs 32. or people whose access to information sources islimited. How- ever, participation in interlibrary loan is not an indication of need or desire to develop systems of libraries in which maximum use of all resources may be realized. The responses to this section of the questionnaire indicate, first, that the smallest libraries, whose clients might benefit most if the libraries participated in systems of services of all types, were quite unlikely to have system affiliations. Second, the volume of response generally confirms that there has been no great incen- tive to establish systems of public libraries in Ohio. In this.

respect, Ohio is much like other states, though it should be

pointed out that the general direction of professional thought

today is toward regional and state systems.

The librarians responding to that item on the questionnaire

in which they were asked to rank their cooperative activities by

order of importance (the items were interlibrary loan, centralized

reference service, shared technical service, contract services to

schools or outlying areas and special programs on literacy or

basic education) showed a remarkable consistency. Interlibrary

loan was ranked as of first importance in all size classesand

special programs on literacy and basic education wasalways

ranked as of least importance, though it sometimesranked with

contract services to schools and outlying areas.

Library Policy and Planning: (Appendix, Tables 26 to 33F).

Somewhat more libraries (110) have developmentplans than do not

(98) and the larger the library the greater the possibilitythat 33.

category, fewerthan half a plane exists. In the tallest size plans than not(11).On of the respondents(5) reported having largest librarieshave the other extreme, sevenof the eight

development plans. pattern and Planning committees followthis same general increasing part inthe planning the professionalstaff takes an compared to thesmaller ones. process in thelarger libraries as third (37) have had Of the respondinglibraries, about one part of the planningprocess, surveys oftheir operations as Libraries of under100,000 while about twothirds (93) havenot. pattern than those volumes in size show adecidedly different have not had surveys; over 100,000volumes. Of the former, 79 14 have not had surveys;81 have. 26 have. Of the latter, advice, most Of those librarianswho reported seeking special occasions. The indicated that theyseek it only on consulted, thoughnot by those State Libraryis most often regular advice. Other nearby librarians whoreported seeking The StateLibrary libraries have aconsiderable edge here. to obtainadvice regularly regional centersapparently are used

but by rather fewlibrarians. showed a wide range The respondents tothe questionnaire and services. of attitudes towarddeveloping their programs being worthy ofspecial Several items,howeverstand out as quality of thecollection as a whole comment. Improving the importance in allsize was rankedmost often asbeing of first

to 25,000volumes, expanding re. categories. In libraries up cooperation withschools sources toassist studentsand increase 314 was ranked as of first importance nextmost often. From this size category upward, interest in building new orexpanding library physical facilities was ranked asof first importance next to improving the collection andinterest in expanding re- sources to a6sist studentsfell off more or less directlywith increasing size of library.

Cooperation: The item "Extend or expand your librarysystem through contracts for service to outlying areas,through feder- ation with existing librariesand/or through administrative uni- fication with Ither libraries" was ranked asof least importance more often than anyother item in all size categoriesexcept the largest.

Services to Schools: (Appendix, Tables 34 to40). Students at

the secondary school level orabove, according to the respondents,

comprise a relatively large partof the audience for adult cir-

culating collection. In 93 cases, students werereported as

making up 25% to 50% of the usersof that part of thecollection

and in 88 cases the estimate was50% to 75%. A few respondents

(17) reported that the percentage wasless than 20 and a few the (12) that it was over 75%. There is general agreement among

various size categories onthis point.

As to use of the referencecollection, the impression is

rather different, Here, student use appears tobe substantially

higher, with only eight respondentsestimating that student use 20-5014 comprises less than25% of the total use; 47 reporting

Again, there 95 reporting50.70; and 57 reporting75% or over.

'1- -7 35.

that the li- is general agreement amongthe size classes except this use asa some- brarians of largerlibraries tend to estinate do the smallerlibraries. what higher percentageof total use than (94) report that they A substantial numberof libraries although somewhat more supply depositcollections to schools small librariesperform this (116) do not.Relatively few very major differencesin service but asidefrom that there are no regularly supplybooks size categories. Most (175) respondents for classroom use;few (43) do not. or othermaterials to teachers libraries in schoolbuildings; Most (181) do notoperate school major differencesamong size few (34) do. Again, there are no (125) reporting donot receive pay- categories. Most libraries only a few(22) do receive payment. ment for servicesto schools; libraries reportreceiving pay- None of the smallestand largest other three sizecategories ment for schoolservices; in the consistent differences. there are noapparent trends or (86) report thatthere A fairly largenumber of respondents with respect togiving service to is a formallyadopted policy Similarly, 78 re- students, but more(108) report no policy. policy with respectto re- spondents reportthe existence of a (94) do not. lation of libraryto schools; more about serviceto Steps taken to placethe board's poll...1y to the schoolsmost com- students or thelibrary's relationship correspondence with monly take theform of conversations or correspondence with school administrators(86) omlversations or members of the schoolboard (43). school librarians(58) or with 36.

(Appendix, Tables 41 to43). In view Book SelectionPolicies: of the materials collec- of the centralityto library operations by this group of re- tions (confirmed bythe high rank given collections) oondents to theearlier item ondevelopment of their including a one wouldexpect to find abook selection policy* collection, in virtually every policy on removingbooks from the (79) report the library; . In fact, fewer ofthe respondents Far existence of bookselection policiesthan not (133). policy with respectto fewer (34) reportthe existence of a particularly weeding than not(172). There appear to be no the size categories, important differencesin this regard among libraries seem even less except that the25,001.100,000 volume

interested in thesepolicies than others. respondents, eitherrarely, Most trustees,according to the (96) or only occasionally if ever, participatein book selection participate in book make suggestions(102). Some (23) regularly

selection, most ofthose in thesmaller libraries. their library board Most of the respondentsindicate that censorship (175) while has not adopted anywritten statement on statement. Some (16) a few(25) have adopted astrong, explicit strong one. have adopted apolicy, but not a to the library Growth of Collections: Despite the importance there have not beendeveloped of its collectionsof mat.rials, "fine-grainede measuresof methods of makingwhat may be called and national bases,there collection growth. On local, state which can yield ageneral picture are manyreports published 370

considerable of trends in collecting. If one can stand back a of distance, it is possible to see arather general pattern However, if increasing size in establishedpublic libraries. one wishes toinspect the picture atclose range, it becomes vague and indefinite. distinguish growth For example, it isusually impossible to not pos. in titles from growthin volumes. It is thus generally collections to trends inpub. sible to relategrowth of library of the pub. lishing. One cannot tellwhether the rapid growth library lishing industry in recent yearshas been paralleled in make an estimate ofwhether collections. It is very difficult to store of information growth of libraries representsan increasing of the lack ofselection or whethergrowth is merely a result

and weeding policies. evaluation In spite of theseproblems and limitations, some libraries is necessary. of the book collectionsin Ohio's public study of trends Rather than use suchdevices as list checking, a volumes added and other in funds spent forbooks, numbers of 12 examined national major factors was done. In addition, Ennis librarians, using and state trends in growthof collections and

index:numbers to makecomparisonspossible."

Putlic 12The result was F. W. Summers "BookResources of Ohio Unpublished Libraries: A Study in DecliningExcellence". tYPescript, 31 pages. 83 pages 13Philip H. Ennis, Ohio Library Manpower, In press. and appendices. 38.

That these two studies, performedindependently and using different methods, both shouldpoint to certain tentative con. elusions may be only coincidence. However, even if it is assumed to be such, theyshould lead to furthercontinuing identified a trend con. inquiry. For if the two studies have in a stage rectly, library service inOhio is, in Ennis' words, 14 of "incipient downturn." Summers' wording is stronger.

"Taken as a whole, Ohiopublic libraries are...consumingthe 15 excellence in book resourcesdeveloped in past years."

lihat are the "facts"?Using data published bythe U. S. numbers for absolute Office of Education.Ennis calculated index li- growth in number of librariansand volumes held bypublic the libraries of the nation as a braries. Collection size for

whole rises in a straightline from 1957.1963. The collection virtually identical with size trend in Ohiopublic libraries is breaks and takes on that of the nation from1957 -1959, but then 16 a new and lesssteep character. That is, growth in collections

in Ohio librariesslowed down. absolute growth in Similarly constructedindex numbers for libraries from libraries and collectionsize in Ohio public

1957/5B-1963/64 were charted. The conclusion is thatthe ratio faster in Ohio than in of librarians tocollection is declining 17 the nation as a whole.

14tbide P. 35.

15Summers.op. cit., p. 5.

16Ennis.op. cit., p.36.

17Ibid.,P. 37-39. 39.

Summers used data forthe most part, taken fromthe Ohio

Library Directory for theperiod 1957.1966. He categorized libraries in the same fivesize groups as areindicated in

Appendix, Table I. Since libraries tend to growin total col- changes lection size, the number oflibraries in each size class However, in general, slowly. That fact complicatesthe picture. growth in number Ohio's public librariesshowed fairly constant A drop in of volumes added andin total holdings upto 1959. libraries in 1960. volumes added occurredin all but the largest in 1961.62 with The pattern of generalconstant growth resumed libraries. the exception ofthe smallest(under 25,000 volumes) appeared in 1966, Growth slowed graduallyand another decline 18 in all sizecategories. half of the The seven largestlibraries hold approximately The fol- total volumes heldby all of Ohio'spublic libraries. 1962.1966.19 lowing table showsthe trends in volumesadded from

TABLE 1 VOLUHES ADDED BY THE SEVEN LARGEST LIBRARIES

Year Number of Volumes 1962 632,442 1963 743,151 1964 805,501 1965 760,080 1966 632,876

18Summers,opcit.. p. 6-7. 19 Ibid.. P. 9. 40.

In the same period of time, expenditures for personnel in 20 these libraries have risen as indicated in Table 2, below.

TABLE 2 EXPENDITURES FOR SALARIES BY THE SEVEN LARGEST LIBRARIES AMIlrolM..=mIIM.IMMWMANNIMwllw...1MNIIMWM11MIWOMMIANN, Year Total Expenditures for Salaries

1962 9,136,909 1963 9,521,448 1964 9,948,555 1965 9,878,096 1966 11,463,844

Summers then notes that per capita circulation of materials from Ohio's libraries exceeds the national figure by 7.09 to

4.45, but that volumes per capita on the average in Ohio exceeds that of the nation's libraries by only 2.34 to 1.66. In short, in relation to frequency of use, Ohio's libraries are less well

21 stocked than is the national average.

As noted earlier, all of these calculations are in one way or another imprecise.Whether they are to be taken as meaning- ful is a matter of opinion. They are, however, disturbing enough to warrant further study. The conclusion that Ohio's book resources are in "incipient decline" takes on some greater reality when viewed against the background of rapidly rising salary levels and book prices. .

2 0Loc.cit.

21. Loc. cit., p. 18. II, Observations,

Ohio has a national reputationfor its outstanding city public libraries and for its high average percapita support of major public libraries generally. Ohio is fortunate in several respects: First, the number of libraryunits, while large, is not so extreme as is found in manyother states. The high aver- The state age level of, supporthas been referred to earlier. has certainly seven, possiblyeight, rather large, strongcity libraries in which typicallythere is a concentrationof well- take trained professional personnel* Many of these individuals and active part in the state andnational development of thought

practice in their profession.

Sense of Need for Change: It must be reported thatmost of the

librarians interviewed in thefield visits, which covered sev- of eral areas of the 3tate,di6 not express any urgent sense

need for change or enlargementof the role of the OhioState

Library. At the same time, mostof the librarians interviewed

expressed some fear that theintangibles tax might be lostand

that public libraries wouldnot gain the same shareof the public

purse that theyhave had if they are placedin competition with

other services by local governments.

There is considerable sentiment amongthe head librarians librar- and persons in middle-managementpositions in the larger change is ies and among the libraryschool faculty that major

needed and is, in fact,imminent whether it isplanned by 42.

for the librarians and boardmembers or not. These individuals, to take place withinthe most part, wish theplanning for change segment of government. It profession rather thanby some other of the persons shoCd be addedthat some, thoughby no means all, Ohio also expressedsome interviewed in thesoutheastern area of feeling of need forgeneral change. that the matter offinancing Problems of Finance: The impression disintegrates veryquickly Ohio's public librarieshas been solved Masked behind the gen- as one-inspectsvarious localsituations. several majordifficulties, dis- erally high levelof support are inherent in allspecial taxes, counting for themoment the problems

which will bementioned in anotherchapter. public libraryservice is The distributionof income for problem here isthat the intangibles quite uneven. The obvious county basiswithout pro- tax is collectedand distributed on a Thus, the richcounties vision forequalization amongcounties. public libraryservices at a find it relativelyeasy to support less than100% of the in. high level, oftenusing substantially An example isHamilton County tangible es tax forthat purpose. $3.86 Per capita for where 44% of theintangibles tax supplies extreme isLawrence Countywhere library services.At the otter capita for publiclibrary 100% of the taxsupplies $.57 per

tax, furthermore,has been distri . services. The intangibles inception, sodhanging theme- bated in thisfashion since its of these inequitiespresents thod of distributionto remedy some

many problems. 43.

service within The distribution of incomefor public library The income from the *Pe- counties is quite unevenin many cases. dal tax has beendistributed on the basisof internal accomoda- problem imme- tion rather than on anyformula. One senses this with its large diately in a wealthycounty such as Cuyahoga, and several healthy city library, rapidlygrowing county library clear in the lus suburban libraries. The problem is equally take different forms. well endowed counties,though the symptoms

In one extreme case, aschooldistrict-of-about-5900-persons-has the county district a localpublic library budgetof $70,000 while responsible for library about fifteenmiles away, theoretically operates on a budgetof about service to about43,000 persons, library must deal 026,000. In this case, thecounty district from an entirelyrural with a wide rangeof demand for services, suburban atmosphere atmosphere on the one handto a burgeoning internal dissatisfaction on theother. The consequences for additional units areapparent. and pressures forthe creation of result One thinks of the unevendistribution of income as a being localized in one or of the inabilityof counties to pay as degree this is the case;in two areas of Ohio. To a considerable Ohio have drawnatten. particular, the countiesof southeastern However, there are manycam- tion as being partof Appalachia. adjacent to wealthycounties. ties with poorlydeveloped economies 85% of the intangiblestax An example is P-,ebleCounty where while neighboring yields 0.17 forpublic library service 44.

Montgomery County devotes only62% of its intangibles tax to public library service andreaches $3.26 per capita.

Another major problem offinance for Ohio's publicli- braries is that the economiesof the cities andsuburbs are changing. In a few instances, thechanges have placed strong libraries in hostile positionsvis-10.8 one another. This to type of situation is bound tomultiply and the hostilities increase in time as the forcesof change grow.

During the field visits andinspection of annual reports,

it was observed that, -typically, pubItc-libraryexpenditures-lag, it is no. behind library income.While it is acknowledged that

cessary to end eachfiscal year with somebalance in order to having avoid the charge of fiscalirresponsibility, and to avoid carried by many to borrow money foroperating funds, the balances In some cases, it of Ohio's publiclibraries seem quite large. to build or en. is understood thatfunds are being accumulated in. large a building. In general, theaccumulation of current

come to pay forfuture benefits is not asound policy for pub. probably licly financed institutions. The intangibles tax, has

tempted boards of trusteesto violate this principle. income from The fact that anycommunity contributes to the community should be able the intangibles taxsuggests that any portion of the in.. to establish its ownlibrary and to claim a earlier, that the number oflibrary come. The fact is, as noted fractionating of the units is declining, sothis tendency toward

ri . 45. tax income has been resisted.Whether it can be resisted as the suburbs gain political and economic strength is an open 22 question.

Concentration e. Smaller Public Libraries:The Ohio State

Library:8 efforts in public library development havecentered on the small public libraries inrural communities and counties.

The reasons for this preoccupation are historicaland affect virtually every state library agency in the country. However, at this time, there are very good reasons for amajor reorien- tation of the Library's efforts.The most pressing roblems of library development are in the academicinstitutions, the public schools, in the central city.suburbcomplexes and in the special subject areas. This is not to say that the small,public library does not present a productive areafor activity; indeed it does.However, it no longer is (if it everwas) a primary focus of library development and there arestate concerns of major importance in the other areasmentioned. As the sum of infcrmation and knowledge increases, the consequencesof making decisions upon inadequate or outdatedinformation become more

severe and immediate. The state responsibilities here liein

the direction of basic and higher educationand in the attrac-

tion and fostering of new types ofindustries. The reorientation

of the State Library's activities is alarge -scale matter re-

quiring fresh looks at organization,personnel :And finance.

2%action 3375.121 of the Revised Code was amended in 1967 to permit formation of new libraries incertain municipalities Of 25,000 population or more. 46.

Ohio State Librar .OhioLibrary AssociationRelationships: It

3s clear that librarians andlibrary board members in many cases the Ohio do not distinguish betweenthe Ohio State Library and

Library Association. Historicallyw there hasbeen some reason for this confusion, aswill be made clear later. And there are

many good reasons forthe two organizations tohave similar

goals,. There are, however, equallygood and Perhaps more im-

mediate reasons for there to beclear lines of distinction

drawn-between-thetwo-organizations.

Perhaps the most important ofthese is that the State Li.

brarian must establish andmaintain his position as a member

of the executive departmentof government if he is togain the

confidence of the administration. If it appears that his lay-

alties run more to the Associationthan to the administration's

program, his effectIvenesswithin the administration willbe

decreased.

On the other hand, theOhio Library Association andthe

Ohio Library Trustee Associationmust be free to establish

their own goals and programs,relying on what they define as

the best professionalstandards and opinions. They must be based free to take whatever courseof action they judge to be

on the soundestprecepts, whether or not anygiven administra-

tion accepts that courseof action as its own.Only in an

atmosphere in which there canbe disagreement, not somuch upon

fundamental issues as upon methodsof approaching those issues* 47, is there the possibility ofreaching constructive solutions which strengthen both parties andwhich result in gains for the citizenry.

School versus Of Ohio's C59 tax sup- ported public libraries, most(172, or 67) are operated by boards of trustees appointed byschool boards. This filures together with the responses to thequestionnaires mentioned earlier, suggests both theinterest of school boardswith more than one aspect of education, andthe possibility that atleast

some of these1?2 libraries may be infact directing a consider- to able amount of their resourcestoward services more geared

the needs of the publicschools than to the needs ofthe general

public. It should be noted thatmost of these libraries are

relatively small, and thepercentage of total funds expendedby

them also relativelysmall. However, the ClevelandPublic Li-

brary, the state's largest,operates under a schooldistrict

appointed board.

During the field visitsit became quite clearthat some

libraries labeled "public" arein fact "school". In the in- budget stance of the smallvillage library which operated on a

of $70,000, for example, avery large portionof its efforts fp-

toward giving books toschools. There appears that thecontract

does not provide forthe payment of money forschool services

rendered. Again, the responses tothe questionnaire discussed

earlier point to a real lackof sense of purpose. Much service 48. is given directly tostudents and teachers; aidis supplied in for teachers; the form of classroomcollections and/or uAterials yet fewer than half ofthe library boards haveclear policies paid on these matters. The requirementthat school services be for by contract seems tobe observed ratherseldom.

The next question iswhat is the differencebetween school andpublic library service, andwhy should they not be-offered thinking in the from a single organization. The most current

profession of librarianship isthat there aredefinable*--reason. and that typ. able differences betweenthe two types of service

ically when they arecombined both are weak. The public library

hat as its objectivethe provision ofeducational, informational, for all segments ofthe and recreationalmaterials and services The school library public* including all ageand interest groups. and aims to supplement is oriented towardthe school curriculum directed toward aparticular that curriculum. In short, it is Farther, certain ago category andtoward particularinterests. extraneous to the materials supplied for anadult audience are should be excluded on school curriculum tothe point that they is, on the basis of content ortreatment. The public library censorship on thebasis the other hand, asoirce of ideas without certain basic dif- of ideas or treatment. There are, in short, are that an ferences of aim and thefacts of administration aims will fall Organization*which attempts toaccomplish several

short of any oneof them. Personnel: Examination of the facts concerning personnel employed in Ohio's public libraries suggests at least threeprob. lem areas. First, the smaller libraries (and, to a degree, li- braries with up to 100,000 volumes) are in very many casesbeing directed by people who are near retirement age. If planned for, the retirement of some of these individuals affords an oppor. tunity for amalgamation of units. Replacement for these persons, however, will be very hard to find. Second, in sum, Ohio's pub. lie libraries appear to be declining in theirability to attract personnel in the ratio to audience which theyhave in the past,

Third, all but the largest publiclibraries (and even those, in

somecases) are declining in their ability to attractprofession- ally trained personnel. Other serious problems relating tothe

general supply of trained librarians arepointed out in the

chapter on that subject in this report.

Perhaps more specifically than anyother matter which

might be discussed, a decline innumbers and qualifications of

personnel is most disturbing for thefuture. Note ly does such

a decline point directly to adecline in quality of, or diminu.

Lion in, service, or ban but also itsuggests that virtually

every possible leadershipactivity must be instituted or

strengthened. Arresting such a decline is alwaysmuch more

difficult than increasing the personnelsupply for organizations

which are already drawing reasonablywell.

Leadership: It is perhaps unreasonable toexpect special leader-

ship qualities tto come from soamorphous a group as thepublic 50. libraries of a state. However, the public libraries ofOhio have on the average enjoyed aconsiderable lead over the li . braries of many other states in income. For that one might have expected more than ordinarydevelopment tf ideas as well

as development accepted services surveyor

found evidence that few extraordinaryideas have been developed

and tried out in Ohio. Despite the relatively largenumber of

Ifub

has been expended on researchand development. This is not to

say that thetaxpayers of Ohio have notreceived their money's

worth; in fact they enjoyactual and potential libraryservice example, the of superior quality. However, to cite only one

serious problems of thechanging city have not beenregarded as

opportunities for the developmentof services (andmaterials)

designed to benefit thedisadv,tntaged persons whoincreasingly

make up the population ofthe cities.

Wile there seems to be a senseof satisfaction amounting also a group of almost to complacencyin some quarters, there is

forceful people in Ohio'spublic libraries who are onthe move. detail with The willingness to discussproblems openly and in The selection the present surveyors isindication of that motion. evidence of support of a relatively youngState Librarian and the

for his ideas are otherexamples.

These signs should point to arenewal of personal and pro.

fessional committment to thedevelopment of publiclibrary

example to be service in Ohio whichthe nation may take as an 51. emulated. If that renewed commitmentand fresh effort do not materialize, the 1960's may markthe beginning of a definite downturn in public libraryservice in Ohio, just asthe winfor. oration industry" is on theupswing.Ohio cannot afford to allow itself to get into thelatter position.

OVON4160.../.11..111110111144 01.011114041111WIIIMPIMI4 Chapter III

The Ohio State Library

I. State L.2111221giiristgIheate Libea

Legal authority supporting theOhio State Library's pre- sent range of operations isderived from three sourcza: (1) statutory law, (2) the biennialappropriations actst and (3) opinions of the Ohio AttorneyGeneral,

Statutory Law: The Ohio Revised Code dealsboth directly and indirectly with the State Library. Laws hoofing a direct rola- tionship to the Library establishthe State Library Board, cre- ate the Office of State Librarian,provide for the control and management of the State Library, andconfer upon the State Li-

brary Board certain powers affectingthe establishment of

library extension service andstandards of county library

operation,

In 1955, the Ohio GeneralAssembly enacted true present

section of the RevisedCode/ which setsup the State Library

Board as an agency separateand distinct from the State Depart-

ment ofEducation,2 Earlier law3 had made the Library a divi-

sion of the Department ofEducation untier the control of a

five member board of whichfour were gubernaorial appointees

awaiiriommagrarlmismir.

/Ohio Revised Code, Sec. 3375001* 2 Cr, Attorney General's Opinions,No, 6359, 1956.

31921 enactment. Cf, Stanley J. Bowers, Public e in Ohio, Ohio Library Trustees Association andOhio Library Association, Columbus,Ohio, 1965, P. 4% -32- 53.

at two-yearintervals; thefifth for eight-yearterms overlapping as theincum- member, the chairman, wasstatutory and designated popularly electedofficial. bent State Directorof Education, a separation achievedin the current respite theadministrative a popularlyelected body pre- law, the StateBoard of Education, Department, ischarged withthe slang over theState Education to thefive-member State responsibility ofmaking appointments of appointed foroverlapping terms Library Board.Members are number of termsserved, five years with norestriction on the the laWis-to - qualifications~ There is nodirection gives in the solelimitingprescription orrequirements ofboard members, appoint Board ofEducation shall not being thatmembers of the months prior tohis themselves or anyperson who,within twelve Education. appointment, was amember of theBoard of administrative officerof the edu- In practicethe chief regular LibraryBoard appoin:ee. cation departmenthas been a who has the only memberof the board At the presenttime, he is the 1955 awendmenttc the law not servedcontinuously since

referred toabove. cw.ansation, but arepaid Library boardmembers receive no incurred in the courseof perfor- actual and necessaryexpenses

mance oftheir duties.

members rangefrom 18 to 25 years, 4Years of service of present Superintendent ofInstruction who with the exceptionof the State 1966 when he wasappointed toreplace has been amember since superintendent as aboard member. the retiring 54*

Authority to appoint and remove the State Librarian is vested in the State LibraryBoard.5The State Librarian is directed to act as secretary to the board and as executive officerof the library with power to appoint and remove library employees.

The law directs the State Librarian to provide advice :ld information on public lf.brary organization, maintenance, and

administration to librarians, library trustees, and persons

interested in establishing a publiclibrary.6In addition, the

librarian is required to assemble statistics and information on

the operation of public libraries throughout the state andto

include them in the State Library annual report tothe State

Library Board.

A further section of the code relating to thislatter re-

sponsibility of the State Librarian requiresthe trustees of

every public library inthe state to transmit to the State Li-

brarian on forms approved by the State Library Board anannual

report on the activities of the library including acomplete

financialstatement.7

Control and management of the State Library isthe express

responsibility of the State Library Boardwhich is empowered to

make and publish rules and regulationsfor the operation of the

Library and for the use and locationof books and other property 8 belonging to the Library. The Board may establish and organize

50hio Revised Code, Sec. 3375.02.

6lbid.

70hio Revised Code, Sec. 3375.35. 8 Ohio Revised Code, Sec. 3375.04. divisions and departments within the Library asit deems necessary,

The law described above deals only withthe State Library

Boards authority over the internal affairsof the State Library.

Two additional statutes extend the powersof the board both di- rectly and indirectly to the regulation ofcounty libraries and extension services provided by any publiclibrary.

State Library Board regulations governingthe disposition

of state aid to libraries specifythat county libraries must be

under the management of certifiedlibrarians in order to qualify

for grants-in-aid. In addition, state law prohibitsthe employ-

ment of any person as a countylibrarian who is not certified

for the position by the StateBoard of LibraryEXaminers.9 This

five member board consists ofthe librarians of the twopublic

libraries with largest circulationin the state, the State Li-

brarian, and two persons representingrural library work appointed

by the State Library Board to servefor four years. It is only

through its relationship to thisboard that the State Library

Board may legally attempt toinfluence standards of library ser-

vice provided by county districtlibraries.

A more direct route to theregulation of standards is pro-

vided in that part of thelawl°giving authority to the State

Library Board to approve or disapproveof extension service

(branches, stations, travellinglibrary service) offered by any

90hio Revised Code, Sec.3375.47.

10OhioRevised :ode,, Sec. 3375.05. 56. public library to residents of any school district outside the boundaries of its own political subdivision or school district.

This law appears to have been a forerunner ofthe 1947 attempt to encourage development of larger unita ofservice based- on the county.

Finally, three other sections of the code give theState

Library a role in the preservation of theenacted and printed

11 laws of the Ohio General Assembly, of other printed legisla. 12 tive papers and documents, and of state government publications 13 intended for general public use.

In addition to the requirement thatit retain copies of

the latter documents, the StateLibrary is directed to distribute

copies to the Library of Congress, theOhio Historical Society,

public and college libraries designatedby the State Library

Board as depositories of state documents,and to each state in

exchange for similar publications of thosestates.

Appropriations Acts: A considerable proportion of StateLibrary

activity not exprersly provided for instatutory law is implicitly

authorized in the biennial appropriationsacts enacted at each

regular session of the Ohio GeneralAssembly. This means that

11Ohio Revised Code, Sec. 101.52. 12 Ohio Revised Code, Sec.101.67.

130hioRevised Code, Sec. 149.11, 57.

is being carried or)with- a large part ofthe Library's program statutes, but isresting out benefit of thefoundation of regular with the two yearlife-of the on law whichautomatically expires appropriations acts. which falls into The largest singleitem of state origin state grants -in-aid to this category is thecurrent program of

appropriation acts,covering the public libraries. The 1965 1967, provides forthis purpose period July 1,1965 to June 30, the two fiscal yearsinvolved. a sum of$277, 300 for each of policy with regardto The acts do not setforth any legislative to require thatthey be dis- the dispositionof these funds save regulationsestablished tributed "in accordar-with rules and subject to theapproval of the by the StateLibrary Board,

controlling board."14- covering operating Beyond the provisionof appropriations 16 15 rotary funds as expenses ofthe library, the acts establish

fAlaws.

14 General Assemblyof Ohio, Ted The AppropriationsActs, 106th 1965, p. 52. W. Brown,Secretary of State,

15Ibid. budgetary ap 6Rotary accounts may be distinguishedfrom regular revenues. The sourcesof propriatiens derivedfrom state general include the federalgovernment funds in rotaryaccounts frequently generated by agenciesas a resultof and occasionallysmall incomes income In the case ofthe State Library, their serviceoperations. duplication and other and from chargesma& for from book fines for the library. into a rotaryaccount established services flow income whichwould otherwise Such accounts assureto state agencies and accordinglywould not be avail. be classified asgeneral revenue appropriation. Rotary accounts able =for their useshort of a regular legislature in thebiennial-appropriations acts, areestablished by the executive legislativecommittee which or by theControlling Board, an fiscal and budgetarypowers. has authority toexercise various 351.601 Rural Services. -Federal 351.602 Fines and Service Charges 3.51.603 Construction Grants.. Federal

Two of these provisions.--Rural Servicesand Construction

Grants...imply legislative designation ofthe State Library as

the Ohio State government agency toreceive funds allocated to

the state, under the federal LibraryService and Construction

Act, Titles I, II and III. There is, in addition, tacit appro.

val of the current State Library programof public library ser-

vice (city circulation and statecirculation) contained in the 17 provision of a rotary for income fromfines and service dharges.

From to time, opinions of the 4....timuma..1611.A5222402dakiiv Ohio Attorney General have been sought toclarify the law per.

taming to the State Library. Although formal opinions affecting

the conduct ano operation of theLibrary are dated as far back as

1927, the most recent significant rulingofthis kind was made in

1956.18 At that time, the Attorney Generalrendered the opinion

that the State Library Board, as createdbyamended Sec. 3375.01 19 of the Revised Code, was no longer a partof the State Depart-

ment of Education.

In addition to formal opinions,expressions from the Attorney

General in the form of lettershave been obtained. In 1961., the

Attorney General in a letter State Librarian 'Walter Brahm

17 Ted W. Brown,TiAc.-""---222"----''--IUL":126i------1--theAle""i°rhGell(mi"semblarOhio, Secretary of State, 19 5. p.68.

18AttorneyGeneral's Opinions, No.6359.

9Amendedin 1935.

2°..ited 9/11/61 39. said the Library has the power to set up a professional training program to increase the competence of library employeesin rural areas with-funds received under federal auspices and administered by the U. S. Office of Education. A second suchletter21 addressed to Miss Rath Hess, Acting State Librarian, argued that the State Library Board hasauthorttY to_receive and administeA federal funds under the Library Service and Construction Act

program.

II. Structure and Functions of the State Librar

State Library activities are carried forth at seven locations

throughout the State of Ohio. There are eight operating depart.

ments, and over 160 employees. The eight departments include the

Accounting Department, the Library Consultant's Office} the Admin-

istrative Office for LSCA Projects, the City Circulation Department,

the State Circulation Department, the Reference Department, the

Documents Department, ana the Travelling Library. The seven

State Library locations include, in addition to the main State

Library located on the 11th, 13th and 14th floors of the Ohio

Departments building in Columbus, the Catalog Center at 1434 West

Fifth Avenue in Columbus; the Napoleon Regional Library Service

Center in Caldwell; the Adams.Brown Bookmobile Center located in

Winchester; the Lawrence County Bookmobile Center located in

Ironton; and the Meigs County Bookmobile Center located inPomeroy.

21Dated 3/23/64.. 60.

...... 1121.TheStibriaria4ce: The State Librarian is charged with the overall direction of State Library activities, and this bears responsibility to fulfill the purposes of the-Atata Library

These purposes are: (1) to supply professional leadership for the improvement of public library service to all residents of the

State of_Othio; (2) to provide library service to other state agencies, and to members of the legislature; and (3) to prepare annual statistical reports on service, income and expenditures of public libraries in the state. The heads of the eight oper- ating departments described below each report directly to the

State Librarian.

The Accounting t1111.410-.212.24k2StELS:lad42:: The head of the accounting department, with the official title of State Li- brary fiscal officer, supervises the State Library's business office activities, performed in the main State Library head- quarters, and the catalog center located about five miles away on West Fifth Avenue.

Accounting: The accounting department, which employs nine per- sons in addition to the accounting department head, handles the income and expense accounting of the State Library, and orders books for the State Library and for its purchasing and processing clients. Funds received from federal, state and local solrces are disbursed for the State Library's own activities, and for public libraries throughout the state. A fuller description of

State Library financial activities is given in a later section of this chapter. 61.

Catater : The State Library catalog center is composed of three parts: union catalog, the catalog department, and the physical processing unit.

Union Cat4.12E: The union catalog, in operation since the late

19301s, is a card catalog of author entri's only of the adult non-fiction holdings of 28 public libraries, two special libraries, and one college library, all in Ohio. A list of union catalog card contributors is presented below:

Public Libraries Akron Lakewood Ashtabula Lima Bexley Lorain Cadiz Mansfield Canton Massillon Cincinnati Maumee Cleveland. Middleton Columbus New Philadelphia Cuyahoga County The State Liblary Dayton Toledo East Cleveland Warren Elyria Wooster Grandview Xenia Hamilton Youngstown

A22212111121:21111 29111Stlikatk21 Columbus Gallery of Josephinum Finn Arts Cincinnati Historical Society

The total number of author cards contained in the unioncatalog as of February 1967 was approximately three million.Each author card carries a listing of holding libraries; as many as four or five holding libraries may be reported to a requesting client.

A staff of three persons is assigned full-time to the work of 62.

the union catalog, and one member af the cataloging department,

a professional librarian, devotes cart-time to supervision of

union catalog activities. The union catalog provides a holdings

information service available to any library. Virtually all of

the card contributors to the union catalog are public libraries

and, accordingly, almost all users of the service are also public

libraries.

With the recent addition of the Cuyahoga County Public Li- 1

brary, all of the largest public libraries in the state are rep-

resented. Requests for lookup are transmitted to the catalog in

several ways.Many are referred for lookup by the state circus.

lation department when they have been found impossible to fill

from the State Library collections. If the title is found, the

catalog staff returns the holdings information to the state cir.

culation department, which in turn advises the requesting library where the material may be obtained.Other requests are made di-

rectly to the catalog by long distance telephone call. The city

circulation and reference departments at the state Library also

request holding, information from the union catalog when necessary,

but the volume of such requests is small compared to the volume

of requests received from state circulation and by long distance

telephone from requesting libraries. The few mail requests sent

directly to the union catalog (instead of to state circulation) from requesting libraries outside Columbus eve treated in the

same manner as long distance telephone requests. An effohis 63. made to distribute the interloan loadevenly among large public libraries in Ohio. The Cleveland Public Library and the Cincin-

nati and Hamilton County Public :Library areusually indicated

as holding libraries only if noother libraries hold the work.

Of 8,575 requests transmitted to the unioncatalog in 1966,

6,191 or 72.4 were located.

suiluirav The cataloging department comprises astaff of faar

full -time professional catalogers whoseresponsibilities are

divided by type of library served. One cataloger is responsible

for school libraries, a second forcollege libraries, a third

for public libraries, and the fourthfor the State Library's own

cataloging.

Lhaical Pro...... 4....jomsinofIlaalllatgrals: The physical proces-

sing unit is responsible forthe preparation of the StateLibrary's

own acquisitions, andfor books ordered by otherOhio libraries.

The unit employs over 30 personsand in 1966 processed, morethan

135,000 volumes. In terms of numbers of personsemployed, the

physical processing unit is thelargest single activity ofthe

State Library.

A variety of services isoffered to any library in tho

state including purchasing,purchasing with standardized proces-

sing, and purchasing withcustomized cataloging andprocessing.

In the past, the State Libraryhas also offered, a catalogcard

reproduction service but inrecent months the pressureof work discontinuing the service. in the processing centerhas necessitated 64.

Apart from the State Library's own books, the bulk of the

processing center volume has been accounted for by school

braries and by,the branch campuses of Ohio University. In 1966,

the physical processing unit served 13 public libraries, 33

schopl libraries, and six college libraries. The charge for

purchasing and the standard cataloging and proce ?sing "package"

is $0.73 which is the same as the maximum processing charge per

volume allowed under the Title II provision of ESEA. For ens-

tomizedataloging and processing, there is a predetermined list

of charges rangiag from $0.92 to $1.29 per volume.

...... IThe-L.ibrazSa421IanIILAEL22: This office-=provides helrLon_

sr.ch basic problems as library administration, financing and book

selection.-primartly to small public-litrariesvaselets-in-the

recruitment of library personnel for Ohio libraries; provides

in-service training opportunities for non-professional workers

in Ohio libraries and administers a federally funded scholarship

program for about 1.5 prospectiVe lib44rians each year.

This ilnit is made up of chief consultant, two consultants

who !..,erve zpecifically defined areas of the state, and one-child,

ren's consultant who provides service to libraries overthe entire

state. The two areas of the state served by consultants are

roughly, the northeastern section comprising64 libraries in 12

counties and the west central section comprising23 libraries in

seven countless (Regional library service centers of the State

Library are located in the northwestern and southeasternportions

of the state; these are discussed in tics followingsection on 1 extension and LSCA activities. 65.

In-service training programs fornon-professional library personnel are organized and administeredby the consultantstaff in cooperation with the Ohio LibraryAssociation.Workshops given in the in-service training programare of two types. Once each summer, a general workshop oneweek in duration is offered on a variety ofsubjects, for newly appointed'and relatively inexperienced library personnel. Library staff members mayat toad a maximum of two generalsessions. After this, attendance at in-service trainingworkshops is limited tospecialized ses- sions which are three daysin length, offered severaltimes usually each summer. Both general-andspecialized sessions are various parts held on college campuses orat public libraries in Library and the of the state. Expenses are shared by the State sessions is given Ohio Library Associationand instruction at the

by various members ofthe State Library staff,including members regional library ser- of the consulting staffand personnel from

vice centers, and bystaff members of publiclibraries from

throughout the state.

Librarian placement serviceis made available to anyOhio staff of library through the effortsof the library consultant's made the State Library inColumbus. About nine trips per year are to variousli- by the chief consultantof the Ohio State Library transportation brary schools forrecruiting purposes. The cost of

for the consultant isunderwritten by the OhioLibraryAssociation by the State Library. and her time forthis purpose is contributed public and university Staff members havebeen placed in both 66. libraries as a result of these activities.

Administrative Office for L3CA Activities: With the passage of the Library Services Act and laterthe Library Services and Con-

struction Act, the State Library Board wasgiven the additional

responsibility of formulating a stateplan for the use of federal

aid funds for public library service. The Administrative Office

for LSCA Activities is responsiblefor carrying out this program.

In very recent years, beginning withfiscal 1965, federal

aid funds have had a major impact uponpublic library service in

Ohio, and upon the activities of theState Library in particular.

Since the administration andthe Board of the StateLibrary are

empowered to determine the use towhich federal funds will be put

for library service in Ohio,subject to the approval of the Con-

trolling Board, the State Libraryoccupies a pivotal position

with respect to these programs.

This office performs consultantactivities for public li-

braries throughout the state. Actually, it administers the funds

which pay for the entire staff ofthe consultant unit withthe for exception of the chief consultant. The office is responsible

processing applications for LSCATitle I and Title II grants,ad-

ministers LSCA programs underthese titles and oversees theopen- and ation of six State- Libraryfield units supported by federal

local funds. The head of the officesupervises all federal pro-

grams and State Libraryfield units. She is thq only professional

librarian in this unit. 67.

As is discussed in the section on financing, thegreater, preponderance of LSCA, Title I money is used tosupport direct

State Library activities in Columbus andthroughout the state.

Although in fiscal 1966, 27 Title I projects wereundertaken by the State Library, only six of these weregrants made to libraries or groups of libraries tobe directly administered by them. These were, first2 to seven StarkCounty public libraries for developing a uniform charging system,including the cost of rental of charg- ing machines and supplies; second,to Cleveland Public Library for a program for the functionallyilliterate; third, to eight southwest Ohio public libraries and onecollege library to cover the cost of photocopying machirmaand supplies; fourth, to the

Akron Public Library to establish andoperate for one year a

branch library at Nagadore servingSummit and Portage Counties;

fifth, to Lake County for an extension(bookmobile) program; and

sixth, to various libraries forpurchase of ALA booklets.

There are two State Library regionalcenters: one at

Napoleon and the other at Caldwell.Both the Napoleon and Cald-

well centers include, in addition totheir library service center

operations, multicounty bookmobileservice operations. The Na-

poleon center maintains a staff offour library consultants, but

there are no consultants presently onthe staff at the Caldwell

center apart from the center director.

The purposes of the two centers areto supplement materials

not available to area libraries served; todisplay new books for 68. review and selection purposes; to operate in an advisory capa- city to local librarians as requested; to provide supervisory service to small libraries without trained librarians.

The Napoleon regional library center serves 33 public libraries in a ten-county area of northwestern Ohio. The ten countif.5 of the service area are Williams, Defiance, Paulding,

Van Wiry, Fulton, Henry, Putnam, Lucas, Wood, and Hancock.In addition, bookmobile service is provided to six counties: De- fiance, Paulding, FUltoa, Henry, Wood, and Putnam. In all, there are 129 bookmobile stops, of which 91 are community stops and38 are school stops. About 65A of the circulation, however, is accounted for by school patrons. There are seven professional personnel at the center, including the center director, the c;)n- sulting staff, and the bookmobile staff. There are 21 non-profes- sional employees.

The Caldwell center serves 12 libraries in an eight-county area. The eight counties are Belmont, Guernsey, Monroe, Morgan,

Muskingum, Noble, Ferry, and Washington. ookmobile service is provided in four counties*, including Muskingum, Noble, Monroe, and Washington. There are 88 community stops and 16 school stops; about 60% of the circulation is to school patrons. The center director is the only professional librarian assigned to the cen.r ter, and thereare 18 non-professional personnel

Films are loaned to public libraries from the two regional library service centers. For this purpose, the state is divided 69. by a line which runs from north to southapproximately down the middle of the state. All counties on the eastern side ofthe line are served by the Caldwell center, whileall counties on the western side of the line are served by theNapoleon center.

The film collection at Napoleon currentlyconsists of 458 films, and that at Caldwell of 193 films.

The four State Library.operated bookmobilecenters are the central Ohio bookmobile center located inColumbus serving seven counties; the Adams.Brown bookmobile centerloOated in Winchester

serving two counties; and the Neigs Countyand Lawrence County

centers located in Pomeroy and Ironton,each serving one county.

A31 of these bookmobile services arefinanced by a combination

of federal (LSCA) funds and localfunds. The services are pro-

vided by the State Library on acontract basis with local librar.

ies; local funds for support ofthe operation are provided through

payment:, of $12.00 per hour for the servicesof each bookmobile

and its supporting personnel.The funds to meet these fees are

made available to local libraries bythe county budget commissions

in the respective counties, and arepaid from the intangibles tax.

iiL...... oiTheCitCirctIDertmmt: The city circulation department

serves individuals whoeither telephone or come in person tothe

State Liboary. It is estimated that over50% of those served by

city circulation are employees ofeither state or city (Columbus)

governmentbut any resident of the Stateof Ohio can register as

a State Library user. In calendar year 1965 thecirculation of 70

materials through city circulation wasbroken down as follows:

General 237 Travel 1 240 Philosophy1,464 Biography 1,834 Religion 884 History 1,437 Sociology 5,965 Fiction 6.080 Philology 2C6 Periodicals 2,734 Science 1,378 Pamphlets -92 Useful Arts 4,426 Documents 888 Fine Arts 2,867 Play File 30 Literature1,655 Total 1965 Circulation:

The department head hasstated that "Many peopleworking in li- offices convenient to thelibrary use us as a regularpublic

brary" and has estimated,based on the fact that17 percent of

circulation in a recentsix-month period was fictionand another one-quarter of the circu- 7 percent wasperiodicals, that about

lation is predominantlyrecreational. While it is difficult to circulation was predom- judge accurately whatproportion of total circulation in inantly recreational incharacter, the volume of

categories such as usefuland fine arts,literature, travel,

biography, as well as infiction and popularperiodicals suggests

that this estimate maybe conservative.

The Library is usedby college and universitystudents extent of use. although there are nostatistics to determine the 45,649 in 1960. Total circulation in1963 of 33,727 was down from in Circulation increased from1964 to 1965, but every other year preceding year. The the 1961-1965 periodshowed a drop from the professional department employsfive persons including one

librarian, the departmenthead.

-011M16..111AMM.11111~101.1"..0...... **-...-- 71.

The State Circulation Department; The state circulationdepart -. ment provides interlibrary loanservice to all Ohio librariesand to some libraries outside thestate. Reference questions are traced and answered either bybook-loan service or by correspon- dence. Individuals as well as libraries areserved by mail, although the bulk of requests arereceived from libraries. The department is staffed by oneprofessional librarian, thedepart-

ment head, and four full-timenon-professional staff members.

Two shipping department clerksassist in mailing. There has

been a steady increase incirculation over the past ten years.

State circulation through thedepartment for the calendar year

1965 was as follows:

General 394 Literature 2,060 Philosophy 1,374 Travel 961 Religion 877 Biography 1,988 Social Science 4,866 History 1,837 Language 267 Fiction 1,793 Science 2,378 Documents 433 Useful Arts 59372 Pamphlets and Fine Arts 3,090 Periodicals 417 Renewals 3,524 Total 1965 Circulation:IL=

Interlibrary loans are madefrom the State Library'scollec-

tions in Columbus (or fromeither of its two regionalservice billed centers - -- Napoleon andCaldwell). The borrowing library is

for postage both wayswhen books are mailedout and returned on union catalog, as pre- interlibrary loan. Through its statewide the viously described, the StateLibrary is able to facilitate but cannot filling of some interloanrequests which it receives 72.

begun in from its own collections. Under the terms of a program

1953, the State Library makes atoken payment to librarieswhich loan more books than they borrow oninterloan. A payment of $0,50 for the first book and$0.35 for each additionalbook in the same package is made.

Photocopies of journal articles areavailable to all State with Ohio State Library users. Through a cooperative arrangement

University, materials which theState Library does not hold inits financed own collections canbe copied. The cooperative project is

with federal funds; under theterms of the agreement, the State

Libra ..y pays $0.10 per page toOhio State University formaterials

copied, and makes a chargeof $0,05 per page tothe user.

offers refer.. The Reference Department: The reference department agencies and any indi- once service forstate and city government full-time viduals using the library. The dvartment employs five

persons, of whom oneis a professionallibrarian. Total hook

stock in the Reference Room asof September 1,1966 was approxi- collection is estimated mately 11,820. The general reference list by the library to includeapproximately 80% of the reference

prepared by the EnochPratt Free Library ofBaltimore in 1966.

The collection does notcirculate.

Statistics for the calendar year1965 show a total of 13,910 Thirty-nine reference questions respondedto during the year.

volumes were borrowed on interloanfrom other librarie6 to answer Statistics for past the needs of referencedepartment users.

years show a slowbut steady increase inthe use of the department. 73.

The Documents Deartment: The documents department of the State

Library is a depository for state and federal publications, which can be used by the departments of state governmentand the general public. In addition, the documents department distributes the publications of Ohio's state agencies.State law specifies that

100 copies of each gablication intended for public distribution be made available to the State Library for distribution to li- braries which are designated as depositories for State of Ohio documents. Some 85 libraries, in addition to the Ohio State

Library itself, are depositories for publications of Ohio state agencies. Another important function served is the storing of

documents for the Legislative Service Commission received under

a nationw4Aa documentexohAnge prmgram. OnmmiAgion staff fre-

quently refer to these reports.

The documents department collections include, inaddition to

federal and Ohio documents =documents of other states,serials and

library literature, and periodicals.The librariclis estimate of

inventory as of July 31, 1966 was as follows:

Federal Documents 3300037 Ohio Documents 551,311 Other State Documents 34,517 Serials and Library Literature 7,128 Periodicals 26th, Total 453,963

Note: Figures for documents refer to numbers of pieces, those for serials and periodicals to bound volumes.

Total circulation of documents has remained stableat about

1 300 per year in the five-year period from1961 -1965, but the 714 number of documents received hasincreased sharply during the period. The number of state publicationsdistributed has shown a decline, however. r illei.Librar2: The travellinglibrary presently main. tains a collection of about180,000 volumes, made up of about80i)

juvenile fiction and non-fiction,and 20 adult fiction, travel,

biography and mysteries, sciencefiction and westerns. From

this collection, bulk loans aremade to county extensionlibraries

and to the library service andbookmobile centers of theState

Library. County extension libraries arelibraries which agree

to serve any areas withinthe county not otherwiseserved by

another library. There are 80 such librariesin the 8.8 Ohio

counties. These libraries may have abulk loan 0.t. a waximum of

3,000 books on hand at any onetime, and the length of loanfor

each book is one year withoptional renewal for a second year.

For State Library serviceand bookmobile centers,there is no

limit on number of volumes orlength of loan. In calendar year libraries. 1965 some 15e,119 volumes wereloaned to county extension loan to service As of Septerbber 21,1966, the number of volumes on bulk and bookmobile centers was60,094. In order to qualify for by a professional loans, county extensionlibraries must be headed head of the librarian or a professionallibrarian must be at the

borrowing library's extensionservices. An extension library

whose services are not headedby a professionallibrarian may

meet the requirement, however,by contracting to besupervised local by a professional staff memberof the State Library or a .Ma.

public library. with respect to the The Book Collectionsof the State Libra : collection in themain State Library's ownholdings, the total This includes about12,000 stacks is about450,000 volumes. and about 180,000in volumes in thenon-circulating collection 80$ are juvenilematerials. the travellinglibrary of which about collection to be about The State Libraryestimates the total documents are in- 900,000 volumes whenbound periodicals and

do not circulate,there are only cluded. However, since these for referenceback- about 260,000 volumeswhich could be used

stop service. Libraries Administeredb the State and FederalAid to Public state funds wereprcvided for State Library: Since the first the State LibraryBoard Ohio public librariesin the mid-19301s, them. State aid iscurrently has been chargediith distributing in one or moreof the paid to publiclibraries, which appear extension libraries,which following categories: First, county for basic stateaid grants; sec- are the onlylibraries eligible three-point test, de. ond, other publiclibraries which meet a provide specialservices to scribed below; third,libraries which which lend booksin excess blind readers; andfourth, libraries loan. of those theyborrow on interlibrary basic state aidgrants to The formula for thedistribution of both of a county'sability county extensionlibraries takes account and of itswillingness to do so. to support publiclibrary service, 75.

The amount for each basic grant is ealculated in two steps. In the first step, the maximum amount to which the county is en . titled is determined. This maximum available amount for each_ 22 county is determined by the amount of local situs intangibles tax collected per capita in the county in the preceding year, as follows:

LoIal Situs Intangibles Tax Collection Eaximum ....Ett,..clek,a Basic Allowance

$0.00.$1,19 $6,000 1.20 -1.49 5000 1.50- 2.24 4,000 2. 25 . 2.94 1,-600 2.95. 3.64 1,200 3.65 and over 800 ImIrioftior 11,41MA111M01110111.0.1.41re '11111011MIMe Once the maximum basic allowance is determined,the percentage of the intangibles tax collection available forlibrary-use-in-the county in the preceding year which was actuallyput to that use is taken into consideration. The county extension library is awarded that percentage of the maximum grant. Thus, to get the top grant

of $6,000, a county extension library wouldhave to be located in

a county which collected, inthe previous year, less than $1.19

per capita on the incomefrom local situs intangibles, batwhich

used 100 of the money for library support. If only 5Oof the

22 For tax purposes, intangible property isdivided into two cate. gories---state situs and local situs. The tax on the earnings from state situs intangibles iscollected by the state, and the revenue, while it is returnedto-the county of origin, is not available for library support. The tax on local situs intangibles is collected by the county; this revenueis available for public, library support, at the discretion of the countybudget commission. 77. available revenue was used to support libraries, only 5(of the maximum basic grant- --in this case $3,000...will be awarded.

Public libraries which are not county extension libraries are eligible for very small state aid grants..-$42.00 each... provided they meet three requirements. The requirements are that the library must: have received tax support for three years past; agree to work for increased local support and for improved standards of library service; and agree to purchasetitles re- commended in standard book Nelection aids.

Since 1960, a portion of total state aid supporthas been earmarked for support of library service to the blind. Two li- braries, Cleveland and Cincinnati, provide this service. The original state aid appropriation for this service, madein 1960, was $39,000 calculated on thebasis of $13.00 per reader for

3,000 readers. The number of readers served increased in1965

and 1966, and LSCA Title I grants were made tobring the support

back to a level of $13.00 per reader.

The fourth and final use made of stateaid funds in recent

years has been the program toreimburse public libraries which

lend in excess of what they borrow oninterlibrary loan, a program

referred to earlier in this chapter. The amounts of money involved

in this program have not been large tc date,amounting to just over

$700 annually in recent years.

In addition to state aid funds, the StateLibrary Board is

charged with the administration of LSCA Title I (service) and 78.

Title II (construction) grants made to Ohio public libraries. In

fiscal year 1966 a total of $453,392.74 in Title I grants was

distributed by the State Library, $393,253.74 to individual li-

braries and groups of libraries for service programs, and$60,139.00

to recipients of scholarships for graduate study in libraryscience.

Title II (construction) grants amounted to$1,456,469.00 in the

same period, distributed tonine Ohio public libraries.

State The activities of

the State Library are supported by federal, state, and localfunds.

Federal funds are derived from the Library Services and Construction

Act, Title I; state funds from general revenue appropriations;and

local funds from payments made for services provided bythe State

_Library on contract with local libraries and school districts.

For accounting purposes, the State Library is subdivided into

eleven activates.These are State Library headquarters, catalog

and processing center, union catalog, the Napoleon regionalcenter,

the Napoleon bookmobile, the Southeastern Ohio regionalcenter, the

Southeastern Ohio bookmobile, the Adams-Brown bookmobile,Central

Ohio bookmobile, the Lawrence County bookmobile,and the Meigs

County bookmobile. Only the first three activities---State Li.

brary headquarters, catalog and processingcenter, and union cata-

log---receive state support; the remaining eightactivities are

financed with federal and local funds only.

r a h i b i t I, on page 80, presents a summary of expenditures

for State Library activities by source of funds(federal, state,

local) for fiscal year 1966. The total expenditure of $1,017,953.5 79. was made directly for State Libraryactivities; it does not include state or federal aid funds (discussed earlierin this chapter) which were administered by the State Library butpaid to other libraries or to scholarship recipienta,--

Of the $1,017.953.52 total,$658.545.55 or64.5percent was derived from federal funds.$175,816.00or 17.3 percent was derived from state funds. and $185.591.97 or18.2 percent from local funds. The outstanding fact which appears inthis analysis is the heavy---64.5 percent of thetotal---federal subsidy of the

entire State Library operation in fiscal1966. Individual acti-

vities varied widely in the degree of federalsubsidy they re-

ceived; from a high of 95.0 percent to a lowof 28.0percents hit

even State-Library-headquarters-activities-were financed nearly

fifty percent with federal funds. The bookmobile centers varied

greatly in the degree of local support received; onebookmobile

center derived over half of itssupport from local contract pay-

ments for services, while another, a newercenter which was still

being operated as a demonstrationproject, drew only 5,4 percent

Of its support from local sources. TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF THE OHIO STATE LIBRARY,TA E4BY 1SOURCE OF FUNDS; FISCAL YEAR 1966

! Total Source of Funds Activity 1 Dollars AllExpenditure Sources) Percent Dollars (LSCA Title I) Federal Percent Revenue Al sroriationDollars State (General Percent DollarsContract Services) Local Percent CatalogStateUnion andCatallog Processing Center2 Library Headquarters 1 136.148.18/1,334.59 100..0100, 0 177,809.10287 264.223.171.39 49.328.064.1 152,233,8419,462.324,119.84 42.236.314.3 30,529.052C.,421.644,043.36 21.6 8.5 NapoleonSoutheasternNapoleon Regional Bookmobile Ohio Center Regional Center 102 564.3479,540.56 ' ' 100.0100.0 46,679.002,291.88 45.586.8 - -- 55.885.2515,06.004, 000. 00 , 5.015.2 Adams-BrownSoutheastern Ohio Bookmobile Bookmobile 47,499.2366.099.62 100.0 - -- 12,886.773,574.91 ' 27.134.824.2 Central Ohio Bookmobile 45,002.42 100.0 15,654.92 , MeigsLawrence County County Bookmobile Bookmobile TOTAL ---- 27,770.2533,531.54 100.0 656,545-155 - 17.3 - 185,591.97 2,185.661,802.41 18.2 7.95.4 100.0 1 64.5 175,816.00 (A11 ActWities) 1,017,953.52 I 21 InQiudesIncludes thethe Statecataloging Librarian's departmentcenter.culation, office, state and the thecirculation, library physical consultant's reference,processing office, documents,unit. the administrative and traveling librai.y departments, and the accounting department exclusive of the catalog office for extension and LSCA activities, the city cir- L. Chapter IV

Personnel

This chapter consists of two main parts: First, an analysis of information gathered through a qaestionnaire distributed to professional librarians; and, second, an analysis of certain statistics relating to the supply of librarians in relation to potential client groups. Both are summaries of the report by Dr. Philip H. Ennis listed in "Acknowledgements".

In both of these parts, certain limitations must be observed.

First, there is no list of persons classed as professionallibrar- ians in Ohio. FUrthermore, as is generally the case, the term professional librarian is variously interpreted. Sufficient numbers-of the questionnaires were sent to each library listedin the Ohio Directory of Libraries, 1966, to provide fordistribution to the number of staff listed there as professional. The question. mires were accompanied by a letter of instructions.

Second, the data used for the analysis of trends were those which already existed. Therefore, certain inconsistencies and gaps are evident, since the data were notcollected for the par- poses for which they are used in thischapter. Certain of the data one might wish to have to locate trends and makeforecasts are not available, despite the urgentneed of such prognostica- tions. Collecting such data is a task far beyond the limitsof this study. -81- 82.

I. Ohio Public Librarians: The questionnaire sent to thepublic libraries yielded reports on1,360 individuals from 216libraries. size of Table 1 shows the distributionof these libraries by the number of libraries their collections. The table shows the total in each category, the totalnumber oflibrarians2 and the mean number of librarians foreach size category.

TABLE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS RESPONDING

Size of Library iCollections in Thousands ofVolumes), .25,000 25,000 -s. 100,000.500,000+ 1 00.000 500.000

Total Number 2 6 8 Libraries . 87 95 Total Number 170 685 Librarians . 168 337 Total Librarians 85.5 Per Library System 1.9 3.5 6.6

Table 2 shows the age, sexand educationaldharacteristics library of the librarians, againpresentee, gleparately for each

size category. Table 2 is presented on page83.

As one would expect,the smaller the librarythe greater tha

proportion of women and ofolder librarians. The striking dif .

ference in educationalbackground is important.Fully half

1See Appendix for thecomplete questionnaire.

About 6 percent of this total appear to besub.professional librarians, including someclerical help. They are included in most of the tables that follow,but since these individuals gen- erally do not have collegeeducation they do nat,appearin ,a1.1 of the tabulations. 83.

TABLE 2

LIBRARY STAFF CHARACTERISTICS

Libra Size 25,000. 100,000 500,00 100 000 a0 000 Sex

Hale 8% 14 86A Female 92-A 1. Per Cent 104 104 104 To 2. Responses (167) (167) (684) Lat

20..29 5% 10A

5%

40.49. . 23% 197

50-59 35$ 35%

60.69 . 32$ 25% 1. Per Cent 100 woo Total2. Responses (166) (333)

Education

No degree 65% 43 BA BS 22$ 2 10

MA, etc. 1A BLS 9% 15%

laa etc. as 19i

1 PerCent- 100% 104 To 2. Responses (157) (326) 84.

(32 percent) of the librarians in the largest librarieshave

4LS degrees and 65 percent of the librariansin the smallest systems have only high school education. This fact is, of course, related to age, and when we -look at thedifferences in education for the younger librarians, this extreme contrastdiminishes to some extent.

Table 3 shows in more detail the educationallevels of male and female librariarid at different agelevels.

TABLE 3 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AMONG YOUNGER, AND OLDER MALE AND FDIALE LIBRARIANS

Male Female Under 40 Over 40 Under 40 Over 40 4LS or Higher -1Alicrary=Begreei-.- 74 2 21% . . . 2% 12% 3% BA or BS 17% 7% 20 19% MA, MS and Higher Non-library . 7% 12% 2,49 3%

No Degree. . (0) 19% 32%

Taal. Per Cent 100% 100% 100% 100% 2. Responses (60) (67) (319) (880)

.10MMINuerit

As is clear from the marginal totalsof the table, about half

the men (60 out of 127) are under40 years of age, but only about

a quarter of the women(319 out of 1,199) are under 50 years.

Second, it is far more likely that menhave the NLS, or a higher

degree, than women.-- 85.

These age and educational differences arerelated to the jobs the men and women librarianshold, as shown in Table

TABLE 4 DISTRIBUTION OF LIBRARY POSITIONS BY SEX AND SIZE OF LIBRARY Per Cent Male Librarians

Alamsr., 4emilmam

Size of Library(Volumes) Over 500 000 100000.Under 100,000 500,000 7% Head Librarian 100% 4* 50% Senior Staff and 4A (0) Department Heads . . 21% (0) Branch Librarians . . 5% 14 4A Cataloguer .. 13% 19% Reference Librarian 22% 5% 19 (0)_ Circulation_Librawlan ._. 14 kg Children's/Young Adults' (0) Librarian ...... 4% 9% 5% Prof. Assistant . . . . 13% 9% 11% Sub.professional . . . . . 11h (0)

The smaller the library,the fewer the male headlibrarians branch librarians. and department heads. There are rather few male

Apparently, the career lineof the male librarian isthrough the

main library of a largesystem, or through asuccession of admin.'.

istrative positions in severallibraries, rather than inthe

branch library or in the smallerlibrary.

As a comparison, Table5 shows some of the samedharacterf

istics for a national sampleof public librarians. 86.

TABLE5 SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC LIBRARIANS* IN THE UCTED STATES

IMIWYMANNEN, 1/ANIMIIIIEMMFM111M

Sex Male /3% Female 87%

Am (Years) Under 25 3$ 25.34 20% 35.44 24% 45.54 29$ 55.64 16% 65 + 7%

Education B.A. 7% B.A. 22%

B.A. + 39i M.A. 27%

Ph. D.

*Source: Based on data from the post.Cenaal Study ofProfes- sional and Technical Manpower, SeymourWarkov, Senior Study Directory, NORC (a project supported by theNational Science Foundation).

M1.0.1111111110111111Mftli.1111111=01111MINEMINEMINIMENO.M.IMIM vozwmPasime...

Table6presents data on the migration pattern,; of the respondent librarians and their occupationalhistory, again by library size category.

For the large libraries, about half of theircollege- educated

staff received their degrees outof Ohio; in the smallest libraries

this percentage declines to 29 percent.

The respondent librarians have had, on the average,slightly

more than three main positions intheir work history, and the 87.

TABLE6

LIBRARY STAFF MIGRATION MDOCCUPATIONAL PATTERNS -www..~...~_ Library Size

1-25.00025,000- 100 000 500,009 00 000 10 000 Place of Degree (College Only)

Ohio 71% 64% 53% 56

Not in Ohio. . 29$ 36% 47% 440 1. Per Cent 100T 100% 100; 100-% Total 2. Responses (56) (192) (108) (634)

Mean number of 3.4 Total Jobs . . . . 2.8 3.2 3.6

Job Migration History

All in Ohio. 53 i 53% 42;6

_8% Mixed. 5% 7% 11%

Migrated to Ohio 14% 20% 23$ 30% 18% One jOb only . . 26% 14% 11%

2% 2% NA. . 11% 6% 100% 100 1 Per Cent 00 100, Total 2. Responses (162) (336) (170) (685)

Share of Jobs in_a Library 44% All library. 20% 32% 33%

Mostly library 26% 32% 31% 26% 25% 12% Mostly nonlibrary 28% 22% 18% One job only 26% 14% 116 1. Per Cent 1001 100% 100% 100% "A' 2. Responses (168) (336) (170) (685) Tr

88. larger the system a librarianis now working in, the more jobs he or she has had.

Information on the extent to whichlibrarians have moved

into Ohio to take a position(any position, not just in alibrary)

presents a mixed picture. There is a steady increase in the pro-

portion of librarians who have comefrom other states into Ohio

to work in larger library systems,increasing from 14 percent in

the smallest to 30 percent in thelargest systems. But anywhere

from 42 to 53 percent of thelibrarians who have had more than

one job have had alltheir library experience inOhio. Neverthe-

less, the large systems do drawout-of-state personnel and there-

fore their salary requirements andother opportunities have to be

geared to the national market.

This is seen in the final itemin Table 6 which shows the

occupational history as beingall in the library field, part or

mainly in some other field(usually teaching). Only half as many

librarians, proportionately, inthe large system come from non. in library fields (12percent) while a quarter of the librarians

all the other size categoriesdo so. These data also suggest

the extent of, underprofessionalizationin the smaller systems.

Among the college educatedlibrarians, the pattern of job

migration and place of education show aninteresting relationship

as shown in Table7.

There is a core of about 40percent of the professional

librarians who are both educatedin Ohio and whose entirejob

history is in Ohio---those librarianswho have held on one job 89. have been elimineed from the tablesince they are generally young and have had littleopportunity for moving. The other large sub-group, about onequarter of the librarians, areboth educated out-of-state and have comewith an out-of-statework history.

TABLE 7 EDUCATIONAL AND JOB laGRATIONHTSTriRY3

aklagration Histotz Eigrant Mixed (i.e., out- All Local (i.e., in side Ohio (i.e., in Ohio and except for Ohio last move Total

Place of ve.gree 11S 58 % Ohio 6% Other than Ohio . 5% 2L

Total 35% emernowlFlm1walmrwisistro. place of An examination of thesemigration patterns and would suspect education shows nodifference by age, but as one the large there are more out-of-stateeducated librarians in

systems. estimate of The really importantproblem is to see if some

net migration into thestate can be made andthen to see how Unfortunately, neither brary manpower shiftsaround the state. first because we do of these questions isfully answerable, the the state each not know how many workingOhio librarians leave

'Excluding respondents who reported holding only oneposition. 90. year, and the secondbecause the data as to movementswithin the state are not available. There is one clue to this latter question: the number of vacancies forprofessional librarians in cities of various sizes. Two separate pieces ofinformation are available here. One is data from the previouslycited U. S.

Office of Education series which,in Table 8, shows the rates of vacancies in various sizedcities in the U. S. and in Ohio.

TABLE 8 TOTAL PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS VACANT IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS A PERCENTOF ALL PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS, FILLED ANDVACANT*

011.1111110.1110

Size of Population Positions Vacant as a Percent Served of All Positions 1960

35,000. U. S. 8.0 59,999 Ohio 2.7;

60,000. U. S. 8.7% 7.3% 99,000 Ohio 7.2% 11.5%

100,000 + U.S. 6.6% 7.3% Ohio 5.9% 2.5%

Total U. S. 7.O 7.2% Ohio 5.9% 3.6% *Source: USOE, Public LibraryStatistics, 1962.

As will be seen later,Ohio's public librarians arerelatively

more numerous than inthe rest of the statesand therefore the

vacancy rate in Ohio isgenerally lower. But in the middle-sized

city, 50,000 to 99,999 inpopulation, the vacancy ratein Ohio 91. exceeds that of the U. S. and gets worsefrom 1960 to 1962.

The present questionnaire revealssimilar results. The percentage of vacancies in all positions(filled plus vacant) increases from 27 percent in thesmall libraries (under25,000 volumes) to 44 percent in the 25,000-100,000volume category and then declines to16 percent and 18 percent inthe two library is in a largest groups.Assuming the moderate-sized moderate-sized city, the results arethe same. It may be that

for the the moderate -sized library andcommunity are too small

ambitious young librarian buttoo large to be run by asingle

or a fewdedicated people from withinthe community. asked In the questionnaire.professional librarians were

for their current joband how, in percentage,they allocated

their time. Table 10 summarizes their responses.

While the data are toocumbersome and fragmentary to pre- towards a dispersion sent, there appearsto be a general trend This trend is not of task as the sizeof the library declines. raises the same questions asdoes surprisingof course, and it librarians. A the marked dispersion oftask found for branch the city librarybranch serious reanalysisof staffing needs in

and smaller library isneedad. here, is Library planning, the finaltopic to be considered to manpower. Each perhaps the most criticalmatter when it comes of interest as. well as librarian was asked torank his own level

his guess as to theinterest of his boardin the following programs. INMEAN VARIOUS PERCEi4TAGE LIBRARY OF 'WORKFUNCTIONS TIME TABLE 10 HeadTech.Lept. HeadDept. Staffrof es s Branch Libr. loguer ta- Libr.Circ. Libr.Ref. Y.A.Child, Lib. Asst.Prof. Asst.Prof.Non- AdministrationGeneral ervice Ref, % ( Gen. ) 39P 4 17% 4% 11% Reader'RelationsCommunity s 5% * 1% 1% ServicesTechnical 40% 9% 1% EiL.),6% 17% 5% 77% 1 i 5% 10, 5S 4%7% 15%144 14%18% ReferenceCirculation 7$3ii 48% 0 8%2% 10%10A 5%5i 61% 9% 66% 2% 9%2% 24% 8% 21$ 8% WorkChildren' s 2" 1% 9% 1 o -*: 1;_ 6% 1% 62% 8% 14% Other Less2.1. Responses than 1 per cent Per cent 95% 3%(39) 100% (11)3% 90%13i (108) 86% 3%(157) 9314 1%(110) 91% (85)4% 92- (105)5% 92% (186)3% 88%(232) 6% 8910%(77) 93.

Next to each program in Table 11 isthe mean interest scorefor the head librarians and the board'sassumed interest.

TABLE 11 INTEREST PRIORITIES FOR OHIOPUBLIC LIBRARIES

Interest Level of: (1=high; 5=low)

Board Pro ram Librarian 1.5 Improve collection 1.3 Expand branch services 3.5 3.5 2.0 Expand library facilities 1.9 Expand business and 2.2 professional service 2.1 Increase community 2.6 cooperation 2.4 Expand cooperative activities 3.4 3.9

Services to nonusers 2.4 2.6- 2.1 Service to school andstudents 2.0 3.0 Modernize technical services 2.6 Build a special subject 2.6 collection 2.1 Expand otherservices/ 2.6 program not mentioned 1.8

board are in near In almost every casethe librarian and his being a little perfect agreement, withthe librarians perhaps

more interested indoing everythingthan the board. Such may the part of indeed be the case; it mayalso be misperception on this fact is not the librarians. If there is not consensus

totally trivial in that theabsence of sharpdisagreement between

the librarian and his board maybe likely to produce aclimate

amenable to change. 94.

The second fact drawn from Table is an apparent lack of consensus as to what should take precedence. Aside from a high interest in improving the collection and a low interest in expanding branch service or cooperative activities, all the other programs have scores in the middle of the range,and widely spread distributions.

This could well indicate a genuine lack of professional consensus as to what the library should be doing, or itcould reflect the necessary diversity of program based on the diversity of community needs and library resources, or it could be an arti- fact of the limited scale (1-5) of interest.

Table 12 shows the interest ratings of librarians only in the different size classes (I being the smallest library, V thelargest)

TABLE 12 LIBRARIANS INTEREST PROFILES BY SIZE OF LIBRARY 1WILSftweamapbmiIMMMENIv.I.worowarmsarNN1010m...MVolMMUMINMW....0=1MEM! Size Class (Volumes 10,000. 25,000- 100,000. 1.0.1.M.2542221(n900 222,900 122i2924 1 II III IV V

Improve collection . 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.1 Expand branch services . 4.7 4.6 3.5 3.0 1.9 Expand library facilities . . . . 1.6 2.1 3.3 2.0 1.5 Expand business and professional service . . . . . 3.8 k..) 2.0 2.0 1.8 Increase community cooperation . . . 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.9 Expand cooperative activities . . . . 3.3 3.9 3.4 3.0 3.5 Services to non-users . . . . 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.3 3.1 Service schools and students. . . 1.3 1.8 2.1 2.2 3.5 Modernize technical services . . 2.0 2.9 2.8 2.1 1.5 Build a special subject collection 1.0 1.4 2.1 3.0 2.5 Expand other services/ programs not mentioned 1,8 1.9 1.7 2.0 95.

Some differences are immediately apparent.The interest

in branch libraries isa direct matter of size; the larger the

library the more interest in the branch system. Other matters

are curvilinear; the smallest and the largest librariesare more

interested in expanding library facilities and improving the col-

lections than the middle-sized library. There are other patterns

as well that are paradoxical. The largest numbers of non-users

of the library are in the largest cities, specifically the urban

poor. Yet the largest libraries show the least interest in

reaching the non-user. The same is true for service to students and schools; where the library resources are greatest, there is the least interest. That position is defensible if there are other libraries to handle those students and if the library is mobilizing its energies elsewhere. The patterning of responses

shows a considerable degree of consensus among the few largeli- braries and among the smaller libraries, but great variation among the middle-sized ones. That is probably the most signifi-

cant finding in this part of the analysis; that is, an apparent diffusion of purpose.It seems imperative for public librarians, as well as all the other types of librarians, to clarify their goals and set priorities in their accomplishment.Those moves are prerequisites for a consideration of specific manpower policies.

II. Trends in Public Library lumael: From the Ennis study, it appears that certain conclusions pertinent to Ohio public libraries are supportable, although the data upon which they are based are 96.

summarized below. limited in several ways. These conclusions are employed in First, the ratio ofprofessional librarians audience (child- public libraries per 1000members of potential favorable in ren, young adultsand adults) issubstantially more surprising Ohio than in the nation asa whole. That fact is not support and the in view of the good generallevel of financial libraries of outstanding existence in Ohio ofseveral large city not being maintained. quality.At the same time,this position is improving nationally That is, the indications arethat the ratio is 4Approximately the samepie- but growing lessfavorable in Ohio. professional librarians ture obtains with respectto the ratio of collections.5 per 100,000voltimes in publiclibrary Ohio's publiclibraries, Second, salaries paidto librarians in than those paid inthe other as is the casenationally, are lower types are rising, they types of libraries.While salaries in all 6 When set against are rising leastrapidly in publiclibraries. academic librarians asthe the apparent growingneed in Ohio for 7 suggests institutions of highereducation growthis salary trend and demand isbrewing. that some radicalchange in supply trained in in Third, professionallibrarians are being of increase islagging far creasing numbers inOhio, but the rate

Report." 4Ennis, Philip E., "Ohio Library Manpower: A Statistical New Brunswick, 1967(In press) p. 28 -35.

5Ibid., P. 35-39. 6 Ibid., p. 40-49.

?Ibid.,p. 8-13. 97.

of the nation, behind the nationaltrend. Ohio was ahead until 1960 whenthe relatively, in productionof librarians didnot.8. national rate increasedmarkedly but Ohio's presented Sum; The dataand conclusionsabout personnel Potentially the mostserious here suggest somemajor problems. into a period ofgeneral problem is that thenation is moving result of thedepressed shortages in trainedpersonnel as a knowledge of personnelsupply birth rate of the1930/s, but our Thusproblems of major pro- and utilizationis very sketchy. have very littleunder- portions may bedeveloping of which we

standing. picture in Ohio,the ratio of On the brightside of the audience isfavorable. professional librariansto potential generally borneout by ob This may indicate(and this has been is of betterthan servation) that libraryservice to users

average quality. favorable ratio mayalso indicate On the darkside, this The data on age maldistribution ofpersonneland/or duties. shows clearlythat some and sex distributionfor head librarians of librarieswill have crisis lies ahead.Major consolidation possible precipitatede- to be considered asanalternative to At least byinference, major cline inqualifications ofstaff. the managementof the fewlarge changes aresuggested also in

assmairdr 8 Ibid., 49-53 98. libraries which employ a very large percentage of the total num- ber of professional personnel. Observation of middle-range libraries also suggests that there is great unevenness in the distribution (and, therefore, in utilization) of professional personnel in this group.

Finally, the rate of production of professional librarians in Ohio, unless it is increased, strongly suggests that more reliance will have to be placed on out-of-state recruitment than in the past. Such reliance will call for salaries pitched at a national rather than local level. Chapter V

Governance of Local Public Libraries

Because public library service is rather sharplyfocused

compared to many social services, theformal governing structure of libraries is relatively simple and quitesimilar in all states:

I. There is usually a governing board,appointed by

some other publicbody, which directs the library

program.

2. The board is semi - independentin fiscal powers

from the city or county or schooldistrict which

created it, but specificrestrictions are usually

set by statute.

3. The major source of revenue ona statewide basis

is the property tax, but forindividual libraries

there are significant differences.

4. Some local public libraries areoperated by school

districts, in which case the schoolboard may be the

governing body with the librarybeing considered

another division of the totaleducation program.

Even if the school boardappoints a library board,

it usually maintains a moredirect interest in and

control of the library programthan such other

parent bodies as city and countycommissioners. The

reasons for schoolsponsorship vary, often being as

much a function of local conditions asanything else.

-99 - 100.

3. Library boards usually employ ahead librarian

to supervise programactivities, but marked dif-

ferences are common in theformal structure of

board-librarian relations even amonglibraries

of the same size and in the samegeographic

area. The board may act only as apolicy making

organ with theadministration and personnel

supervision delegated to thehead librarian in

the classical sense. On the other hand, numerous

examples can be cited whereboards are active in

administration andLin effect supervise indetail

the implementation of theirpolicies. This lat-

ter situation may arisefor any number of factors,

such as a strong board andweak librarian, em-

ployment of a nm-professionallibrarian, his-

torical demands by the communityfor board

administration, or lack of knowledgeby the

board as to how it could useits own intellectual

resources and timemost efficiently.

This general pattern ofthe formal governing structureof public libraries is familairto many Ohioans becauseit is a. mirror of their system.As in any general patternof local govern- ment, defects and variationsin the "weaving" can benoted if it is subjected to microscopicexamination.,Whether they are sig. nificant or merely reflectnormal differences causedby local 101.

Particularly is this self-control is difficultto determine. service where everyeffort true for a localpublic educational choice in developing apro- is made to allowmaximum freedom of disadvantage3 of centralcontrols. gram in orderto minimize the is thatdifferences The position in thisreport, therefore, Ohio and any otherstate are not among localunits or between distor- necessarily a cause of concernunless there is a gross variations are notunder- tion of the overallpattern or if the

stood by thepublic concerned. governing publiclibraries Basic Laws AreSound: The Ohio laws they are clear andsimple are basicallysound. For the most part easily by any localcommunity and can beimplemented relatively provide the mosteffective in which genuinedesire exists to is possiblewithin the limits and efficientlibrary service that libraries is controlled,inter . of its resources.Creation of new the powers oflibrary governmental cooperatioiis authorized and over fiscal prac- boards are verybroad. The general controls reasonable and commonin one tices of alllocal governments are While librariansand their form or anotherin most states. general laws onbudgeting, boards may feelrestricted by the auditing, there is noevidence fiscal accounting,tax levies, and seriously discrimi- that they impose unduehardship on or are of such evidence,it natory againstlibraries. In the absence exceptions at thistime. would be difficultto argue for any statutes may need This does not denythat some of the

111.001010.4iimmomomw 102. changing, but any action should be in concert with other public officials. For example, the authority to levy a special library tax is made unrealistic by the 10 mill levy limit (Section 5705.06), and the procedure to exceed this limit is awkward since it requires a two - thirds vote of the taxing authority, a vote of the people, and is limited to a specific number of years (Section 5705.19).

Also the use of tax anticipation warrants, which is apparently fairly common to general local government as well as libraries, is unnecessarily expensive and could be minimized by procedural changes in the budget and tax laws.

Intangibles Tax: By far the most important issue in Ohio library service is financing. Ohio libraries are unique in that their major source of revenue is from a local situs intangibles tax referred to in Chapter I.

As one reviews the historical events leading to the passage of the enabling legislation and the early legal struggles in the courts, there is no doubt that there were many valid and persua- sive arguments to support this method of financing, 'Without a doubt, for example, it has aided library development statewide, and in some of the more wealthy communities it has assured them of a stable source of income.

The issue in 1967, though, is whether an intangibles tax is the best source of revenue and whether, regardless of one's loyalty to library development, a tax, which is in effect dedicated, can be defended for this particular public service. Increased 103.

questioning of the current method of financing libraries by various groups and the recent special legislative tax study

group point out clearly that librarians and local boards must

re-examine their position. In public finance in general, dedi-

cated local revenues except for capital improvements are in

creasingly being challenged because of the rigidity they foster

in financing total local services. The challenge is very strong

in the larger urban areas which are faced with the problem of

planning and developing an entire region with insufficient

local revenues.

Furthermore, the intangibles tax itsca4 as the single or

major source of revenue collected and distributed on a county

basis for one service, can be questioned by both library boards

and others by units of government because it almost inherently

produces large revenues for some localities and causes poverty

in services in other areas: In modern society intangibles have

a situs which often only accidently coincideswith the need for

a public service. One sees this inequality immediately in li-

brary financing in Ohio where in 1965 the per capitaintangibles

tax collections varied from $0.57 in one county to$8.13 in

another one. The "50 cent county" allocated 100 percent of the

intangibles to libraries whereas the second one only allowed82

percent, but this 82 percent still amounted to morethan $6.40

per capita. On a statewide basis, the intangibles tax produces

a very favorable picture for librarydevelopment, indicating

that in 1965 there was an average of$3.11 per capita from this 104. source of revenue forlibrary service and that a few ofthe communities were well above the mostliberal published national

standards.What is not recognized so widely,though, is the

grossly substandard service that wascharacterized by eleven

counties with less than $1.00 per capita forlibrary service

from all sources of revenue.

The legislature has authorized the useof the general

property tax for library service; but as is commonin most in-

stances where a dedicated revenue is usedthe alternatives are

not widely employed because of generalpublic resistance and

objections by supporters of other services.In short, Ohio has

at this time a built-in system ininequity in its library

financing.

Proposing a specific solution to this problem isnot within

the purview of this assignment. Calling attention to it is man-

datory, however, because any action toretain or change the pre.

sent method of finance directlyaffects the development of

library service.

If this vital matter is to be thesubject of change, it

should be approached with the deepestpossible understanding of

the problems change will create. Essentially, the question must

be in terms of whether ornot Ohio's public libraries would

receive the same, or nearly the same,portion of the whole tax

resource under somedifferent system as they do now. The history

of public libraries in the stateis encouraging; the peopleof 105.

Ohio have found solutions to majorfinancial crises with respect

conditions have changed; to their libraries.At the same time, noted have the social, economic andpolitical changes earlier existing years ago created conditions sodifferent from those changing that no predictions shouldbe made. At the very least, accompanied by the financial basis oflibrary support would be and of real distress a period ofadjustment for all libraries high relative to for those libraries whoseincome is unusually could re- others in the same county. Such change, furthermore, libraries now existing sult in the destructionof some of the fine state of one of in Ohio and, thus, inirretrievable loss to the

its resources forfuture growth. instance The obvious immediate concernof the state in this through directly is to move towardequalization of opportunity

ameliorating the effectsof regional economicdifferences- and existing resources through finding a varietyof means to use the

for the benefit ofall residents of. Ohio. Board has not Criteria for State Aid: The. Ohio State Library aid reviewed its practicesin the allocationof existing state for the Board to carryout for some time. It would be possible and of its policiesin the a generalreview of those procedures to be, pro- use of LSCAfunds simultaneously.If there are also this posals for new forms ofstate aid(recommended later in general criteria report) then the legislatureshould set forth This statement in no wayimplies for distributing thataid. 106. poor judgement on the part of either past or present administra- tive officials, but is merely a recognition that allocation of state grants requires both periodic review and the making of certain policy decisions in which the legislature should par. ticipate as proposals are presented to it.

Local Budget Commission: As noted previously, Ohio has basically sound laws with regard to supervising the fiscal practices of local units of government. One of these controls is somewhat unique in that it provides for coordination and control of local financing by a budget commission composed of the county auditor, prosecuting attorney, and county treasurer. In certain situations two elected members may be added to the board for distribution of the local government fund (Section 5705.27). The powers of the commission as stated in Section 5705.32 are broad, and in the case of libraries it has the specific authority to determine need in the distribution of the intangibles tax.

While this type of commission has merit in theory; its opera. ations in Ohio vis a vis libraries has two apparent deficiencies, both of which have been noted by various groups in the past.

One is that the statutory standards which it must use in allo- cating the intangibles tax for library service are not clear.

The law implies s,rongly in Section 5705.32 that the dis- tribution to libraries shall be based on need and without regard to other sources of revenue; and need is to include consider- ations of capital construction as well as current operating programs. 107.

A long list of Ohio court cases onthis point indicates that the "spirit" of the law isthat libraries should have a preferred claim on the intangiblestax, but the decisions do not make the allocation tolibraries a ministerial duty of the commission. The commission may exercisejudgement as to any one library's need.

The statute should state clearlywhether this need is a relative one determined by comparinglibrary service to other local programs, or whether needis to be determined in accordance with standards (to be establishedby the Ohio State LibraryBoard),

or whethar needis to be related simply tothe ability of a local

community to profit by eachadded increment of library,service.

The other deficiency isthat there is no statutorybasis

for allocation of funds among severallibraries in a given county,

Local traditions and aggressivenessby the library board andthe

librarian seem to be the majordeterminants of how much ofthe

intangibles taxis actuallyallocated to libraries. In short,

in the absence of a clearstatutory statement, localpolitical

processes are followedin decision making. Although a library

board may appeal a localcommission's decision to theState not an Board Tax Appeals, such actionis rare and moreover is

effective way to resolvelocal differences of opinionin the use

of tax funds.

Some formal standard isalso necessary even if allof the

intangibles tax in all counties weremade available forlibrary

service because the amountmust still be distributed Lull=the 108. eligible libraries in each countyaccording to their individual, needs.

Some of the resentmentexpressed by library personnel,past and present, against thelocal budget commissionscoup be mini. mized if the membership oftIly commission were enlargedto in.. elude representatives ofother bodies, includinglibrary boards. membership On a theoretical basis,there is no reason to limit to county officials sincethe county, itself is notresponsible which the for direct administrationof all the services for

commission approvesallocations.

Term of Office forTrustees: The success of a library, program trustees as it depends as much on localleadership by a board of library. What does on the professionalpersonnel who operate the by persons kind of board is best hasbeen discussed for many years unique interested in library service. Indeed, the issue is not services which to libraries becausesupporters of other public have also been concerned are administeredin a similar manner

about their boards.

Although there are nouniversally acceptedformal standards board, there are some by which to measurethe adequacy of a all segments of acommunity, general guides: (1) representation of introduction of new ideas, (2) sufficient turnoverto allow easy to the (3) forceful leadership inexplaining the library program community, (4) community and thenmarshalling support in the in such, a way supervision of theadministration of the library freedom to develop a that the professionallibrarian has maximum program in accordancewith accepted standardsand community needs. the survey In applying these fourgeneralizations to Ohio, to a number questionnaire indicatesthat it has a problem common to be composed ofolder persons, of states: A tendency for boards selected economic with fairly long tenurein office, and with a surveyed, for example, and social balkground. Of the trustees respective boards for more nearly 50 percent hadserved on their

than 20 years..The pattern than 10 years and20 percent for more About 65 per.. was similar inall sizes of citiesand counties. and professionalpersonnel, cent of the boardmembers were business labeled as religious with only 3 to 5percent being definitely "Housewifeland miscellaneous other back- or laborleaders. 30 to 32 percent. In terms grounds accountedfor the remaining membership, for thelibraries of a divisionbetween men and women men and46 per- reporting, 54 percentof the board members were libraries (over100,000 vol- cent were women,but for the larger were men. About umes) as many as 70 to75percent of the members

60, 61 percent 29 percent of theboard members were over age 60, and only 10 percent wereunder were betweenthe ages 40 and indication from thequestionnaires 40 years old.There was some always regular attendersat that many boardmembers were not

meetings. uniform term of It would be preferableto provide for a appointment to successiveterms office for trusteesand to limit limited, turnover among so thatthere might beconstant, though

1 of the housewives wereeconom- There is someindication that most professional class. ically and socially inthe business and 110. trustees. While this matter could be the subject of statutory change, it seems wiser to suggest that the State Library Board make this general topic the subject of a policystatement, to be disseminated through the State Library's extensionactivities.

This suggestion for shorter terms is not a generalcriticism of present trustees because it is obvious from anexamination of general library data that a number of them havelabored diligently in the interest of library development inOhio. One piece of evidence of this is the relatively high positionof Ohio librar.. ies in general, and the fact that nearly 90percent of the mem- bers (according to the survey) are able to bring tolibrary policy- making the benefits of broad experiences in avariety of community activities. In some respects, the present practice canbe under- stood and perhaps even justified in past years as necessary in order to establish the library as an institutionand because general public support in communities was often meagre.

In the last ten years, though, library service haschanged so much that previouspractices no matter how sound outwardly are not sufficient. Library service, for example, is much broader in that it is designed to assist all segments ofsociety with numer- ous programs. All of the beneficiaries of these programs should have an active voice in as direct a way aspossible in both planning and administering them. Young persons in parUcular must be given greater representation becauseof their growing numbers, because they are the major users of thelibrary, and because of their potentially new views of libraryservice. 111.

specialized groups Representatives of low incomepeople and other for library programs. also have a specialinsight into the needs facilitate broader Shorter terms are probablythe easiest way to

representation and a constantinfusion of new ideas. office is a pointof It is recognizedthat the length of the continuing controversy atall levels ofgovernment, although Continuity general trend is tolimit terms forappointive boards. essential, and these are and experiencedleadership are obviously On the otherhand, respon- usually the productof long service. ideas are equallyhighly siveness to changeand injection of new

desired values. and within theprofession in School Service: In many states, dialogues about therelation. general, there havebeen numerous The relationshipis ship of public andschool libraryservice. districts sponsorthe public important in part:lularwhere school boards too oftendilute the public library servicebecause school high level ofdirect classroom service in aneffort to maintain a often inadvertent orthe or teacherassistance. Such dilution is service adequately. result of local pressuresto finance only one expect to seethis Other things beingequal, one would number of difficulty in Ohiobecause of therelatively large The intangiblestax method school districtpublic libraries. somewhat since schooldistricts of financingaccentuates the issue this source of revenue,and they normally do not haveaccess to When the public too are facedwith financialdifficulties. does not library program in aschool district,for example, 112. receive the full intangibles tax allocation, any "deficit" would have to be borne by the regular school budget. On the other hand, intangibles tax funds could easily be used to finance those public services most directly related to the educational program.

The easiest way to resolve this kind of issue is to enact a statute or adopt rules and regulations (jointly by the State

Library and education agency) which state standards of public library service. Such standards should not be considered_as_ penalizing or criticizing those school districts that have assumed the responsibility for general public service. Instead, they should aid them in being sure that there is a balanced pro.

gram which recognizes both student and adult needs.

Certification of Librarians: Ohio law provides for the certi. fication of county district librarians (Section 3375.47). Three, items can be noted about the content and administration of the law. First, it is difficult to articulate the rationale for

certification of only county district librarians. The original motive, to be assured that this type of library is properly super- vised by a professionally trained person, was undoubtedly valid.

From the viewpoint of general statewide development, though, an

equally valid argument can he made to either include all libraries

or repeal the present law. Of the two alternatives, the former

is, of course, preferred, particularly since there is general

evidence on a national basis that states will become increasingly

concerned with providing adequate and uniform or equal service 113. in all communities.

Secondly, there are several actingdistrict librarians«

Although it is sometimes necessary topermit a person to act in an official capacity eventhough not officially qualified, it is considered poor practicelegally and professionally to have continuous exceptions. In all probability, the certifi- cation board should examine thequalifications it has established to see if they are realistic. If they are, it would beboth appropriate and desirable for thestate itself to devote re-

sources to recruitingqualified-persons. If, on-the-other hand«

corrective steps should be the difficulty is the locallibrary;.

taken toy resolve problems at thislevel.

If it is desired to expandcertification, ideally .the pre -

sent certification lawshould be changed to provide forcontrol

of the certification processby the Ohio State Library Board.

It is recommended elsewherethat the Board be appointedby the

Governor. Gubernatorial appointment is commonlyfollowed in

professional certification andlicensing because licensing and

certification are of direct publicinterest since the service

to be performed is a public one. Certification and licensing

should be administered in such a waythat either the public or

members of the profession have arelatively easy and clear Channel

to express their desire forchanges and to effect them by new

appointments to the Board if necessary.

Again, without any criticism ofthe present members, it is

generally considered undesirable to name exofficio members to a 1114. certification board as the present Ohio law does. As library service develops, including increased state aid, theremay be occasions when the State Librarian will be ina general super- visory position over a local library. He should not participate in these cases in the certification of the librarian. Further- more, stating that the librarians of the two libraries with the largest circulation shall serve implies that only these two will always be the best qualifiedpersons in the state.

Certification should net be regarded merelyas a method of limiting entrance to librarianship. Entrance upon professional library work should be most commonly through formal education.

However, entrance by virtue of previous experience, examination and reciprocity with other states should also be provided for.

Librarians individually and collectivelyas a profession should undertake a program to re.establish amicable relations with other governmental units and their associations. An out.

Sider is impressed when examining the governmental and fiscal structure of Ohio libraries by the verbalized discordance. All local units of goveinment are financed from thesame tax base and perform various services aimed at the total development and preservation of the community.All of them, therefore, should be coordinated.Ohio local planning laws are one administrative device to facilitate coordination, but this alone is not suffi- cient. Some of the present antipathy is apparently the result of the use of a special tax for one service, and the seeming 113* reluctance of some library personnel to coordinate their pro- gram with other city services*Regardless of how the differ- ences developed or the original causes*library personnel should assume the initiative in resolvingthe disagreements, participate in all local Planning* and assist other unitsof government wherever possible. Chapter VI Communications

The Ohio State Librarian has recently taken action toin. form state agencies about the library's services.This service should be expanded in agency coverage, refined in techniques and broadened to cover all departments of the library.

It must be regretted that state government inOhio has operated without the solid information base which astrong State

Library service to government could provide.iihilerit ia-true

that many agencies have their own information systemsand some have rather creditable libraries, even these agenciescould benefit from a broad based State Library service.

The recent establishment of the Information Resourcesand

Services (IR) Division of the StateLibrary is a step in the

proper direction, "In t very real sense the new Division con.

stitutes a special library for state governmentand for supple-

menting the reference and information resourcesof other Ohio

libraries."'

Active participation of the StateLibrary in the plans and

activities of the state government andits contribution of li-

brary and information services to variousagencies should be of

value to the state generally.This activity also represents a

primary channel of communicationbetween the State Library staff,

1Si n from Ulmer Ohio State Library. June 22, 197. P. 10

116 particularly the State Librarian,and other executiveagencies. increased Service to the legislature cansimilarly bring about sLAI understandiag of problems and,most important, mutualrespect. these and other Included as a recommendationof this report, for special reasons, is oneto the effect thatthere be established a

governmental service unitin the State Librarywith somewhat

broader responsibilitiesthan the new Division. determined by While the organization ofthis unit will be

many factors, it seemslogical that each ofthe three positions state agencies. recommended beassigned_a_specific group of allocations of These assignments shouldbe based on rational develop know. agencies so that each ofthe new staff members can

ledge about the concernsand problems of alogically selected

group of agencies. will be accomplished A significant partof this unit's work provided to agen. individually through theadvice and assistance services whether these cies 'which maintaintheir own information The are simple officecollections or fairlylarge libraries. in preparing a State Library shouldprovide strong leadership library services long -range plan for thedevelopment of necessary

in state agencies. delineate its role The State Librarywill need to carefully interfere with anyagency's pre- in this regard. While it cannot

rogatives, at the sametime should seek to avoid unnecessary

duplication of effort andmaterials and insofar aspossible The inter. insure the maximumexploitation of existingresources. 118. agency advisory committee proposed by Nelson Associates can provide valuable assistance in thisregard.2

I. with

Public Information Office: Some Ohio libraries have developed public information programs which are second to none in the nation.

Unusually fine printed materials are prepared in all of the larger libraries and many high quality radio and television programs are prepared. These relatively large libraries are also able to

obtairtsioificant press coverage of library events andfeature

articles which interpret the library's many services to the

community.

As one moves awry from the larger librariesto the mailer

th6 quality of public information activities begins todeteriorate

and diminish to the point that the smallest libraries arelargely

unseen ane unheard.Yet in many ways an active communications

program may be more important forthe smallest library than for

the largest.The large library by virtue of its size. great

resources, and multiple serviceoutlets, will always attract a

variety of users. The smaller library, because of itssingle

location, generally shorter hours andlimited resources, must

make a substantial impact upon itscommunity in order to adhievo

maximum utilization.

Most Ohio libraries lack the specializedtalent to sustain

programs of communityinformation. Functioning at the state

2sPreseat Operations and Future Opportunities". r NewYork dNelson Associates,. Inc.. 1967,P.314 119.

valuable level an office for publicinformation could provide Association liaison with state -wide media groupssuch as the Ohio chains, and of Broadcasters, newspaperassociations, newspaper wire service. Ohio libraries nowemploy WEA12,11114.2.1..I1g1.911414k some of thecountry's best librarypublic information practi- this tioners. Mile it istrue that fewlibraries can afford the public andcommunity type of talent, thetact remains that constitute a majortalent relations staff (!t themajor libraries into play in increasingthe resource whichshould be brought

effectiveness of librarycommunications state-wide.

Conversations with anumber of thesepeople indicate that These meetings they now meet informally onan infrequentbasis. With leader- are primarilyfor sharing ofideas and techniques. Library this groupcould ship and encouragementfrom the State which could be become a potent sourceof ideas end programs

operated on a state-widebasis. Public Relations This group could beorganized into a Library Department, funds Council and throughthe Public Information Unlike commercialenter- should be madeavailable for its work. competition with prises, libraries arenot or shouldnot be in high degree ofcooperation can one another.For this reason a difficult to envision and should exist amonglibraries. It is not posters like theexcellent the development of asystem in which Library could beused examples developed inthe Dayton Public

and spotannouncements which state-wide. Radio and TV programs 1 zo. could be used state -wide could be developed.

Communications can be an expensive process. Librarians need to examine the great resources which other private and public institutions devote to catching the eye and ear of the public and ask themselves is there really a viable alternative if the library's message is relevant. A relatively small sum in professionally planned programs of state -wide impact could dramatically improve the library image in Ohio.

Improving Local Library Communicationb: The available relevant information and field visit experiences lead inevitably to the conclusion that even though many are small and many are under. staffed, Ohio libraries could and would do a better job in utilizing the less sophisticated means of communications, given training and technical Skills*

One of the first tasks of the Public Information Office and the Library Public Relations Council should be to develop, with the assistance of appropriate groups and individuals, a series of workshops designed to improve the communications skills of Ohio library staff members.

All available sources should be tapped in this effort.OLD and the Library Public Relations Council should jointly review past utilization of the National Library Week Program in Ohio to determine how this excellent program can be morecreatively used. Similar reviews should be made of other external sources* 121.

II. Communications About Resources Amon: Libraries

It is understood that a thorough study of the State Library

Union Catalog and the union catalog covering the greater Cleve- land area which is maintained at Western Reserve University is

now underway. This study will undoubtedly indicate directions

for future growth and development.

In planning a new role for the Union Catalog, care should

be taken to insure that this project and the Ohio College Li.

brary Center project move forward in concert.Particular care

should be taken to insure compatibility of systems so thatthe

two centers can inter-communicate easily. Eventual merger of

the two should not be overlooked as a possibility.

One important additional service which theCatalog could

easily render 'with minor modification in operating procedures

would, be to serve as a check point to prevent the discardof the

last known copy of a book in the state.Contributing librarians

could notify the Union Catalogs of discards asis now done, but

agree to hold the discards for aset period of time to enable

personnel of the Catalog to determine that another copyof the

book is held in a contributing library. A libraryholding the

lant known copy of a book scheduled for discardcould be requested

to transfer the book to the State Library.Libraries contributing

to the. Union Catalog own 13,523,138 volumesrepresenting 50 of 3 the total public library book resources inthe state. It is true

that not all of these volumes are representedin the Onion Cata.

log but since the Catalog dates back to the1930's it iv clear

Allmimml01111 3OhioState Library. 1967 DiremsctofcLalalikarloa. Ohio State Library, 1967. p. 40-46. 122. that the cards represent an enormous resource covering asig. nificant portion of public library holdings«

One problem which will need to be resolvedprior to

enlarging the Catalog's operation is thenumber of libraries

from which cards must be received toenable the Catalog to per.

form its functions, Collections of contributing libraries

range from slightly morethan 50,000 volumes to over 3 million

volumes. The largest concentration of contributorsis in the

range of 150,000.20000Avolumes with an equal number spread

among the larger categories. In the light of this distribution

it is questionable that the six librarieswhich own fewer than

150,000 volumes are contributing a significantnumber of unique

items. A cost-benefit relationship questioncould also be raised

about the ten libraries which arebetween 1500000.200,000 volumes.

Before making major changes in theCatalog and certainly

prior to making plans for conversionto automatic equipment it

will be necessary to know how manycontributors are needed. It

may well be that simplyincluding the eight libraries each of

which holds more than 500,000 volumeswould assure nearly com-

plete coverage of public libraryholdings. These libraries to.

gether are adding nearly 700,000volumes annually and it is quite

likely that the comprehensiveness ofthe Catalog would not suffer

if they were the only sources ofinput.

Ohio public libraries and boards 123. need to begin to participate in programs forlong-rangeplanning of library resources and programs. Questionnaire returns indi- cated that slightly more than half of thelibraries have "a plan for development in the coming few years." (See Chapter II).

While many library boards and/or staff have aplanning committee it seems clear from conversations thatto a very large degree these committees are concerned almostexclusively with planning for physical facilities. This impression is strengthenedin that only 37 of the 130 respondinglibraries have had a sArvey of their operations.--(See-ChapterII).

The analysis of newspaperclippings on file in the State

Library indicates a very low levelof activity in long-range

planning.

One of the growing concernsof government at all levels is

the development of long-rangeplans to ensure the orderlygrowth

and development of services tomeet future needs. In several'

areas, notably theMiami River Valley, in southwesternOhio and

in the greater Cleveland arealibraries ilve established more or

less informal groups to discussmutual problems. This trend is

a healthy one andshould be encouraged* In its administration

of state and federal fundsand in the preparation oflibrary

standards the State Librarianshould seek to encourage joint

long-range planning among thelibearies in each county and among

groupe of countieswhich form natural areas forcooperative services.

State Library consultantsshould maintain close liason

with these regional planningcouncils to assure that asregional 124. plans are developed these willfit into the framework of astate- wide plan for library growth.

III. s.....agaj§LiitCmmunictizheialGrous...p.

Urban Problem) and FederalPrograms: Except for severalconstruc- evidence could tion projects funded underthe Appalachia program, being expended not be found that manynon-LSCA federal dollars are in federal in public library mgrams.Where library participation though not always, programs could bedetected it was ordinarily, tasks in the either passive, acceptingJob Corps members to do

library, or a traditionalpart of the library'sprograms---Head- the story hour, loaning start children comingto the library for

books to a migrant summerschool program. frustration In interviews, librariansgenerally indicated the framework offederal in attempting todavelop programs under Universally there programa,particularly the poverty programs. needed from the StateLibrary was an expressionthat assistance was library applicationsof federal in collectinginformation about the the preparation ofgrant pro- programs, inassisting libraries in leadership for the develop- posals and applicationsand providing to amelio- ment of programsof action whichmight enable libraries

rate the effect ofsocial change onindividuals. Ohio librarians and araMIVAIIIIINULLSALAWLAPALidATM; clear view of the library trustees havenot had or been given a Library Board. The duties and responsibilitiesof the State in its programshave objectives which theState Library pursues 125.

conclusions not been clearlyarticulated. Data to support these "hard" sources, but the must necessarily bebased on less than indicate at least circum- sources aresufficiently varied to stantial4 that the statements arevalid. staff 1. Interviews conductedby Nelson Associates clear members elicited thatlibrarians did not have a .oie of the or in some casesappreciative view of the

State Library RegionalCenters. of 2. Responses to thequestionnaire for the study Library Trustee the Ohio LibraryAssociation and Ohio and trus- Association indicatedthat some librarians with the State tees tended toconfuse the OLA-OLTA 4 Library. and 3. Both the NelsonAssociates field interviews

those of this surveyorfound that whilelibrarians

had strong views onthe roles which theState Library

should play in librarydevelopment there was cer-

tainly no consensusabout priorities, ormethods

which should be followed. that there is now These same sources alsosupport the view leadership of a wellrespected a determinationto unite under the strides. State Librarian andtake significant forward

Altman, Men. "TheOhio Library Associationand the Ohio Brunswick, N.J.,Author3 Library TrusteeAssociation." C New 1967. p. 54 and61. 126.

For all of the foregoing reasons it seems imperative that

the State Library board and the State Librarian have access to

a public relations counsel which can attar staff skilled in a

variety of communications techniques.

The function proposed here should in no way be confused with the Public Iniormation Department proposed earlier. This

is a much more direct and for the immediate future a much more

intensive task than could be expected of the Public Information

Department if that unit is to accomplish the important objec..

tives set for it.At a future point when major changes in

function and organization have occurred it may be desirable

again to analyze the situation arid determine whether a need for

external counsel continues. ANIMPOOOPNOMMEOMMftgmiliftilift.

Chapter VII

The Ohio Library Association and Ohio Trustee Association

Four years ago the officers of the two alsociations

(4eferred to hereafter as OLA and OLTA) decided to pool their

resources and establish an executive office to encompass the

activities of the two groups and to serve as a spokesman for

library interests. Until that time much of the work of the

associations had been done at the State Library

The "Rules and Regulations of the Joint Executive Boards"

state that the purpose of the office is "to advance total li.

brary development in the state of Ohio, the education of mesa.

bers of both groups, the interpretation or library needs to the

general public and legislative bodies, to support the programs,

functions, and operations of the Sta'w Library, and to render

to individual libraries, 3tbrarians and trustees important ser-

vices which do not conflict with the functions of the State

Library."

At the time the office was proposed several members wrote

the OLA president expressing the fear that the office would

conflict with the powers and responsibilities of the State Li-

brary. These fears seem to have been unfounded. A close co-

operation presently exists between both agencies.They work

together on educational programs and legislative matters. In

- 127 . 128.

fact, many of those personsintertiewed during the surveyfelt

that OLA and OLTA had become strongerand more vital organiza-

tions since they were no longerdependent upon the StayLibrary.

Only three other State Li naryassociations have esii;abi.

lished executive offices. The New York and Pennsylvania

associations have selected office managersto oversee their

operations while California andOhio favored naming executive 1 directors who are also librarians. According to the "Rules and Regulations of theJoint Executive Boards", thedirector

works under the supervisionof the directors of bothassocia-

tions and executes policieswhich they determine. Because he

is well acquainted with librarymatters and because he also

attends the meetings of theexecutive boards, the directoris for in a position to advise theofficers on establishing policy

both groups.

I The)...... am...§....hioLitlsociation Active, Oembershir4 There are six classes ofmembers of OLA: By Subscription, Sustaining,Honorary, Continuing andLife, Total far the largest numberof members are in thefirst class. 1966, mem- membership in 1967 was2,181. Except for a drop in

bership has risen steadilyfrom 1,680 in 1958 tothe present insti- level. Fourteen public libraries,two college and two

tutional libraries enrolled asmembers in 1967.

The association drawsthe greatest portionof its public

library members from the largerlibraries. The organization

has not been successful inenrolling staff from thesmallest

libraries in the state. TABLE 1 NUMBER OF MEMBERS FROM PUBLIC LIBRARIES BY SIZE OF LIBRARY* ainVIUmenbirPomow 4,1=....rtmmommowortoomombowieuwatrimmegammiarirow.a.il.AM.MF11WIMMIN.WNVIIIONamdM11, awstramwm.*Ira.NomromaRimamatar Number of Volum 12g 12§.2 under 10,000 5 4 10,001.25,000 59 62 25,001.50,000 107 124 50,001. 100,000 153 165 1000001 plus 1071 1207 ON6MPMOMMO .MIISIMINNOWNISOMMOIPM.~ania00. NUMBER OF LIBRARIES HAVING NO MEMBERS BY SIZE OF LIBRARY*

.atommouswaremortorommowsmosomostoolOolnamomainuomollmommourecra NJELibprsIL...... *Volumes 1266 65 under 10,000 24 25 10,001.25,000 42 25,001.50,000 17 17 50,001.100,000 8 100,001 . plus 0 0 *Figures not available for 1967. momaturowommlimismmosoNtagrattramtrostomptmisiralsmommosob.roartlasholossamPliore

Although OLA welcomes members from other than public libraries, only 23 percent of the total possible number of college library employees belong to OLA.

TABLE 2 NUMBER OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY PERSONNEL IN FULL.TIME EQUIVALENTS*

yrompinormwortupolloomfalmomemormimiumirrorrimmisrolowsmaNorrit igiltda 1966 (est.) is2§1 Professional 036.6 457.6 428.6 Non.Professional 658.4 619.5 580.6 Total 1145 1077.1 1009.2 OLA Members 262 214 217 *1965 figures derived by totaling data in Ohio Arectory of Libraries. 1966 and 1967 figures estimated based on increase of academic librarians in Ohio since 1962: Source: Ohio Directory Of Libraries: 1961.1966. Student employees are not included. 130.

Of the 1261 persons classified asschool librarians in the state, 1059 belong to the Ohi.)Association of School Libraries, a division of the OhioEducation Association. In 1967, 147 joined the Ohio Library Association.It should be noted that that OASL holds its conference atthe time of the stateteachers' convention which is a school holiday. It appears than many prinw cipals are reluctant to allow theselibrarians additional time to attend OLA, meetings.

The latest edition of the(2._2_21...... d...... hiDirector`Libraries regis-

ters 91 special libraries andstates that its listing isincomplete. 262 members The Special Libraries Associationreports that it has belong to OLA. in its Ohio Chapters. Thirty-one special librarians

The tables below give an estimateof the total number of

libraries of all types in the stateand the membership by type

of library in OLA.

TABLE 3 NUMBER OF LIBRARIES IN OHIO

Ual 12.(1.6 12k2 264 Public 258* 258 58 Academic 6o* 60 91 Special 95* 93* 1,051 ** School 1.497# 1,400*

Estimated. Official figures not reportedfor 1967. ** Includes only libraries openfull-time Office, Ohio Department # Source: School Library Services of Education. 131.

TABLE 4 OLA, 1421BERSHIP BY TYPE OFLIBRARY

1965 UPI 12§1 12§§, 1428 Public 1326 1458 217 Academic 262 215 Special 31 116 School 147 113 140 Other* 130 7? *Includes student members

TABLE 5 NUMBER OF STUDENT MEMBERS*

MINMINDAI 411.ftMEIMININOMMONNIMMIMOMMINUMMIIMINIMIIIM. illmMAMIMINNIMMMOMMimantON.M.M=MIIMli 12.61 ;cho91 12§z 10 College 17 High School 1 0 Other 8 *Figures not available prior to1966.

For many years, until theestablishment of the executive for offices, the State Libraryserved as unofficial headquarters

there, and a member of the OLA. Committee meetings were held

State Library staff served asmembership secretary.

The State Librarian and otherstaff members were called

upon to speak atnearly every annual conferenceand district

meeting. In fact, personnel of theState Library dominated the

district meeting committee until1966.Acheck of this committee

revealed that the same StateLibrary staff member has served con

tinuously for over eleven years. 1 2.

In nearly every area in which OLA operatedthe State

Library had a large voice. Part of the reason for this situ. sition may be explained by the fact thatthe previous State

Librarian acted as a cohesive force orfocal point for the association before the OLA Executive Director came onthe scene.

However, the major portion of OLAts educational programs have been and still are dependent upon StateLibrary funds.

OLA members, working with State Library staff, planand conduct various educational workshops on both the professional and non-

professional level.

Sometimes trustees and librarians call upon theExecutive

sector for help in solving their libraryproblems. If he

feels that the nature of the problem is'within the domain of

the State Library, he refers the caller tothat agency. Never-

theless, he does attempt to help somewho seek advice. There.

fore, it is conceivable that the executive office might inad-

vertently step into the province of the State Library,

No statement of policy setting forth the duties and powers

of each office in relation to the otherhas been formulated to

date. According to the participants, no areas of disagreement

have arisen as yet either. Relations in the past are no sure

indication of relations in the futureespecially if the current

personnel changes. Ilerefore, it is recommended that a special

panel of OLA members and State Librarystaff be appointed to

prepare a detailed policystatement outlining the boundaries

and responsibilities of the OLA andthe State Library in 133« connection with each other.

...... 11Goverlamolatk While the day to day activities involvedin operating the association are handled bythe Executive Director, policy making and planning are vested inthe officers and a

Board of Directors. A nominating committeeheaded by the pre. vices president selects one candidatefor president, vice-president, secretary, ALA representative, and theBoard of Directors. This slate is presented for election atthe annual conference. The

Ace-president is also president-elect. It is interesting that the current vice-president is the firstschool librarian chosen for such high office. Since its founding in 1895 theassociation

has chosen 12 presidents from collegelibraries and 50 from public.

The number of persons on the Boardof Directors ha4 varied.

At present there are eig1t members, twoof whom are past presi-

dents of OIA.According to the Revised Constitutionof 1966,

"The executive board consists of theelected officers, the im.

mediate past president and six membersat large to serve for

terms of three years on a rotatingbasis, two to be nominated

each year at the annual meeting."

The various interests of the associationand its major

activities operate through a systemof committegan, The number

and types of these committees hasbeen altered slightly through

the years as the interests of theorganization have changed.

Their size has also grown.For example, in 1957 there were81

committee spaces, and in 1967 there were132. 134.

In 1964 OLA formed a Library DevelopmentCommittee. The president of OLA at that time wrote: "The charge given to the

committee has deliberately been kept general -toformulate a dynamic program by which the OLA can advancethe development awl progreas-of-Mio libraries. The committee has been given wide latitude and powers to investigate any problem thatit

oelieves relevant to the improvement of librarianship in Ohio,

and it has full authority to establish suchsub-committees as

it deems necessary."He further stated that the committee might

investigate the problem of the State Library and therelation of

OLA.OLTA to ite- It was also suggested that the groupconsider-

the improvement of financial support for Ohio libraries,the

extension of academic library resources and their co-ordination

with other library resources in the state.

The School District Organization Study staff in1966 re-

quested OLA to prepare a report on public library purpose and to

present facts regarding the size of efficient library units. A

sub - committee of the Development Committee drafted"A Statement

of the Functions and Objectives of Public Libraries with Spe.

cial Consideration of their Relationship to School Libraries"

and published along with it a "Policy Statemont onPublic Li.

brary and School Library Relationships" prepared by two OLA

members who work in the school library field.

The recently formed Membership Services Committee is cone

corned with fringe benefits for libraryemployees. It has 135. already conducted a poll anddetermined that the members are interested in group life insurance,hospital indemnitybenefits

and disability income protection.An underwriter ispresently

drawing up policies forthis insurance.

'Two_ groups of long standingdeal with recruitment and 000 to a State Library scholarships. The association grants prospective em. consultant for trips outsideOhio to interview

ployees at library schoolsin the Midwest. The committee also

organized a file of"positive images librariansto give speeches

on librarianshiparound the state. to appoint The presideat of theorganization has the power Nowhere in the all committees anddesignate their chairmen.

constitution are there anyguidelines for selectionexcept the In fact, passage on the Boardof Directors quotedearlier. OLA seems membership in theassociation is of evenrequired. associations where the samereli. no differentfrom many other Two corm. able "old hands" arecalled to serve againand again.

mittee members from1935 currently retaincommittee assignments. in forming Table 6 gives anindication of the selection process

committees*

A check on appointmentsrevealed that nearly every com this year, and there mittee received atleast one new member who had nevor served seems to someevidence that some people (Na. before were selected. On the other hand,two committees people tional Library Week andInstitutions) have had the same 136. serving for four and seven yearsrespectively. The 3ame memo. ber of the State Library staffhas retained a place on the

District Meeting Committeefor at least eleven years.

TABLE 6 OMER OF F2DTBERS SERVING ONMORE THAN ONE COMMITTEE

Number of Persons ServingPersons Serving 1Committees Year Committee Spaces 2 Committees 132 12 4 1967* 6 1966 124 11 1 1964 64 7 1961 93 13 3 1957 81 7 3

*These figures do notinclude the new Audio - VisualSubcommittee which includes 9 repeats outof a total of 13 members.

An analysis of committeeassignments for 1966 and1967

revealed that the largestproportion of those selectedrepresent in northeastern Ohio. (See Table 7). This may be attributed and possibly part to the distributionof professional librarians

to the fact that four ofthe past five presidentsand the current

presieent-elect are from the samearea.

TABLE 7 COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION BYGEOGRAPHIC ARE&

MONIIIIEMMOMINW

Area 119. 6 32 27 Northeast 12 Northwest 11 2 4 Southeast 18 16 Southwest 6 Central 9 than one committee. *No count was madefor those serving on more the state These areas were determinedby arbitrarily dividing the Columbus area. into four equal partswith a circle around 137.

That representatives from the largest librariesreceive the most committee assignments there is nodoubt. Nor is it surprising in view of the fact thatmembership support comes primarily from large libraries.

TABLE 8 CO =TIME REPRESENTATION BY SIZE _OFLI BURY*

MEW in LATEX 12§Z Over 100,000 56 55 50,000.100,000 9 5 6 25,000.50,000 6 10,000.25,000 0 Under 10,000 0 *Figures do not include personsserving on more than onecommittee.

TABLE 9 COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION BY TYPE OFLIBRAR1*

Library Public and State Library 77 79 Academic 12 7 Library School Faculty 6 2 School 8 Special 0 3 *Figures do not include personsssrvbg on more than one committee.

Since the rosters ofcommittee members include theirtitles,

it is interesting that no one waslisted who appeared to work in

a non.professionalcapacity, It is estimated that 10 percentof

the current membership canbe classed as non.professional.

Committee assignments for the pastten years indicated that

the same people were selectedagain and again. Those appointed 138. undoubtedly have demonstrated thatthey are not only capable but also interested in theassociation.

ii....3.....2.0LAItskshos: All of the OLAIs educational programs are co- sponsored by the State Library. The Regional Training Committee of OLA draws up the programsalong with State Library staff.

Because the State Libraryfinances them, it has final approval of all plans.

Since '059 the two agencieshave conducted an in-service

training program for non-professionallibrary staff. The

faculty is drawn primarily from OLAmembers who donate their

time However, membership in the associationis not required

of the students. In June, 1967. only 14 of the74 participants

at one of the workshops belongedto °LA.

The programs have traditionallybeen geared for untrained

personnel in small publiclibraries. Some of the large metro-

pclitan systems conduct their ownin-service training and,

therefore, have little interest inpermitting their people to

go, although two ofthe largest systems(Cuyahoga and Columbus)

occasionally send branch personnel. The classes are held in

three or four areas around thestate and enrollment islimited

to about 50 to 75 people ateach location. Topics for the pro-

gram may includecirculation, reference, bookre"le,and work

with children and young adults. Because the workshops lastonly

two, or three days a great dealof material is touched on super-

ficially. The knowledge of the students rangesover a wide 139. spectrum from new employees fresh out ofhigh school to mature college graduates with considerable libraryexperience. The quality of the classas depends to agreat extent on the Judi- vidual instructor and the way he chooses topresent the material.

There is uo special leadership training programfor the faculty.

Until 1966, no other types ofeducational programs were offered. Last year ISCA money was madeavailable for several other workshops. The first of these was anadministrative training institute for professionallibrarians only, co-sponsored by OLA, the State Library,the International City Managers

Association, ALA and theUniversity of Akron's Institutefor

Civic Education. It was a pilot project based onthe ICMA's

text, Local "lblic LibraryAdministration. Enrollment was

limited to 15 directors ofpublic libraries incommunities under

50,000 in northeastern Ohio.A similar administrativetraining

institute is planned forthe fall of this year in thesouth-

eastern part of the state.

Recently the faculty of theLibrary School of Western

Reserve University presented aworkshop funded by the State

Library and assisted by OM. Participation in the program was

not limited to graduatelibrarians although most ofthe students Needs in Ohio", were professionals. The workshop, "Reference

concentrated on the idea ofinter-library co-operation in types of answering reference questionsand discussed various

handbooks. 140.

Another one.day reference workshop forpersonnel without library school, degrees is being offered infour different lo. cations of the state this summer. Instructors are drawn from libraries in each area. A book of programmed instruction dealing with basic reference sources wasespecially prepared for these workshops by }Ir..Donald J. Sager, a_ member ofthe

Regional Training tommittee.

A small individualregistration fee is charged forall of the workshops, but this doesnot begin to cover thetotal ex. penses. The difference is suppliedby the State Library from

LSCA funds, Because OLA has limited moneyit has not been-able the to offer any educational-programs- -without theAssistance,of Library has the power to State Library. In effects the State

decide what-will or will notbe done and callsupon_the_acso. The State ciation primarily forpersonnel-to teach classes.

Library must enroll employeesfrom public libraries toall its

programs whetherthey belong to OLA or not. On the other hand,

OLA memberS who work-in non -public libraries aregenerally per. available witted to participate intheie workshops only on an

space basis. membership of both .._.Ltn2tA_..ndConfeAstjeDistzvleetine: Theentire con. associations is invited toparticipate in the annualfcil

ference and the springdistrict meetings. The confeirende ro. Toledo and Columbus, The tates betweenCincinnati4_ Cleveland, deal of the-loeal staffs of these hostlibraries handle a< great all the program arrangements. The Executive Director oversees 144. planning, invites the speakers and signs upthe exhibitors«

The annual business meetings and theelection of officers for both asocliations take place atthe conference.Most of the Round Tables also hold meetings andpresent their programs«

The trustees conduct a workshop at the sametime. The confer- ence is one of the fewassociation events which features some speakers from outside °hips participation among trustees has been exceedingly low .- approximatelyfive percent of the total membership.

The two associations alai, sponsor aseries of one.day district meetings each spring. While these meetings take place at various points in thestate there are no arbitrary geogra.

Ph4"1 hemndari0A _outliningeach district. The idea is to hold a meeting within a reasonabledriving distance from the home community. A host library is designatedfor each area to find quarters large enough toaccomodate the gathering and a

place to lunch.

In previous years each area hadplanned its own programs

and utilized speakers and discussionleaders from the neigh

boring vicinity. However, this spring the same programand

speakers were carried from one meetingto-another. The same

people seem to be frequently requestedto deliver the addresses.

Swme mu-LUC U104,1a46wy "4"""4 'w^"vfmcovv44,1.4,0 mre nni.-limited tO OLA members.

smaller libraries close for the day soall their employees may

attend. As a result, many non.professionalshave an opportunity

to take part.However, an analysis of the programsoffered in 142, the past shows littleconsideration of theirinterests. keep members The OLA Bulletin: Although OLA sends flyers to aware of upcomingmeetings and specialevents, the association primarily communicates with itsmembership through the Ohio

Library Association Bulletin. The January, 1965,Bulletin carried the cover message,"Climate-for change" and it_was, budget quarterly into a Anew editor hadturned a dull, small- bright and lively publicationwhich won the H. W. Wilson Li- brary Periodical Awardthe following year. 1 Nearly all the articles arewritten by Ohio librarians.

An analysis of the typesof features whichappearedkfrom_1962

to 190 showed that 33dealt primarily withpublic libraries,

23 were of generalinterest such as Xeroxcopying, literary

discussions, etc., eightcovered academiclibraries and two either reprinted or sum. school libraries. Nine speeches were in each marized. Some library andpersonnel news is included president and Ex. issue along with columnwritten by the OLA

ecutie Director. An especially goodfeature is a cartoon

page which pokesfun at the libraryworld.

Eighty percent of thosewho responded toUm-Calk-question. although some of mire said they readthe Bulletin regularly, not help in their work, those reported thatthe publication did

but they enjoyed readingit anyway, contribution to libraries Ltgislisnye Program: MA's greatest has been its legislative and the libraryprofession in the state 143. program. Policy on legislative matters is set by theOLA Board of Directors for the association. The Board is advised by its legislative committee and legal counsel.

Until 1961, the organization hired aColumbus attorney for each biennial session of the legislatureto oversee the program for that particular session. This usually meant defendingthe intangibles tax from continuing assaults. Six years agovla permanent legal counsel was retainedto advise on the entire program on a continuingbasis. In addition, he files"friend of the court" briefs on anylibrary litigation in which OLA is interested and sometimes consultswith individual libraries and their legal counsels onproblems which might have state.

wide implioations.

On the whole, the legislative programover the last two

sessions has been successful. The base salary for State Li-

brarian was increased by$3.300. A bill was passedto permit

a Board ofTrustees to release the libraryclerk from liability

for loss of funds occuring as aresult of matters beyond the

clerk's control.Association libraries weregiven the right

to appeal rulings oftheir budget commissions. None of the enacted at th measures introducedat this session has been

time of this writing. The Ohio l'Altirvitoundation: ',Ulna joint venture withthe Association of Law Ohio Library TrusteesAssociation, the Ohio

Librarians, the State LibraryBoard, the Ohio Associationof 1414

School Librarians and theCollege Section of theOhio College

Association formed the OhioLibrary Foundation. This non-u designed to promote profit corporation,established in 1963, is The better services in all types oflibraries in the state.

current and the twoimmediate past presidentsof the groups

named above and membersof the State LibraryBoard comprise

the Board of the OhioLibrary Foundation.

While the objectives ofthe foundation areambitious... public building programs, scholarships,automated catalogs of not been library holdings and researchprojects, the group has 1967, the active in raising foundationcapital. As of June,

foundation's assets totaledonly $5503.67 Part of that was

raised by the sale ofpublications.

The foundation is the oneunifying agency representing a

cross-section of all typesof libraries in thestate.

II, Thy Oh;,o LibraryTrsstees Association two types bitlarahVas The Ohio LibraryTrustees Association has The constitution of members---individualand institutional. member or and bylaws of theassociation makes eligible any interested former member of apublic library board or any person but deny OLTA member-- in public libraries. Trustees may join OLA presently belong ship to libraryemployees. Only three trustees retain membership in to Of th1760 trustees in Ohio, 1336

OLTA.

Individual dues were only$1.00 per year until1967 when

they were increased to$3.00* As result of theincrease, 145, membership dropped.

TABLE 10 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS IN OLTA

Year Numbet.d120112212 1967 1336 1966 1580 1965 1566 1964 1426 1963 1463 1962 1530 1961 1532 1960 1478 1959 :_145, 1958 1463

The bulk of the income used for OLTA expensesand for uper. ating the executive offices isderived from institutional member.

ships. Authority to pay such dues fromlibrary funds is based on

Ohio Attorney General's Opinion1948, No. 4122 and a 1952 ruling

from the Bureau of Inspection andSupervision of Public Offices.

Only public libraries may joinOLTA as institutions.How-

ever. OLA beganenrolling institutional membersfrom both public

and non.public libraries in1967. To date 14 public two college,

and two institutional librarieshave joined. OLA dues are small

.$10 to $35 and assessed according to the budgetof the library.

There are 259 public libraries in Ohioeligible to join

OLTA. At present, 219 have joined. 146.

'AGc...... 1..1.01,11minBeit: OLTA is governed by an executive committee along with a president, vice-President and secretary. The Execu- tive Director serves as permanent treasurer. A elate of officers

selevted by a nominating committee is presented for election at the annual conference.

The president and vice-president may serve only two con.

secutive terms. ao restrictions are placed on the secretary or

members of the executive committee. This committee was composed

of three members until 1967 then an additional space wasadded

to provide a better geographical representationof trustees throughout the- state.N

An analysis of the components of the governingbody for

the years 1957 through 1967 showed that there were72 possible

positions including officers and board members. Yet, in actu-

ality, only 16 people ever held office. One trustee has been

electod continuously since 1953.Three new members were nomi-

nated for the executive Board just this year.

TABLE 11 NUMBER OF YEARS ON OLTA GOVERNING BODY BY INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEES: 1957.1967

Number of Years Number of Trustees

11 1 9 1 8 1 6 5 4 2 2 4 1 3 147.

Geographical representation and sizeof library among those holding office over the past ten yearsis shown in Tables 12 and 13.

TABLE 12 GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION AMONGOFFICE HULDERS

Geggravhi cal Area Years of Service Northeast 3? Northwest 2 Southeast 8 Southwest 8 Central 19

111.0111=111mumammme011111111MlimoomftlElammigoill01.11111.4111M111111

TABLE 13 SIZE OF LIBRARY AMONG OFFICEIIDLDERS

Size of Library Years of Service (Number of Volumes) Under 10,000 0 10,001.25,000 9 25,001.50,000 21 50,001.100,000 9 100,001 - plus 35

Several trustees have served onvarious OLA panels, par.

ticularly the Awards and HonorsCommittee*Currently OLTA has

representatives on MA's Legislative andLibrary Development

Committees*However, both of these persons arealso on the OLTA

governing authority. 148.

OLTA Meetings: The trustees association-doesnot conduct any

conferences for its members alone.All district meetings and

conferences are held under thejoint auspices of OLA andOLTA.

The programs are primarilyoriented toward librarypersonnel.

It has been the custom toplan some part of theseevents

exclusively for the trustees.All planning rests withthe

officers and the ExecutiveDirector.

Trustees interviewed inconnection with the survey and of time those responding to thequestionnaire stated that lack

preventeG tleir participationat meetings. Undoubtedly, this

is a major factor.Many of them cannot taketime from their

business affairs to go to allday meetings which maybe held a

considerable distance fromtheir homes. Also, one might suspect enough to make the that the programming hasnot stimulated them

effort to attend.

The following table liststhe number of OLTAmembers who

during: the past came to fall conferencesand district meetings

four years. TABLE 14 ATTENDANCE AT CONFERENCEAND DISTRICT MEETINGS

Number at Number at District Meetings Year Miletaimpf Members Conference 102 75 1 1967 1336 82 1966 1580 65 61 1965 1566 82 32 1964 1496 47

-7" 149.

Every trustee who was interviewed remarked that the bulk. of library board meMbers.tend to have a parochial outlook -and take little interest in_state-oilde-Affairs except for those- issues which affect their own libraries.

Perhaps part of the lack of trustee participation must rest with the librarians. If a library director does not stress..

OLTA to his board, does not. encourage attendance at meetings, and does not keep members up to date on publications of the executive office, the trustees may come to regard the association as unimportant.

The OhialaragyTrusteet The Ohio01-Trustee Library is the pri- mary channel of coma unication with the membership.This ouarterly publication is sent to every Ohio trustee whether he belongs to

OLTA or not.

At present,the magazinecarries news .of trustee appoint- ments and library bond issues which obviously. tave been culled from small-town newspaper Clippings.. A large amount of ..space is devoted to announcements of conference and district meeting programs even though flyers are sentto each member publicizing these events.Then the speeches delivered at the meetings are reprinted. The "Report of the Legal Counsel" is probably the most helpful regular column in the Trustee.-A great deal of type is given to urging the members to go tomeetings andFay up their dues. All in all, the publication does not seem aimedfor its audience if one considers that,theoretically, trustees re- present the intellectual cnd professionalelite in their

communities. Chapter VIII Recommendations

The following recommendations are presented with the assumption that the Ohio State Library Board has the obligation

to discharge its responabilities by whatever means are avail. able including contracting for the use of material and profess

sional resources and physical facilities from other libraries

or agencies in the State of Ohio or outside of its borders, In

fulfilling its functions the State Library Board should not rely

solely on its own resources, material or professionals.

It is also assumed that all recommendations respecting

changes in or additions to statutes will be referred to the

state Attorney General for review and advice.

Recommettotindatimswitle014 tiateLibra:

A. Library

1* T.....Ehe,StateLdtTaZ.At5a4LJLdagLlajLglkt

...... Itb""ildta2datAng212EftEttnd4E- and LSCA activities.

The activities of these two units are inextricablyrelated

and their formal integration will strengthen theLibrary's develop.

went program. The consolidation should be implemented at once

with the optimum size to be determined later.The proposed unit

will integrate all consultant efforts and thus provideopportunities

for more effective service. 151.

2. TheTravelling be a101.914.11.1.241Lidammlorenea

by transferring its resources toregional

or local librariesproaosed later in .,his

report.

Distribution of popular and ephemeralworks is a local public library function. Indeed it is questionable whether even a regional libraryshould provide long-term bulkloans to for school and public libraries. It is-clearly not an activity a State Library whenserving in this capacityvitiates its at- tempts to encourage viable locallibraries. Because of the long tradition of service, it seems wisenot to discontinue the sera vice but to transfer it to regionaland local libraries as pro. posed in Recommendation D. arvices toLocalPibrale, following.

3. The St-at, Library's regionalservice centers,

taid_121.phased out. their_ resoaremirw,.

-ferred to regional or locallibraries and

their ervice obli ation a sumedb Columbus-

ased state Library PersonntLalLtUssal

libraries, under contract Aththe State

Library,.

At best the regional servicecenters have served as astop-

gap to bolster locallibrary service. Their functions should be

taken over by other units. The library developmentunit suggested

above should be enlarged to providethe consultant-help necessary 152.

systems to assist local librarydevelopment until the regional proposed later- are able to carry-those- services.

Operation-of-bookmobile centers bythe

1..______z.j.ou3_.L_.z.bet2StateLibrarsiasedoutb

transferring resources and223_piiment to

libraries by contract.

Recommendation 1.141 setsforth several methodsfor sup. local plying certain services tolibraries in counties_in_whith = I.A.2.4 resources arelimited.The purpose of recommendations burden of the. is to reduce theadministrative and operational

State-Library-with-respect tooperation of direct_services so of a general that it can devote itsenergies to other matters however, to terminate leadership character. It is not proposed, that they be turned these services. Rather, it is recommended to local libraries on- over to arealibrary service systems or that the area libraryservice contract. It should be understood The syYtems are to belocally managed, butstate financed. forth the generalpolicies State LibraryBoard will wish to set of the systems orlocal which should governthe service programs to service to libraries in these oases. Policy with respect general policy guides. schools should beincorporated into these

5. The State Libraryshould reaffirm its

-leadgrabiLEgt.E2E-MattattaLIALAPA as smallerrurallatuagja.magala 153.

suitable consultant service and by

lait&ating_match into basic li.

kEEZ.2E214MM, The traditional services to smalllibraries will always be an important effort,but it is clear that larger librarieshave

the professional skills and competenceto handle such concerns.

Urban libraries, however, can use assistancein developing imag.

inative programs for the functionallyilliterate, in establishing

sound bases for servingsuburban patrons, for communicationsand

delivery systems. Beyond this there is a need toremain au

courant with technologicalinnovations affecting library service

for urban communities. Through special grants theState-TAbrary

could also make possiblecooperative research programswith

urban libraries and libraryschools on pressing urbanlibrary

problems.

6. Library

overnmental service unit whose exelu_

savefunction is to provide professional

librarian assistance to other state,

agencies and thelmislature. theunit

should be established at theearliest

possible time with an initialstaff of the afessional ^librarians.

Although the Library staff haverecognized an obligation to

facilitate access to reference informationand to provide help in

library development to other stateagencies and the legislature, there is no mechanism for providing such service.

Interviews with state agency permnel revs that there is a need for broad scale service for stateagencies which support central libraries and also for thosewhich maintain only small office collections.

The Ohio. General Assembly should alsohave the opportunity of utilizing the resources of the Librarytar more than it is presently able to do. The Ohio Legislative Service Commission does have a central library with afull -time rosearch librarian.

The Commission's research staffutilizes the resources of the

State Library, especially the governmentpublications, but it is reported that the holdings ofthe Library are generally in.' adequate for their purposes.

7. The State Library should at anearly time study the feasibility ofrovidifla state

wide. service of purchasing andprocessing

library materials; in theinterip4.22

--isionof the- resent-cAnter-reouirine

high cost automated equipment

The State Library is performingpurchasing and processing

services for 52 public, school andcollege libraries. The pres-

sures on presentfacilities and equipment of theState Library

have been increasing. There is understandabletemptation for

the State Library to move at onceto acomputerised operation,

increasing the capability forgiving these services. However,

previous studies indicatethat-there-are many -considerations_ - 155. which must be taken into account before afull scale centralized purchasing and processing effort islaunched.

Not withstanding the need for a surveyto determine the most effective service the StateLibrary can offer, some atten. tion should be given to thepresent operation.A careful deter-

mination of actual costs includingstaff and facilities should

be made and reflected in thecharges for service. 8. ITIAtaIlLiarawametWaA4gltstkag. anal--sinar...... 4....leinformation cony

cernin the libraries of thestate should

be reviewed with a viewto increasing

abilit of the StateLibrariaa.anstlisdel

to di cover trendsmake forecasts and de. veloroz_k.iofaccomrwl.ehensive

1ADBUS* Sufficient evidence of seriousproblems of finance, col-

lections and staff which lieahead has been uncovered in the

course of this study tomake it evident that thepresent methods

of reporting and analysisof information regardinglibraries is

grossly inadequate. It is a matter of the mosturgent priority

that this situation berectified. A person skilled in statis-

tics and knowledgable inpolitical scienceand/or public admin-

istration (with a theoreticalbent) should be employed for this downturn in public li. major task. Data suggesting a serious

brary services have beenlocated for this study,part of it

coming from publications of theState Library. However, in many , .

156.

cases, particularly respecting personnel,collections and use

of libraries, the data are fragmentary and ofquestionable

authority and, therefore, subject to various interpretations.

Consequentlycertain co elusions which might have been reached--

cannot be stated for lack of clear evidence.

B. Providing State -wide

As a primary aim, all local public libraries attemptto

include in their collections those types of materialswhich are

in great demand. Typically, these include recent popular fiction

and non-fiction books, popular periodicals and newspapers,and

certain basic reference materials. Although the specific titles

will vary according to community interests, alibrary which does

not meet these fundamental needs is notadequately- -achieving-itsT

basic service objectives. Except for libraries serving large

urban centers, the local library ordinarily does nottypically

acquire reference: materials in the depth needed byserious ref-

erence users.

Special-braries maintained by state and local governmEA

agencies and private industrial and culturalcorporations acquire

those resources necessary for effectivelyaccomplishing the

purposes of the sponsoringorganization. However, the very

nature of special libraries requiresthat heavy emphasis be

placed on a fairly narrow range of subjects. There are always

demands for materials which go furtherthan the library can pro".

vide. The State Library is a proper agency forfacilitating

access to referencematerials which cannot be provided by local 11[_

1 157. or special subject libraries.The State Library is now used by a large number of libraries as a backstop forreference materials.

With respect to meeting the reference needs of other state government agencies and the legislature, no permanentstatistics are kept which describe service offeredpersonnel from these organizations. Administrators and librarians of agencies which

are visited generally indicatedsatisfaction with the avail-

ability of needed documents but expressed reservationsabout the

Library's adequacy in meeting their reference needs.

Interviews with personnel of some of the stateagencies

which maintain libraries indicated a pressing need formaterials

which the agency library normally doss not acquire.There are no

regularized procedures for obtaining-needed materails-from-the

State Library collection for these libraries and nomechanism

whereby the State Library will obtain themif not held in its

own .tollection.

1. An assessment should be madled.212kkalaal

of the State_Library and those ofprince

public and special libraries in the statein

order to determine possible roles eachcould

atelta 2...1-leabOVe-iti'leStateroib_rarvshOUld ascertain the use which best can be made of

and then sheAtAnele_galligaglitileMEWASZ 158. 3. iiiLca.ttstandinfibrarim

should be retained as a permanent full -

timetaff member of the State Libra to

maintain the collections and to assume

major responsibility for assuringgrowth

in th22gligaiteLdirmilLEadtdAs

...... litheibacd22ALV2212PAILAAMNEALL

perform.

k...... §...... tmetateubangealdgaattagLAtt major libraries in the state tomake all

or portions o,their_collections available

to libraries thro_out, the state.

Such an arrangement is a necessarycondition for developing a viable reference system.It is clear that because of respon- sibilities to local residents suchmajor libraries as the Cleve- land Public Library and theCincinnati aad Hamilton CountyPublic

Library could not participate in astate -wide effort unless they were properly reimbursedfor the use of the collections andthe

services of professional staff. Such reimbursement, of course,

cannot be considered adequate ifit covers only the cost of

handling and walling requests, The effect of contractingwith

these major libraries could open upfor state -wide use millions

of volumes selected over the yearsat great cost and effort.

A payment for "on- line" serviceto cover making existing

collections available as freely aspossible is a basic rewire.

ment of creating a system based onexisting strong points. 159.

There is no reasonable alternative to building uponstrength unless the state were prepared to invest large sumsin col-

'Actions and facilities for the State Library.All costs of operating this system should be borne bythe state. The pre

sent practice of charging postagefor inter-library loans both

inhibits use of the present system and isdoubtless uneconomic.

5. The Union Catalog presently maintained

b the Sta Libra should be broadened

...... m.tinsaoimljatcggubibliographic center.

Such a center would make itpossible for the state to offer

a broad scaleidentification, llcation and acquisitionreference of all types could service. Through the center, Ohio libraries

obtain needed reference resources. It would be expected that

once the OhioCollege Library Center isoperational, formal

links would be established withit and, through it, with Ohio

institutions of higher education.

6. 'aicAstate.dezrinunicationand

deliverr system linking allpublic

libraries and state agencies withthe

Mate Library should bg.ftelkama.

The development of such a rapidcommunication and delivery

system is the am non of an effectivestate-wide reference

system.

7. Itm should

be sc_A. 4,_a_itinued 160.

As As noted previously, thisdepartment serves essentially as a quasi-publiclibrary. This is not a proper functionfor a State Library andis properly the responsibilityof the

Columbus Public Library.The governmental serviceunit recom- mended earlier would be theappropriate substitute.

C. Changes in the Law Relating tothe State Library:

An analysis of the StateLibrary operations revealsthat many programs arebeing carried on without benefitof permanent law and that others are based oninferences from limited existing statutory authority, or inbudgetary authorizations contained in the biennial appropriati Asacts. For the most part, existing statutes, in creating the StateLibrary Board and the State

Library, deal specifically withthe internal affairs and manage.

meat of the library plant anddo not, save for Ohio RevisedCode, to estab. Secs. 3375.05 and3375.47, empower the Library Board

lish or to administer an explicitoverall public library develop-

ment policy in which the StateLibrary is expected to play a

key role.

Without general legislativedirection and support, the

Hoard has been becalmed. Accordingly, the following recommen-

dations are made with a viewto strengtheningtea Board's role

in furnishing leadershipin state-wide libraryplanning.

1. A bzatelat.oadbenivelic

...... 11shoLdki12112t01altitELELIE regarding public librarydevelopment 161

and the role ofthlAtEttjkijaciala

connection with suchdevelopment. had the effect The lack of a generalpolicy statement has between the need onthe of suspending theState Library Board state -wide leadership part of the Ohiolibrary interelts fur afforded by federal and the opportunitiesfor such leadership of this kind isalso library aid programs. A policy statement commitment of responsi- needed to give thestate legislature a that this bility for librarydevelopment. It is to be hoped participation in such would lead to a morerealistic financial

development by thestate.

2. '...... __..a...._...aBoaz..._...ra._I'heStateLibzTdshouldbeiven

broad statutoryativalx.to develop

standards for alllevels _of, ublic library service and ma ent,innrludina

deaktILDLJatzttalkaliLatatkeitiga oLtilLatat211brars. libraries should be Adoption of suchstandards by public authority of the encouraged through anadditional statutory grants-in-aid tolibraries Board to administerstate and federal

in accordance withthe standarAq, ahould be designated 3. The State Library

1221EPLALVA.tolzulA21111Etama: siblefor_p_i.rovidrartirba

service to allbranches of the state 162.

governments including advice and,

assistance to agencies operatin

their own libraries.

A provision of this kind in the law would give the Library and the institutional service proposed clear and unquestioned charge of leadership in library service development.Legisla- tive sanction of this kind is imperative to assure the full effectiveness of the State Library.

MgmbatIJICAMAtitlakEimItel

should be appointed by the Governor

with the advice and consent of the

Ohio Senate.

The transfer of the appointing power to the Governor from the Department of Education should have the effect of continuing the evolution of the Library as a self contained and independent agency of the executive branch and of facilitating both a tie and a rapport with the chief executive of the state.

D. govicep to Local Public Libraries:

One is the principal purposes of state action is to equalize

educational opportunities without discouraging maximum interest and effort on the part of local governments.As indicated earlier in this report. there are at least two types of counties in Ohio where this equalization effort is needed: a large area in the

southeastern part of the state, classified as Appalachia; and

isolated counties in virtually every other part of the state.

Following is a list of some of the services which would be found 163. useful in the libraries in bothtypes of counties. Organi- zational solutions will be discussedlater.

Materials: A major problem in thelibraries in the less well- developed counties is the lack ofadequate stocks of materials.

Book stocks are often outdated andlimited in coverage both of subjects of current interest and ofvarious types of materials.

Patrons of these libraries willbenefit immediately by the pro- vision of materials, processed andready to be used, by the provision of "new book rooms"where librarians might inspect materials without having to committheir limited funds for pule-

chases and similar servicessuggested by the following list:

a. Central orderingand processing. b. Permanent additions ofmaterials to local libraries. a. Temporaryadditions of materials to local libraries. d. Temporary addition ofmultiple copies of materials in great demand. e. Supplying oAback files of periodicals as need arises. f. Supplying of audio-visualmaterials and necessary equipment fortheir use. g. Supplying ofgovernment and/or United Nations publications of speciallocal interest.

Lists and Catalogs: Lack of access to all typesof lists and

italogs of materials currentlyavailable is often another

limitation of the localsituation. Despite the plethoraof

communications devices, it isstill difficult for thelibrarians

_ _ _ 164. who do not live in or near largepopulation centers to keep up with what is available. Services such as the followingwill

be helpful:

a. Aid in locating specialmaterials requested at the local level but which cannot be identified. b. Issuance of lists of materials on special topics of state ornational current interest. c. Issuance of listsof materials on topics of special interest to students or teachers. d. Provision of discussion guidesand other supplements to librarymaterials.

Advisory Services: Perhaps the best received service ofthe

Ohio State Library (and, probably,of virtually every other

state library agency inthe country) is the visit by anadvisor

who can be expected to supplytechnical advice based on proven

experience and special training. Yet this service is plainly

not given frequently enoughto have much impact on the library

service an individual mayexpect to receive from his localli-

brary. In addition, no one person canbe expert in all aspects

of library service, sothis advice is necessarily somewhatlop.

sided depending on theexperience of the advisor. If those

services, such as thosesuggested below, were given by astaff

consisting of persons withvaried backgrounds, and were given

frequently, the impact on localservice to the library user

would be increased: 165.

a. Library administration. b. Financial management. c. Service programs forvarious age and interest groups. d. Library technical services. e. Building of collections. f. Analysis of community needs.

Program Services: The current shortage of trained personnelin libraries combined with the financial limitationsof many local libraries make it impossible for the residentsof many communities to have the services of specialists inservice to special age or interest groups. Some examples of personnel which couldbe

Shared for establishing and maintaining programsin local libraries are:

a. Children's librarians. h. Specialists in use of ,audio- visual materials.

c Reference librarians.

Auxiliary Services: In addition to services which might be

channeled through local libraries to users, there areothers which are primarily directed toward individuals,either persons

employed in libraries or individuals who maybenefit from direct

library services but who do not live nearlibrary outlets:

a. In- service training programsfor library personnel. b. Bibliographic services tying the local library to a state -wide reference network. c. Training programsfor library trustees* 166.

d. Publicity and publicrelations programs. e. Bookmobileand other direct library services.

Regionalization: These services will be mostefficiently and effectively offered throughorganizations large enough to realize the economies of scale. Further, experience in establishing new organizations to give services tolibraries in a region (New

York State, forexample) as compared with attempting toadd regional service responsibilitiesto existing organizations without close supervision bythe state (Pennsylvania. for exp. ample) suggests very strongly that theformer method is more effective. It appears to evoke regionalrather than local attitudes toward need for service moreeasily; it appears to attract more and better qualifiedprofessional leadership than

the latter. The regional rather than acounty by county approach to the matter will make itpossible to base the services on a

relatively large number of personsand a relatively large area.

Thus. the scope of responsibilityshould be sufficient to at-

tract professional personsof first rank. Many of the counties

for which these services areproposed are quite small in all

respects and cannot hope inthe future to provide boththe fi

nancial and program attractionsnecessary to competein the

state or national marketfor scarce personnel.

1. It is recommendedthat programa service

activities 167.

en um erated abovebe_ established bi one

of two means First, in reas such as

tlie....L...a.tsterLiesouttrntofthestate

locally controlled, state-financed area

lAtEMAIMULAMiktelatMULAJEltitz

lisped. Second, contracts with axis

strong libraries. normallylargeoblic

libraries, should be arranged tosuxroly

services to isolated countiesin need

of equalization.

Area Library Service Systems: The purpose of these organizations will be to provide a vehicle forequalization of access to mini-

mum library andinformation services in large areasfinancially

incapable of supplying such minimums onlocal resources alone.

Manizatimv An organizationmeeting of trustees in a region

may be called eitherby two or more local publiclibrary boards

acting jointly or by the StateLibrarian. If a majority of lc).» form an cal library trustees attendingsuch a meeting agree to

area library servicesystem, trustees of the neworganization

will be elected by vote ofall local library trusteesin the

area. The State Librarian shallestablish procedures for holding

elections and for calling organizationalmeetings of trustees so

elected.

Boardt The question of whether boardmembers may be local li-

brary trustees should be examinedby legal counsel. The board

should consist of not lessthan seven nor more thannine members. v

168. the first trustees elected to serve staggered terms of office.

The term of office following initial terms should be either three or five years and no person should serve more than two consecutive terms.

Duties of the Board: The board will organize the service system,

select a chief administrator (headlibrarian) suitably qualified according to state certification regulations, formulatepolicy

and plan resources and services, operating inconcert with

boards of trustees in the area. The primary evidence of these

activities will be a plan of action to besubmitted for approval

to the State Librarian and then for approvalby the State Library

Board. Allocation of funds will follow approval ofthis plan.

Contracts with IMOLIINWLIdamalw Acontract for rendering

area system-type service toisolated counties incapable of sup-

porting library service of minimumacceptable quality may be

substituted for the area library servicesystem concept.

Local Reactions: Methods for eliciting local reactionsand

suggestions for service programs shouldbe provided in those

counties where these services are carriedout by contract with

existing libraries. Intensive field work by State Library re.

pressntatives in those areas is one method;the formation of

county library or friends oflibrary councils may be another.

To a considerable extent, gainingthe feedback suggested here

will be a matter of trial and error.However, it cannot be

neglected. 169.

Financing: State appropriations (includingportions of federal

funds received by the State Library andallocated to this pur-

pose) should be divided into two primary typesof grants:

organizational or establishment grantsand continuing support

grants. In order to determine the sumsneeded for annual sup

port the following formula isrecommended, to be calculated

separately for each county in theregion:

I X = ($3.00. A)BC

Where: X = The annual state grantfor operations.

A = The average amount of money percapita paid for local library support,excluding capital expenditures, out of localfunds including the intangibles tax and any operating levy, for the pastthree years.

The percentage of local situsintangibles tax allocated to publiclibrary support.

C = The population of thecounty, estimated by the Ohio DevelopmentDepartment, Economic Research Division.

The resulting sum would thenbecome the support grant for

the regional library. Materials and services couldbe allocated the sup- in a similar manner, afterprovision had been made .1: or

porting organization needed.However, the board oftrustees

should be free to develop a planfor another method ofdistri-

bution of funds, such plan tobe approved by the StateLibrary

Board. Appeals based on equity oftreatment by local library

boards or other groups shouldbe heard by the Ohio StateLibrary

reasonable Board. The figure of $3.00 isrecommended here as a 170.

"floor" to support for local library service.

County Library Councils A council of local public library trustees should determine the number of personsresiding in the primary service area of eachlocal public library. The

State Librarian acting on the approvalof the State Library

Board should have authority to make thatdetermination should

a council not be created orwhere it cannot reach final

decisions.

R commendation P rsonnels tin A. The State Libra s methods ofcoil data

res :ctin rsonnel and of anal sin: it and

mplidhinstia results should be thesublet.

dia.tetuimoverofintensivearxlimmeandaent.

An earlier recommendation describedthe need to improve data

gathering and analysis generally. In a sehoes this recommendation

only reinforces that earlier one. However, there is a special

urgency in gaining afirm control over data in the areaof per- trends may be noted sonnel. First, this is essential so that

in personnel supply andadequate forecasts prepared. Second,

since personnel accountsfor so large a proportion ofthe oper.

ating budget, major managementproblems in libraries may bedie- data Closed by thoughtful andconsistent analysis of personnel

over a period time.

B. The State Librarian shouldtake leadership in developing methods of efficientuti.].ization of',

Personnel. This leadership should take the 171.

-.....LVITSLI3091362414PWorelia.0. mtrimetal .o ram

Examination of the utilization oflibrarians in public libraries both through directobservation and through exam- ination of the percentage distributionof budgets leads one to the conclusion first thatradical changes in employmentof pro- tessional librarians in publiclibraries (and perhaps all li- braries) is an immediate need in orderto control expenditures for personnel, to make theprofession attractive tooutstanding

young people and toadapt to the pressures of apersonnel supply which is inadequate for allprofessions today. Second, it

appears that anumber of medium-sized publiclibraries are

headed by persons who willneed to be replacedbecause of normal

attrition in the coming decade.Their replacements may appear public libraries, from the ranks of middlemanagement in the large the ranks of persons from recruitment fromother states and from of only partially prepared. However, conscious development

leadership within Ohio willbe required if thesecritical po-

sitions are to be filledto best advantage. C. mutatiumEadagshould take leadershipin

f ersonnel at various levelin libraries.

Mid-career trainin forlibrarians who are

assumingleadershiz_poitionre.ehro-

IMPAINtaerl...42aLALW212:110X21EIMI to are required.but it is equally necessary Provide iaraint2Lkaina..1Eatagral12E

library technicians and clerks.

Maximum utilization of personnel will be required of all institutions in the coming years. Such usage will require both the development of attitudes of acceptance toward continuing education a: 4 development of training programs at all levels.

Of course, the State Librarian should work with individuals and institutions already engaged in training librarians, but he should also look to university extension agencies, community colleges and all other_ netitutions whichare prepared to assist him. It will also be wise to involvepersons from the various academic disciplines in these programs if theyare to be of greatest value to the individual, the profession and the various institutions.

Attention should be given to the need for maximum develop. ment and utilization of State Library personnel. Imaginative programs for the further development of State Library staff members should be developed. Policies on out of state travel and participation in out of state conferences and workshops must be changed if Ohio is to fully develop its present State Library personnel and if it is to be successful in recruiting capable people to the State Library staff.

D. Fa t...214..Le training ofprofessional

31419 :Lane should be increased so as to increase

Acaupsja222rjuif o both the Id and 173.

While the data for the personnelsection of this report are in certain ways verylimited, it is nonethelessclear that the supply of librarians in Ohiois falling behind thatof the nation. If Ohio is to develop its overallpotential rapidly, this situation cannot be toleratedfor long. The increasing dependence of education, industry andgovernment on information

supply calls for personneltrained in the techniques oflibrarian.

ship. At the same time researchin librarianship is needed.

Production of increased numbers of personsskilled in research

should be a major aim of a programdesigned to increase the

supply of skilled personsgenerally.

E. Lpaimit.nofzecruitnitlenoulbeinetitut

by the State Librarian.

If working conditions are goodand if programs are inspiring,

a program ofrecruitment of young persons tolibrarianship will

be successful. Thus, recruitment of itselfis not of first be priority in personnel management,but it is essential that it

a part of a total program. The central position of theState

Library suggests it as the focalpoint for recruitment.

F. The total number ofpositionforiiall

trained librarians should beincreaserdinin,_hio

through amorous programs designedto.poin.t.12

the need for such yersonsknichools. _c9ilogee

and universities. Publiclibraries and businesses

and industries toasting,special librarians. 174.

While it is entirely possible thatprofessionally trained librarians are being misused in the sensethat they do not

always carry out duties requiringthe degree of acadomic

training they have received,still the total number ofpositions

in all types of libraries appearsto be declining withrespect

to their potential audiences.The exception to this rule occurs

in the public schools,where a definite compromisewith normal

educational requirements forlibrarianship has been made.

Looking to the long.run future,and to Ohio's potentialindus-

trial and business development,and to the expanding needfor

higher education, it is imperativethat an adequate supply of

positions be maintained tostaff this part of theinformation

industry.

III. Re mmendation with Re et to Governance:

A...... _...... aTheOhio,StrteIAIO2LmjlatLphggAjmzy2

immediately to es:tat:143i meansfor 42I1E: mining the long .range basis offinancial

ORMELLat.V1112)Atattktuft.iettat which could be undertaken,immediately is

to establish a study g`ouninvolving the

Boards the OLA.OLTA, andrepresentatives of

the a,and branches of

government.

The area library resourcecenters represent a move toward However, there one fundamentalfinancial issue: equalization. 4

2.1 a %,`

175. are other seriousproblems of finance to benet during the next

distribution, and of the several years. Questions of equity of potential adequacy of the presentintangibles tax to support-- future growth of libraries areregarded as pressing* However, the members of this surveyteam have sensed amonglibrarians

both considerable distress overthe present method ofsupport is (the intangibles tax, despiteother possible alternatives,

THE base) and a distinctlack of consensus over evenquestioning

challenges from groups,outside that method. It is probable that

librarianship will increase inintensity and frequency. It is

incumbent on the Ohio StateLibrary Board to beginwhat most

surely will be adifficult process: that of developing an ac- will provide, ceptable, reasonable baseof future support which providing for future for solution ofprement problems as Well as essential to permit all growth. Cooperative efforts hero, are to gain some the possible problem areasto be dtcerned and

workable consensus onsolutions.

Be Recommendations tot...... g.Aheleisapatwililsguesk

library centers should

contain the followinggeneral provisions:

obaectives* 1. A.statement of intentions or

2. .be the d stribution offunderhich. at the

same _time.IOU provide formaxjaa

flexibility as conciliationschange. 1"2,,;ws ,

176.

3. Alori....g...... 4.,,t...... botheMosttrantofautlate

,Library topermt ra id oranizationof

the units. operation according to a plan ItatarotilejLhio Stattlprarr

gatElLatriodic2:1MIUMSALIMItiN121

1...1..,14111111.101e2.111204.19.42080nable

regulation or direction.

The present state aid law contains no statementof legisla- tive intent, and is open to regulation onall counts by the

State Library Board. That is a more acceptable method .of. oper. sting when the total sums of money involved aresmall than when they are large. No change is proposed with respect toexisting aid. In the case of the recommended arealibrary service centers, however, the sums of money will run intoseveral million dollars annually. Furthermore, this program is recommendedprimarily as an effort towardequalization. For these reasons, it will be wise to propose to the legislature that itstate its intention with respect to these larger sums and,at the same time, that it

afford the State Library Boardthe flexibility and authority which will be required if anexperimental attitude toward the-

proposed units is to be maintained. While these units are con-

ceived of as locally generated,it will be wise to permit their

creation by State Library Boardinitiative also.

C. msz.p.,Ildr..___,.....TheStateLibraskovide.leader^in

the matter of e aitabledistribution of income PAMMPIWW.17

177.

from the intangiblestax amonglibraries

1...... ilithiME1121112!&22411112Egattla

Z-04112iA1111211111tIntjtalLgEtat

a...... EutholUlaltlAtatatnnaleJaLta

1. Set definitions andstandards

of service and otherguidelines

to suchdtg...... L"....tributiotheseto

Erovide for unevendistribution

Serve as a body towhich appeals on thebasis of equity oftreat-

went mi.at be brought bar local

library boards oftrastges. of public One of the patentinequities in the financing arises from unaccountable library services inOhio is that which in the same differences in financiallevels among communities up as a resultof the lack county. These inequities have grown guides to distribution.The of statutory orother standards and by the term "public logical authority todefine what is meant service or make other library service" andto set standards of commissions pronouncements which maybe useful to thecounty budget

is the State LibraryBoard.

D. The State Libra Board sh uld formulat

policy with restct tothe length of tenure

in office it deemssuitable for library 178, trustees.....ould be publicized

...... W...... 14111ibrabforthedancoloard

throu-h the-re-ular methodscf ftffArina

ice already in effect,

If general agreement can be reached, theregularization of term of office for trustees at either four or seven yearsis advised. Limits on number of terms could thenbecome a matter of advice, but not a matter for the statutes. There is no in- tention to criticize present members of boardsof library trus- tees here. Rather, the effort is to gain thebenefit of injec- tion of new ideas and energies into theinstitutions while at the same time providing aconsiderable degree of continuity, Of course, present members of boards may be exemptedfrom this rule, However, it would be to the general advantage ofpublic libraries to

"graduate" periodically several persons intothe citizenry who are

sympathetic to the aims of libraries andwho are knowledgable as to

the problems and prospects of library service,

E. Efforts should be madt_to establish orenhance

§...flaiotexitincloerelibetween cublic

library boards of trustees._ the%ate Library

Board and librarian on the onehand and municipal. and sc_,.hool officials onthe other,

This recommendation stands not as aprescription but more

as a directional sign. The public library is a part of govern-

ment; it is one of the many institutionscreated in a democratic

society which all togetherhave as their concern the general

welfare of the citizenry, As such, the publiclibraryts long. 179.

insti- term health is dependent uponthe ability of the various of tutions to work together as asystem rather than as a group unintegrated parts. One of the firstimpressions one receives libraries is of a upon coming into Ohioto look at its public trustees, on the lack of communicationbetween librarians and Tensions one hand, andelected or other officials onthe other. among organizations are to adegree healthy; lack ofunderstanding is not. mendations Corn munications:

A. An office for bile information shouldbe

establiahed in the StateLibrausagstar,

of this office shouldhave asapss to profes-

sional public relationscounsel on a con.

tractual basis.

The responsibilities ofthis unit should encompass programs the State Library. of public reporting andstaff communications for

However, its primary workshould be in developmentof coordinated the opportunities state -wide programs ofacquainting the public with

offered to them throughlibrary services* The expertise of the basis with permanent staff should beaugmented on a consulting

commercial public relationscounsel.

B. Advise servicets4pul0be made available to,

local libraries to= ablethem to develomore

programs, ilalfIEMENZAn. V.1144MAM....41.-JIWIF.' ,o-5.-Tri-ol. .4.Vrats. ,r;

180*

In view of the considerable sum of money now beingspent

on public library services inOhio, it is reasonable to attempt

to insure that knowledge of the servicesavailable-be made

freely available.Librarians and board monbers have generally

neglected this aspect of their responsibilities,perhaps with

the thought that it is unseemly for aprofessional person admin.

istering a public service to advertise. Selective dignified

programs of publicity shouldrather be regarded as part ofeach

public agency's responsibility to reportits stewardship to the

public. Without such programs, public reportingis, to say the

least, incoAplete.

Whether this advisory service is offeredthrough the or--

ganization of a staff department inthe State Library or by

contract with another agency is relativelyunimportant and should

be the subject of administrativedetermination. It may be pointed

out that, while contract services aresometimes rather expensive,

they do not burden the organizationwith permanent staff. C. Rio Library PublicRelations Cluneil.phoup

be formed to assist the StateLibrary _staff in

delritate-ivide coMaigitiatMalleal via irot)3..Liisg.cervi.

This recommendation mightbe carried out in cooperation

and perhaps on contract with theOhio Library Foundation.

Members of the Council should be chosenfrom among public li.

brary public relations practitioners inOhio. The Council's 181,

There are work should be funded fromthe State Librarybudget. relations persons employed at present severalfull-time public that others willbe in Ohio's libraries andit may be assumed

employed Board in th develo..ent D. Th Ohio State Libra

aLj.lp,.Am.,.tndiitation of standardsand rfigulations

should encouragg publiclibraries to carry out public rl, atons programs ashart of theeir

normal activities. National Various occasions anddevices, as for example

Library Week, willafford occasions forpublic relations programs. normal respon- However, such programsshould be considered as a offering service sibility of locallibraries just as much as are purchasing a minimum for a minimum numberof hours per week,

number of titles per yearand other activities. State E. inhiadminia"rtsanthe Librarian should encoura e blic libra trus-

tees and librarian: toform regional libra

development_councils paralselinathe eight develop ent regions setforth byr the Ohio

Development Department. the Development In the report quotedin the Introduction, "...an analysis Department has definedeight regions based on natural resources, of state characteristics,including topography, In each population, economy,transportation andcommunication." development commission of these regions, aregional planning and 162. is to be formed. Establishing and maintaining contact with these commissions will be of great importance. Active partici. pation by trustees and librarians in the planning process carried out by these commissions is a highlydesirable goal and presents an opportunity to establishcommunication links with local governments. It would be preferable to seek active partnership in this effort soon rather than late.

There are already certain existing regionalcouncils

existing among librarians. Examples are the Southwestern wio

Rural Libraries (SWORL), the Miami ValleyLibrarians and the

Greater Cleveland Administrators grows. These councils provide

means for communication amonglibrarians and trustees. The

present recommendation is that these groupseither reform

around the Development Department'sregions and enlarge their

purposes or that neworganizations be developed if the first

approach is not found acceptable.

F. Airri'11....ii..,...t,..,_:...,.._,ttittateambeteLStaibrarand

artment

Liwalitraries.

The responsibilities of publiclibrary boards and school

boards should be spelled out as well asthe relat&onehips which

might exist between them forproviding library services to Btu.,

dents. This statement should be giventhe force of the offices

of the State Librarian and theState Superintendent of Instruction. 1834

The OLA and OLTA should actively support theOhio Association

f School Librarians in its recommendation forthe establishment of a school library consultant position at anappropriate level and status in the State Department ofEducation. This consultant should have the responsibility forplanning and directing a state. wide school library development program whichwill support effec. tively the curriculum and instructional programin Ohio schools.

V. Re9ommendations with Itwectto the OhioLibrary' Association and Ohio Library Trustee Associations

A. It ip recommenALULtheAtetejibrarianestab-,

lish a lie with res et to ticii.tion of

the staff of the Library in the affairsof

OLAOLTA.

This policy s'ould cover such subjects aswhat offices or

committee positions State Library staffmight reasonable hold,

the length of time for which they mightperform certain euties

in or for the Associations, andsimilar matters. It is not the

intention of the surveyor to suggest thatsuch a policy should

be firm and fixed for all time. It is his opinion, however,

that the policy should be rather restrictive.

B. It is recommended that the ate Librarian seek

to have a joint committee appointedwith 4LA -OLTA tuLarg/ou,ldoseit*eecmmdde.

1.L...AZtomm'cxm"'Iix14"gataL2ELtEKLIUIWUNdLJ9tLJK

separate interest.

As noted earlier, it ishelpful for the State Library and

tlie professional groups to operatewith a considerable degree 184. of agreement on most major issues. However, it is also essential that each have freedom to disagreewith the other and to take separate courses if deep convictionsdictate separation.While there are no clear lines to be drawn, itshould be possible to forward the process of separation(already begun with the appoirt- ment of an OLA-OLTA ExecutiveDirector). As with the policy

suggested above, this guideline willbe subject to change

periodically. Chapter IX Estimate of Costs

certain cal - The present estimatesof costs are made upon library service culation in some detail,in the case of the area and upon certain very centers and arealibTary.type services the activation of rough guesses in the caseof the figures for

These figures, inshort, are a state -widereerence network. target rather thanfor solely for the purposeof locating the primarily, there- taking careful aim. They must be regarded as will be made. fore, for discussion purposes. Later refinements inter. Estimated cost ofparticipation in a statewide public libraries is library loan networkby the eight largest to each of those li- based on the paymentof an "on -line" sum cost is set at$50,000 per braries. Quite arbitrarily, this not elicit activeparticipation library. Such cost may or may have built up repre. by those libraries. The collections they expenditures on materials sent, normally,both large cumulative members whose edu. and large expendituresof the time of staff Part of the con- cation and experiencecould not be replaced. resource to be sideration here is forpermitting that existing collections used, part is forhelping the librariesmaintain their

through ad .fun ofcurrent materials. Reactions to this pro. boards posa have not yetbeen elicited fromthe librarians and terms. of trustees involved,except in the most general remz. Estimated Annual Cost

Area Library Service Centers and Area Library-Type Services (on contract) at $3.00 per capita minimum $4010,000.

State-wide Resource Network A. "On- line" payments. 400,000, B. Communtcations system establishment and

maintenance . . 100,000.

State Library Support A. Existing Headquarters ....360,000, B. Expanded Services . 350,000. C. Research and Development . . . 300,000.

D. Establishment Grants . . . 250,000. -...... Total Estimated Annual Cost . 0 $5,870,000.

These cost estimates are advtnced upontwo major acsump.. tions: First, that the program recommendedwill be considered as a first phase,to be evaluated and possiblymodified soon after the area library servicecenters and allied programs are put into effect; and, second,that the entire program is ft- naneed and operational withinthree years. The total cost

estimated here is a third-yearcost, given these assumptions*

Ohio could benefit from andafford a much larger programthan

is recommended here. However, given the presentcondition of

the State Library and in considerationof the impact of the mt.

opinion of several recommendations onthe Library, it is the the surveyor that these sumscould be Aministeredintelligently but that substantiallylarger sums could not be.