ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

From Inside the DLSEF

By Dr. Katharine M. Stokes

College and University Library Specialist, Library Planning and Development Branch, Division of Library Services and Educational Facilities, U.S. Office of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202.

Probably most of you have read the article in the January 1, 1968 Library Journal by our division director, Ray Fry, noting the Library Program Officers for the Regions established by the Office of Education in 1967. I know the academic librarians in New England (Region I) are becoming acquainted with Arlene Hope, our RPO in Boston, those in the Middle Atlantic States, with Mrs. Eleanor T. Smith in New York (Region II), and those in the deep South with Shirley Brother in Atlanta (Region IV) because I’ve had copies of correspondence with academic librarians in their areas. Evelyn Mullen of Charlottesville (Region III), Janice Kee of Dallas (Region VII) and Helen Luce of San Francisco (Region IX) have sometimes called me about academic librarians’ inquiries since all of them are experienced in state, school, and public library matters, but feel less familiar with the problems of academic libraries. You’ll find them very knowledgeable about arrangements among different types of libraries under Title III of LSCA (Library Services and Construction Act), a source that academic librarians need to consider if they are to benefit from the many federal funds available for encouraging cooperation. Now we have two gentlemen RPOs—Andrew Fisher in Denver (Region VIII) and James Igoe in Chicago (Region V). Andy was formerly in the state library of Wyoming and Jim is fresh out of the Michigan state library.

Another Title III encouraging cooperation is the one from the Higher Education Act of 1965 with which you’re familiar as the source of Title II-A grants (College Library Resources). This Title III (Strengthening Developing Institutions) is administered by the Developing Institutions Branch of the Division of College Support and is meant to encourage strong academic institutions to assist weaker ones or to encourage an organization, association or business firm to assist a developing college.

In New Hampshire the University at Durham is aiding developing Plymouth State College, for many years a small teacher’s college, by making space available for a cataloging unit of a professional and clerical assistant to use its bibliographic tools in speeding its processing, and in reclassifying its twenty-six thousand volume collection from DC to LC. A Title III (HEA) grant pays the salaries for the cataloging unit as well as the wages of a driver to deliver books between Plymouth and Durham.

The Kansas City public library is aiding Tarkio College in its own state and Graceland College in Iowa, just over the Missouri line, by making its resources available to the colleges’ students and faculty under a Title III (HEA) grant. Many students from the two colleges come from Kansas City and can use the KCPL when they are home for holidays or weekends. Title III funds pay a non-eligible user fee for any of the other students who want to visit the library. The grant also covered the selection of fifty thousand titles from Books for College Libraries (ALA, 1967), which are available in the KCPL but not in the college libraries. Cards for them were duplicated for the two campus libraries. Items desired may be requested from the KCPL by teletype and they are sent by united parcel to the colleges. All this service is being financed by the Title III grant. In order to acquaint the college faculties with the resources of the million-volume KCPL, divisional heads from the two campuses were invited to lunch and an all-day orientation session in the building.

The two colleges with book collections below the American Library Association’s recommended minimum will now have adequate resources to support their developing programs for the five years expected to be necessary for them to reach the standard for their size and, in addition, their students probably will have learned the good habit of using other libraries besides the one in their immediate vicinity.

TITLE II A GRANTS DEADLINE

Applications for Grants under Title II A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 must be returned to the United States Office of Education by April 26. Manuals and letters directed to librarians as well as to presidents are being mailed during the week of March 25. Librarians who have not received information and forms from their presidents should contact their presidents immediately. If forms have not been received please call the Division of Library Services and Educational Facilities (Phone 202 963- 6271).