College and Research Libraries B y W Y M A N W . P A R K E R The Library in the Liberal Arts College1 Mr. Parker is librarian, University of Cincinnati. WE A R E C O M E T O G E T H E R t o d a y t o celebrate an u n u s u a l l y happy occa- sion : the dedication of a l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g . I t is an occasion of m o m e n t w h e n an a m a l - g a m of m o r t a r and steel becomes a b u i l d i n g and is readied f o r its u l t i m a t e f u n c t i o n . I t is an occasion of g r e a t m o m e n t w h e n that f u n c t i o n is the housing of a l i b r a r y in a l i b e r a l arts c o l l e g e . T h e significance of a l i b r a r y is not to be u n d e r e s t i m a t e d even in these days of e a r t h - s h a k i n g explosions. W e are a l l d e v o t e d to the c o l l e g e and ac- k n o w l e d g e by our c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t t h a t it p e r f o r m s a v i t a l and necessary role. I n the last h u n d r e d years the l i b r a r y has been accepted as the most essential f e a t u r e of the u n i v e r s i t y . T h e l i b r a r y in the c o l l e g e is an e q u a l necessity f o r w e r e c o g n i z e that a l i b e r a l arts c o l l e g e is p a r t i c u l a r l y r e l i a n t u p o n its l i b r a r y . T h e m o r e a college u t i l - izes its l i b r a r y the m o r e n e a r l y is the col- l e g e — a n d the l i b r a r y — f u l f i l l i n g the con- t r a c t w e should like to h a v e observed. T h i s m o m e n t of dedication gives us the o p p o r t u n i t y to reflect, f o r in this period of creation it is f i t t i n g and appropriate to consider this b u i l d i n g ' s purpose and to consider w h a t is implied. B y our presence w e t a c i t l y approve of such a m o n u m e n t to the past. B u t is this the e x t e n t of o u r c o n s e n t ? A l i b r a r y is m u c h m o r e t h a n a m o n u m e n t to the p a s t — i t is a f o r t r e s s 1 Address presented at the dedication of the Otterbein College L i b r a r y at Westerville, Ohio, on M a y 8, 1954. erected against the forces of barbarism. T h e r e are t r a d i t i o n a l rites of s p r i n g and it m a y be m o r e than a coincidence t h a t w e are n o w c e l e b r a t i n g the p e r m a n a n c e of c e r t a i n elements of our h e r i t a g e . H e r e b y w e m a k e pertinent m a t e r i a l s easily a v a i l a b l e f o r their periodic consideration in the a n n u a l progres- sion of higher e d u c a t i o n . F i n l e y P e t e r D u n n e in his role of g a d f l y to the A m e r i c a n p u b l i c had M r . D o o l e y say " B o o k s is f o r t h e m t h a t c a n ' t e n j o y themselves any o t h e r w a y . " N o w libraries are p r i m a r i l y devoted to books and an in- crease in the b u i l d i n g of libraries w o u l d appear to indicate t h a t m a n y A m e r i c a n s w a n t to e n j o y themselves and i n s t r u c t themselves t h r o u g h the p a r t i c u l a r m e d i u m of books. I remember h e a r i n g N o r m a n T h o m a s reminisce a b o u t his p u b l i c career that has extended o v e r a g e n e r o u s p a r t of this t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y . W h e n v i s i t i n g col- lege and u n i v e r s i t y campuses in the t w e n t i e s , he w a s i n v a r i a b l y s h o w n the n e w l y - e r e c t e d f o o t b a l l s t a d i u m b u t the usual a n s w e r to his question a b o u t the li- b r a r y w a s , " I t ' s o v e r there, s o m e w h e r e . " I t is e n c o u r a g i n g n o w to r e c o g n i z e a n e w t r e n d , to k n o w t h a t m a n y u n i v e r s i t y li- braries h a v e been completed in v e r y recent years such as the F i r e s t o n e L i b r a r y at P r i n c e t o n , the L a m o n t U n d e r g r a d u a t e L i - b r a r y at H a r v a r d , and the libraries of the U n i v e r s i t y of G e o r g i a , the U n i v e r s i t y of W i s c o n s i n , I o w a , and O k l a h o m a . A m e r i c a n s a l w a y s h a v e believed t h a t li- braries w e r e i m p o r t a n t . E v e r since l e a r n i n g w a s taken o u t of the monasteries APRIL, 1955 19 7 by the discovery of the a r t of p r i n t i n g , there has been a c o n t i n u i n g t r a d i t i o n of books flowing to A m e r i c a . T h e conquista- dors b r o u g h t m a n y , m a n y books to the N e w W o r l d and their i n f l u e n c e m a y be deduced f r o m n e a r l y a c e n t u r y of p r i n t i n g in C e n t r a l and S o u t h A m e r i c a prior to the first print- i n g w i t h i n w h a t are n o w the U n i t e d States. Stephen D a y e ' s press in C a m b r i d g e , M a s s . , p r o d u c e d our first book, The Bay Psalm Book, in 1 6 4 0 . H a r v a r d C o l l e g e had f o r e - seen its e d u c a t i o n a l responsibility by b r i n g - i n g t h a t press to A m e r i c a . T h e f a m o u s D r . B r a y ' s " S o c i e t y f o r the P r o p a g a t i o n of the G o s p e l in F o r e i g n P a r t s " w a s in- s t r u m e n t a l in s e n d i n g m a n y u s e f u l books to the colonists. M o s t of the N e w E n g l a n d divines such as the M a t h e r s , both C o t t o n and Increase, and J o n a t h a n E d w a r d s , w e r e users and c r e a t o r s of books. T h o m a s P r i n c e , pastor of the O l d S o u t h C h u r c h , w a s the g r e a t e s t of A m e r i c a n e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y c o l l e c t o r s in the n o r t h w h i l e W i l - liam B y r d I I of W e s t o v e r b e g a n c o l l e c t i n g an u n u s u a l l i b r a r y in V i r g i n i a b e f o r e the end of the s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . B e n j a m i n F r a n k l i n and T h o m a s J e f f e r - son w e r e both c o n c e r n e d w i t h b u i l d i n g personal libraries and J e f f e r s o n ' s books m a d e the f o u n d a t i o n of o u r present L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s a f t e r the b u r n i n g of W a s h i n g - ton by the B r i t i s h in the W a r of 1 8 1 2 . T h e r e w e r e distinguished book c o l l e c t o r s in the n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y such as P e t e r F o r c e ( w h o s e g r e a t c o l l e c t i o n of A m e r i c a n a is n o w in the L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s ) , J a m e s L e n o x ( w h o s e distinguished c o l l e c t i o n n o w m a k e s up p a r t of the N e w Y o r k P u b l i c L i b r a r y ) and J o h n C a r t e r B r o w n ( w h o s e l i b r a r y is p r e s e n t l y a p a r t of B r o w n U n i - v e r s i t y ) . T h e g r e a t p u b l i c l i b r a r y m o v e - m e n t of the n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y b r o u g h t fine treasures t o these shores in a d d i t i o n to pre- s e r v i n g those books a l r e a d y r a r e w h i c h w e r e published in A m e r i c a . P h i l a n t h r o - pists such as J . J . A s t o r , G e o r g e P e a b o d y , and J o s h u a B a t e s w e r e c o n v i n c e d of these ideals and supported t h e m by l a r g e finan- cial g r a n t s . L i b r a r i a n s like Joseph C o g s - w e l l , c r e a t o r of the A s t o r , l a t e r the N e w Y o r k P u b l i c L i b r a r y , C h a r l e s J e w e t t of the S m i t h s o n i a n , and W i l l i a m P o o l e of the B o s t o n A t h e n a e u m w e r e p a r t i c u l a r l y influ- ential and b u i l t g r e a t book collections w i s e l y and w e l l . H i s t o r i a n s J a r e d S p a r k s , G e o r g e B a n c r o f t , and G e o r g e T i c k n o r all f u r t h e r e d this m o s t significant m o v e m e n t in A m e r i c a . P u b l i c t a x s u p p o r t soon assured t h a t the l i b r a r y w a s an essential p a r t of the city, considered w i t h the schools as desir- able in o u r d e m o c r a t i c l i f e . I n 1 8 5 0 there w e r e less t h a n 800 p u b l i c libraries in the U n i t e d States, but in the n e x t t w e n t y - f i v e years 2 , 2 4 0 n e w p u b l i c libraries w e r e f o u n d e d . T o d a y w e take f o r g r a n t e d this f r e e s u p p l y of books w h e n scarcely m o r e t h a n a c e n t u r y ago m e n like L i n c o l n w o u l d h a v e g i v e n good l a b o r f o r the p r i v i l e g e of r e a d i n g books in the possession of a m o r e f o r t u n a t e m a n . I n the c o l l e g e the l i b r a r y is of u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e . I f such is n o t the case, e x a m - ination of the t e a c h i n g philosophy m a y r e v e a l r u s t y techniques and o u t m o d e d l o y a l - ties. S o m e f a c u l t y m a y be disturbed by an i n f e r i o r i t y c o m p l e x in r e g a r d to l i b r a r y m a t e r i a l s , o r even the w r i t t e n w o r d , w h i c h can r e s u l t in a f r i g h t f u l scar f o r those s t u d e n t s s u b j e c t e d to such v a g a r i e s , or false s t a n d a r d s . T h e l i b r a r y in the c o l l e g e is m o r e than an a d j u n c t to t e a c h i n g , it is the c o m m o n source f r o m w h i c h both s t u d e n t and professor d r a w sustenance. I t is an ever flowing f o u n t a i n , or one m a y p r e f e r the f i g u r e the L o n d o n b o o k d e a l e r H e n r y S t e v e n s of V e r m o n t used. I n w r i t i n g to the historian J o h n F i s k e he said, " T h e Tree of Knowledge g r o w s n o w in the C e n t r e of the R e a d i n g R o o m of the B r i t i s h M u s e u m in a h u g e pot. Y o u h a v e o n l y 178 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES to shake it and d o w n the ripe f r u i t d r o p s . " T h r o u g h the c o l l e g e l i b r a r y , s t u d e n t and professor e n g a g e t o g e t h e r in an i m a g i n a t i v e e x p l o r a t i o n of the past t o w a r d a search f o r t r u t h . T h e s t u d e n t begins to d e v e l o p some c r i t i c a l i n t e l l i g e n c e as he finds t h a t he too m a y d r a w f r e e l y u p o n this b o u n t i f u l source to c o n f o u n d his classmates and d e l i g h t his professors. T h e m a t e r i a l s are f u l l y and i m p a r t i a l l y a v a i l a b l e to a l l ; the use one m a k e s of t h e m depends e n t i r e l y upon the m e n t a l e q u i p m e n t one b r i n g s . T h e r e w a s the s o u t h e r n n e w s p a p e r edi- tor w h o c o n d u c t e d a contest to discover the book t h a t had m o s t influence upon his readers. T h e contest w a s w o n by a c o l l e g e s t u d e n t w h o s e a n s w e r embraced t w o books w i t h bipartisan p r a c t i c a l i t y . T h e p r i z e a n s w e r w a s : T h e books t h a t h a v e helped m e m o s t are m y m o t h e r ' s cookbook and m y f a t h e r ' s c h e c k b o o k . T h i s m a y not be as f a r a w a y f r o m the essence of libraries as one m i g h t t h i n k . I t s h o w s t h a t d i f f e r e n t people g o to books f o r v a r i o u s things. T h o s e interested in the trades g o to books f o r specific f a c t s and tool k n o w l e d g e . Some g o to libraries f o r a m u s e m e n t and r e l a x a t i o n . O n e goes to books to find o u t the n a t u r e of society. M a n y g o to litera- t u r e t h a t it m a y r e v e a l to t h e m some insight into h u m a n n a t u r e . F r o m this, the f o r t u n - ate r e a l i z e the u l t i m a t e , w h i c h is self- k n o w l e d g e . T h e s t u d y of m a n has con- t i n u a l l y i n t r i g u e d m a n t h r o u g h the ages. T h e r e can be no deeper s a t i s f a c t i o n t h a n an appreciation of the w o r k i n g s of m a n ' s m i n d w i t h the c o n c o m i t a n t r e c o g n i t i o n of the forces w h i c h m o t i v a t e t h i n k i n g m a n . T h r o u g h a l i b r a r y one can achieve a per- spective f r o m the selected c o n c e n t r a t i o n of the past. T h e e d u c a t e d m a n , t h r o u g h a k n o w l e d g e of the past, has an insight i n t o the present, thus g a i n i n g w i s d o m w h i c h is essential to p r o j e c t a l i v a b l e f u t u r e . T h e college s t u d e n t w h o learns to use the l i b r a r y i n t e l l i g e n t l y has m a d e g r e a t strides t o w a r d his u l t i m a t e a d j u s t m e n t w i t h l i f e . N o t o n l y has he acquired the key to his m a j o r source or f u n d of w o r k a b l e m a - terial b u t also he has achieved a skill w h i c h m u s t stand h i m in g o o d stead f o r the rest of his l i f e either in w o r k or in c o n s t r u c t i v e p l a y . N o one a f t e r g r a d u a t i o n can a f f o r d to n e g l e c t the l i b r a r y , r e p r e s e n t i n g as it does, the w e a l t h of ideas and f a c t a c c u m u l - ated o u t of our past. N o r can anyone assume t h a t the progression of i n t e r p r e t a - tion and e v o l v i n g techniques w i l l cease w h e n the i n d i v i d u a l has received t h a t t e n t a - tive seal of a p p r o v a l g r a n t e d a l o n g w i t h his h i g h e r degree. F l u k e s of f o r t u n e w i l l o c c u r but f o r certain g o o d repute the w e l l - g r o u n d e d i n d i v i d u a l w i l l e v e r be j u s t i f i e d . O n e recollects that P r e s i d e n t R u t h e r f o r d B . H a y e s attended c o l l e g e not f a r f r o m this campus. W h i l e still an u n d e r g r a d u - ate he gained a r e p u t a t i o n as a reader w e l l i n f o r m e d on politics. T h i s s t u d y he con- tinued t h r o u g h his a d u l t l i f e g a i n i n g a l w a y s in w i s d o m and c o n t e n t m e n t . S u r e l y his a d m i n i s t r a t i o n profited f r o m his b a c k g r o u n d w h i l e his personal l i f e reflected the hap- piness of a m a t u r e and e n l i g h t e n e d benefi- cence. E v e n in c o l l e g e he r e c o g n i z e d that " t h e o b s e r v i n g scholar . . . l e a r n e d t h a t patient l a b o r is the condition of success." I n his v a l e d i c t o r y speech at K e n y o n C o l l e g e in 1842 he took special note of the l i b r a r y , s a y i n g w i t h a f f e c t i o n , " F o r s o l i t a r y e n j o y - m e n t , in o u r libraries w e h a v e a l l the stores of l e a r n i n g , w i s d o m , and w i t t h a t h e a r t c o u l d d e s i r e . " H e f o u n d , w h a t a l l of us m u s t one day discover, t h a t m a n essentially is alone in this w o r l d , and H a y e s e a r l y r e c o g n i z e d the g r e a t solace i n d i v i d u a l m a n c o u l d derive f r o m a l i b r a r y . T h e r e one associates w i t h the greatest m i n d s of all time. T h r o u g h the u n o b t r u s i v e m e d i u m of books one can aspire to gain any f r i e n d - ship one d e s i r e s — f o r there is infinite APRIL, 1955 19 7 v a r i e t y , so t h a t n o m a t t e r w h a t one's bias or e c c e n t r i c i t y or even a b e r r a t i o n , it is pos- sible to find a soul w h o has been there b e f o r e . B e s t of a l l , one receives counsel and, as a result of t h e c o m m u n i o n w i t h finer m i n d s , oneself g r o w s in s t a t u r e , w i s - d o m , and h u m a n i t y . I t is a c h a s t e n i n g experience to s t r i v e thus to e n t e r into a k i n d of e x c h a n g e of ideas w i t h g r e a t t h i n k e r s and, f o r this reason g e n u i n e scholars are h u m b l e people. T h e r e is a w e a l t h of s a t i s f a c t i o n in b e i n g able to achieve this plane of c o m m u n i c a t i o n w h i c h can be reached t h r o u g h p a t i e n t research and m e n t a l discipline. T h i s is no psychic experience b u t the e l e v a t i o n or e d u c a t i o n of a good m i n d to a point w h e r e it can u n d e r - stand and i n t e r p r e t the ideas and logic of f a m o u s intellects. W h e n the s t u d e n t begins to m a k e a li- b r a r y serve his o w n ends, he finds t h a t his techniques are sharpened and his m i n d is t o u g h e n e d . T h i s w i l l be a stretch f o r an u n t r i e d m i n d but, g r a n t e d the self-discipline and the t e n a c i t y to u n r a v e l c o n f l i c t i n g texts, there w i l l c o m e a g l i m m e r of the real n a t u r e of t r u t h . E d n a S t . V i n c e n t M i l l a y has described this v i v i d l y in one of her s o n n e t s : Euclid alone H a s looked on Beauty bare. F o r t u n a t e they W h o , though once only and then but f a r a w a y , H a v e heard her massive sandal set on stone. A g e n u i n e e x c i t e m e n t , one of the most v a l i d and s a t i s f a c t o r y of a c o l l e g e c a r e e r , o c c u r s w h e n the s t u d e n t becomes t r u l y conscious of the possibilities of his c o l l e g e l i b r a r y . T h r o u g h such an insight the indi- v i d u a l m a y become a w a r e of his o w n a w a k e n i n g abilities and m a y be g r a n t e d a r e c o g n i t i o n of the a c t u a l p o t e n t i a l w i t h i n h i m s e l f . I t is a h e a d y f e e l i n g to k n o w t h a t one's professors and classmates, f r o m the same sources, m a y h a v e deduced u n j u s t i - fied conclusions either t h r o u g h l a c k of research or by i n f a t u a t i o n w i t h a p r e j u d i c e . W h e n this n e w - f o u n d p o w e r of scholarship is tempered by t o l e r a n c e and c o u r t e s y , one indeed has entered into a g o l d e n c o m p a n y . I m p o r t a n t l i k e w i s e in c o l l e g e are the m a n y p e r i p h e r a l interests w h i c h m a y be discovered by the a l e r t s t u d e n t w h o is w i s e e n o u g h to t a k e a d v a n t a g e of the l i b r a r y ' s resources. O n e t h i n k s of those rich and r o m a n t i c e n g r a v i n g s of the ancient m o n u - m e n t s of R o m e by P i r a n e s i t h a t m a y lead a c u r i o u s s t u d e n t to an e x p l o r a t i o n of the c i v i l i z a t i o n s of a n t i q u i t y , or to an u n d e r - s t a n d i n g of the processes used in the g r a p h i c arts. C a r i c a t u r e s by M a x B e e r - bohm m a y p r o v o k e a closer s t u d y of nine- t e e n t h - c e n t u r y l i t e r a r y personages w h o s e f o i b l e s are so c l e v e r l y e p i t o m i z e d , or to a d i s c o v e r y of the g r e a t names in c a r i c a t u r e f r o m G o y a , G a r v a n i and D a u m i e r to our c o n t e m p o r a r y D a v i d L o w , or to an ap- preciation of the i m p a c t t h a t the c a r t o o n can e x e r t . A n e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y edition of B o s w e l l m a y i n d u c e an interest in J o h n s o n , or in the art of b i o g r a p h y , or to an investi- g a t i o n of e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y l i f e t h r o u g h the r e c e n t l y discovered M a l a h i d e P a p e r s . A n e a r l y Shakespeare f o l i o m i g h t lead a n o t h e r to a s t u d y of book rarities, or to some u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the process of print- i n g plays in the seventeenth c e n t u r y . B y f o l l o w i n g a n y l i k e l y progression the s t u d e n t has revealed to h i m w h a t K e n n e t h G r a h a m e describes as " t h e w i d e w o n d e r of the w o r l d . " S u r e l y such an a w a k e n i n g w i l l broaden the s t u d e n t and enrich the m a n . T h e r e a f t e r comes the discovery t h a t i n f o r - m a t i o n g l e a n e d in this f a s h i o n is n o t so t a n g e n t i a l a f t e r a l l , and it m a y become quite c e n t r a l to a phase of one's career. T h i s a p p r o a c h to a t o t a l e d u c a t i o n is w e l l described in the e a r l y chapters of L i n c o l n S t e f f e n s ' Autobiography. J a c k L o n d o n has created a p o w e r f u l n o v e l , Martin Eden, as the result of his o w n c o n v e r s i o n to this 180 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES w o r l d of k n o w l e d g e . T h e establishment of a l i b r a r y creates c o n t i n u i n g obligations f o r the entire institu- tion. T h e e f f o r t does not cease w i t h the c o m p l e t i o n of an edifice to house books. T h e l i b r a r y m u s t be a d e q u a t e l y m a i n t a i n e d , s t a f f e d , and stocked. T h e m a i n t e n a n c e de- p a r t m e n t u n d e r s t a n d s w e l l t h a t the b u i l d i n g m u s t be heated, and cleaned, and kept in good repair. Y o u r president r e c o g n i z e s t h a t the l i b r a r y staff is most i m p o r t a n t to the w h o l e college and t h a t s y m p a t h e t i c trained l i b r a r i a n s p e r f o r m a g r e a t service in g u i d i n g and t e a c h i n g y o u n g m i n d s in their t e n t a t i v e approaches t o this storehouse of k n o w l e d g e . T h e members of the f a c u l t y too are c o g n i z a n t t h a t upon t h e m depends the e f f e c t i v e use t h a t the s t u d e n t s m a k e of the l i b r a r y . T h e devoted and c u r i o u s teacher can m a k e his o w n curiosity con- t a g i o u s to students and thus m a y s k i l f u l l y induce them a l o n g this v o l u n t a r y and pain- less path of l i b r a r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n . T h e book collection is of p a r a m o u n t im- portance. N o t only must it be c a r e f u l l y chosen f o r t h a t w h i c h is c e n t r a l to o u r c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e , b u t it m u s t also be con- t i n u a l l y refreshed f o r the e v e r - c h a n g i n g present. N o w o r k i n g l i b r a r y can f u l f i l l its proper f u n c t i o n w i t h o u t c o n t i n u o u s replen- ishment. N e w books are v i t a l to the existence of the l i b r a r y , w h i l e the less im- p o r t a n t and o u t m o d e d texts m u s t be w e e d e d to a c c o m m o d a t e the n e w e r books. T h u s a c e n t r a l core of readable and essential m a - terial is m a i n t a i n e d . I t is the special c h a r g e of the l i b r a r i a n s and f a c u l t y to g u a r d this b a l a n c e : to choose the best of the n e w books, and t o insure that o l d e r t e x t s p e r t i n e n t to c u r r e n t philosophies are present. T h e B o a r d of T r u s t e e s and the a l u m n i have a p a r t i c u l a r responsibility to see t h a t adequate f u n d s are a v a i l a b l e f o r this purpose. I t is a g r e a t pleasure to note that a l r e a d y some special f u n d s h a v e been collected f o r this l i b r a r y , i n d i c a t i n g t h a t such cooperation is w e l l u n d e r w a y . T o insure that the l i b r a r y p r o p e r l y f u n c t i o n s in its assigned role in the college, f r i e n d s of the l i b r a r y help by g i v i n g the best editions of r e c o g n i z e d classics, and by p r e s e n t i n g certain rare books w h i c h enrich the li- b r a r y h o l d i n g s and increase the d e l i g h t that most patrons take in the l i b r a r y . T h e B o s t o n P u b l i c L i b r a r y w a s o n l y a p r o j e c t on paper in 1 8 5 2 w h e n J o s h u a B a t e s , one of the richest A m e r i c a n s in L o n d o n , looked o v e r the s u p p o r t i n g d o c u m e n t s t h a t the C i t y of B o s t o n submitted to B a r i n g B r o t h - ers in a p p l y i n g f o r a w a t e r l o a n . H i s im- a g i n a t i o n w a s so fired by this concept of a l i b r a r y that he offered $50,000 f o r books if the c i t y w o u l d erect a suitable b u i l d i n g . A s a y o u t h in B o s t o n he had been a l l o w e d to sit in a bookshop evenings and read f r o m its stock w h e n he could a f f o r d neither books n o r a fire to w a r m his o w n room. L a t e r he g a v e another $50,000 to make the book f u n d m o r e stable. T h i s same g e n e r o u s t r a d i t i o n has been r e i n f o r c e d in the last f e w years by an i m m i g r a n t f r u i t v e n d o r . H e w a s so i n t r i g u e d by the busi- nessmen w h o b o u g h t f r o m his baskets at n i g h t that he began to use the B o s t o n P u b - lic L i b r a r y to i n f o r m himself about in- vestments. H e proved to h a v e such a g i f t w i t h real estate t h a t he presented the li- b r a r y w i t h a m i l l i o n d o l l a r s and has pro- vided that another m i l l i o n w i l l result f r o m his o r i g i n a l g i f t . • T h e r e is yet a higher o b l i g a t i o n t h a t m a y be exacted f r o m the patrons of the l i b r a r y . T h e creation of such an i m p o r t a n t f o u n d a - tion imposes responsibilities upon e v e r y o n e connected w i t h it. If w e expect to find all k n o w l e d g e at our fingertips here, w e m u s t be ever v i g i l a n t to see that there is a l w a y s r e a d y access to this treasure house. W e w i s h the f r e e d o m to e x p l o r e a l l kinds of philosophies and to investigate all types of APRIL, 1955 19 7 c u l t u r e s . W e h a v e been e n o r m o u s l y en- riched by c o n t r i b u t i o n s m a d e f r o m w i d e l y d i v e r g e n t c u l t u r e s such as those of G r e e c e , A s i a M i n o r , P e r u , and S c a n d i n a v i a . I n music and art, in philosophy and l i t e r a t u r e , in politics and science, w e are the f o r t u n a t e recipients of c e n t u r i e s of e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n and discovery by both the greatest genius and the e v e r y d a y , c o m m o n m a n . O u r d e m o c r a c y prides itself on its fluidity and its a d a p t a b i l i t y . W e m u s t c o n t i n u e to keep v i a b l e , and to do this w e m u s t be able to a n a l y z e n e w ideas. W e m u s t be able t o r e c o g n i z e g o o d , and to see e v i l ; o n l y care- f u l s t u d y , not blind p r e j u d i c e , can g i v e this desirable result. W e can discover w e a k - ness o n l y by i n t i m a t e k n o w l e d g e and o n l y i n t e l l i g e n t l y can w e f i g h t the s t r o n g and good battle. T h e r e are those v o c a l in these days w h o w o u l d l o c k up p o r t i o n s of our libraries, because t h e y c o n t a i n f o r e i g n ideas. T h e r e are m i s g u i d e d super-patriots w h o w o u l d s o l i d i f y o u r p o l i t i c a l ideas, so they c o u l d n e v e r be i m p r o v e d , n o t r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t o u r ideals of p o l i t i c a l and social stand- ards h a v e c h a n g e d d r a s t i c a l l y since w e first set up business in 1 7 8 3 . D r . G r a y s o n K i r k in his first p u b l i c address as president of C o l u m b i a s a i d : A great university must a l w a y s be on guard against efforts in the free w o r l d to limit free thought. If our beliefs cannot withstand the test of honest criticism, if w e cannot safely permit the examination of certain ideas because w e think they are dangerous, then w e are little better off than those w e condemn and oppose . . . It is the glory of our civilization that it rests upon the conviction that enlighten- ment and progress can only exist in an atmosphere of freedom. L i f e in A m e r i c a has been a s w e e t t h i n g in the past. A m e r i c a has been an open and t r u e h a v e n f o r the oppressed d u r i n g the t e r r i b l e years of this first half of the t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y . A r e w e n o w g o i n g to t u r n a w a y f r o m f r e e d o m and the f r e e d o m of i n v e s t i g a t i o n , t h r o u g h w h i c h w e h a v e d r a w n o u r t r e m e n d o u s s t r e n g t h and even m o r e t r e m e n d o u s p o w e r , the like of w h i c h this w o r l d has n e v e r b e f o r e h a r d l y even i m a g i n e d ? A r e w e g o i n g n o w to f a l l v i c t i m to the d e m a g o g u e s and the dealers in h a l f - t r u t h s w h o w o u l d l o c k u p the t r u t h and o r d e r us to t h i n k as they d o ? I t is o u r d u t y to p r o t e c t o u r f r e e d o m of i n q u i r y w h i c h u l t i m a t e l y is the t r u e s t r e n g t h of A m e r i c a and the A m e r i c a n ideal of democ- r a c y . I t means w e m u s t f i g h t in o u r o w n c o u n t r y f o r f r e e d o m , and be e v e r v i g i l a n t against the p h o n y politicians, and be ready to stand up and be c o u n t e d f o r o u r con- victions w h e n the need arises. I n the c o l l e g e this means t e a c h i n g the t r u t h as w e see it to the best of o u r abili- ties in o r d e r to g i v e the students, p a r t i c u - l a r l y in the l i b e r a l arts colleges, a w i s e l y selected f o u n d a t i o n u p o n w h i c h to base de- cisions. S t u d e n t s m u s t be induced to t h i n k s t r a i g h t and hard and to h a v e the c o u r a g e of the t r u e and r i g h t c o n v i c t i o n . T o d a y as never b e f o r e , f o r c e s of incredible m a g n i - t u d e are loosed u p o n us. W e m u s t c o n t r o l these monsters and to do so takes g r e a t s t r e n g t h and g r e a t w i s d o m . W e m u s t m a k e the c o r r e c t decisions and m a k e these j u d g m e n t s f o r h u m a n i t y , f o r w e are n o w in the key position of g r a v e s t responsibility f o r the entire w o r l d . S t u d e n t s f r o m l i b e r a l arts colleges m u s t h a v e the sanity and b a l a n c e to t a c k l e these decisions, f o r they are the ones w e e d u c a t e in the broad and h u m a n e t r a d i t i o n . T h e y are not special- ists, their k n o w l e d g e is of m a n and his t e r m in this w o r l d . T h i s c o l l e g e g e n e r a - tion m u s t h a v e the h u m a n i s t i c and r e l i g i o u s t r a i n i n g t o v i s u a l i z e the best k i n d of w o r l d , and to bend o u r legislation t o w a r d the end, w h e r e the d i g n i t y of m a n is p a r a m o u n t . T o w a r d this g o a l the l i b r a r y in the l i b e r a l arts c o l l e g e is d e d i c a t e d . 182 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES )