The words "but not to serve children" are underscored.
Is that your understanding of the project?

Miss MEYER. That is right.

Mr. STEED. It also says:

The principal functions of the Section would be to recommend children's literature for acquisition by the Library, to identify major gaps in the existing collection, to make long-range recommendations for the improvement of acquisition sources, to prepare and publish bibliographies of works relating to children's literature, and to gain better bibliographical control over the superior collection of children's books in the Library of Congress which is very roughly estimated to be over 75,000 titles located throughout the classified collections and the special language and area collections.

Is that the way you ladies had in mind it would be set up?
Miss MEYER. We did not have all that information.

Mrs. DUNHAM. But that is it, I think.

Mr. STEED. It may be that through misconception of what is intended some public reaction to a thing of this sort might bring up a phase of literature that is of concern, I think, to a great many people throughout the country, and that is as to the quality or the desirability of not having some books available. Do you think this program would offer any help or service in that direction?

Miss MEYER. It would be my understanding that if there were a specialist appointed to the staff it would be the duties and responsibilities of such person to screen out and preserve the things that should be preserved because they have already proven their worth. Mr. STEED. All sorts of attempts are made these days to inject Communist propaganda in the minds of children through books and other printed material. Also, there has been a great deal of concern in the direction of obscene and undesirable literature. Since that is a rather widespread feeling on the part of many people, I am sure there would be some appeal if they thought a program of this sort would help protect the children from things of that kind.

You made reference to valuable collections of children's books. Can you elaborate on that?

Mrs. DUNHAM. There are private collectors who have marvelous collections acquired over a period of time. Some would be first editions and some have become rare books. Some people have spent a good deal of money acquiring these copies. It is, I think, a pretty well recognized fact that at the demise of a collector seldom are people who acquire the estate prepared to carry on, and usually the collection goes to some library.

I was told in Washington there was a very fine collection that would have been given to the Library of Congress had there been such a service as we are suggesting, but since there was not it was sent to the Fifth Avenue New York Library in New York City. Another one was sent to another library, I believe, in Philadelphia. There is such a collection that this committee is especially interested in right now that we hope to visit sometime next month with the idea that if there is a place here in Washington that would be suitable, that it might come here ultimately.

We think there are a lot of valuable collections over the country that would come here as a safe place for them to be kept and preserved if there were such a place.

Mr. STEED. One concern of this committee, of course, is how little money we spend as well as how much. This starts a new program and of course they set up here a rather modest budget calling for three positions. Knowing this subject as you do, do you believe this work could be carried on with such a small staff or do you foresee a need to expand it as times goes on?

Miss MEYER. I think Miss Beust could answer that better than I. Miss BECST. Mr. Chairman. I have the idea that when the Library of Congress decides to do the recataloging that is necessary that there will be need for technical assistance in the cataloging department, but I think a specialist in the field plus a bibliographer and a clerk could demonstrate the value of this service to the Nation and to people outside of the United States. I think it is such a valuable service that after the people see what can be and should be done in this area that they will be glad to provide the technical assistance that would be necessary for the cataloging. That is as I see it.

Mr. STEED. The cataloging would be somewhat in the nature of a onetime task largely, would it not?

Miss BEUST. That is true.

Mr. STEED. Mr. Horan, any questions?

Mr. HORAN. No.

Mr. STEED. I want to thank you ladies for your appearance and at this time while you are here I want to advise that the committee is in receipt of a statement from Miss Germaine Krettek, director of the American Library Association's office, which we will make a part of the record at this point.

(The statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF THE AMERCAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ON THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, SUBMITTED ON MARCH 23, 1962, BY MISS GERMAINE KRETTEK, DIRECTOR, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION WASHINTON OFFICE

It is the understanding of the American Library Association that the Library of Congress has requested a modest appropriation in its 1963 budget in order to establish a small section to provide service of a reference and bibliographical nature in the field of children's literature to research workers, educators, children's librarians, students, and others.

The association supports this request and submits the following resolution which was adopted by the Children's Services Division of the American Library Association on June 23, 1959:

"Whereas for a number of years (since 1945) children's and school librarians of America as represented by their divisions in the American Library Association have voted to endorse the proposal of the Joint Committee of the Association for Childhood Education International and the American Association of University Women on the need for a national research center in children's literature at the Library of Congress and of the position of specialist in children's literature; and

"Whereas the 1952 Library of Congress study made by Mrs. Frances Clark Sayers, "Children's Books and the Library of Congress." indicated the serious need for a children's book program at the Library of Congress; and

"Whereas the long existent need for facilities for research on many subjects involving children's books has become urgent in today's world when children's books and reading have become increasingly important in developing criticalthinking adults in the free world; and

"Whereas a national research center in children's literature would make available for study the foreign children's books that are being deliberately used in some parts of the world to indoctrinate children's minds in a particular philosophy as well as those of free countries; and

"Whereas such a center would be used by research workers, writers, illustrators, foreign visitors, and students to study the development of children's literature and provide an opportunity to increase knowledge of the far-reaching effect and strength of children's books and reading: Therefore be it

"Resolved, That the children's services division go on record and instruct its president to write the appropriate authorities of its continuing support of the committee and its strong belief in the desirability and grave importance of a national research center at the Library of Congress and for a specialist in children's literature."

Mr. STEED. We have a letter from Mrs. F. S. Straus, vice president and chairman, Children's Book Committee, Child Study Association of America, which we will make a part of the record at this point. (The letter follows:)

Hon. Toм STEED,

CHILD STUDY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA,
New York, N.Y., March 20, 1962.

Chairman, Subcommittee on Appropriation for the Library of Congress, 608 West Dewey Street, Shawnee, Okla.

DEAR MR. STEED: I am writing to you as the vice president of the Child Study Association of America and as chairman of Child Study's Children's Book Committee to support the effort being made to obtain a specialist in children's literature with adequate staff to serve in the Library of Congress. This would be indeed an invaluable service to the country in a field that is expanding so very rapidly from year to year.

We are familiar with the work done by Mrs. Frances Clarke Sayers in her study of the lack of services in the Library of Congress in the children's book field. The longer this is postponed, the more overwhelming the final undertaking will be. It would certainly be most wise to appoint a full-time specialist in the Library of Congress to aid in establishing a reference, research, and bibliographical service in the field of children's books that is comparable to the splendid service given to other departments of the Library.

Sincerely yours,

(Mrs.) F. S. STRAUS, Vice President and Chairman, Children's Book Committee.

Mr. STEED. We also have a letter from Mrs. Mary C. Childs, executive secretary, The Children's Book Council, Inc., which we will make a part of the record at this point.

(The letter follows:)

THE CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL, INC.,

Hon. Toм STEED,

New York, N.Y., March 22, 1962.

New House Office Building,

Washington, D.C.

DEAR MR. STEED: As a nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging the reading and enjoyment of children's books, The Children's Book Council, Inc., strongly urges the Subcommittee on Appropriations to consider the importance of appointing a full-time specialist in children's literature to the staff of the Library of Congress.

This would be in effect to establish a division of the Library that would make the resources of the children's collection fully available for reference, research, bibliographical study, and pleasure.

The Library of Congress already enjoys the distinction of possessing the largest and most complete collection of children's books in the world. But until the collection is concentrated in one location, under enlightened supervision, its value is entirely lost to the large and steadily increasing numbers of librarians, teachers, students, parents, and social historians who need and should have ready access to it. Children themselves should be considered important members of the community for which the Library of Congress functions; and the present scatteration of the children's books throughout a huge and formidable general collection makes it completely impossible for visiting children (who come from

all over this country as well as from abroad) to see and appreciate the wealth of publications provided for them.

The historical importance of a well-organized, well-supervised division of children's books in the Library of Congress should not be neglected. The books themselves are already available. Properly assembled and in use, they could become a unique working collection-representing the full range and variety of publications for children-not to be rivaled in any other country in the world. Surely it is the responsibility of the Subcommitee on Appropriations to consider the one effective method of retrieving a potentially invaluable asset from the existing confusion and waste, and making the collection of children's books a living, serviceable part of the Library of Congress as a whole.

Sincerely yours,

ANNIS DUFF,

MARY SILVA COSGRAVE,

Directors, Children's Book Council, Inc.

Mr. STEED. We hope that with what you have said and what these other fine ladies have said that we have made an adequate record on this subject, and on behalf of the committee I want to express our appreciation for your kindness in coming today.

Miss MEYER. Thank you very much. We feel you are doing a real service to the Treasury.

Page

214

1

358

214

258

258

1

110

214

358

258

1

1

209

214

1

110

214

258

214 110

1

110

358