Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, CALIFORNIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: I appreciated your invitation to comment on the bill to establish a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and for other purposes. I believe that the establishment of such a commission is of vital importance in meeting the national need for information through libraries in the 20th Century. To enable information to be provided through libraries on a need to know basis, there must be planning and advising at the National level. The proposed commission will provide that planning and advisory services in the area of assessing the informational needs of the Nation. Libraries are vital in the providing of informational resources to the Nation as they are essential links in the National communication networks. If the California Library Association can provide written testimony of a helpful nature, we shall be pleased to do so. Sincerely yours, PHYLLIS I. DALTON, President. Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS. LOS ANGELES, CALIF., April 8, 1969. Chairman, House Select Education Subcommittee, DEAR REPRESENTATIVE BRADEMAS : I am writing in support of H.R. 8839 and the companion S. 1519, bills to establish a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. As a librarian, I am well aware that libraries are increasingly invaluable resources to our communities. At the same time, the full potential of the library resources of the United States will not be realized without cooperation between libraries in the areas of acquisition, cataloging, and sharing materials, to name only three of the major problems facing all libraries. A National Commission on Libraries and Information Science ought to provide the leadership for solution of these problems, without which the full potential of our library resources cannot be realized. I urge you and your colleagues to support this necessary legislation. RICHARD L. KING, Head, Circulation Department, Library, Graduate School of Business Administration, University of California, Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES, CALIF., March 19, 1969. Congressman JOHN BRADEMAS, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN BRADEMAS: My congratulations to you for introducing H.R. 8839 to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. I have read the copy of the bill you sent and as a professional librarian, I agree with you that it will answer a long felt need for libraries in the United States. I have written to Senator Yarborough also concerning his bill S1519 which he introduced in the Senate and which I understand is identical to yours. I have also written to my senator, Mr. Alan Cranston, asking him to cosponsor Senator Yarborough's bill. Thank you for your interest in libraries in the United States. I am Very truly yours, ETHEL L. BLUMBERG. Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, San Francisco, Calif., March 17, 1969. Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: I very much appreciate receiving your letter and a copy of your bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. We very much need to have such a Commission and I am particularly pleased that your bill makes this Commission an independent one within the Executive Branch. I think the Commission needs this strength even though its activities will certainly be closely related to Health, Education and Welfare. At this point I do not see any problems in the proposed bill but if I should have further thoughts, I will contact you at an early date. Meanwhile, I shall by writing friends of mine in the House of Representatives asking that they be concerned with this bill and to lend their support to it. Sincerely, JOHN F. ANDERSON, City Librarian. SAN MARINO PUBLIC LIBRARY, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, DEAR CONGRESSMAN BRADEMAS: Thank you for sending me the information on the bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science that you introduced on March 12, 1969. It is gratifying to learn that this forward moving legislation will be enacted and that the libraries of the United States may look to the Commission for leadership and support. We librarians applaud your endeavors and pledge our support in any way it may be needed. Yours sincerely, JUNE E. BAYLESS, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CORP., Santa Monica, Calif., April 11, 1969. Chairman, House Select Subcommittee on Education, DEAR REPRESENTATIVE BRADEMAS: I understand that the House Select Subcommittee on Education is considering H.R. 8839 to establish a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Both as an interested citizen and as a member of the former National Advisory Commission on Libraries, I would like to support the intent of H.R. 8839. I am particularly pleased to see that this bill establishes the commission as "an independent agency within the Executive Branch." You may know that in my report to COSATI regarding scientific and technical information handling we analyzed at some length the problems associated with establishing a monitoring agency in the library and information science area. We came to the conclusion that an independent agency in the Executive Branch was required rather than an organization as a part of one of the existing departments or agencies. While I am pleased that you and your associates have introduced H.R. 8839, I cannot help but note that your bill does not embody the other major recommendations of the National Advisory Commission on Libraries. It seems to me that the mere establishment of a national commission will not accomplish the major thrust that needs to take place in this total area. I hope that you or your subcommittee are considering legislation to implement several of the other recommendations of the Commission. As you undoubtedly know, Representative Pucinski has introduced H.R. 8809 to establish a National Science Research Data Processing and Information Re trieval System. I have been asked to testify regarding this bill. After I have completed my testimony, I will take the liberty of transmitting a copy to you, which you may wish to consider in connection with H.R. 8830. Sincerely yours, LAUNOR F. CARTER, Vice President and Manager, Public Systems Division. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, DEAR JOHN: I am responding to your letter of March 12, 1969 concerning your proposed bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. I am convinced that such a Commission could make a substantial improvement in our developing library and information systems. Within the next decade the economic and technical state-of-the-art should bring us much closer to automated information systems which will involve commercial enterprise as well as libraries. It seems essential that we have a National Commission to assist in guiding this development and establishing priorities for action. I particularly favor your view that the Commission should be based in the Executive Branch. This locus is much to be preferred over the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, where it would be submerged in the bureaucracy. I have quickly reviewed the language of the proposed bill and find no questions except the lack of specific provision for a permanent staff to assist the Commission. Perhaps this provision is not necessary. Cordially yours, JAMES E. SKIPPER, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: We appreciate your sending the bill of March 12th proposing to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Since you invite comment, let me make a few points. This bill is indeed an exceedingly important action from the point of view of all types of libraries within the United States. The problems in developing institutions of higher education are formidable but it would be most short-sighted to regard the larger university libraries as having already achieved a satisfactory level of service and an adequate base of support. This is not the case; and the prospects that such a Commission could encourage research, financial support, technical and statistical studies, and other means which would be of substantial, demonstrable and immediate value to university libraries leads me to send support in the hope that this bill may be passed and the appropriations increased in future years as may be justifiable and possible. A few specific points in the bill raise questions in my mind. Under Section 5(a) (5), I would think it useful to make specific reference after the word "Federal" to the U.S. Office of Education in which the Division of Library Programs has played a limited but important role. It would certainly be mandatory that the National Commission and the Office of Education's Division of Library Programs work closely together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and collaborative effort. Under Section 5(a)(6), it would seem to me that merely "promoting" these activities might not be strong enough to insure the kind of action that the Commission ought to take. I believe they ought to "conduct" activities, either by their own staff efforts or on the contractural basis which is mentioned in the next subsection. Under Section 6(a), the term of office is mentioned but not the possibility of renewal. I would think it desirable to authorize renewal but to limit it to a second five year term or portion thereof (in case the first term is begun as a replacement for a person who had to resign because of health or other reasons). In Section 6(b), the word "Secretary” is not clear. This may mean Secretary of the Commission rather than the Office of Health, Education, and Welfare; this ought to be made explicit. Finally, I see nothing in the bill which speaks of the Executive Officer. This will be a most important post and I believe the bill should make mention of the title, means of appointment, term, and function of this officer of the Commission. In hopes that this will receive early attention and full backing in the Congress, Cordially yours, DAVID C. WEBER, Associate Director. Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, Fort Collins, Colo., March 19, 1969. Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: We appreciate the information regarding the plans to introduce a bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science as outlined in your letter of March 12. We in the Rocky Mountain west and in Colorado particularly heartily endorse your proposal. We have long passed the juncture in development of library and information resources whereby the concentration of problems by some type of national advisory and coordinating commission is necessary. The recommendation of the President's National Advisory Commission to create this Commission has been well received in this region. It augurs well toward our goal of providing basic library and informational services and resources to an increasingly complex society. Although we have nothing specific to suggest regarding the text of the proposed legislation at this date, we shall be pleased to comment in the future as new points-of-view come to our attention. In the meantime, if we can answer particular questions as to the advantages to citizens of this segment of the country, which the legislation would provide, please free to call upon us. Best wishes for success in your important work. DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: Thank you for your letter of March 12 concerning the bill which you and others are introducing to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. I am very pleased, as a public librarian of thirty years experience, that efforts will be made to establish a Commission whose stated interest and responsibility is the libraries of the United States. Such a Commission should in time be able to bring an understanding to our society of the need which it has for expanded and improved library services to be made available equally to all our citizens. Today the "have-nots" and the "inadequate-haves" depend heavily on the few "haves" to the extent that even the best resources and services are diluted unreasonably. I have always had difficulty in understanding our comparative willingness to put large amounts each year into the education of our children and young people in elementary and high school, and the willingness of parents to send their children to college at great personal sacrifice (and I speak from experience on this) while apparently caring little what facilities are available for the use of this education in adult life. Our libraries are really the only institutions where adults can pursue a program of self education. It is difficult for the adult to do this in many areas of the country with libraries as they are at present. For example, we are spending about $600 per year to educate our elementary and high school students, a total of about $8,000 for thirteen years. Those who continue in college to a first degree must expend at least $2,000 per year, another $8,000. We offer these young people libraries which are being supported at the per capita per annum rate of nothing, 50 cents, $1.50, $3.00, $5.00 and even in unusual cases $8-$10 per capita. When these support levels are contrasted, there is little logic in the support given to the average public library. I don't want you to receive the impression that I think education is being supported unduly. The condition of our cities makes it perfectly obvious that all of the local, state and federal support for education is still completely inadequate. You invited comments. I hope you find mine in favor of establishing the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science pertinent to your aims. Sincerely yours, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. EDWIN G. JACKSON, Librarian. THE FERGUSON LIBRARY, Stamford, Conn., April 1, 1969. DEAR MR. BRADEMAS: Thank you for your letter of March 12 concerning the bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. We in the library profession have been following this development with great interest. A National Commission should supply a strong voice for the libraries of the country, something which has always been lacking. It should also help unify the development of American libraries and properly channel their many interests. Thank you for your interest in this bill and we will all hope for its success. Sincerely yours, Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. MARIE V. HURLEY, Director. UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, Newark, Del., March 18, 1969. DEAR CONGRESSMAN BRADEMAS: Thank you very much for sending me your letter enclosing a copy of your bill to create a permanent National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. As the director of a university library and a member of the Council and Executive Board of the American Library Association, I am thoroughly cognizant of the need for improvement in the library and information science programs for this nation. I believe that the establishment of a permanent commission, such as you propose in your bill, will greatly aid the progress of Library and Information Science. An overall planning and coordinating body such as this has long been needed. I shall write to the congressman and members of the Senate from Delaware to urge their full support of this bill in their respective houses. Sincerely yours, JOHN M. DAWSON, Director of Libraries.. DELAWARE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, Wilmington, Del., March 17, 1969. Hon. JOHN BRADEMAS, Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN BRADEMAS: I am pleased to hear that a Bill to establish a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science was introduced in the House under your auspices on March 12, 1969. |