Rutgers Labor Union Archives: A Recollection

Abstract

On June 19,1947, the law establishing T h e Institute of Management and Labor Relations (IMLR) at Rutgers University became effective. Shortly thereafter the institute's structure was formed, composed of a director and four programs: Labor, Management, Public and Research. Initially, the IMLR Library functioned as a sub-unit within the Research Program. In the late 1950s it was designated as a separate program, initially under the director's office and later as one of the functioning units within the institute. In its formative era the entire IMLR was located on the upper floors of Winants Hall on College Avenue. T h e fledgling library occupied one large room on the top floor. Its holdings were extremely small, composed of a relatively few number of books, a pamphlet file and a growing collection of periodicals, most of which were gifts or donations from Rutgers faculty members. During this early period the IMLR was affiliated with the University Extension Division (UED), a non-degree granting entity which extended its educational services to labor, management, and the public throughout the state. Both the Research Program and the IMLR Library supported the U E D teaching programs with appropriate research and information services. Within this institutional structure the labor union archives at Rutgers had its beginning. One of the first efforts to develop a cohesive policy on preserving labor union records can be traced to the establishment of an ad Aoc Committee for the Preservation of Labor Reports in early 1959. T h e original committee had as its chairman, Robert W. Hill, Keeper of Manuscripts at the New York Public Library. Other members included: Edward DiRoma, Economics Division of the New York Public Library; Leone Eckert, Records Librarian at Cornell University's New York School of Industrial and Labor Relations; Louise Heinze, Librarian of the Tamiment Institute; and Dorothy Kuhn Oko, Head of Library Service to Labor Unions, the New York Public Library. Later, the IMLR librarian was added to the committee. This committee surveyed libraries throughout the country and devoted