The Evolution of the Academic Research Library During the 1960s

Abstract

Today's technologically based academic research library came about through a trans- formation of the academic research library during the 1960s. The transformation was generated by federal policies and programs. Aer World War II the federal government's Servicemen Readjustment Act was passed; it was popularly known as the G.I. Bill. It allowed veterans to attend college at the government's expense. Eventually about 12 million did. 1 At the beginning of the 1960s many veterans had received their bachelor's degree and were entering graduate school to do graduate work in arts and science and to study for professional degrees. This influx of graduate students placed a heavy burden on the library. The burden was immediately felt in the reference department and eventually in all other departments, especially in acquisitions and cataloging. The federal government's use of the uni- versity to carry out military research during WWII was continued in many universities long aer the war. This increased the burden on the library. Acquiring research materials for gradu- ate students and federal researchers intensified the burden on acquisitions and cataloging. Larger staffs and more space were required. Management of these growing departments required closer cooperation and coordination. To accomplish this, these departments were placed administratively in one unit called technical services. Meanwhile, students were overwhelming reference and circulation with requests for service. Reference hours were ex- tended, and faculty members and some gradu- ate students were allowed to go directly into the closed book stacks to get the materials they wanted and bring