Dr. VENN. This was the extent of my testimony, Mr. Chairman. I would be glad to answer questions on this statement or on other legislation that the committee has before it.

Mr. DANIELS. To what extent are the various States, territories, and commonwealths participating in the Library Services and Construction Act?

Dr. VENN. I think nearly all of them are participating. Mrs. Hughey, you might speak on that, specifically.

Mrs. HUGHEY. All of the States are now participating in the Library Services and Construction Act.

Mr. STEIGER. All 50?

Mrs. HUGHEY. All are participating in the Library Services and Construction Act.

Mr. DANIELS. How about the territories and commonwealths?

Mrs. HUGHEY. The territories are participating, though not all of them 100 percent. Some of them under the new titles did not pick up the planning money. American Samoa and Puerto Rico did not pick up any under titles III, IV-A or IV-B. Guam did not pick up its planning money under IV-B. Otherwise, these have State plans for titles I and II.

Mr. DANIELS. Is there any reason why these territories have not done so?

Mrs. HUGHEY. I do not know why they have not picked them up, other than because of a staff shortage, where they did not have enough people on board to administer even the planning funds. They have ongoing programs, they did submit new State plans, under the amended act and also plans for use of funds under title I, and construction projects under title II.

Mr. DANIELS. Up to the present time what would you say have been some of the accomplishments of the Library Services and Construction Act?

Mrs. HUGHEY. We could practically write a book on that.

Mr. DANIELS. I want you to recite not the contents of a book, but briefly in capsule form give us a summary of what you deem to be the outstanding accomplishments.

Dr. VENN. Let me just give a broad overview, Mr. Chairman, and Mrs. Hughey might add to this.

I think under the new titles, and the past titles, there has been a continuing increase in the library facilities space and services available through bookmobiles and library space buildings in both the rural areas and the cities. We find now under the title which provides for interlibrary cooperation a consortium of six States going together where they can combine their services as to cataloging and research materials. We find also in State plans, examples of where the local schools, the local public library, the local college and university library, and some private libraries are putting their resources together rather than duplicating them. We are finding many examples in the very short time that these new laws have been passed by Congress which we think have greatly increased the efficiency of library services and expanded these services to more people throughout the country. I think the delay in some cases, where a particular State or territory

may not be involved at this point, is the fact that it was just last April that the first planning funds were available. We have, then, the timing factor. I think those will be picked up in the very near future.

Mr. DANIELS. Then you have found that the States and the regions have cooperated to a great extent since this law was passed? Dr. VENN. They have responded very well.

(Mrs. Hughey submitted the following information:)

LIBRARY SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION ACT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FISCAL YEARS 1957-66

75 million people received new or improved public library service.

13 million people received public library service for the first time.

27 million books and related materials purchased with Federal, State, and loca funds and added to local library collections.

550 bookmobiles placed in operation across the country mainly giving library service to rural areas.

2800 persons employed in the States to carry out the LSCA program.

719 public library construction projects approved to serve 23 million people. $100 million in Federal funds for public library services used by the States and matched with $321 million State and local funds.

$60 million in Federal funds for public library construction used by the States and matched with $130 million State and local funds.

Mr. DANIELS. I have asked you what the accomplishments have been, and you have summarized them. On the other hand, what have been the deficiencies that you have observed, if any?

Dr. VENN. The deficiencies have been, as Mrs. Hughey started to indicate, a lack of adequate staff, time to get staff aboard and move right away. We have had a shortage of professional librarians which the Higher Education Act, title II is now speaking to. I think the shortag of manpower has been one thing.

Mr. DANIELS. It is a question of shortage of manpower and expertise and knowledge on the part of our schools in training these librar

ians.

Dr. VENN. Yes. We found, for example, 2 years ago the number o new Ph. D.'s in librarianship available to staff graduate library schools, was a total of eight in the United States.

Mr. DANIELS. How serious is the shortage of librarians?

Dr. VENN. It is extremely serious. At the present time, we have 136 librarians under the higher education library training title, no in training to become staff members for library training schools. C these, 52 are doctorals. So I think we have made real headway on that Mr. DANIELS. Overall, how many do you estimate would be neede to properly carry out the functions of the Library Services Act? Dr. VENN. I don't think I could answer that. Mrs. Hughey, perhap you have a ball park figure in terms of total librarians needed.

Mr. DANIELS. The point I am getting at is this, so that you mig see what I am trying to bring out: I see no point in building ne libraries or expanding library facilities if we do not have the mapower to properly supervise and administer these libraries.

Dr. VENN. Right, sir. This is why I spoke to the fellowship progra in higher education which is preparing the professional libraristI think the greatest shortage the reason for mentioning some of t States perhaps not moving right away was this shortage at the level, the very highly skilled level. I think we are also looking at pr grams in terms of this new legislation as to how we can use othe library aides and specialists to assist the professional librarian a

provide these services much more rapidly. I think we find that our percentage shortage in the professional library field perhaps would not be relatively as great as it would be at the top graduate school deanship type of job, the Ph. D. level. This investment I think will expand the training rapidly so that the construction and manpower will tend to come together and provide the kinds of services needed. Mr. DANIELS. At the top, how many do you say are presently in training?

Dr. VENN. We have over 50 Ph. D. candidates presently under fellowships in that program; whereas, 2 years ago only 8 were graduated in the whole country.

Mrs. HUGHEY. May I make one comment in connection with the act?

Mr. DANIELS. Surely.

Mrs. HUGHEY. Again approaching the manpower problem, one of the things projected under title III programs is cooperative inservice training for library personnel. The types of libraries within a State are coming together to provide inservice training for some of the nonprofessional staff members, to make them more productive with the various elements of the programs in all types of libraries. This is one of the fine things that is coming out of title III.

Mr. DANIELS. Overall, what is your opinion as to the manner in which the libraries' State plans are working out?

Mrs. HUGHEY. For the time these new titles have been in the making, I would say the projections are excellent.

The climate was right for cooperative programs. With this added impetus the States have moved forward at a very rapid pace. Of course, we have not had an opportunity to receive all of the State plans. For the first year it was planning only, which was fiscal 1967; we are just now getting in the State plans for titles III, IV-A, and IV-B. Mostly, there are reports coming in with these, covering letters as well as the essence of the plans, and they are most heartening.

Mr. DANIELS. With respect to our urban areas, what do you find conditions to be there with regard to libraries?

Mrs. HUGHEY. The urban areas there is a lack as great as you find in any of the areas, in getting books to the nonusers, in the critical areas, and you may refer to them as "target areas." Some of them give us a great deal of concern. One point about allowing the purchase of a building, the thinking was to permit immediate acquisition of a building which could be used for a library in one of the centers where the need is tremendous. The urban areas have been plagued with the need for more facilities immediately. They have gone all-out to try to meet the needs. There are not enough people, not enough books or space in which to put the programs. The emphasis is now on the outreach. Outreach, to me, means going beyond the walls of the given institution into the areas where the programs are needed, not just with materials but with people to interpret them and to bring the nonusers together with the materials and services.

Mr. DANIELS. Have any major types of projects been initiated in urban areas?

Mrs. HUGHEY. Yes. There have been projects in New York, Brooklyn, Los Angeles. I do not have the complete listing of them with me.

Mr. DANIELS. What has been the nature of those projects?

Mrs. HUGHEY. Some of them have been storefront libraries. That is the technical description given them. It means that someone from the headquarters library has gone into a community, actually set up a complete informal library services program in a community, in a store that is next door to where the people may go for their growers or for other services. Someone is there with a warm, friendly smile who is able to project and communicate with the people in thee particular areas who need the services. Others have gone from base to house in communities, ringing doorbells, sitting down on the de steps talking with people. In one city there was a special station wagon with books stacked in the back of it and a team of storyeles who went into the disadvantaged areas. They announced that they had some books and after ringing three or four doorbells and getting a group assembled, began telling stories and reading books to them Where a few are assembled, others see and join the group. These story hours have been a first approach. From these, with the small childre coming, have come the older ones, and then some adults. It has beer a series of progressive efforts to reach the people with more than a story hour-with information for their basic needs.

Mr. DANIELS. In the short period of time that this statute has been in existence, have you found there has been any increase in the use of library books in the past couple of years?

Mrs. HUGHEY. Yes, but the increased use had made the total increase of books available almost negligible because they wear out so fast and the replacement ratio is higher. So we have actually gained about 5 percent in book collections.

Mr. DANIELS. How about new books, new titles?

Mrs. HUGHEY. In the last fiscal year 6,500,000 books were purchased under Library Services and Construction Act programs; that is, it 1966. For 1967, we do not yet have the figures, but with the rising cost, I cannot anticipate that we would have added more to the collections. These are the ones that were purchased. That does not mean the book collections increased that much.

Dr. VENN. Two pieces of data, Mr. Chairman, might indicate this. In 1965 there were estimated 15,238,000 people without local public library service. In 1966 this had dropped to 13,991,000. We do not yet have the State report for 1967 which is due September 1, but this gives an indication that we are reducing the figure. In terms of counties, in 1967 there were 1,046 counties without countywide library service in the country. In 1966 that has been reduced some, not s large reduction, to 1,032 counties without countywide library services So the trend is to get broader coverage.

I might just comment on the big cities, the urban centers. We have been working with State librarians, with vocational education and manpower people to try to concentrate library services in the ghetto areas and in the urban centers where unemployment is great. They are working with librarians, providing materials as to how to get jobs where job training is available; how to move from adult basic literacy programs which are operating in the State, to tie in the library service so these people may move from literacy to job training. The library itself, can provide information and help as to where they can go to ge training, employment, and help. There is an attempt to tie it a together, the State employment services, training, manpower develop ment services, basic literacy. The libraries can act as a catalytic agen

reaching some of these people, which perhaps is a new function in some of the libraries.

Mr. STEIGER. You say there are 13 million people not now receiving ibrary services. How do you arrive at that kind of a figure?

Dr. VENN. This data is based on State reports which would indicate where they have local public library service and the geographical area t reaches and the population in the areas. The areas not served would give us the number of people who did not have local public library services available.

Mr. STEIGER. Under the Library Services Act how much of an ncrease in services has there been in regional library services?

Dr. VENN. I would say there has been considerable. I could furnish hat for the record, Mr. Steiger. I don't have that right here.

Mr. STEIGER. I would appreciate it if you would furnish it for the record. It seems to me this is an effective and relatively low-cost way of expanding library service.

Mr. DANIELS. I ask unanimous consent for this information to be nserted in the record at this point, when it is made available. (The information referred to follows:)

Prior to the Library Services Act and its successors, there were 83 regional ibraries in the United States as reported by the Office of Education in its biennial urvey for 1954-56. By January 1965, there were reported to be over 200 regional ibraries in 41 States according to the "Regional Public Library Systems" issue No. 13, Library Trends, p. 275-278.

Mr. STEIGER. You have made some mention in your testimony on H.R. 9518 and I wondered if you would be willing to give the committee your thinking on that.

Mr. DANIELS. Could you hold that question a moment so that I night follow up on the previous question?

f

Mr. STEIGER. Surely.

Mr. DANIELS. What has been the level of educational achievement, any, and what relation does that bear to our libraries? Has there een an increase in educational achievement in the United States? Dr. VENN. There is no question of an increase. We have had a general ncrease in educational achievement throughout the country. This has een going up over a period of years, but we have also at the same time itnessed a growing increase for advanced educational achievement in ur society and among employers. We have pockets where the eduational gap between poor education and quality education may be ven greater. I think general overall educational achievement is good. Dropouts have been reduced. Those who find themselves without a ertain educational level and who have dropped out find themselves ow, as you well know, in more difficult straits than they used to be. Mr. DANIELS. Do our libraries have the necessary books demanded y the students at the high school and college levels, or do you find here is a shortage of such material?

Dr. VENN. I think there is a shortage, really, all along the line and e are particularly focusing on the disadvantaged group which might enerally have the lower education achievement-new services, books nd materials in the libraries. I would say there is a shortage all the ay along the line.

Mr. STEIGER. Would you comment on H.R. 9518? It seems to me he bill makes some sense, particularly section 403 and section 413.

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