The University of California Libraries: A Plan for Development (1977)

I. The University and Its Libraries 19
over the changed expectations.
By 1971, with the new climate of financial austerity in full swing,
the State's Department of Finance had also become concerned about the
University's libraries, primarily from the standpoint of their cost. In
late 1971 and early 1972, the Department published a two-volume report
entitled The Management and Operations of the University of California:
The Library System of the University. The first volume concentrated on
the development of library collections, and cast doubt on whether the
University's goals for collection-building in the 70's could be met.
Its authors pointed out that many parts of the existing collection were
used infrequently, and argued that much more should be done in the way
of "increased interdependence, cooperation, and coordination," particularly
in the use of collections. Among the major recommendations were:
• that the University "reexamine and restate its library acquisition
goals and policies";
• that steps be taken to avoid unnecessary duplication;
• that "budgetary restraints be used to insure compliance" with
these recommendations;
• that more funds be allocated "to improve interlibrary cooperation
and coordination within the UC system";
• that more materials be purchased in microform.
The second volume concerned technical operations of the libraries,
criticized the use of blanket and approval orders, and recommended more
extensive use of automation.
The University disagreed with many of the report's specific findings
and recommendations, but agreed in general that steps toward greater
coordination and cooperation were desirable, pointing out that much
activity in this direction was already underway.
Library Planning in the 70's. The austerity of the economic
climate, revised growth projections, and the DOF report all combined,
in fact, to accelerate systemwide library planning efforts from this
time forward. Just as academic planning to this point had been principally
concerned with the growth in enrollments, however, much of the
initial library planning effort of the 70's continued to be preoccupied
with the growth of library collections.