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Finding Aid Compiled by
Jared Parker
June 30, 1997
M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives
University Libraries / University at Albany / State University of New York
1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222 / (518) 437-3935
VOLUME: 8.7 cubic feet
ACQUISITION: The bulk of these records (1926-1965) were transferred to the University Archives, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by John Farley, Dean of the School of Library and Information Science, on December 16, 1974. Sometime in the late 1980's, several more items from the University Archives vertical files were combined with those previously transferred by the School of Library and Information Science.
ACCESS: Access to this record group is unrestricted.
COPYRIGHT: The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Box and Folder List:
Although the School of Information Science and Policy Records officially opened in September, 1926, it traces its origins to January 5, 1887, when Melvil Dewey first opened the Columbia College School of Library Economy. Two years later, Dewey resigned from Columbia to assume the position of Director of the New York State Library in Albany. Before he left, he insured that his young library school also moved to Albany were it became an adjunct of the New York State Library and was renamed the New York State Library School. This two-year program remained in Albany until 1926 when the State Board of Regents and Columbia University's Board of Trustees combined the School with the Library School of the New York Public Library and moved it once again to Columbia University. In order to insure that a facility capable of training secondary-school librarians remained in the Capital Region, James Sullivan, the State Commissioner of Secondary Education, established a new Library School as part of the New York State College for Teachers in 1926.
However, this was not the first time that the State College had offered courses in librarianship. In 1916, the College Board of Trustees hired Elizabeth Cobb as the school's librarian and as an instructor. The 1917 College Bulletin reveals that she instructed two courses in the English Department entitled "Library Methods" and "High School Library Management." In 1921, Elizabeth Cobb became the primary instructor in the State College's new Department of Library Science, which offered in courses in "conjunction with and upon the suggestion of the New York State Library School." Cobb supervised the department until 1926, when the Department of Library Science was replaced by the new State College Library School. Martha Caroline Pritchard, herself a graduate of Dewey's New York State Library School, became the first head of the New York State College for Teachers Library School in 1926. The new one-year undergraduate curriculum consisted of a combination of classroom instruction, field work in the department's library, and organized field trips to libraries in the Capital region and in New York City. The nascent program soon received national recognition when the American Library Association's (ALA) Board of Education accredited the department as a Type III (undergraduate) library school in 1934.
By 1951 the school had expanded to a five year curriculum and in that year it offered its first Masters degree. However, six years later the school failed to gain accreditation under the 1951 standards for five-year programs adopted by the ALA. The reasons cited in the ALA's Report were that the department's small number of full-time faculty and its location in a state college rather than a university rendered it incapable of fulfilling the requirements of its new graduate program. In 1962, the same year that the New York State College for Teachers became the State University of New York at Albany, the department changed its name to the School of Library Science. The school now prepared students for jobs in school, public, and college libraries, and for careers in library education. The school's faculty were engaged in securing research and education grants, publishing, and redesigning the school's curriculum. In response to the school's advancements, the ALA re-accredited the program in 1966. The school's plan to implement a Doctoral Program in Library Science was approved by the University Senate and by the State University of New York (SUNY) central administration in 1971, but the State Education Department refused to register the new program the following year.
In 1986, the school merged with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. The new School of Information Science and Policy prepared its students for an assortment of careers including information systems and library management, information policy, the economics of Information, government information resource management, archives and records management, and information technology applications. In 1990, the School of Information Science and Policy and several other schools in Rockefeller College implemented a new interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Information Science. Beginning in 1995, the school introduced the M.S. in Information Science (M.S.I.S.), a 45 credit degree designed to emphasize interdisciplinary studies in information science and public policy and offer an advance internship experience.
School Names
Chairmen and Deans
These records document the administrative, curricular, and social activities of the School of Information Science and Policy from its establishment as a one year undergraduate school for librarians in 1926 through its merger with the Rockefeller College of public Affairs and Policy as a graduate school for information professionals in 1986. The bulk of the records, which consist of correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, annual reports, accreditation reports, course outlines, syllabi, bulletins, circulation records and newspaper articles, were created between 1926 and 1966.
Comprehensive summaries of the school's administrative activities, education goals and objectives, personnel composition, and student enrollment are located in the annual reports (1926-1959, 1967-1981) and the accreditation reports (1928, 1936, 1957, 1974, 1982), both located in the Subject Files Series. Similar information can also be found in the Department Reports Series (1926-1961), the Department Manuals Series (1943-1948, 1959-1961), and the School's Catalogues and Bulletins (1965-1986), a sub-series of the Official Publications Series. Detailed descriptions and accounts of the school's curriculum and educational goals are located in the Course Outlines and Syllabi Series, the course outline and syllabi files in the Subject Files Series (1927-54, 1963-1966, 1971-1977, 1983-1984), and the School's Catalogues and Bulletins (1965-1986), a sub-series of the Official Publications Series. Further records relating to the school's curriculum are in the seminars and special courses files (1971-1984), the course schedules files (1972-1985), and the curriculum development files (1914-1957), all located in the Subject Files Series. Also critical for understanding the school's education methods are the field trips files (1931-1942, 1950-1965), the summer sessions files (1927-1969) and the workshops files (1948-1956, 1961-1963, 1973-1985), all located in Series 1.
The majority of the correspondence in the Subject Files Series relates either to Martha Caroline Pritchard (1926-1954) or to the school's relationship with the American Library Association (ALA)(1927-1957, 1962, 1966, 1972-1974). These subject files contain Ms. Pritchard's biographical information and official ALA statements and policies. The records are of particular significance due to the important roles played by Ms. Pritchard and the ALA in shaping the early administrative and curricular history of the School of Information Science and Policy. Aside from the Martha Pritchard records, the collection lacks any significant documentation produced by its numerous chairmen and deans. Any files listed under their names contain limited, routine correspondence.
The are a number of records that document the socio-cultural interests and backgrounds of the school's students and faculty as well as their professional achievements. These records are located in the alumni association files (1926-1951, 1981-1985), situated in the Subject Files Series, the Alumni/ae Letters Sub-Series of the Official Publications Series (1927-1945, 1947-1960), and the Scrapbooks Series (1926-1936).
Information about the school's expenses, financial aid, and faculty is located in the School's Catalogues and Bulletins (1965-1986), a Sub-Series of the Official Publications Series. The school's bulletins and catalogues are also located in the University Archives along with the Archive's collection of graduate and undergraduate bulletins and catalogues, which provide similar information on the University's various library programs dating from 1917 through the present.
Photographs of faculty and students from the School of Information Science and Policy from the University Archives Photograph Collection are available for viewing online from the University at Albany Libraries' Digital Collections database.
Series 1: Subject Files, 1926-1986, 4.0 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
The series contains correspondence, meeting minutes, annual reports, accreditation reports, course outlines, memoranda, enrollment statistics, photographs, flyers, brochures, certificates, inventories, surveys, questionnaires, student handbooks, and maps. The subject files series documents routine activities such as internal and external faculty and departmental correspondence, faculty meetings (1958-1977 with gaps), curriculum development (1926-1932, 1936-1957), course outlines (1963-1984), annual reports (1926-59, 1967-1981), enrollment statistics (1927-1942), guest speakers (1929-1950, 1974-1984), and the announcements of colloquia (1969-1984), institutes (1957-1960, 1965-1977), and workshops (1948-1956, 1961-1963, 1973-1985). Prominent dates include the foundation of the Library School (1926), its first successful American Library Association (ALA) accreditation (1932), the development of the Masters program (1949-1950) and later the Doctorate Program (1968-1971), the school's loss and recovery of ALA accreditation (1957 and 1966) and the school's union with Rockefeller College (1986). Notable activities consist of periodic accreditation reviews (1927-1982), a series of annual field trips to New York City (1931-1942, 1950-1965), and regular Summer Sessions (1927-1935, 1946-1961). The most prominent correspondent is Martha Caroline Pritchard (1926-1954), the first head of the Department of Librarianship. There is also considerable correspondence with the American Library Association (1928-1965), the national organization responsible for establishing education standards in the field of librarianship.
Series 2: Department Reports, 1926-1961.25 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.
This series consists of two bound volumes composed primarily of Annual Reports to the President (1926-1951), and Summer Session Reports (1927-1949). The college presidents required that each department and school compile and submit annual reports to their offices. These reports include information on the department's personnel, curriculum, student enrollment, graduates, and notable activities. The volumes also contain an Effect of the War on Library Schools Report (1945), a Five Year Plan (1946), a Statement of Recruitment Policy (1947), a Report on Recruitment for the Library Profession (1948-1956), and a Report of Affairs of the Department (1961).
Series 3: Department Manuals, 1943-1948, 1959-1961, .25 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.
This series consists of two manuals produced by the Department of Librarianship. The first manual of the Department of Librarianship (1943) regulates library practices such as classification, cataloging, accessioning, periodicals, and pamphlets. A summary of the sources of information about the department located within the department (1943), forms and blanks used in the department (1947), and a list of the department's appropriations (1943-1948) are also included with the manual. The second manual (1959-1961) is a revision of the first and is divided into the following categories: philosophy, field work, course outlines, miscellany, and old manual. This second manual addresses academic issues such as the department's mission statement and curriculum.
This series consists of bound volumes that contain a chronological listing of syllabi, assignment sheets, bibliographies, reviews, and examinations. Each volume begins with a brief history of the course, a description of how it appeared in the college catalog, and a list of all the instructors who have taught the course. These courses include Cataloging (1927-1948), Administration (1927-1948), and Children's Literature (1927-1948). Other courses include Libraries and Schools (1927-1940), Field Work (1927-1940), Book Collection (1927-1940), Reading guidance (1935-1948), the History of Books and Printing (1938-1948), and Selection (1940-1954). Martha circa Pritchard, Catherine Mills Love, Madeline F. Gilmour, Thelma Eaton, Esther Stallman, and Mae Web instructed the majority of the courses listed in this series.
This series consists of three accessions record books and two circulation record books for the school's library, which was staffed by faculty and students from the Department of Librarianship from 1927 through 1963. The accessions record books (1927-1963) list the author, title, publisher, cost, source, accession number, and the withdrawal date for books catalogued in the department's library. The circulation record books (1937-1943) provide monthly statistics of the number of books, periodicals, and pamphlets checked out from the library.
Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1926-1936, .5 cubic ft. Arranged thematically.
This scrapbook contains photographs, newspaper articles, newsletters, greeting cards, announcements, and programs. The scrapbook, which was compiled to commemorate the Department of Librarianship's ten year anniversary, was donated to the Library School by Mrs. Ella Bruins in 1975. The table of contents lists the following themes: First Announcements of the Library School, Commencement Programs, Our Founder - Founder's Day, The Library School in Print and Pictures, Alumnae News and Notes, Library School Juniors, Library School Rules, Gifts, and Spring Trip.
Series 1: Subject Files, 1914-1986
Box 1
Folder
Academic Standing Committee, 1971
Acceptance Letters - Standard, 1975-1985
Accreditation Self Study Report, 1974
Accreditation Self Study Report, 1982
Box 2
Folder
Budget, 1928-1948
Burgess, Robert S., 1951-1952
Butler, Helen L., 1939-1940
Capital Area School Development Association, 1950
Catalogue - Supplementary Materials, 1984-1985
Cebrat, Miss Anna E., 1956-1959
Certificate of Proficiency, undated
Certificate Program Proposal, 1977
Chicago University Graduate Library School, 1936-1965
Citizen's Library Council of New York State, 1982-1985
Clarkson, Mrs. Marguerite, 1956-1957
College Book Exchange - Correspondence, 1951-1952
Collins, Evan A., 1961-1964
Colloquia, 1969-1984
Columbia University School of Library Science, 1932-1965
Commencement, 1972-1986
Committee on Continuing Education, 1965
Conference on Bibliographic Control of Library Science Literature,
1968
Conference on Education for Information Science: Strategies for Change
In Library School Programs, April 24-25, 1977
Conferences - General, 1942-1948
Connor, Jean, 1963-1964
Continuing Professional Education - Market Survey, 1977-1978
Cook, Mrs. Esther, 1964-1965
Course Development Survey, 1977
Course Outlines and Syllabi, 1963-1966
Box 3
Folder
Faculty Meeting Minutes, 1976-1977
Faculty Memoranda, 1971-1973
Faculty Memoranda, 1974-1976
Faculty Memoranda, 1977-1981
Faculty News, 1974
Faculty Retreat, 1973
Faculty Statement, 1971
Faculty Vacancies, 1985-1986
Field Trips - Boston, 1959-1960
Field Trips - Correspondence, 1951-1962
Field Trips - Historical Materials, 1934-1942
Box 4
Folder
New York State College for Teachers - Annual Round Table Library Section,
1932-1942
New York State College for Teachers - Audio-Visual Department, 1948-1957
New York State College for Teachers - Budget Advisory Committee, 1950-1959
New York State College for Teachers - Committee for the Improvement
of College Teaching, 1949-1950
New York State College for Teachers - Committee on General Education,
undated
New York State College for Teachers - Committee on Space and Schedule,
1954
New York State College for Teachers - Curriculum and Graduate Committee,
1950-1955
New York State Library, 1947-1963
Series 2: Department Reports, 1926-1961
Box 1
Folder
Department Reports, 1926-1946
Department Reports, 1947-1961
Series 3: Department Manuals, 1943-1948, 1959-1961
Box 1
Folder
Department Manual, 1946
Manual of Department of Librarianship, 1959-1961
Series 4: Course Outlines and Syllabi, 1927-1954
Box 1
Folder
Librarianship 10 - Libraries and Schools, 1927-1940 V.1
Librarianship 12 - Cataloging, 1927-1933 V.1
Librarianship 12 - Cataloging, 1934-1937 V.2
Librarianship 12 - Cataloging, 1937-1940 V.3
Librarianship 13 - Administration, 1927-1930 V.1
Librarianship 13 - Administration, 1930-1933 V.2
Librarianship 15 - Field Work, 1927-1940 V.1
Box 2
Folder
Librarianship 17 - Children's Literature, 1927-1933 v.1
Librarianship 17 - Children's Literature, 1933-1938 v.2
Librarianship 17 - Children's Literature, 1938-1940 v.3
Librarianship 17 - Children's Literature, 1940-1948 v.4
Librarianship 18 - Book Collection, 1927-1931 v.1
Librarianship 18 - Book Collection, 1931-1933 v.2
Librarianship 18 - Book Collection, 1933-1935 v.3
Librarianship 18 - Book Collection, 1935-1938 v.4
Librarianship 18 - Book Collection, 1938-1940 v.5
Box 3
Folder
Librarianship 19 - Reading Guidance, 1935-1940 v.1
Librarianship 20 - History of the Book and Printing, 1938-1940 v.1
Librarianship 21 - Elementary School Libraries, 1938-1940 v.1
Librarianship 122 - Selection, 1940-1948 v.1
Librarianship 123 - Reference, 1941-1948 v.1
Librarianship 210 - Libraries and Librarianship, 1940-1948
Librarianship 219 - Reading Guidance, 1940-1948
Librarianship 220 - History of Books, 1940-1948
Librarianship 212 - Cataloging, 1940-1948
Librarianship 213A - Organization, 1940-1948
Librarianship 213B - Administration, 1940-1948
Librarianship 321 - Public Library Administration, 1940-1948
Librarianship 222 - Book Selection, 1948-1954
Series 5: Official Publications, 1927-1986
Sub-series 1: School Catalogues and Bulletins, 1965-1986
Box 1
Folder
School of Library Science Catalogue, 1965
School of Library Science Bulletin, 1967-1968
School of Library Science Bulletin, 1968-1969
School of Library Science Bulletin, 1969-1970
School of Library Science Bulletin, 1970-1971
School of Library and Information Science Bulletin, 1971-1972
School of Library and Information Science Bulletin, 1972-1974
School of Library and Information Science Bulletin, 1974-1976
School of Library and Information Science Bulletin, 1976-1978
School of Library and Information Science Catalogue, 1981 (?)
School of Library and Information Science Interim Catalogue, 1986
Series 5: Official Publications, 1927-1986
Sub-series 2: Alumni/ae Letters, 1927-1945, 1947-1960
Box 2
Folder
Christmas Letters to Alumni, 1927-1945
Letters of the Alumni, 1947-1960
School of Information Science and Policy Alumni Newsletter, 1988-
Series 5: Official Publications, 1927-1986
Sub-series 3: Miscellaneous Publications, 1928-1984
Box 3
Folder
Albany Municipal Documents: A Directory of Sources, 1974
Albany New York: A Guide to Selected Local Records, 1981
American Society for Information Science/Special Libraries Association
- Student Chapter Newsletter, 1981-1984
Bibliography of the History of Albany, New York, 1928
Capital District Information Sources, 1974
Career Advancement Newsletter, 1979
Library Liberation, 1974-1975
Series 6: Library Accession and Circulation Records, 1927-1963
Box 1
Folder
Accessions # 1-3600, 1926-1943
Accessions # 3601 - 8000, 1943-1955
Accessions # 8001 - 11683, 1955-1963
Circulation Record Book, 1937-1939
Circulation Record Book, 1939-1943
Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1926-1936
Box 1
Folder
Library School Scrapbook, 1926-1936
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