The Carnegie Corporation Advisory Group on Canadian College Libraries, 1930–35

Abstract

The Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) contributed signi cantly to the development of Canadian university and college libraries during the Great Depression. From 1932 to 1935, thirty-four institutions of higher education shared in library book grants totalling $214,800 as a result of a national (Canada and Newfoundland) examination conducted by an advisory group established by the CCNY. The ways in which the advisory group investigated and inspected potential recipients, evaluated whether they complied with conditions set, and distributed grants typically followed the policies and procedures established by an earlier American advisory group funded by the CCNY. Carnegie and university records document how nancial aid was awarded and used for the advancement of undergraduate print collections. Sources can also be used to study the Canadian group in relation to the role of American philanthropic college library work, attempts by Canadian administrators to adapt library collections and organization to local circumstances, and trends in the improvement of undergraduate library services on a national scale. RÉSUMÉ L’organisme The Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) a contribué d’une manière signi- cative au développement des bibliothèques des universités et des collèges canadiens durant la grande dépression. De 1932 à 1935, trente-quatre institutions d’éducation supérieure se sont partagé des octrois totalisant 214 800 $ pour l’achat de livres. Ce montant a été établi lors d’une enquête nationale menée conjointement au Canada et à Terre-Neuve par un groupe de travail consultatif établi par le CCNY. Les manières de procéder de ce comité quant à l’inves- tigation et à la surveillance des institutions récipiendaires, l’évaluation du respect des conditions xées ainsi que la distribution des subventions s’appuient sur les politiques et procédures établies précédemment par un comité consultatif américain créé par le CCNY. Les documents provenant de la corporation Carnegie et des universités exposent comment l’aide nancière était accordée et utilisée pour l’enrichissement des collections des imprimés pour les étudiants du premier cycle. Ces sources peuvent aussi servir à étudier les relations du groupe canadien avec la philanthropie américaine en regard des bibliothèques. D’autres questions comme les tentatives des administrateurs canadiens pour harmoniser les collections des bibliothèques et les adapter aux besoins spéci ques de leur milieu, ainsi que la tendance à améliorer les services fournis par les bibliothèques aux étudiants de premier cycle à l’échelle canadienne, pourraient faire l’objet d’études ultérieures.

From Library Work to Library Science: Forming Canadian Librarianship, 1920-1960

“…Toronto business librarians considered the provision of reading material for employees to be one method of extending their usefulness (McKenzie, 1945). The Carnegie Corporation grants to stimulate general undergraduate reading for Canadian university and college libraries in the 1930s successfully garnered more interest in the role of librarians in the promotion and selection of general literature in higher education (Bruce, 2016). Specialization of tasks in librarianship was more apparent in the private sector, the "uncharted sea" of government documents being a specific case that vexed many over the years (Chatwin, 1943, p. 62;Ridington, 1927).…”

Postwar Canadian Academic Libraries, 1945–60

“…Histories of specific events and biographical studies (Jobb 1987, Greene andLeBlanc 2000) have appeared, but these studies are less common. The influence of American librarianship and philanthropy on Canadian activities has been documented partially (Glazier 1967, Bruce 2016. Investigations considering national perspectives of academic librarianship have provided a firmer basis to explore historical themes pertaining to the collective status and professional recognition of librarians (Savage 1982, Wilkinson 1983, Jacobs 2014, Sonne de Torrens 2014.…”