Alternatives to a New Library Building

R I THE PRICE TAG for a new library building in these days of high construction costs often comes to twenty times the library's annual budget, or even more. This being the case, alternatives to new construction ought to be considered. Buildings may become inadequate for a variety of reasons; they do not usually wear out, but fashions, standards, and needs change. Inadequate size, however, is usually the most urgent consideration when replacement of a college or university library building is advocated, and it may be appropriate, therefore, to begin by saying something of growth and space. Library collections grow. New acquisitions for the most part do not replace the books that are already available. There are additions, but normally very few subtractions. The staff of a library also grows as the collection becomes larger and more complex and as use increases. Increased use requires increased space for readers. Changes in teaching methods in many institutions often result in larger demands on the library, and no end to this tendency seems to be in sight. The factors of growth that have been mentioned must be taken into account, even when the institution maintains a student body and faculty of constant size. Libraries grow, but most American colleges and universities are growing rapidly in nearly every respect and expect still further growth. In spite of the apparent inevitability of library growth, the librarian will certainly be in a better position to support a request for new construction if he has considered and studied carefully all the possible alternatives. This article will try to deal at least superficially with these alternatives and will start by considering Mr. Metcalf is Librarian Emeritus, Harvard College Library.