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From The Libraries

Ad Hoc Committee on the Humanities Library
Calls for World Class Library for the Twenty-First Century

Ruth K. Seidman

An Ad Hoc Committee on the Humanities Library has been meeting since November 2000 to consider the broad condition of the Humanities Library at MIT. The committee was convened by Philip Khoury, dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, after consultation with Chancellor Larry Bacow and Director of Libraries Ann Wolpert. Despite its rather focused-sounding name, the Humanities Library supports the intellectual life of the Institute beyond the specific needs of Humanities faculty and students. The composition of the Ad Hoc Committee was thus designed to provide faculty representation from a variety of the disciplines represented within the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

The committee’s mission was to consider the broad condition of the Humanities Library and specifically, the virtues and limitations of its location in Building 14. Members of the committee were: Elizabeth Wood, Committee Chair (History), Sally Haslanger (Linguistics and Philosophy), Margery Resnick, Liaison to Faculty Committee on the Library System (Foreign Languages and Literatures), David Thornburn (Literature), Theresa A. Tobin (Head of the Humanities Library), and Ann Wolpert (Director of Libraries).

In August 2001 the committee issued its report, a copy of which is now available on the Web at http://libraries.mit.edu/humlib/. The methodology developed by the committee for its work focused on wide and inclusive consultation with interested constituencies. The committee held discussions with colleagues and with both undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (SHASS). In addition to these extensive informal contacts, the committee also administered a Web-based online survey of SHASS faculty and graduate students. The survey instrument and results are appended to the report.

 

Findings and Recommendations

The committee found that the libraries at MIT have a central place in the intellectual life of the Institute. Nearly all the respondents who participated in interviews and surveys expressed a belief that MIT’s standing as a world-class institution depends on the quality of the Institute’s libraries.

Four principle recommendations are made by the committee in its report. The recommendations focus on guaranteeing that resources be made available to ensure a world-class liberal arts library for MIT for the twenty-first century, that the space in Building 14 be renovated, that Humanities and Social Science disciplines be granted full parity with the other schools in the development of library resources, and that decision-making on all library changes be accomplished in a way that is both open and inclusive.

The report points out that the Humanities Library is a basic resource for the entire MIT community, and that strengthening the role of the Humanities Library in serendipitous as well as structured learning is important to all of MIT. The committee notes that the Institute competes for students with other universities that clearly have world-class libraries. In the words of the committee, "MIT should have a humanities library appropriate to the minds and ambitions of MIT students."

The report goes on to say that the curriculum at MIT is rich in humanities, arts, and social sciences, and that a background in these fields is essential for a first-rate education. It asserts that the Humanities Library must be of a quality to support this principle. In addition, in taking SHASS courses, students share "opportunities for intellectual growth, serendipitous learning, and enriched student life. Facilities in or near the Humanities Library should be made available to enhance the social context of learning."

The report reminds the Institute that the Hayden library building is now over 50 years old. "Financial resources must be found to reverse the deterioration of this building." Basic needs identified by the committee include increasing in-library shelf capacity to reduce the need for off-campus storage of books and periodicals, and creating small group study areas, teaching spaces, carrels, lockers, consultation areas, and service spaces. The report points out that "the transformation of the Music Library serves as a model for creative renovation" to bring the library into the twenty-first century.

In calling for equal priority for the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in planning and fund-raising with Science, Architecture, Engineering, and Management, the report notes that MIT supports graduate programs in Comparative Media Studies; Economics; Linguistics; Philosophy; Political Science; and Science, Technology, and Society. While acknowledging that MIT’s Humanities collections need not fully serve the research aims of Humanities faculty, the committee does suggest that the Humanities Library should provide the necessary study space and collections to support the graduate programs of SHASS. The report makes the point that graduate students in science and engineering have both library and laboratory space and that SHASS students should be given comparable support. A master plan for the future of all the libraries at MIT should include recognition of the centrality of the Humanities Library in the life of the Institute.

Finally, the report calls for an open and inclusive decision-making process with faculty involvement in decisions on the location of libraries and any major library changes that are under consideration, and observes that the findings and recommendations of the committee are in substantial accord with recommendations about MIT libraries offered by the Undergraduate Association, the Graduate Student Council, and the Faculty Committee on the Library System.

 

 

Highlights of the Web Survey

Questions included in the Web survey were intended to elicit broad information about the SHASS community’s use of libraries. Respondents were asked such questions as: what on-campus library locations the respondents use, and for what purpose; what characteristics are important in the current Humanities Library, and in any future library; how the collections are assessed for teaching and for research needs; what changes would assist teaching; and what are preferences for the physical configuration of the libraries. There was ample opportunity for additional comments.

Of the 156 full-time SHASS faculty, 47 responded. One interesting finding is that 60% of respondents say that they frequently come to the library to browse the collection. This speaks to the importance of having enough room in the library to house materials on site, rather than in a storage facility. Ninety-seven percent of respondents viewed open stacks for books as essential or very important in the current library, and 73% considered this essential or very important in any new or renovated Humanities Library. Respondents expressed support for developing the electronic collections in addition to, not instead of print collections.

Appreciation was expressed for certain aesthetic features of the current Humanities Library. Natural lighting, high ceilings, and the river view are highly valued. For a new library, "comfortable reading areas" received the highest rating. Respondents also mentioned the symbolism of a fine Humanities Library and its important role in building a sense of community.

Respondents differed significantly on the importance of Building 14 remaining the location for the Humanities Library. Some felt it very important and others not at all. However, being in a central location on the campus, as is Building 14, was seen by many as important.

 

Future Directions

The report will be valuable as the Libraries and the Institute move forward in developing plans for space changes, whether they be renovations or new construction. Ann Wolpert, director of Libraries, said: "We welcome the support of the faculty and we take the report seriously. We look forward to working with the faculty in implementing these recommendations."

Humanities Library staff members are also using the results of the survey for more immediate planning. Although the survey emphasized the use of library space rather than an evaluation of library services, some useful information was obtained that will be helpful in setting priorities and making plans. In addition, from a communications point of view, library staff noted that some survey responses indicated the desire for "new" services that in fact are already available. This points out the need for the Libraries to do a better job of letting the community know about existing services, such as term loans and techniques for accessing electronic material from off campus.

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Humanities Library has taken a thoughtful and thorough look at the space requirements for MIT’s libraries in support of humanities, arts, and social sciences in the twenty-first century. Addressing these and other urgent facilities needs is a high priority for the MIT Libraries.

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