Sender: Rare Books and Special Collections Forum <EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.BITNET>
The John Hay Library has its own rare book cataloging unit (established just a
few years ago) in the Hay. However, serials cataloging and cataloging for the
Harris Collection are done in the main Rockefeller library next door. That uni
t had always operated well, and on the "if it ain't broke..." theory, its admin
istrative structure was not changed. There is a tunnel connecting the two buil
dings which is used for transporting trucks of newly cataloged Harris materials
and newly received uncataloged materials from the cataloging and acquisitions
departments in the Rock over to the Hay. We have been building up a good refer
ence collection (including a copy of Pre-56 Imprints) at the Hay, and for any o
f the staff it's really only a short trip through the tunnel or across the stre
et, so that hasn't been a problem. One problem that you might have is one of i
solation: special collections can very easily be left out of crucial library-wi
de planning if there are not determined efforts to stay in the public eye and i
n the mainstream of library operations.
Rosemary Cullen
Curator of the Harris Collection
John Hay Library
Brown University
ap201034@brownvm