B
 

Our Growing Collections
 

ROLAND BAUGHMAN
 

OOK EXHIBITIONS are a fundamental function of li¬
braries, serving as a dynamic means of advertising special
areas of strength and attracting students and visitors to re¬
warding fields of investigation which might otherwise be passed
by. Characteristically they are built around the holdings which
a particular library already has on a particular subject—but that
they may also contribute to the growth of the collections is one
of the less obvious but nevertheless important considerations. Val¬
uable gifts are often made by visitors to exhibitions who are thus
reminded of the varied interests of the research library. And some¬
times what is not shown in an exhibition indicates deficiencies
which the visitor is able and willing to supply. There have been
some significant illustrations of this at Columbia in recent weeks.

Some time ago one of Columbia's graduate students, Mr. Paul
F. Saagpakk, of Estonian birth, suggested that a fitting subject for
a special hbrary exhibition would be the cultural contributions of
the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The sugges¬
tion was welcomed, but it was pointed out that a great deal of
guidance would be needed in selecting, evaluating, and describ¬
ing the exhibits. iMr. Saagpakk eagerly offered to help in the proj¬
ect and to obtain the assistance of his fellow-students, Mr. Janis
A. Kreslins for the Latvian books and Mr. J. Juska for the Lithu¬
anian items.

It soon developed, as the work of preparation proceeded, that
Columbia—though surprisingly strong in the literature of the
three Iron-Curtain nations—lacked many key works which are
now unobtainable through the ordinary channels. At this point
the interest of the concerned governments-in-exile was enlisted.
Mr. J. Kaiv, Consul General of Estonia, sent eighteen books and