COLUMBIA
LIBRARY
COLUMNS
 

Preface by the Librarians
 

By way of preface to Mary A. Benjamin^s lively article, "Co¬
lumbia Wakes Up!" {see page 5), the editor has asked Dr. White,
Dean of the School of Library Service, aiid Dr. Logsdon, Di¬
rector of Libraries, to give their impressions of the Library's
former seeming indifference to—but present interest in—the ac¬
quisition of rare books and manuscripts.
 

The Greatest Gift of All
 

T
 

"^ HE editor asked me to tell the University side of Mary
Benjamin's story, "Columbia Wakes Up!"
The awakening came gradually. Building up the staff
helped. Columbia managed to assemble an excellent library staff.
They know their business, pull together, inspire confidence.

But the staff needed help from the outside to improve the
climate in which it works, and how wonderfully helpful in this
regard the Friends are proving to be. It took a while to get
started. Dallas Pratt agreed in 1948-49 to serve as chairman of a
committee to enlist the organized support of public-spirited citi¬
zens on behalf of the Libraries. One by one other committee