Activities of the Friends
 

Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting of the Friends of the
Columbia Libraries was held in Harkness Theater in Butler Library
on the evening of .Monday, January 19, with .Mr. C. A\'aller
Barrett, Chairman of our association, presiding.

During the short business session with which the meeting
opened, Mr. Barrett said that the tetms on the Council of iMr.
Black, Professor Leary, Mrs. Lenygon, Dr. Pratt, and Mrs. Stone
expired at that meeting. He called upon Mr. Lada-Mocanski,
Chairman of the Nominating Committee, who reported that the
Conunittee wished to nominate Mr. Lester D. Egbert, Professor
Leary, .Mrs. Lenygon, Dr. Pratt, and iVIrs. Stone for the three-
year term which ends in January, 1962. Upon motion and second
from the floor, the nominees were unanimously elected.

The Program. Dr. Logsdon, the Director of Libraries, welcomed
the Friends, members of the staff of the Libraries, and guests, who
had gathered for the Russia-centered program and to view the
exhibit of important Russian documents, books, and manuscripts
which had been placed on display on the Third Floor of Butler
Library. Dr. John Krout, Vice President of the University, traced
the history of the Russian Institute and the joint work of the
Institute and of the Department of Slavic Languages in develop¬
ing the strong program of Slavic studies which is now being con¬
ducted at the University. He also summarized the parallel growth
of the Libraries' Russian collection which, with support from
foundations, has become one of the major ones in this country.

The principal address was given by Professor Geroid T. Robin¬
son who spoke on "Contrasting Soviet Scenes in 1925-27, 1937,
and 1958." He indicated that the ability of the Soviet leaders to
relax somewhat their repression of the Russian people can be
traced to the apparent success of Communist indoctrination in
remaking the population in the image of the "new Soviet man."

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