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Dissertation Information for Ann Michelle Knight Randall

NAME:
- Ann Michelle Knight Randall
- (Alias) Ann Knight Randall

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Columbia University (USA) (1976)

ADVISORS:
- Oliver L. Lilley

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Phyllis Dain
- Miriam Ruth Braverman
- Jane Anne Therese Hannigan
- Edward Mapp

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: African American resources in American libraries : collection development, reader services, and administrative factors

Abstract: The decade of the 1960's was an era of vigorous activity
in research, publication, and reprinting of materials
by and about black people in America, Africa, and other
parts of the world. Black Studies programs were created at
all educational levels. The library activity was influenced
by publication, curriculum change, student awareness, and
governmental and foundation support. In urban comunities,
the social improvement goals of the civil Rights movement
were associated with the increased quest for knowledge about
the African American heritage.
The library commitment to resource development is
more widespread in recent years, but some excellent collections
were developed during the first half of the century.
The special black collections at New York Public Library,
Howard University, Fisk University, Chicago Public Library,
Atlanta University, and Tuskegee Institute are long established.
Other research libraries such as Yale University,
and the Library of Congress have impressive holdings, which
are not separately organized. Over one hundred libraries
are arranged by geographic region; their Africa~ American
resources are described by size, organization, subject specialty,
unique items, language, media range, geographic
scope, printed catalog or bibliography, etc.
The research problem involves documentation and analysis
of professional experience. It is of interest to know
what factors influenced collection development practices, and
what readers services are provided. Factors which indicate
how the problem is related to the broad background of library
practice, and to specialized areas within librarianship are
examined. The methodology is priMarily normative. The 186
respondents were drawn from: member libraries of the Association
of Research Libraries, public libraries including the
fifty largest cities (1970 Census), predominantly black college
and university libraries with more than 1,000 students,
and other academic libraries engaged in developing these resources.
The Crosstabs II computer program was used for
statistical analysis and tabular data.
Findings and implications are: (1) Administrative
patterns vary according to type of library, institutional objectives,
collection size, financial resources, and presence
of specialist personnel. Eight steps for program assessment,
and ten indicators of importance are stated. (2) Special
black collections are not appropriate to all libraries, the
concept of major centers for African American research is
consistent with prior studies and current trends. (3) In the
absence of a special black collection, some definition of
responsibility for these materials is desirable.
Additionally, (4) Among the library problems which
continue arp identification of black authorship, and dete~.ination
of significant materials about the black experience.
(5) Readers services indices, based upon the "Checklist of
Library Services," indicated that the readers services level
was significantly higher when there was one or more librarians
specifically assigned. (6) While special funding has
benefited resource development, it does not take the place
of a specific budget to facilitate systematic growth.
Moreover, (7) Librarians indicated high interest in
related issues. Opinions were sometimes affected by education
and ethnicity. (8) Library school training in black
studies was generally evaluated at a low level. Overall educational
preparation, including continuing professional study
was more significantly related to readers services involvement.
(9) Access to unique or specialized materials is enhanced
by cooperation between resource centers, and participation
in major bibliographical systems. Finally, (10) the
network for communication should involve special black collections,
large research centers, and many interested
libraries at all levels which would benefit from shared ideas
and resources.

The period of expansion and experimentation had begun
to decline by 1973. Nevertheless, a more thorough understanding
of history and society had been derived from developments
of the prior decade. It is believed that African American
resources will remain a viable part of the historical record
collected by libraries. The logo statement is appropriate:
"Enlightenment, growth and knowledge through reading and
research.

MPACT Scores for Ann Michelle Knight Randall

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-05-09 10:37:51

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Students under Ann Michelle Knight Randall

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None