Rutgers University Office of University Librarian (Donald F. Cameron) Records

The administrative records of Donald Cameron, University Librarian, range in date from 1925 to 1967. They are organized into six series: Annual Reports, Budget and Financial Records, General Correspondence, Subject files, Building files, and the Rutgers University Press and Press Council. Taken as a whole, the records contain reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence of a professional and, less often, personal nature.

The Annual Reports of the Librarian of the University relate the activities of the library as a whole, its departments, and its units and were issued for accountability purposes. A source for library statistics including volumes held and circulation, they run from the fiscal year 1943-44 to 1965-66 with some large gaps in the series. From 1949-50 onwards, in addition to the report itself, the files also contain reports from individual library departments (including circulation, reference, order and periodical, and cataloging) and library units (including the NJ College for Women and the report of the law librarian). Though there is almost always some of this supporting material included in each file, that material varies from year to year.

The Budget and Financial records include letters and memos on budgetary matters, budget sheets, salary rates, accountings of endowments, and financial statistics. In most cases, an itemized budget sheet is included. Like the Annual Report files, there is some inconsistency in the records saved from year to year. In general, records of the latter years (from 1951-52 onwards) are more full. There is also one gap; the fiscal year 1956-57 is not represented.

The General Correspondence series mainly consists of letters, the majority of which document the mundane matters of Cameron's everyday work. The subject matter is largely professional, a great number of letters being library gift acknowledgments and letters of reference. These letters are generally brief, with only one or two letters per recipient. They are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the recipient and placed in file folders labeled A through Z. An attempt has been made to arrange the letters alphabetically by correspondent within each folder.

Arranged alphabetically by folder heading, the Subject Files contain meeting minutes, reports, and correspondence relating to a specific topic. Within the Subject Files is documentation of Cameron's leadership of the Rutgers Libraries, including correspondence with the librarians at the Management and Labor Relations Institute Library, the Newark College Library, the Physics Department Library, the College of Pharmacy Library and the Newark Law Library. Other folders within the Subject Files provide correspondence and minutes of meetings with the various library department heads within the University Library (first the Voorhees Library, later the Alexander Library). These folders contain meeting reminders, meeting minutes, memoranda and general correspondence with the heads of the cataloging department, the binding department, circulation, government documents, periodicals, reference, reserve, special collections and the order department. Each department of the University Library has a folder in which can be found monthly reports, documentation of day to day activities, yearly reports, statistics and correspondence with Cameron. There is extensive documentation of correspondence between the head of the catalog department, Mrs. Catherine Merritt, and Mr. Cameron. The Subject Files also include Cameron's correspondence with other Rutgers University faculty and staff, such as the registrar, Wherry E. Zing, professor of English William Lamont (who also appears to be a personal friend), and University President, Lewis W. Jones, as well as others.

Cameron visited many libraries after he was appointed librarian, and folders within the Subject Files titled with the name of the institution visited contain library publications he obtained on these visits, as well as his notes about the library. There is a folder containing general information on his library visits, including travel itineraries, receipts, notes and a map documenting all the libraries he visited. Consultations he provided to these and other libraries are also documented in the Subject Files series. Various collections acquired by Cameron during his administration are documented in the Subject Files, and can be found under the name of the collection.

This series provides many records of Cameron's involvement in professional associations and committees, as well as documentation of his involvement in organizations of personal interest to him. Cameron belonged to the New Jersey Library Association, Melville Dui Association, Proprietors of Eastern and West Jersey, New Jersey Historical Society, New Brunswick Historical Club, Library Advisory Board, Library Committee, and New Jersey Press Association, as well as others. Folders with these headings contain meeting announcements, meeting minutes, correspondence with other members, and invitations to special events. Cameron was also appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (New Jersey chapter) in 1962, and two folders contain reports put out by the Commission from 1936 to 1976. Cameron was interested in the problems of migrant laborers in New Jersey, and these two folders provide excellent documentation on the Commission and Cameron's role within it.

Of particular interest is his friendship with Robert Kriendler, Rutgers alumnus, Friend of the Library, and "21 Club" owner. Kriendler was very active in the Rutgers community as an alumnus, and as a library donor. Two folders, entitled "Kriendler," contain personal correspondence, invitations for parties and special events, postcards, photos, lists of collections donated by Kriendler, biographical information on Robert Kriendler and his brother, and records of the class of 1936, to which Kriendler belonged and Cameron was an honorary member. These folders provide documentation of not only Kriendler's involvement with Cameron and Rutgers University, but of Kriendler's personal and professional activities, particularly the development of the 21 Club.

Some of the more notable subjects documented include the controversial publication of a graphic story of an abortion, titled Cumberland Street. Funded in part with public money, the Rutgers literary magazine Antho was under threat of being suspended for publishing the story. However, a committee appointed by the university president investigating the matter, headed by Cameron, recommended that the suspension be lifted and that steps be taken to regulate publications. The report of the committee, some correspondence on the matter, and the Antho issue in question are included in the file. Generally, the files may be characterized as follows: professional, both library business and involvement in Rutgers University committees; and personal, including membership in outside organizations like the American Library Association, the Grolier Club, and the Middle States Association.

The Library Buildings series documents the planning and construction of many Rutgers University libraries, which were overseen by Cameron. These folders contain construction plans, drawings, blueprints, construction contracts, and material orders for the Douglass Library, the College of South Jersey Library, Newark Dana library and the Newark Law Library. Of particular interest are the reports generated as to the various stages of the progress of buildings. These reports can be found in the folder of each library built during Cameron's administration. As Cameron was involved in the planning of these buildings these folders also contain planning committee minutes and memoranda which document the planning process.

There is extensive documentation on the planning and construction of the Alexander S. Alexander Library on College Avenue in New Brunswick. By the 1950's, it was understood by the administration that the University was in need of physical expansion in order to keep up with its increasing enrollment. One of the most outgrown facilities of all was the Voorhees Library, which served as the University Library at the time. Collections were stored in basements, as well as in off-site locations. A new, larger library was necessary.

In 1952, New Jersey Governor Alfred E. Driscoll recommended the appropriation of $2 Million for the construction of a new library. Careful planning of the new facility ensued. Construction began on October 1, 1953 and ended on October 3, 1956. The new library was dedicated on Saturday, November 17th, 1956, at 10:00 am. The new library contains over 2 million cubic feet of space and has a capacity for 1.5 million volumes. There is seating capacity for 1,200. The total cost of the new library was $3,936,128.35.

Contained in this series are minutes to the 155 planning meetings which were held from 1952-1954. Plans, drawings, and correspondences with architects are included. Specification on the building, from the infrastructure to the furnishings are also part of the collection. Bound copies of the construction contracts are also included. The series ranges from 1952 through 1959.

In 1932, a plan for the creation of a graduate faculty was approved by the Board of Trustees. These professors became strong advocates for increased scholarship and research at Rutgers. As a result of this quest for productive scholarship came the Rutgers University Press, a press that would publish the works of the Rutgers faculty. The plan for the establishment of the Rutgers University Press was adopted by the Board of Trustees in 1936. The Press, headed by Donald F. Cameron of the English Department and Earl S. Miers of the Department of Alumni and Public Relations, published four books in its first year. In 1939, nine titles were published. The Press' prestige surged through the 1940's, establishing a name for itself with the release of The Lincoln Reader, which was even selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club.

The Press Council evolved over time from a two-man team to a large advisory board. Donald F. Cameron remained active on this board, holding the title of Secretary, through the 1960's. The Rutgers Press and Press Council series contains documentation on the development and ensuing activities of the Press, 1945 to 1967.