Farmington Plan
Encyclopedia
The Farmington Plan was developed by American research libraries in order to ensure access to research materials and publications regardless of war or other events around the world. The plan created a cooperative acquisitions program for foreign materials by region and subject. Even prior to the Farmington Plan, some institutions had already developed their own foreign acquisitions and preservation programs, including the University of Florida
, which preserved Caribbean materials and was only added later as partner in the Farmington Plan.
The Farmington Plan was directed from a central office located at the Harvard College Library. This central office was responsible for financial coordination as well as maintaining and collating annual records regarding the plan. The office was initially supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York
and later by the Harvard College Library. Materials were selected and purchased by Farmington Plan Agents in foreign countries, classified, and shipped to participant libraries.
The plan was plagued with difficulties. Agents had difficulty classifying acquired materials, which led to delays in the placement of documents in library collections. In addition, differences in currency and international laws complicated materials acquisitions from foreign booksellers.
Throughout its existence, numerous criticisms were leveled at the plan. Among these were the complaint that the plan would not assist in the acquiring of early-print manuscripts, or recent important printed works (which would be acquired by American library interests without the necessary intervention of the plan). Many important foreign documents, such as government publications or academic dissertations, remained beyond the plan's reach. In addition, many library professionals were dissatisfied with a perceived bias within the plan in favor of materials originating in Western European countries.
In response to the war and its affect on scholastic access to material, Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish
sent out a call for advice and suggestions on how best to handle the matter. Between 1939 and 1942 numerous suggestions and plans were put forward on the subject by several prominent American librarians of the time, all of which influenced the form of the plan at its inception.
The plan was initiated on October 9, 1942 when an advisory committee met in Farmington, Connecticut
to discuss collaborative collection development for preservation and access to foreign materials.
At its initial inception, the plan was known as the Proposal for a Division of Responsibility among American Libraries in the Acquisition and Recording of Library Materials and existed as an autonomous entity until it was formally incorporated into the Association of Research Libraries
on March 1, 1944.
At its inception, the plan surveyed and collected material from Belgium and Mexico (1944), Peru, Spain, Sweden, Canada, France, and Italy (1945).
The outbreak of the Korean War
in 1953 changed the scope and implementation of the Farmington Plan. Prior to the war it had focused primarily on the acquisition of scholastic materials, mostly from European countries. After 1953, the plan expanded to begin acquiring materials from outside western countries, and the plan's mission statement changed to emphasize the acquisition of materials with intelligence value.
The plan went into decline through the 1960s and was finally discontinued in 1972, in part due to the resurgent strength of the cross-Atlantic book markets after World War Two. However, the plan's legacy persists into the modern day in the form of numerous other cooperative foreign acquisition programs among American libraries.
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, which preserved Caribbean materials and was only added later as partner in the Farmington Plan.
The Farmington Plan was directed from a central office located at the Harvard College Library. This central office was responsible for financial coordination as well as maintaining and collating annual records regarding the plan. The office was initially supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
and later by the Harvard College Library. Materials were selected and purchased by Farmington Plan Agents in foreign countries, classified, and shipped to participant libraries.
The plan was plagued with difficulties. Agents had difficulty classifying acquired materials, which led to delays in the placement of documents in library collections. In addition, differences in currency and international laws complicated materials acquisitions from foreign booksellers.
Throughout its existence, numerous criticisms were leveled at the plan. Among these were the complaint that the plan would not assist in the acquiring of early-print manuscripts, or recent important printed works (which would be acquired by American library interests without the necessary intervention of the plan). Many important foreign documents, such as government publications or academic dissertations, remained beyond the plan's reach. In addition, many library professionals were dissatisfied with a perceived bias within the plan in favor of materials originating in Western European countries.
History
The Farmington Plan's origins stemmed from the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and the ensuing lack of access to foreign research materials by American scholars, along with the destruction of many such materials during times of conflict.In response to the war and its affect on scholastic access to material, Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish
Archibald MacLeish
Archibald MacLeish was an American poet, writer, and the Librarian of Congress. He is associated with the Modernist school of poetry. He received three Pulitzer Prizes for his work.-Early years:...
sent out a call for advice and suggestions on how best to handle the matter. Between 1939 and 1942 numerous suggestions and plans were put forward on the subject by several prominent American librarians of the time, all of which influenced the form of the plan at its inception.
The plan was initiated on October 9, 1942 when an advisory committee met in Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
to discuss collaborative collection development for preservation and access to foreign materials.
At its initial inception, the plan was known as the Proposal for a Division of Responsibility among American Libraries in the Acquisition and Recording of Library Materials and existed as an autonomous entity until it was formally incorporated into the Association of Research Libraries
Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries is an organization of the leading research libraries in North America. As of October 2006, it comprises 123 libraries at comprehensive, research-intensive institutions in the US and Canada that share similar missions, aspirations, and achievements...
on March 1, 1944.
At its inception, the plan surveyed and collected material from Belgium and Mexico (1944), Peru, Spain, Sweden, Canada, France, and Italy (1945).
The outbreak of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in 1953 changed the scope and implementation of the Farmington Plan. Prior to the war it had focused primarily on the acquisition of scholastic materials, mostly from European countries. After 1953, the plan expanded to begin acquiring materials from outside western countries, and the plan's mission statement changed to emphasize the acquisition of materials with intelligence value.
The plan went into decline through the 1960s and was finally discontinued in 1972, in part due to the resurgent strength of the cross-Atlantic book markets after World War Two. However, the plan's legacy persists into the modern day in the form of numerous other cooperative foreign acquisition programs among American libraries.
External links
- "The Farmingon Plan Survey: A Summary of the Separate Studies of 1957-1961" by Robert Vosper. Digitized at the University of Illinois Large-Scale Digitization Project.
- Review of A History of the Farmington Plan by Ralph D. Wagner published in the American Archivist, Vol. 66, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2003.
- Farmington Plan members and early workings An essay by Edwin E. Williams, posted online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship.
- Association of Research Libraries The Association of Research Libraries Website.
- The Foreign Newspaper Microfilming Project 1938-1955 Digital records of the Foreign Newspaper Microfilming Project posted by the Harvard University Library.
- Caribbean Newspaper Imaging Project at the University of Florida Digital images of Caribbean newspapers, posted by the University of Florida.