GLEETT - University of Washington

The History of S
Havirg worked in the cataloging Department of the Indiana University
Libraries since 1953, I found that actually there was no forum within the
structure of the American Librazy Association for discusi on topice
specifically related to dealin3 with Slavic and East European library
materials. There was, for exariple, an urgent need of revision of IC
classification, main entries, and subject headings related to the Soviet
Union and Eastern Europe and it was necessary to have an organized group
within AlA, which could create pressure upon IC to make the badly needed
Participating In the AlA creiferenoe In Washington D.C. In 1953, I
raised the question of creating a special subsection, dedicated to Slavic
librarianship, within the Subject Specialist Section durIng this Section's
meeting. I also discussed the need of the existenoe of such a subsection
with several persons at the Library of Qmzess. I led discussions on this
topic with many Slavic librarians also at the next AlA ocnferenoes and
especially at the AlA conference in Miami Beach In 1962.
)y idea of creating a subsection, which would represent Slavic and
East Fnrean librarians and serve their interests, found support form
several librarians, including Dr. tawrex H. Miller, and Mr. D. H. Shtthryn,
i.tio began their work in the University of Illinois Libraries in 1959 and
1960 respectively.
Derixg the AlA conference in Miami Beach, I talked about the proposed
subsection with Miss Katharine M. Stokes, President of )L, as veil as
with Mr. Iricker, thairman of the Subject Specialist Section. They both
expressed their surt for the creation of the subsection. The only thing
which reeained to be done, was to flxd at least twenty five esT*iers of
the American Library Association who ld be willing to sign a petition
for the creation of the proposed subsection. Being too tusy, I teqiorarily
postponed oniiectiry the needed signatures. This was done by Mr. L.H.
Miller in the fall of 1P62.
Waea I received a letter from Mr. Miller of Octcher 19, 1962
concerning our petition, I suggested that the proposed organization should
be within the Subject Specialist Section and should be called Slavic and
East European Subsection. In order to expedite its approval, I prepared a
draft of its by-laws and sent it with my letters to Miss 1