Series 1, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1849-1937, .5 linear feet, is the surviving administrative files of the Librarians of the College to 1937. Although incomplete, these records reflect the scope of the librarians' responsibilities such as fund raising, staff supervision (Dewey's "blunder book"), reference, and acquisitions. The bulk of the series is correspondence. Topics range from descriptions of policies and practices, to routine acknowledgements of books received by the Library, to Sunday hours (1894), to extermination of rats in the newly-built Converse Library.

1856 Alumni subscription of $5000 for books for the library (See: bound volume at end of Series 1)

Series 2, ANNUAL AND SUMMARY REPORTS, 1873-1969, .75 linear feet, contains the Librarian's annual reports by various names (1873-74, 1882-98, 1900-28, 1932-34, 1939-49, and 1965-69), the Quarterly Bulletin of the Amherst College Library (1899-1900), and the President's Report to the Trustees, by various names, which also contains the library annual report. These reports are organized by type and arranged chronologically within each type.

In general, the annual reports describe the additions to holdings, use and circulation statistics, and library expenditures. The Librarians also used the annual report to comment on a range of concerns, including theft in the library, ongoing gifts, overcrowded stacks or reading rooms, and changes in policies. Of particular interest is Assistant Librarian Melvil Dewey's description of the classification system and his estimates of cataloging productivity (1873-74 report). The Quarterly Bulletin includes "notes from other departments of the College," and describes a range of library interests. Topics include acquisitions, changes in the Library facility, the introduction of electric lights (in January, 1901), and requests for gifts for the Memorabilia alcove (1901). The President's Report includes the Librarian's annual report, sometimes in a condensed form.

The annual reports are incomplete. Copies of Ebenezer Snell's annual reports for 1840, 1843, and 1852, are located in his diaries in the Snell Family Papers. There are some annual reports of the dormitory libraries in Series 7.

Series 3, BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION, 1897-1969, 6 folders, includes Robert Fletcher's freshman orientation attendance book, an 1897 pamphlet on the resources of the Library, and flyers from the 1960s providing information about using the Library.

Series 4, CIRCULATION, 1908-1956, .25 linear feet, contains the circulation statistics of the Library. The 1908-1956 monthly statistics provide information on the daily circulation of each class of materials, with the monthly totals. The 1925-46 summary statistics offer monthly totals (by Dewey class), with additional information about student, overnight, reading room, and dormitory library use. Overnight circulation dating from 1905 to 1906, giving title and borrower information, is contained in an oversize volume. (This volume also contains quotations, poems, and anecdotes recorded by an unidentified individual.)

Series 5, CLASSIFICATION, 1873-1970, 1 linear foot, includes Dewey's publication on classification; working and annotated copies of the volume; and other cataloging department tools used in classifying publications. Melvil Dewey (AC 1874) is credited with creating the library classification system that allowed adjacent shelving of books with related topics. A photocopy of Dewey's proposal to the College Trustees is in this series.

See also: 1873-1874 Report of the Assistant Librarian in Series 2, ANNUAL REPORTS

See also: Arrangement of Cards in a dictionary catalogue, Sabra Snell in Series 12, PROCEDURES

Series 6, COMMITTEES, 1829-1939, .25 linear feet, contains the minutes, reports, and correspondence of the Book Committee and the Library Committee. The Book Committee was charged with overseeing academic department book fund allocations. There are related records in Series 8, FINANCIAL RECORDS. The Library Committee had oversight of library policy and budget. Of particular interest is the 1876 correspondence transferring the Athenian and Alexandrian Society libraries to the College Library.

x-ref: Book Committee (See also: Series 7, FINANCIAL RECORDS, Book Expenditures 1885-1917)

x-ref: Faculty Committee on the Library: Report on the urgent needs of the library, 1937 (See: Series 1, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS)

Series 7, DORMITORY LIBRARIES, 1934-1970 [1934-53], .5 linear feet, centralizes information on the administration and operations of the fraternity and dormitory libraries. There are many gaps in the documentation. Materials include annual reports (1930s), shelf lists, use statistics, acquisitions information, and correspondence. The series is organized into two subseries: Administration, and Dormitories and Fraternities; within each subseries, files are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Series 8, FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1853-1936, 1 linear foot, contains the limited financial records of the collection. While the records do not provide an overall picture of library finances and budgeting, they do provide thorough documentation of the petty cash fund (1874-1936, with gaps), and department book allocation expenditures (1885-1908) for the time frames noted. There is also some information about the hours and wages of student assistants.

x-ref: Payroll, 1874 (See: Sears Fund)

Series 9, FIVE COLLEGE COOPERATION, 1914-1977, .5 linear feet, contains the correspondence and reports describing the cooperation among area colleges: Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, the University of Massachusetts (originally Massachusetts Agricultural College), and, later, Hampshire College. The cooperation evolved from its informal, collegial beginnings to the structured cooperation of the Hampshire Inter-Library Center (HILC), formed in 1951. Topics in the correspondence include plans for a union list of periodicals (1914), ideas for distribution of catalog cards of shared holdings, and HILC ("A report of progress to the Presidents of Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith by their Librarians"). The series is organized in two subseries: Library Cooperation and HILC. Both subseries are arranged chronologically.

Series 10, GIFTS, 1851-1933, 6 folders, contains correspondence and acknowledgements regarding particular gifts to the Library. There is some information about the William S. Tyler Fund, some of George A. Plimpton's gifts (French and Indian War Collection and individual volumes), and other gifts and contributions to the Library. Series 1, ADMINISTRATION and Series 11, HOLDINGS contain other sources of information about gifts to the Library.

Series 11, HOLDINGS, 1833-1972, 5 linear feet, centralizes the records that document the Library's holdings, including accession records, acquisitions lists, catalogs, shelf lists, and checklists.

The 15 accession volumes date from approximately 1837 to 1940 and record incoming books and serials. Accession statistics summarize purchase expenditures and binding costs, and numbers of gifts. Some statistics are divided by Dewey class. The acquisition list, identifying new library materials by subject class, was regularly distributed to the Amherst College community between 1970 and 1972. The catalogs include a handwritten subject catalog of holdings (1855), as well as published catalogs (1833, 1851, 1871). The 1827 catalog is located in Series 1, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS (it is bound with other materials). The shelf lists and checklists are yet another source documenting Library holdings. Some of these materials were working tools and are annotated (Cuttered shelf lists).

x-ref: (See also: Series 13, SERIALS AND BINDINGS, Binding Book (OV9) also contains Orders 1873-84)

Series 12, PROCEDURES MANUALS, 1917-1956, .5 linear feet is the departments' procedures descriptions. Most of the manuals seem to have been developed between 1942 and 1947, with updates annotated. Some procedures information for the dormitory libraries is located in Series 7, DORMITORY LIBRARIES.

x-ref: (See also: Series 7, DORMITORY LIBRARIES, Information and instructions for student assistants, 1946)

Series 13, SERIALS AND BINDING, 1884-1949, .5 linear feet, contains the incomplete records concerning serials, binding, and repairs. This series includes check-in forms for 1884-87 and 1910-11. The catalogs in Series 11, HOLDINGS include the serials holdings.

Series 14, RESERVE READING LISTS, 1938-1961, 2 linear feet, is the faculty's requests for books to be placed on reserve for course readings. In addition, there are some lists of scripts for the use of the Masquers, the students' theater club. The reading lists are potentially a useful source for curriculum research. The series is organized chronologically, by academic year; within the academic year, the lists are arranged by department name, then by course number.

The ADDENDUM includes annual reports of the Amherst College Library for the period 1910-1968. The Amherst Alumni Council News, 1927-1932, contains the Librarian's annual reports; the Amherst College Annual Report, 1914-1926, and the President's Report to the Trustees, 1911, 1914, 1918 and 1927-1968 contain the library annual report by various names. Bound copies of the Library Records, 1899-1965, contain the library report from the Librarian of the College. The materials are organized by type and arranged chronologically within each type.

In general, the annual reports describe the additions to holdings, use and circulation statistics, and library expenditures. The Librarians also used the annual report to comment on a range of concerns, including theft in the library, ongoing gifts, overcrowded stacks or reading rooms, and changes in policies. The President's Report includes the Librarian's annual report, sometimes in a condensed form.