Dedication of the John W. Cell Library
Speech by I. T. Littleton, May 20, 1968
(Found in University Archives UA 9.3, Cell Folder)
First, I would like to bring greetings and congratulations to the Mathematics Department from the staff of the D. H. Hill Library. We congratulate you, and Dr, Cell, posthumously, on the establishment and growth of the John W. Cell Library. Dr. Cell devoted much time and energy to building the Mathematics collection both in the D. H. Hill Library and in his own department. In his death, the Library Staff feels a tremendous loss. His enthusiasm for Library development on this campus was an inspiration to us. He believed, as any outstanding educator must, that a strong library is an indispensable requisite of a great university.
I remember one chance meeting that we had several years ago. He expressed concern that the graduate and research programs of the University would be hindered unless our library grew substantially. He said very enthusiastically that our library must grow by several hundred thousand volumes if the college was to fulfill its mission as a university. When he began to accumulate volumes for a Mathematics Department Library he insisted that they be fully cataloged in the D. H. Hill Library. He said that he wanted them included in the total volume count of the University. I am glad to report that all volumes in the John W, Cell Library are fully cataloged and are available to students and faculty of all departments. This is the way Dr. Cell wanted it.
Another thing that Dr. Cell strongly believed is that separate libraries should not only supplement but duplicate the main library. He personally obtained special funds from training and research grants for the purchase of books for this collection and he insisted that any title in the departmental collection be in the main library. If a title requested for the departmental collection was not in the D. H. Hill Library he requested that we purchase two copies from the special funds–one for the D. H. Hill Library and one for the collection in the department. As a result of Dr. Cell's efforts over the past few years, the mathematics collection in the main Library has been greatly strengthened, as well as the departmental collection.
Learning the use of the library should be a vital part of the education of every student. To keep up–even to survive in this rapidly changing world we must continue to learn and to develop, or we will lag hopelessly behind. Formal education should prepare the student for a lifetime of study and reading, since, to some extent, we must all be eternal students. This is why teaching students to use the library, to find information, to keep up with developments, is of such vital importance. It is the reason that strong faculties and strong libraries are the most essential ingredients of a university. The two keys to greater library use by students are the easy accessibility of books and the encouragement of library use by the faculty.
The growth of our library resources in all fields, but especially in mathematics has been very rapid within the past few years. The total number of volumes has doubled since 1960. But the growth of library resources must be even greater in the years ahead if N. C. State is to provide the information needed for its graduate and research programs which are expanding into many new fields.
In preparation for this anticipated growth, architectural plans have already been developed for a greatly expanded main library. I am pleased to announce that, thanks to our Chancellor, Provost, and Business Manager, funds are available now to proceed with this expansion. A nine story book-stack addition which will house the research collection of almost one million volumes will join the D. H. Hill Library building on the west and the student union building on the easy. The Union will also become library space. I am sure that Dr. Cell would be pleased and proud.
The development of a specialized mathematics collection and the encouraging growth and expansion of the D. H. Hill Library are symbols of the changes that are taking place in the transition of this institution from a college to a university. In the course of achieving maturity and stature universities have shown similar patterns of library development, They eventually develop many outstanding specialized research collections in addition to a strong and distinguished main library.
Our university is reaching now toward a volume count of half million volumes so most of library growth is ahead of us. In addition to the growth of the central research collection, there will be and already are, pressures for the establishment of many other collections outside the central library.
The inception and development of this splendid mathematics collection named so appropriately in honor of Dr. Cell might serve as an example for other developing collections. Not only must we depend on rich institutional support to fulfill our library mission, but resources must be garnered from federal and private agencies, and, indeed through the interest and enthusiasm of individuals, such as those of Dr. John W. Cell.