were completely outside the range of any positions we have. It would be unfair to the person to require him to file an application if we knew we had no category or type of position for which the person could be considered or in which he could be placed. In the great majority of cases, almost all cases, applicants do file an application, which is reviewed carefully. MERIT EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM Mr. FLYNT. Have you ever detected a tendency in the Library of Congress to pass over a superior or an outstanding applicant and, instead, seek out or search for mediocrity? Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir. Our entire employment system is based upon the merit system, trying to obtain the best qualified person for a particular position. In fact, there is a statutory requirement to that effect. I certainly do not know of any case where a person has been purposely passed over who was better qualified than someone who was appointed. NEED FOR APPLICANTS WITH MODERN LANGUAGE BACKGROUNDS Mr. FLYNT. What requirements do you have in the Library of Congress, in either the Congressional Research Service or other sections, for persons well trained and well qualified in one or more modern languages and the literature of the country which uses that language? Is that something that you do not have any requirement for? Dr. MUMFORD. In a good deal of our work, a knowledge of foreign languages is required. Many of the applicants, of course, have European languages. When it comes to Eastern languages, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, et cetera, for cataloging or for other purposes, it is more difficult to find qualified applicants. IMPORTANCE OF STRONG ORIENTALIA SECTION Mr. FLYNT. To approach this on a more general rather than a specific basis, this country recently concluded a tragic period in our history known variously as the Vietnam War, the Southeast Asia War, the Indochina War-by whatever name it is to be called. I listened to a lecture by an Oriental scholar who impressed me with the statement that one reason for the chaotic conditions and the morass into which our policy, both diplomatic and military, fell during that period, which I will again refer to as a tragic period, was that in all too many instances the people who were in charge, making the decisions which led to policy, while they might have been brilliant in American and European history, were in many instances almost totally ignorant in knowledge of the history, culture, and philosophy of the billions of people whom we categorize as part of the Oriental philosophy and culture. There are scholars who can recite by name and dates of reign every King and Queen of England and France, the Popes, the Presidents of the United States, and yet if you should ask some of those same people to name five of the Chinese dynasties, a number of them would be found to make less than a passing grade in knowledge of the Orient, which might be the area of the future as far as the world is concerned. I wonder if you share the thought that I have expressed and if any efforts are being made in the Library of Congress to develop a strong Asiatic or Oriental section. Dr. MUMFORD. I think we have a strong Orientalia Division in the Reference Department. The people in the Congressional Research Service and the Law Library who are providing information to Members of the Congress and committees of the Congress are certainly acquainted with the history and culture of the area with which they are dealing. Mr. Jayson, Director of the Service, can answer more specifically, but as far as providing reports to the Congress, I think we would have people who are familiar with that. Mr. FLYNT. I wonder if either you or Mr. Jayson would supply for use of the committee a list of the people in the Asiatic or Oriental section, to include a curriculum vitae as to their travels in those countries, their studies at colleges and universities located therein, and any work which they have prepared for publication and/or which has been published relating to the subject matter in which they are employed. Mr. WELSH. May I add a specific. Of the positions in my department, there is a request for two Chinese catalogers because we are very much aware of this problem and the need to acquire special material of research value so it can be cataloged and made available to reference specialists. There is recognition of this in our request. Mr. FLYNT. If you would, supply for the use of the committee a short curriculum vital for the persons in that section. Dr. MUMFORD. We will undertake to do that, Mr. Flynt, but I think you will be aware that outside of the Congressional Research Service and the Law Library, people who are required to have these foreign language abilities or qualifications are used to catalog, as Mr. Welsh has said, the materials and to assist people in the use of them, not to interpret or give opinions. Mr. FLYNT. I am aware of that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [The information requested was furnished for the use of the committee.] Mr. CASEY. Mr. Ruth? Mr. RUTH. No questions. Mr. CASEY. Mr. Coughlin? DOUBLING OF LIBRARY'S COLLECTIONS Mr. COUGHLIN. I note that over the past 10 years your collection has almost doubled, but your circulation or usage is about constant, which I guess would lead to the question: Is the doubling necessary? Dr. MUMFORD. As I have said to this committee more than once, Mr. Coughlin, it is inevitable that a large research library must grow if it is to continue to fulfill its mission. It must get the important publications that are being issued today for use today and in the future. There are more publications being issued around the world, both in this country and abroad, and under the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Library was given a specific responsibility to acquire every publication that was important for research and to catalog it and make the cataloging information available to other research libraries throughout the country. This program has been of great assistance to them because they could not recruit catalogers with all the languages re- We are selective. We do not try to acquire everything. Once an item It is inevitable that we would grow, increase in size. Mr. COUGHLIN. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. EMPLOYEE MORALE Mr. CASEY. How is the morale of your employees? You had some Dr. MUMFORD. We have spent a great deal of administrative time. We have an affirmative action program as required by the Equal I believe we have made a great deal of progress in this. By Senate amendment, a nonrecurring item for temporary In fiscal year 1974, the Library received an increase of To make a comparative transfer from preservation funds in "Salaries and expenses, Library of Congress," so that the acquisitions of materials in microform may be included -425,000 INCREASES 1. Accident compensation-reimbursement to Bureau of Employees' The Library's reimbursement to the Bureau of Em- Cost Total 2. Ingrades and reallocations: Funds are requested to cover within-grade increases and re- Salaries Personnel benefits---- Total 3. 1 day extra salary costs: Fiscal year 1974 required the payment of salary funds for a Personnel benefits.. Total 4. Annualization of pay increase: This increase is necessary to provide for annualization of Salaries Special and temporary. Total 16, 993 11, 606 5,387 572, 887 42, 883 615, 770 134, 593 10, 094 144, 687 750, 652 200 33, 148 784, 000 5. Postage To annualize in fiscal year 1975 an increase in postage which is being sought in the second fiscal year 1974 supplemental appropriation request. The increase is needed because the Postal Service denied the Library the use of a special subsidized rate which we used previously. Federal agencies are no longer entitled to any postal subsidies. 6. New positions requested (106). Processing Department (30) : To expand the scope of machine-readable cataloging 3 GS-11; 14 GS-7; 1 GS-6; 4 GS-4; 1 GS-3___. To prepare revised catalog cards to locate microfilm |