Charles H. Stevens

Life

1924-? His interests included: computer techniques, administration, space and building planning, and information transfer. He believed information was a natural resource and was committed to information resource sharing via a national network. Stevens worked at the University of North Carolina library, 1951-52, was Librarian, US Air-Ground Operations School in North Carolina, 1952-54, then Librarian, Aeronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 1954-56, then Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering 1957-59.

In 1959 he moved to MIT, where he was Director of library service, Lincoln Labs, MIT 1959-65; Director of library and publications, MIT, 1962-65; then Associate director for Library Development of Project Intrex and director of the Model Library Project, 1965-72.

Stevens was Executive Director of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, In 1972-1974, then of SOLINET 1974.

Publications

• "Library pathfinders: A new possibility for cooperative reference service." With M. P. Canfield & J. J. Gardner. College & Research Libraries 34, no. 1 (Jan.1973): 40-46. [1]

Contributions

Stevens was involved with INTREX Pathfinders. Based on the assumption that readers' questions are of four types: directional; ready reference; search; and library instruction (use). "The Library Pathfinder is a kind of map to the resources of the library; it is an information locator for the library user whose search for recorded materials on a subject of interest is just beginning. A compact guide to the basic sources of information specific to the user's immediate needs, it is a step-by-step instructional tool that will, if followed, place before the user those items that the most skilled reference librarian would suggest as basic to an initial investigation to the topic." (Stevens & others 1973, p. 42).

Offices

• SLA Chairman Science and Technology Division, 1965-66
• NCLIS (first) Executive Director, 1972-74

Papers

No information