Gerald R. Brong Papers, 1967-1980

This collection consists of professional papers of Gerald "Jerry" Brong while he worked at Washington State University Libraries during the 1970s. The materials reflect Brong's activities during the first years of the Information Age when libraries diversified not only access to materials through early online networks and databases but also the types of materials they housed especially non-print ones. Brong devoted his attention to the WSU Libraries' growing collection of audiovisual resources, to their use in education, and increasingly to educational technology. His expertise in non-print media and interest in technology's application to library services led to involvement in statewide and national efforts. Among those were his leadership of the Washington State Library Futures Planning Task Force from 1974 to 1975 to develop intrastate cooperation mechanisms to meet the needs of library users in the present and future, advocacy for recognition of the audiovisual specialty nationally through the Association for Educational Communication and Technology and within Washington State's librarian certification, contributions to various divisions of the American Library Association, and participation in the 1979 White House Conference on Library and Information Services.