An associate professor and coordinator of the University Library�s Reference area is the author of a new book about libraries and American Society during World War II.

Patti Clayton Becker is the author of "Books and Libraries in American Society during World War II: Weapons in the War of Ideas," published by Routledge, New York, N.Y., as part of its series "Studies in American Popular History and Culture."

Based on Becker�s UW-Madison dissertation, the book describes how America�s libraries dealt with the daunting challenge of meeting demands for war-related services and materials using Depression-weakened collections, inadequate budgets and demoralized staff. It also chronicles the efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) to meet wartime demands by creating new programs such as film forums, patriotic exhibits and Victory Book Campaigns, to be implemented by local libraries,.

While local libraries responded to their communities� needs as best they could, the ALA turned to the federal government for support for its ambitious program to put libraries in official war service. However, ALA met significant resistance from legislators, government agencies and many librarians and library users.

"Ever since the days of the Vietnam War, I have been interested in how war affects the home front," says Becker. Her English master�s thesis was about the war novels of Edith Wharton.

Becker, who holds a Ph.D. from UW-Madison, is a Stevens Point native and the daughter of Lorraine Clayton, 1934 Division St. She holds a bachelor�s degree from UWSP and master�s degrees from Columbia University and Drew University. She has presented material at the Wisconsin Library Association, Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing, ALA, and the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians. In May of 2003 she published "In Time of War," (pg. 54-57) in "American Libraries."