At the University of Pennsylvania, De Gennaro gained control of the university's biomedical library, which once reported to the dean of Penn's medical school, recalls H. Carton Rogers,associate director of libraries there. Rogersserved as De Gennaro's financial officer for 12years.

For De Gennaro, supervision of the biomedicallibrary was an "important political move," Rogerssays. And sweeping changes like that, he says,often create political rivals.

"I think it's probably safe to say that Dickprobably had as many enemies as he had friends atPenn," Rogers says.

But De Gennaro only made changes he considerednecessary, Rogers says.

"There were things that he did that madefaculty angry, but he did them because he felt heneeded to do them," Rogers says.

Joan I. Gotwals, who also worked with DeGennaroat Penn, agrees that his changes often made thelibrary run more smoothly.

"We in some cases merged libraries and closeddown some of the department libraries in order toprovide a better service," Gotwals says.

But Gotwals, herself vice-provost and directorof the library at Emory University, warns thatchanges involving personnel should be made verycarefully. It is important, Gotwals says, toretain the trust of staff members.

"Have a lot of discussions with your staff andwith your faculty, and work through these thingsin as gradual a way as possible," Gotwalssuggests. "Be very concerned and careful aboutmaking sure that no one really gets hurt."

Some observers say, however, that in imposingchanges on the Harvard library, De Gennaro washardly such a consensus-builder.

"I personally was a little bit disappointedwith his style," says Wolfgang M. Freitag. Lastyear, Freitag reached the age of retirement andstepped down from his post as Fine Arts librarian.

"I expected [De Gennaro] to be a modern managerwho would manage through a consensus with hisdepartment heads," Freitag recalls. Instead, hesays, the new librarian's management style was "alittle bit autocratic."

The result, Freitag says, was the alienation ofmany library staffers. Ironically, he notes, DeGennaro had every opportunity to build a consensusamong library workers.

Before De Gennaro came aboard, the librarystaff fought against two previous candidates forthe directorship De Gennaro ultimatelyassumed--candidates whom they considered mediocre."We wanted him to come," Freitag says. "We wantedhim to make the changes."

"Change" is a word De Gennaro uses frequently,a word he thinks embodies his role and hismission. He is proud of what he has done so far inthe library, and predicts that "we're going to bemaking even more changes in the future."

De Gennaro admits that change is difficult toimplement smoothly--especially at a conservativeinstitution like Harvard University. Director ofthe University Library Sidney Verba '53 says thatthe new adjustment to the library system is "onethat in a certain respect is painful."