He was a delegate for Wesleyan at the first annual conference of the Association of Alumni Secretaries at Ohio State University in 1913.

He gave a report at the 1924 ALA Annual Meeting in Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled "The Cost of Cataloging; a plan for an investigation.

[13] In 1948, Rice told Marj Heyduck "I voice the pious hope that Dayton will someday vote a new library."

Rice played an active role in the 1937 Annual Conference of the American Library Association in New York City.

[16] Rice was appointed by New York Governor Herbert H. Lehman to serve as a delegate at the Annual Conference of the American Library Association in Kansas City, Missouri in 1938.

[19] Rice was involved with the Farmington Plan during World War II, working with Waldo Gifford Leland, Archibald MacLeish, Milton E. Lord and Keyes Metcalf.

[20] He was also in charge of securing rare books in the event of an air raid at the New York Public library.

"[23] In 1944, Rice wrote to Robert M. Lester, Secretary of the Carnegie Corporation in regards to a request about a book supposedly published by Joel Augustus Rogers in 1927.

Rice's investigation found no indication that the book was published in 1927; it had only been mentioned in Rogers' entry in "Who's Who in Colored America.

"[24] In 1946, Rice was involved in a national committee purchasing books from Germany, many of which would end up at the New York Public Library.

"[27] He also attended the American Library Association Conference in Chicago, and apparently an event in Dayton in that year.

In 1948, Rice received 34 Admiralty charts of the U.S. East Coast at the time of the American Revolution, presented by the British Consul General in New York, Sir Francis Evans.

In 1951, he was granted a Public Librarian's Professional Certificate from the University of the State of New York Education Department.

[30] Also in 1951, the Women's Division of Christian Service of the Methodist Church presented Rice with the book, States' Laws on Race and Color, edited by Pauli Murray.

He commented that "the best thing about the book was that it would soon become out-of-date, as forward strides were being made very rapidly in race relations legislation.

Brown of the Peabody Institute, William A. Jackson of Harvard, and Clifford K. Shipton of the American Antiquarian Society, he was invited to examine the Library Company of Philadelphia and make recommendations on its future.

[32] Also in 1952, Rice was one of five original members of the Alumni Advisory Committee of the Columbia University School of Library Service.

"[35][36] He was described by The New York Times as a "Foe of Censorship due to his defense of intellectual freedom during the Cold War.

[38][39] His service in this role was intended to steer the library after the retirement of Fremont Rider, and to help find a replacement.

He went on to say;Freedom is a dangerous way of life, but fortunately it is the way we live in the United States and public libraries must indeed help maintain it...Our citizens should not only know what they believe but why they believe it.

[17] In 1960, Rice participated in a Civil Rights fundraising drive led by Wesleyan students on Main Street in Middletown.

The Hartford Courant wrote, "Students marched down the hill from the campus to Main Street where they lined a five-block area.

About 20 faculty members including 72-year-old Paul North Rice, retired University librarian and a few co-eds from neighboring colleges joined the drive.

The family summered in Cape Cod and in a cabin near the Sprucewold Lodge in Boothbay Harbor, Maine purchased in 1943.