BIBLIOGRAPHICAL WORK

The inquiry was made of the reporting libraries whether any

bibliographical work was being done by the high school. The

question was not well put, and was sometimes misunderstood.

Almost no such work was reported. At Evanston, III., one high

school teacher has taught her class to prepare bibliographies,

the librarian assisting. At Brookline we have ambitions, not yet

realized, of getting each high school class to prepare one

bibliography a year (we begin modestly) on some subject along

their lines of study. Last May the principals of two grammar

schools offered to try their ninth grades on a simple

bibliography. The school reference librarian selected some 60

topics of English history--Bretwalda, Sir Isaac Newton, East

India Company, the Great Commoner, etc. Each bibliography was to

include every reference by author, title and page to be found in

the books of the school reference collection of the public

library. The pupils displayed no little zest and enjoyment in the

undertaking, and some creditable lists were made. Observation of

the work confirmed my belief in its great practical value. Pupils

became more keen and more thorough than in the usual getting of

material from one or two references on a subject. Such training

will smooth the way and save the time of those students who are

to make use of a college library, and is even more to be desired

for those others whose formal education ends with the high or

grammar schools.

The practice of sending collections of books from the public

library to the schools is becoming general. When these

collections are along the lines of subjects studied, it would

seem as if the reference use of the library by pupils might be

somewhat diminished thereby. No doubt it is a convenience to both

teacher and pupils to have books at hand to which to refer. The

possession of an independent school library also tends to keep

the reference work in the school. But in neither case ought the

reference use of the public library or its branches to be wholly

or materially overlooked, since it is on that that pupils must

depend in after years, and therefore to that they must now be

directed. We recognize that the people of modest means need the

library. As for the very-well-to-do, the library needs them.

Other things being equal, the pupil who has learned to know and

to know how to use his public library ought later so to

appreciate its needs and so to recognize the benefits it bestows

that he will be concerned to have it generously supported and

wisely administered.

Even we librarians claim for our public collection no such fine

service as is rendered by those private treasures that stand on a

person's own shelves, round which "our pastime and our happiness

will grow." Books for casual entertainment are more and more

easily come by. But so far as our imagination reaches, what

private library will for most readers supplant a public

collection of books for purposes of study and reference? Is it

not then fitting that we spend time and effort to educate young

people to the use of the public library? Do not the methods for

realizing this end seem to be as deserving of systematic study as

the details of classification and of cataloging? We have learned

that to bring school authorities to our assistance our faith must

be sufficient to convince and our patience must be tempered by a

kindly appreciation of the large demands already made upon the

schools. Have we not yet to learn by just what lessons and what

practice work the reference use of the public library can best be

taught to children?

INSTRUCTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE USE OF LIBRARY CATALOGS

AND REFERENCE BOOKS

The necessity of close cooperation between school and library in

the practical use of books as tools in order that we may have

"our grown people more appreciative of the value of their public

library and better able to use it" is clearly brought out in this

article written by Miss Elizabeth Ellis, Peoria Public Library,

for Public Libraries, July, 1899. Miss Ellis says: "It was

written at a time when we had no children's department and was an

account of my pioneer efforts made entirely as a side issue from

my own work as general reference librarian."

Elizabeth Ellis spent one year in the New York State Library

School, later taking three months of special work. With the

exception of organizing a library at Wenona, Illinois, her work

was with the Peoria Public Library. She is not now in library

work.

Since the public school of today is the source from which must

come our support tomorrow, it behooves us to give some attention

to the proper training of our school children if we would have

our grown people more appreciative of the value of their public

library and better able to use it.

We cannot begin too early, and if the children fall into line

there will be no trouble with the coming generation.

But they must learn to really use the library; to feel that they

are standing on their own feet and using their own tools, not

merely that there is a pleasant room where a good story may be

had for the asking. They must grow up in such familiar use of the

library in all its departments that it will come to be an actual

necessity to them in the pursuit of knowledge.

There are music, drawing, and physical culture teachers for our

schools; may we not have a few lessons in how to use a library to

the best advantage as part of the course? This field for

instruction may be worked to advantage by the librarian, with

comparatively little expenditure of time after the first round

has been made.

Teachers often feel that they have themselves already more

outside work than they can accomplish, but they are really glad

to have this instruction given in their schools, and in our

experience they have invariably taken great interest in it and

have done all in their power to further our efforts.

There is certainly no library work which sends in its returns

more promptly, for children feel an instinctive sense of

ownership in their library, and take a personal interest in

anything pertaining to it. They give the most flattering

attention and put their instructions into immediate practice. I

believe they really take more interest in the subject when

presented by "a lady from the library" than if it were only an

additional school lesson taught them by their teacher.

Most of the practical instruction must come in the grammar grades

and high school, but it is well to begin as early as the third

year, and possibly with the second, if there are found to be many

children in a room who have already begun to take books and if

there is no age limit. If it should so chance that only a small

number in a room are library members, it is better to give only

the general interesting library talk, leaving the specific

instruction till a second visit, when the fruits of the first

will probably appear. There is one point for the lowest room

which it may be well to mention. See to it that they are learning

to say their A B C's in the good old-fashioned way, for upon this

depends all familiar use of catalogs and indexes.

Any child who can write can fill out a call slip, and this we

teach them to do from the very first, either from a catalog when

help in selection must be given, or from a special list of books

for little children.

It must be impressed upon them that if they do not understand the

general instruction you are always ready and glad to explain

further. If they feel that you are really interested, even the

smallest ones will work with enthusiasm to prepare their own call

slips instead of asking each time for just any good book.

The intermediate grades, the fifth and sixth, and sometimes the

fourth, are quite able to understand the general catalog. I

should not advise much explanation at the school, at least in

these grades, of the card catalog, if the library has a printed

list. The use of a classed catalog, with its index, is easily

comprehended, and there are many whole classes of books which

these children will enjoy knowing about; boys, I should say,

perhaps, for it is the pages containing electricity,

photography, boat-building, and hunting, which are worn and

crumpled. It is the classed catalog which they will use most, but

they should understand the difference between it and the author

list.

In all schools it is a good plan to give quizzes, even on a first

visit, to draw the children out. Those who are already patrons of

the library are delighted to show their knowledge. Afterwards it

would be well before the day of the visit, with the teacher's

consent, to send a short set of questions which would be answered

and returned for correction, thus giving you an idea of what

points need dwelling upon. These questions would vary from the

simplest points in filling out library numbers, giving authors to

titles and vice versa, to questions on arrangement, use of

dictionary catalog and of various reference books.

In upper grades and high school add a simple explanation of the

card catalog as being the most complete record, trusting to their

interest in coming to the library to use it practically. If there

is no printed catalog this explanation will have to be given to

fifth and sixth years also.

They should be advised to use both kinds, and particularly the

dictionary catalog for biography, as the short analytical

references are most often what they want.

Children, boys again particularly, take to the card catalog with

a confidence often lacking in their elders. I have seen them even

make out their fiction lists from the cards in preference to the

printed catalog, though for what reason I cannot explain, unless

it is their innate desire to explore the unknown.

It is a good plan to have sample cards plainly written in large

form on a sheet of paper, in addition to using a section of the

catalog itself if it seems advisable to take it. In lower rooms a

blackboard talk holds the attention better.

The use of the guide card, which misleads so many grown people,

the heading in red, and the see and see also cards in the

dictionary catalog, and the arrangement of biography in a classed

list are a few points, which may need dwelling upon, and which I

mention as having been found in our experience to be pitfalls for

the unwary.

In the upper grade rooms, and particularly in the high school,

comes the use of the encyclopedias and reference books.

I have found it hard to hold the attention of sixth-year pupils

in this part, but they ought to be familiar with a good

encyclopedia and biographical dictionary, and the gazeteer.

Tell them about Harper's Book of facts, Hayden's Dictionary of

dates, the Century and Lippincott reference books and so on; also

Chambers' Book of days, and the mythological dictionaries, in

addition to the best encyclopedias, leaving at each school a

descriptive list of these books for their further use. Call

especial attention to the biographical dictionaries--few persons

know how to use a set whose index is in the last volume; also

note difference between table of contents and index in general

books, and accustom them to use the latter. If there is a very

large reference room it might be well to have some of the best

books for school use collected on one shelf, and of course every

children's room should be thus supplied.

Poole's index may be explained for the principle, but practically

people are so sure to select the very volume you have not that it

is well to use a little discretion with regard to it, unless you

have made an index of all your own periodicals which are included

in Poole, and can induce children to be patient enough to use it

as a key to the other. The Cumulative index is rather better to

teach them the use of periodicals, since it does not contain so

many, and also as it gives such a very good idea of the

dictionary catalog. The back numbers can be used in your

explanations in the schoolroom for both purposes. Find out

whether there is a debating society, and if so bring out Briefs

for debate, Pros and cons, and tell them specially about the

periodical indexes for late subjects.

Care must be taken not to crowd too much into one lesson, or to

make it too technical; this latter point we must specially guard

against, and experience in teaching comes into good use here.

Their individual work with these books will have to be overlooked

for some time, even though they are not conscious of it; and one

must be ready to fly to the rescue and lend a helping hand

without a special request, which I have found some children too

timid to make.

In the first year of this kind of work the grammar grades and

high school would need some of the instruction given in the lower

grades, and after the system is really in working order there

would be no actual need to go beyond the grammar grade, as the

aim should be to have all really necessary instruction given then

as so large a majority of pupils never go farther; but in the

high school, if advisable, a course in bibliography could be

introduced, based on their school work.

The use of the reference room, or reference desk, is a thing to

be taught as much as the books themselves, and in this matter

those libraries in which there is not an entirely separate

children's room may have an advantage.

I am told that there is a certain feeling of timidity in entering

a reference room which is sometimes hard to overcome in children

accustomed to a special room and attendant.

Whatever the arrangement, they must be made to feel that the

reference room, its appliances and its attendants, are part of

their school outfit, an annex to the school as it were, however

much we, carrying out the idea of Dr. Harris, may think the

school an annex to the library. Accustom them as far as possible

to use reference books at the library, and perhaps the coming

generation will not invariably demand a book to take home, no

matter how small the subject or how large the number of

applicants for the same.

In this, as in all other school work, we must look to the teacher

for aid after the technical use of our tools is taught.

The average child does not so much need the encouragement to read

which may come from the library as constant guidance, which, to a

large degree, must and does rest with the teacher, and in this

matter of instruction much must depend on her even though the

teaching itself is not imposed upon her as part of her duties.

Explain to her your ideas, get her individual interest, and I can

testify that she will assist in many ways. Children take their

tone from their teacher, and the battle is half won if we have

her hearty cooperation. A catalog should be placed in every

school, and this she will help her pupils to use in nature work,

history, and geography, and at the different holidays; also for

their selections in speaking.

Particularly can she help in regard to their use of the reference

room. She will remind them from time to time to go there instead

of to the general delivery counter for special school topics. She

will furnish a weekly memorandum of her essay work, this

especially in the high school. She will send a warning note when

her whole class is to descend upon us in a body at the busiest

part of the afternoon, thereby probably saving our reputation in

the minds of these young people whom we are laboring to convince

that the library is an inexhaustible storehouse of information,

equal to any demand which may be made upon it.

Now is the time for them to put their theoretical knowledge into

practice, and we must often turn them loose with the reference

books to find their own way, if we would be able in the future to

deny the accusation that we are fostering laziness by having the

very page and line pointed out.

I really believe that when the present library and school

movement, has had time to exert its influence over even one

generation, unlimited possibilities will unfold. Think what it

will be to have our legislatures and city councils, our school

and library boards and corps of teachers, drawn from the ranks of

those who have grown up in the atmosphere of the public library

to a true appreciation of its value.