OPENING A CHILDREN'S ROOM.
(_See_ p. 83.)
The discussion was opened by HENRY J. CARR, who said:
I cannot say why I was selected to discuss Miss Hunt's paper, unless
because I was known to her and somewhat familiar with her work and the
particular children's room fitted up under her direction in the new
building of the Newark Free Public Library.
I am so much in sympathy with Miss Hunt's views as expressed in the
paper, and regard them as so correct that I can do little but emphasize
the points she has brought out. She has been eminently wise in
presenting for consideration some of the proper guiding principles of
the children's room, something that is too often lost sight of in the
attitude taken by those responsible for their establishment and
operation.
We should not look upon the children's room as a "kindergarten," or
playground for the younger children, so much as a stepping-stone to tide
them along to the reading of books adapted to more mature minds, and
hence to "graduate" them out of it as fast as possible. It has also a
purpose, which is a further reason for retaining in this room, more or
less, an aspect similar to that of the adults' rooms. Parents to some
extent come to select reading matter for their children, and those of
mature years but immature minds may drift into this department, if it is
not made too juvenile in tone and appearance. Hence, I prefer the name
Young People's Library to that of Children's Room. I have seen boys
stand aloof at first for fear of ridicule for going into the room "for
kids." I prefer to have the discharging of books done at one main desk,
as it keeps the children in touch with adults and gives all ages more
freedom in drawing from all departments. Hence we have no special
juvenile cards. I should advise to include on the children's shelves
good books for older readers; to avoid sets or the writings of
voluminous authors, as a rule; and to aim to seek the writers of those
good books that are apt to be overlooked. Discipline and good order
should be maintained at the outset, and after that the children should
be let alone, so far as possible. They like to have a chance to inform
one another; those becoming first familiar with the room and its methods
will only too gladly induct newcomers into its operation.
Mrs. M. A. SANDERS said:
The librarian from Newark speaks from experience, for hers is an ideal
children's room, both in equipment and administration. At the dedication
of the library the interest centered largely around that department. Her
interest in the children and their work, so ably expressed, carried me
back to the early 80's, when, as some of us remember, scarcely a round
dozen libraries could be found where children were admitted. On one side
of the door we saw a placard reading, "Children not admitted under 14
years"; on the other, "Dogs not allowed." A strong appeal was made at
that time at the Thousand Island meeting for children's rights in the
public library by a librarian who was making a specialty of work with
children, and admitted them without an age limit. Glorious has been the
response, for the library that makes no provision for the children
to-day is the exception.
At Pawtucket we open our children's rooms and bid them welcome, we open
our shelves, and their judgment in the selection of books often equals
our own. We decorate the walls with pictures that appeal to the
affections, we send them into the homes, and by and by we see an entire
family gathered around the table deeply interested in the pictures and
the description of them as they read from the books brought home by the
children. We put in our cases of birds, which the children delight to
study, and soon a mother says to us, "I never thought much about the
birds till the children began to talk about them, but we have been out
every morning listening for the new calls as the birds appear in the
spring." In these and various other ways we see the influence of the
children's room, which is broadening every day.
There is, however, many a library where the children's room has not yet
materialized, either from lack of space or funds, that is exerting a
powerful influence through its children, and I question sometimes
whether it may not be a mistake to draw too sharp a line of separation.
Where should we draw our line? At just what age do girls and boys cease
to be children? That has been for me a serious question; I wonder if you
have escaped it, and if the children's room solves it.
I am in hearty sympathy with the opinion expressed that "the management
and spirit of the children's room should correspond to that of other
departments of the library." There seems to be a tendency to make these
rooms a play-room--the children coming to be amused, and the time of one
person devoted to their amusement. If this is the design of the
children's room, our own young people at Pawtucket will be sadly
disappointed. While we will put in the pictures, the birds, the plants,
the busts and all else to make the room interesting, and while we will
have frequent talks in the lecture room, the children being quietly led
on to express themselves freely, the quiet dignity of the children's
library room as an important part of the library will be maintained. The
books will also be charged at the main charging desk for them, as we
feel that this bringing of the adult and the child into close contact is
of mutual benefit.
The discipline of the children's department has never been a serious
question to us. Give them a very few brief rules, and enforce them, and
we shall have no great troubles to contend with; the children will
virtually take care of themselves.
The question is asked us, "For what does the children's room stand, what
is its real purpose?" It is evident that it has a different purpose in
different libraries. To us the children's library room is for reading,
for study, for observation, for questioning undisturbed and
undisturbing, while the entire library is still at the service of any
child who desires to make practical use of it.