This has marvelous opportunities for the librarian. Here, every 40
minutes come from 60 to 100 pupils, filling every available seat.
Many come for definite reference work, special topics, required
reading,--many just to spend a free period in browsing. In our best
high school libraries there is as little red tape as possible, even
"library passes" being dispensed with at times. Pupils are free to use
books as they choose. They crowd around the library bulletin boards for
suggestions as to good books to read, interesting magazine articles, a
glimpse of the day's news as it had been clipped by seniors and posted
in the form of a "model newspaper" under heading, "Foreign affairs,
National, State, City, Art, Civic and social betterment, etc." The
bulletin boards call attention to special art exhibits in the city, to
musical opportunities in the way of opera and concerts, etc. Teachers
in the various departments make the department bulletin boards in the
library a constant means of awakening interest. The French department
posts post cards showing views of places mentioned in their reading.
Latin teachers post reading lists on life in the time of Cicero, and
pictures of Pompeian houses, furniture, cooking utensils, etc., to make
the life real. Often at the close of a study period if all are through
their regular work the librarian gives an informal three minute talk
on some interesting thing on the bulletin boards, urges the reading
of some poem or essay or new book of biography, such as Mary Antin,
calls attention to some unusually good magazine article, or to some
good edition of a book to buy and own,--Hugh Thomson's illustrated
Silas Marner in the Cranford series, Pride and Prejudice in Everyman's
series, library binding, as a good edition to take out into the country
for summer reading.