Here the librarian in the school finds boundless opportunities not
possible in public library work. Parents' receptions are held in the
evenings in the large and beautiful library room and the librarian acts
as hostess. Here come rich and poor of all nationalities,--learned and
unlearned and the librarian meets them all, talk over with them, the
boys and girls, shows them what the library tries to do for them and
goes over the parents' problems with those who read too much or those
who are reading trash,--and last but not least those who do not like to
read. The librarian suggests good books and good editions for parents
to buy and the number of note books and pencils at work show how eager
many are for this help--they delight in the beautiful illustrated books
almost as much as the boys and girls.
The noon hour offers great possibilities to the school librarian.
Here she is "at home" to all students who want to talk about books.
Around her desk is held a daily "book symposium." Absolute freedom and
frankness is encouraged. She is aided in her recommendations by the
pupils' own comments of approval and their word goes farther with a
doubting soul than any word of hers. If a pupil returns a book with "I
don't like it," the librarian tries to find where the trouble was. If
it was the first page or chapter which seemed uninteresting she points
out the place just ahead where it begins to be most interesting, gets
a student nearby who read and liked the book to tell just enough to
show the doubting pupil what he is missing by not reading it. Or, if on
talking with the pupil it seems he would not like that particular book
she assures him it is nothing to be ashamed of if one does not like all
great books,--that we have to grow up to some, that some may never be
interesting to us while absorbingly interesting to others. The personal
equation has to be considered.
Library reading clubs are a great power for influencing the reading
of high school pupils. It is the age of clubs and organizations. In
the books the pupils choose while browsing the librarian finds a point
of contact and by the reading clubs can direct the voluntary reading.
Interests unsuspected by teachers are revealed to the school librarian.
An interest in art by a pupil thought hopeless in mathematics and
physics and only a fair student in other things. The librarian in the
school has expert aid in this club work. For the library reading club
on art she selects the most inspiring and sympathetic art teacher on
the faculty. For those who are reading Darwin and Spencer and Huxley,
the finest teacher in biology who thoroughly knows the literature and
can make the reading mean much. For those interested in civic and
social questions, clubs for discussion and debate are formed with
English and history teachers for advisers, but all center in the
school library and meet there after school. After school, also where
the library is large or there are two rooms, students may stay to
study,--tenement homes and apartments are often difficult places for
quiet work. For our own school a biography reading club has been a
great success, the students reading interesting biographies of famous
women, Alice Freeman Palmer, Carla Wenckebach, Jane Addams, Florence
Nightingale, etc. Also lives of great explorers, artists, musicians,
statesmen, etc.