The progressive high school needs these in the building as it needs
a chemical laboratory in the building. There is no better reason for
making a student go to the public library for an ordinary bit of class
work, than for sending him to the Y. M. C. A. for his gymnasium work.
The public library fails with the high schools as follows:
1. It generally lacks official standing in the school plan, hence it
has to work with the individual teacher or principal as chance offers.
2. Teachers are often too indifferent, careless, or over-pressed by
work to come to the public library.
3. Visits to the public library for reference work, inside or
outside of school hours, takes up pupils' time, even if the school
is convenient to the public library. This difficulty gets worse as
reference work increases.
4. Library instruction should cover a number of periods, and if
given in the public library, the necessary number of visits deranges
schedules, wastes time and raises questions of discipline.
5. The public library is sometimes unable or unwilling to duplicate
books freely enough to meet school needs.