During the past year we have done four things: Trained thirty students
for the one year certificate; given partial training to members of
the library staff, to be continued or completed the coming year;
given the same to members of other library staffs, to be continued or
completed, both to be recognized by pass-cards; and tested three sets
of probationers for the lowest grade of the library service.
There is nothing especial to be said about the first class, except
that out of twenty-five who were able to do the full year's work, more
than twenty applied for the second year and the diplomas. Of these,
three asked for the unpaid practice, amounting to fifteen hours per
week, and taken as an equivalent for their tuition. These three will
probably take two courses of the three offered for the second year in
administration, advanced cataloging, and reference work, and in work
with children.
The remainder have applied for paid positions at not less than $50 per
month, with one course in the school. As members of the staff for the
time being, they will have no tuition to pay.
The second type of student we hope may increase in number as time goes
on. One branch librarian took about half the course, carrying on her
regular work and responsibilities, and seemed none the worse. Others
took single subjects in which they were interested. One assistant from
a suburban library did the same, commuting daily. These, of course,
were assigned only a nominal amount of practice, since they had their
regular work. For these as well as the probationers the entrance
examinations of the school were insisted on. The probationers being
usually too young for the school, were allowed three conditions, since
they have plenty of time to work them off before old enough to enter
the school. Others take the probation first, and if appointed to the
staff, serve six months or more, and can then enter the school as
staff members without tuition.
They understand that they are not in any sense a class, that they are
not being trained but merely tested, that the school is responsible
only for the original selection of the probationers, and though it may
take and does take an interest it has no real jurisdiction after this
selection is made.
Mr. Brett announced that the Cleveland public library would introduce
a training class for children's librarians in which the students would
be given practical work for five days and receive five-sixths of the
regular salary. The remainder of the time will be given to instructions
and lectures.
Mr. W. H. Kerr stated that the State normal school at Emporia, Kansas,
had a course in library work which required one-fourth of the time in
the four years.
Miss Hazeltine presented the card code of over five hundred cataloging
rules which had been prepared by the Wisconsin library school for
instruction in its school, after consultation with, and assistance from
many librarians.
In response to a question by Miss Mary E. Hall as to what was being
done to train librarians to take charge of school libraries, the
discussion turned to that subject.
Several of the schools mentioned that practical work in school
libraries was given their students. Emphasis was laid on the point
that high school students who had taken a course in the high school in
library methods were not qualified to have charge of school libraries.
A preliminary report was presented from the chairman of the committee
on the uniformity of forms of catalog cards in simplified cataloging.