Evening star., 1896-12-02
Librarians Tell What They Think
Of the New Library.
SUGGESTIONS As 70 Its GOVERNMENT
Facts Brought Out by the Joint
Congressional Committee.
WEAK IN SOME LINES

After The Stars report closed Yesterday
afternoon the Joint committee on the H.
brary continued the examination of the
| librarians who had been invited to an
pear.
Prof. Dewey Of Albany was recalled and
| was asked what force he thought would be
necessary to. conduct the new Congress
sional Library. He replied that 1t depended
greatly upon the administration of the
! library. He thought the library should
| certainly not start with less than 100 en-
ployes. OF this number sixty should be
librarians and catalogues. 1t would be
necessary. Of course, to increase the force
| in the future.
In the selection Of these employees the
civil service rules should apply. In New
York the state civil service board is called
upon to furnish the employees for the state
| library
| Mr.. Quieg said 1t is the historic policy
| of Congress to employ its own servants
| and not to get them from the civil service.
| The committee may not deem II best to at
| tempt to inaugurate new policy. He,
| therefore, asked what Prof. Dewey thought
| of board of examiners, consisting of
prominent librarians. operating under di-
rection Of Librarian Spofford and the joint
new library.
Prof. Dewey said he thought such
| plan would prove satisfactory. He thought
| the librarians of the country would be
| glad to act in such capacity He then
| gave the committee an outline of the work
| pursued by the schools established for the
| training of librarians and library en-
ployes.
Have the great libraries of the country,
generally drawn upon the library training
| schools for their employees" asked Mr..
Quigg.
Prof Dewey replied that while the system
| is new ard the majority of library en-
| ployes not graduates of these schools.
a majority of the graduates are filling posi-
tions in libraries The system Is yearly
becoming TO be more appreciated
How to Select Employees.
Professor Dewey was shown the estimate
of Mr.. Spoford for the increased force Of
the new library and was asked to point
out those positions which should be filled
by competitive examination. He said that
practically all of the appointments should
be made after examination. In the case of
the forty-two employees Of the library now
at work, however, no examination should
be required
What system Of supervision over the
| whole work of the library would you sug
gest to Congress-" asked Mr.. Quigg.
Professor Dewey replied that The first es-
| sential should be the Selection of Il man of
| great executive ability and administrative
qualities the head of the library.
What congressional supervision would
1
Of Congress?" asked Mr. Quigg.
Professor Dewey replied that in the first
place, the library should be regarded as a
national library and not as a congressional
library. He thought 1t mistaken idea
that this should be set down a library
of Congress and taken from under the civil
service law because it is not an executive
department.
He could not see how a congressional
committee. with the other responsibilities
of the members, would find the time to at
tend properly to the national library. He
held that since the early lays of the
| library, it has grown away beyond the
original idea under which the little colec-
| tion of $1,000 worth Of books for the Use of
Congress was established.
He thought the national library should
be an executive department under the con-
troll of a board of trustees. 1t might be
practicable to have the President of the
United States appoint the trustees, a
board could be formed like :he board of
regents Of the Smithsonian. Professor
Dewey explained to the committee the sys-
tenn that prevails in. the New York State
Library, which is managed by a board of
regents.
Professor Dewey was asked if he thought
a board of regents composed of civilians
would evidence greater sense OF RESPONSE
blity than a board .of congressman, sit
ting as a joint committee. He answered
that he did think So. While 1t was true as
suggested by Mr.. Quisg. that the civilians
would be engrossed with their own affairs
the same would be the case with the Con-
gressmen, who would also be incumbered
with their public duties of legislative
character.