New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02
LIKE A BOOK ENVIRONMENT.
WOMEN THEREFORE, HOLD THEIR OWN
AS SKILLED LIBRARIANS.
ADELAIDE r. HAssE WRITES OF THE LIBRARY
SCHOOLS AND THE PROPHETS OF
COMPETENT cpADr-A1-rc

| SCHOOLS AND THE PROPHETS OF
COMPETENT GRADUATES.
Much confusion exists In the minds Of women
| ambitious TO take up library work to the pur-
pose and organization OF libraries. This is prob
ably due to the prevalent idea that It is the love Of
| books that is the making Of the successful IL
brarian AS matter Of fact. the modern librarian
! is actuated little by love Of books is the
| broker by love OF grain.
Every library is governed by a body Of trustees
or directors representing the institution. society.
city or other supporting power OF the library. This
body appoints an executive called either a IL
| brarian superintendent director 1t Is this
! individual who In the public mind controls the
affairs OF the library. This head librarian is
sisted In the discharge OF his duties by
more assistant librarians. and a more or less nu-
merous STAFF. In large library this staff includes
n business manager. bookkeeper. stenographers.
pages. electricians. engineers, printers, binders
| jantors. catalogues and attendants In small
library the stan dwndles to librarian, catalosuer
and attendants while In the smallest library all the
| functions of the above cited employees vested
| In the librarian
| Most women who seek 10 become library worker.
are either young girls Just out Of high school. or
older women forced TO become self supporting. The
smaller percentage college graduates. AS in
| teaching and acting. the two professions which
claim with library work the largest proportion Of
salaried women the preparation is more or less
| peTlunctory cOMpdTen 10 mat OeUaHueu ny inc
| learned professions. This is natural when 1t is
considered that In either OF the former occupations
success for woman depends more largely upon
temperament than upon a knowledge of any one
| of the exact sciences.
The problem which confronts the average parents
| OF collegeable girls is the vital one Of expense.
| f. e. Can they afford to have the girl give up four
| years time, at the end Of which she Will have no
especial equipment or Is 1t better policy to
specialize without the general preparation to be OBJ
tained at college?
ADVANTAGE OF COLLEGE GIRLS.
general answer to this question naturally must
be conditional. In library work the college
girl rule produces better results than her
non-colegiate competitor The colege-bred girl
has had more thorough mental discipline a more
definite purpose and probably wider personal ex-
perience-all Of which conduce to desirable poise
| in the professional woman. Moreover she Will
have reading knowledge Of at least two foreign
languages: practical experience in the Of ref
erence books: an acquaintance with general ntera-
ture and history, all important accomplishments or
the library worker Even while attending college
q girl may make some preparation toward an ac-
quaintance with library methods by doing volunteer
work In the college library.
The young girl fresh from high school. who
| cannot afford four years college and who
has decided upon library work as her future
| occupation. can follow one OF two courses;
she can do volunteer work In the local library or
| enter one OF the library schools These latter are
the Library School connected with the New-York
/ State University. Melvil Dewey, director the Ii
! brary School at Pratt Institute Brooklyn, Miss NJ
! W. P,ummer director, and the school connected
with the Illinois State University at Champaign
Miss X Sharpe, director. The Albany School and the
[ library department Of Amherst College also con-
| duct summer schools Any information as 10 cost,
| requirements. etc, may be had on application 10
the addresses given. II she does volunteer work
in the local library the girl is called an apprentice
and her of apprenticeship may vary from
three to twelve months. She receives no salary ann
her instruction is desultory and rudimentary. Her
apprenticeship Will have identified her more or less
! with that particular library. and her work having
! proven satisfactory she may receive promise OF
| O place when vacancy occurs, or she VIII nave
TO take her chances with others In another library
This apprenticeship system is In operation In most
| Of the large libraries. Some require preliminary
! examination. In others the applicant may quaiiiS
after a personal interview with the librarian.
II she enters a library school she must make
more or less rigid entrance examina ton: apply her-
| self to a course training covering from one ~
! two years During this time she is instructed
/ largely theoretically. in the various clerical occu-
pations. and in the use Of the mechanical anu
| other devices Of the modern library. AT the end
Of that she is launched as a Thoroughly
qualified library worker her Instructors exert them
selves 10 secure a place for her. and the future
seems to smile.
BRANCHES OF IHE WYNN
IN the profession she is about TO enter the library
worker will find various branches OF WORK. VIZ
clerical executive and special. The former is 10
q large ,x,ent the only one covered by the training
/ schools 1t comprises keepers Of the library rec
ords copysts and cataloguers Inc executive
branch includes the librarian and assistants anu
is occupied largely by people OF long experience or
/ Of exceptional personal ability. Special WORK Is
umted in scope and Is found only in the large IL
hraries II is confined to persons OF speciai at
tainment lnguists. experts In rare DOCKS anu
manuscripts etc
The salary of a graduate volunteer worker or
| anprenttce will probably begin at $50 and rise in
oasr s,o,os until II reaches $40. when there VIII
nrobablv be a long pause before the next gradual
| ascent 10 $50 per month. the maximum H"l' ioi
some years. How long girl receives sdi"fs
which barely suffces TO pay for the necessaries OF
! life especially in a large city, depends In small
degree upon fortuitous circumstances OUT aiino',
wholly upon the girl herself. Her appointment ana
in this as in any MEL S Ssve sss
! Hed her employers, and that she will perform me
duties assigned to her more sincerely or ana more
training school on the he consdered
begins rule at $50 while go mag work This
means that the employe receiving II mas chaIe Ia
paiw rseapded as head Of department. The sal
airy Of a head librarian varies wn no uni 81
there was 30 T9m Sn, She 'n maed and
the place is now filled by a man
FEW HOLIDAYS
The average laboring day for tho library worker
10 from O 70 and in addition, night duty from
70 on alternate nights each week. Libraries that
! 40 o,en IN SUNDAYS usually have special stan
for Sunday duty. There are few holidays Tor the
custom of keeping libraries open every day IN the
| year is being more and more generally adopted
| Vacations vary from two to four weeks The open
ing for an enterprisng girl is fair SUCH girl VIII
discovor TINT library work is not confined 10 work
| IN library She will learn that the facility she
! -, ooou,rad IN rho usc of induces, encyclopedias,