Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-02
END OF LIBRARY CONGRESS-
Librarians Conclude Their Business and
Take an Adjournment
SESSION PROVES TO Be PROFITABLE ONE
Numerous Important Topics Ars Dis
cussed and Resolutions of Appre-
citation of Hospitality of
Omaha Are Adopted.

The transmlssisslppl congress concluded
its discussion Saturday and adjourned
The first paper was one by Miss Electra
Dayton, the librarian .of Dayton, o., on
special training for library work She
emphasized the necessity for proper train
ing for the cataloguing feature OF library
work and the establishment of training
schools. This paper was discussed fully by
william Richard Watson OF Pittsburg, the
assistant librarian OF the Carnegie library
there.
The next subject taken up was the rela-
tion Of the library to other formal educa-
tional work. Papers we're read on It's rela-
tion to the public school by Purd B. Wright,
librarian, Of st. Joseph, Mo-. It's relation to
the coliere, by William C. Lane, president
or the American Library association and
librarian OF Harvard university, and its re-
lation to the club (the woman's club in par
ticular), by Mrs T. X. Sudborough of this
city. The general trend OF the discussion
OF these papers was that librarians and
teachers should come closer together in edu-
cational sympathy. Miss Kate Nc
husn' assistant principal of the
Omaha High school; Miss Virginia
Dodge, librarian of Cedar Rapids, Ia and
William Wallace and Mrs. w. w. Keysor of
this city all took part in the discussion. The
views expressed on Mrs. Sudborough's paper
were that woman's clubs should not con-
fict with the public libraries.
Resolutions OF appreciation OF the hospi-
tality OF Omaha were adopted and Victor
Rosewater and Miss Edith Tobitt the local
librarian. expressed the obligation of this
city TO the visitors.
President Lanes Address,
Perhaps the most interesting paper was
by President Lane OF the American Library
association. Briefly he said:
. The public library has three main func-
tions-the provision of entertainment. in
formation and inspiration in the last giving
assurance OF continuity OF progress in
matters intellectual and moral The duties
OF the college library lie in the same three
directions, but the function of providing en-
tertainment sinks into comparative unim-
portance, because, while the public library
naturally uses this as the best means of at
tracing its readers in the first place. the
college librarian can take 1t for granted
that the love of learning is already planted
and 1t Is his duty in cooperation with the
professors to direct and encourage this
The collection OF the literature Of informa-
tion and the literature OF power (or inspira-
tlon) demands all his energy and his at
tention Is principally directed toward or
ganizing this in accordance with the needs
OF the various departments of instruction
The chief value Of library to college is
that 1t provides the means of forming a habit
or independent judgment and the formation
or such habit should be the principal
aim OF college training.
Simple study of text books requires little
aid from the library and has little educa-
tional value; the true college method Of study
should be to send the student to various
sources Of information and opinion and re-
quire him under guidance to draw his own
conclusions. For this co operation of the
library is essential Such method Of study
has an important effect ON the character
1t begets respect for truth, accuracy open
mindedness. clear discrimination, qualities
supremely worth cultivating. The bearing
OF this ideal Of college study on the prob
lens OF library administration was then
considered.
Principle OF Classification.
The principle underlying a classification
for college libraries should be to group
the books according to the needs of the diff
ferent departments OF instruction. In classi-
fcations usually adopted by public libraries
English history, English biography, English
travel, etc, are shelved in different parts
OF the building but in college library they
belong together for the sake of the use made
OF them by the students Of English. Even
with this principle as a guide the librarian
will find many vexing problems in settling
the details of his classification, but he must
try to decide all these questions on the
by some philosophical system.
In many college libraries there is a strong
tendency to break up the general collection
into q group OF sectional libraries The
demand for this Is generally strongest from
the scientific departments, which want to
have each its own library in connection
with its laboratory. No field of science
or literature, however, can be absolutely
fenced off from other fields. though some
cases admit Of separation with less incon-
venience than others. There remains al
ways a certain common ground, in which |
the workers In various fields have common
interest. If any scientific section of Va
library Is separated off in this way enough
non technical works should remain in the
central library to satisfy the ordinary de-
mands Of the non professional reader
The subjects OF catalogue. loan system, Sc
lection Of books were briefly touched on. |
Finally the use OF a college library by men
of learning coming from any part OF the
country was spoken Of as its highest field Of
usefulness in which 1t contributes to the |
real advancement OF learning. This use
justifes the enormous expense at which a |
great college library (such as that OF Har-