The evening times., 1899-01-31
garded by some libraries of lesser scope as

The Library has not yet developed highly
specialized service in many directions
within its own walls, and it has not sought
to extend it's service beyond them.
This institution is not merely undevel-
oped; 1t Is not yet even organic.
Qualifications for Librarian.
With whom does the responsibility for
its organization and it's development rest?
With its Librarian in Chief. For in the Lii
brary OF Congress, to an extent hardly
paralleled in any other library the Libra
riaP is the chief executive. The funds for
maintenance must be secured from Con-
gress. But, the appropriation once grant
ed, the Librarian is supreme. The Con-
gressional Committee on the Library ex-
ercises almost none of the contral exer-
cised by an ordinary board OF directors. 1t
does not even pass on the Librarians
choice of assistants, still less, does it in
terfere with his choice of books. 1t rarely
and only on the most special occasions in
terposes itself between the Library and
other institutions. With the Librarian the
character the conduct, and the future of
the Library rest. 1t lies with him to de-
termine policy, to organize and in the
large sense to administer.
At this crisis the Office is suddenly left
vacant. What capacities should be re-
quired OF the man who is to fill it? Clearly
these: Personal probity, tact, firmness,
proved success in conciliating various in
terests; capacity for immediate and vigor-
Gus initiative; enthusiasm, without tenn
perance, credulity or superfciality; breadth
OF view; knowledge of communities and
or affairs not merely provincial; admins
tratiye ability, and actual successful ex-
perience in administration Of possible in
the administration of a library, but if not
in library the test of success should be
more severe). A specially important test
should be judgment and independence (as
well of himself as of others) in the selec-
tion of his subordinates, general education,
a certain familiarity with libraries and
system of library administration, and such
professional experience may feasibly be
secured
The National Library is certainly en-
titled to the best professional experience
attairable. Is it sufficient that this should
be found only among its subordinate off
cials?
Granted that the chief executive must
leave detail to his subordinates, and that
he is not himself called upon TO exercise
minute technical knowledge in any one
branch of library science, 1t is at least
certain that he must have sufficient knowl
edge OF the scope, mechanism, and methods
in each department of library science TO
enable him to choose ftly the subordinate
who is to administer that department I'M
der him, TO determine a proper policy and
to appreciate intelligently and sympatheti-
cally the problems with which the subor-
dnate has TO deal and the recommenda-
tions which he lays before him. Such
knowledge is required of the chief execu-
tive in the conduct of great business un-
dertakings, and the most successful OF such
executives are men who have built up this
| knowledge through actual experience.
The chief executive of the National Lii
brary has TO administer a great business;
he has to care for and direct large
plant in some respects highly technical:
| he has to direct the expenditure of large
sums of money, and he has to select or
ganize, and direct the work of a large
| force of employees. These employees are
themselves professionally trained and the
work which they do is professional work
! Can he select them judiciously, can he di
| rect them intelligently, without some
measure of professional experience of his
| own? Is il safe, is il economical that he
! should gain this experience at the eX
| pense of the Library? Is it just that the
| advance of the Library should be delayed
! while he is gaining ii and overcoming the
! timidity inevitable where the problem TO
| be dealt with is unfamiliar?
There have been instances in the admin
| istration of libraries where men imported
into the work without particular exper-
| fence have, by reason of their special in
telligence, insight. and yigor, made sue
cess. But what are the presumptions?
Why is it that other great Libraries select
their chief executives with preference pre-
dominantly for professional experience?
Should the National Library be the one
| exception?
At this juncture the Library requires in
its chief executive the highest capacity
that may be secured in any one person. II
| they can be found united in the person of
a librarian. that man should be preferred.
The Position Not Lucrative.
1t is conceivable, however, that such a
librarian cannot be secured. The head OF
the Library Of Congress has a larger re-
sponsibility and opportunity for a wider
service than any other librarian in the
United States; but Congress has not as
yet recognized this in the compensation
that it pays to him. nor in the resources
that it places at his disposal. Until it does
so it cannot expect TO draw TO its service
the highest expert capacity now serving
other institutions.
If the list of available librarians of the
requisite capacity be exhausted, and choice
must be made of a man without profes-
sional experience, this at least should be
insisted upon: That he be man of proved
administrative capacity, and finally that he
be sufficiently young to acquire his pro-
fessional training easily and naturally in
the conduct of his Office. man beyond
middle life cannot be expected to be facilt
! in the acquisition of a new art. Nor cal
a man beyond middle life be expected t
bring to such an Office the fresh vigor o
| initiative, the interest in planning new un
dertakings, the zeal for labor at unaccus
toned service, the long look ahead indis
| pensable TO the Library at this preseu
stage.
! A LIBRARIAN.
New York, January 20, 1899.
FORFEITED HIS BONDS.