Evening star., 1899-06-05

Exc luding the copyright department.
there is hardly position in the library
where any amount of education would be
wasted. There are some whose duties APP
pear almost purely manual-as those OF the
attendants in the stacks. But the appIlca-
tlonS that come to these attendants TO nam
die are often incomplete, and require to be
supplemented by some knowledge on the
part of the attendant.
..Tba annlicatiors are CONNOLLY by title
not by numbe~, and the titles are often IN
French German, or some other foreign
language Moreover, the stack attendants
having competent knowledge can, IN the
intervals of their ordinary work, be utilized
for other work which may be done at their
desks in the sacks; and in the quieter sea-
son they may be detailed for service IN
other DEPARTMENTS of the library.
1T is besides, an advantage, as vacancies
occur in the higher grades, to fill them by
promotion from the lower. This Is posi-
bly, only when the lower grades furnIsh
persons of requisite general capacity and
education beyond their existing positions.
ION the whole therefore. the broader the
general education the better the cnances
of the applicant. A knowledge of foreign
languages especially of Latin, French and
G rman-not speaking, but a reading knowl-
edge. is indispensable to many positions,
useful in all. And experience IN any work
involving methodical habit is a decided ad-
vantage. The majority of applicants for
library work offer only Intelligence and
| willingness and "a love of books and read
ing" Some add cultivation. All these are
useful qualitiC atiCnS, but do not cover all
that is covered by systematic study, special
training, and experience in work requiring
clCse accuracy and methOdical habit We
have frequent inquiries as to whether there
| is not much work for ''copyiSfS. 1t Is to
| be remembered that the modern system OF
| printing the catalogue cards reduces the
number of mere copyists required for this
branch of work.
There are several persons whose general
education has been excellent, and who ap-
pear also TO have particular personal fit
| ness: whose general qualifications are su-
| perior to those of the average graduate of
| literary school. Some of these persons are
living in Wa ShingtOn and would like op-
portunity to enter the service of the Ii
| brary volunteers-without pay-fOr the
| sake of the experience We have not de-
| cided to accept them; and in no case could
| we accept volunteer who did not appear
! likely to return to us in service the equiva-
| lent of the expert service we should eXpend
| in the training. But we may take on a few
| such volunteers: limiting the number to,
| say, six, and the selection absolutely to
| those who present adequate general educa-
| ton and apparent aptitude, and lack only
| technical experience.
| I'VE should stipulate absolutely against
| obligation of any kind. In the case of
| vacancy their applications would be con-
| Sdered with the rest. They would have
only such additional advantage as would
come of knowledge of their capacities
| gained in actual service.
How Promotions Have Been Made.
| THE promotions have been made upon
| certificate of the chief of the particular de-
| partment, not based on an examination.
| They involved merely increase of salary
| without change of duties Ordinarily such
a certificate would be accompanied by an
! exhibit of the work of the employe. This
| method, like that adopted for appointments,
| leaves much TO the discretion of the chief
| of the department. l propose to hold the
| chief of each department closely responsible
for the work of his department. / cannot
| require responsibility without giving some
discretion. If competent he is the best
| Judge of his own tools"
| rs there not pressure from outsiders for
the promotion of this or that employer"
| Some requests or recommendations; we
do not welcome them: there is distinction
Any testimonial in favor of applicant for
employment may be of value. But where a
person is already in the employ of the Ii
| brary no is good judge of his ca
pacity, his work and his title to promotion
as the man who assigns him his work, who
supervises it day by day, and who is re-
sponSible to me for its quantity and quail
| ity, and who is also to be responsible for
the work of the position in the higher
grade. That man is the chief of the depart
ment in which he is employed.
| "As to person already in the service the
recommendations of outsider can tell US
| nothing: it is irrelevant-and IT is unjust.
| Promotion of one employe involves a pref
| of an employe to secure this preference by
| any means other than by superior work Is
unmanly; the attempt to secure it by out
side influence is attempt at the meanest
advantage over his associates.
| I'm certain departments the. force provid-
| ed by Law is entirely inadequate The copy
| right department is eight months in arrears
| in certain of its work. The catalogue de-
| partment (Which includes the order and
shelf departments has but half of the force
| provided the Boston library for the same
| amount of current work-leaving out of ac-
| count the arrears. 1t cannot be enlarged
except by act of Congress"
IF it should be would any of these 314
| rejected applicants be reconsdered?"
There aren't any rejected applicants.
| We have accepted-provisionally ap-
| plicants. We have rejected none. We
| have decided that these eight were likely to
| prove suitable to our purpose We have
not felt called upon to decide that the re-
| naming 314 would not be suitable. Their
applications still remain on file as pend
ing But there are no more present va
cancies."