New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-08
TRAINED LIBRARIANS.

That almost the entire time of the executive
session Of the Senate on the closing day Of
Congress was given to the consideration Of the
nominee for Librarian OF Congress, and that
the reason for finally Withholding confirmation
Of Mr. Barrows was the fact that he Is not a
trained librarian, arc matters Of congra ulation
10 all friends of education, and particularly to
those who are interested in the Improvement
Of library administration. When in the hurry
and rush Of an expiring Congress the states
men Of the country take the time and trouble
strenuousy to assert that expert knowledge IS
an Indispensable prerequisite for such posi-
ton, that action IS sure TO attract widespread
attention The Senate, by the adverse report
OF its Committee on the Library, as well as by
its avOwed intention of defeating the nominal
ton should it be forced to a vote, has thus put
itself on record rs favoring professional libra
RAN for the position, and of rejecting any
future nominee who IS not fitted by training
and experience for this important office.
The news Of this action has gone out to all
parts of the Nation, and IS sure to have n sau-
tary influence on those who choose local libra
rans The last few years has witnessed the
Improvement OF n considerable number Of State
libraries Remarkable progress has also been
the public libraries of our larger cities Many
Of the smaller cities have also been waking up
to the necessity for establishing and fostering
libraries in order to give their citizens ado
ouate educational advantages. And the most
recent development has been the planting by
several state Library Commissions Of little
libraries IN hundreds Of their villages and ham
lets. This is an important movement. and one
f1,ot
where. side by side with the public school the
agent for educating the ycuth-wil he estah-
lshed the public llbrary-the agent for post
school education.
One OF the most serious difficulties In tho
effort to make the library an efficient educa-
tiona institution has been the tendency Of
boards of trustees 10 choose Inefficient libra
rians The office OF State Librarian has almost
everywhere been regarded as n plum shaken
off for brOkcn-down politician. As n neccs-
sary result, the libraries Of n large number Of
the smaller cities are still inadequate TO the
needs Of their communities. The time has
been too. when n superannuated clergyman
was usually chosen as the proper person for
a college librarian. But that time is rapidly
giving way TO a more enlightened age
What our Senators believe we need in the
case or tho Library or congress ana what mas
been found TO he most productive Of good in
our foremost public libraries has been thorough
~ trained and equipped librarians. This Is
everywhere coming to he more ard more rccOg
nizcd To meet this need library schools and
training classes arc being established in all
parts of the country. Foremost among them
IS our own State school at Albany. From the
very nature of the work their classes must be
small. and as yet they have never been able to
supply the demand for trained experts. or
course, they occasionally graduate persons who
are not naturally fitted for library work, and Of
course, their graduates do not at once take the
foremost positonS-they must either add cX-
percncc in subordinate positions to their train
ing before becoming head librarians or must
become librarians of the smaller Libraries. But
in the end the libraries Of the country that are
10 90 their proper work must look to these
training schools for their librarians.