The courier., 1899-01-14
Clubs.
LOUISA l. RICKETTS,.
WHAT CAN THE LIBRARY DO FOR
THE WOMAN'S CIIJRY

As Libraries in different places vary 40
much in the ground covered by their
work, ana in their resources and In.
terests. IL has 81 emed best to cOntine the
discussion to some OF the problems We
have been trying 10 solve In Omaha.
FOR while visiting Ia and near Chicago
recently 1t was impi essad upon me that
each library has after all questions ne
culiar to ITSELF that uust be worked out
according to local conditions. for in.
stance, | saw In two libraries separated
by only twenty five miles OF subj rbap
rail lway-two entirely different systems,
each operating to all appearances suc.
cessful in it's own field. Neither OF
them could be possible 10 the similar
institutions OF our own state. And
eince 1t is in the interests OF our own
Libraries and clubs that We are working,
let us without any appearance OF vanity,
relate our experiences in the effort To
bring the two into close and mutually
helpful relation. In bringing about this
result, OF primary i'm mportsnce that the
pubic library be made the workshop,
every study and debating club. literary
society and university extension clsss in
the community. To accomplish this in
not easy, tho it may reasonably seem
80. For the library which ia Fortunate
enough to have lecture room or large
committee room, the difficulty 10 not 60
great. Clubs OF varying interests mav
then be invited to make the library !.
meeting place and whom once the pa 4.
ing public has formed the habit Oft I,
ing IN at her doors. the librarian ba. -
in her power to make the atmospbers ~
Intelligent helpfulness felt and an.
preciated. "P'
The taxpayer land his name il Ieo;on\
who has never been inside the bu;lS;ng
before is called to attend q meeting ;1
the lecture room. lie arrives tan min.
utes too early and drifting into the cir.
cu!ating department nonchalantlv in.
quiring about the rules for borrow;ng
books. remarking that he would some,
times like to read up little when ha
has to give talk b fore cl lb or some.
thing OF that sort, but then he never
"haPpens' to have card to use. The
quick.witted attendant will see her on.
portunitv and assure him that che vii
gladly lay any number OF books before
him for consultation in the references
room at any time. This is new idea 10
your "First Citizen and the next morn
ing ms daughter will come in and ask IL
you nave amy books on music" che ie
10 read paper before the musical de.
why didn't she 60 to The library and
II che could get any help there" shs
and more especially her morher OH
comes next week for somethino m
Alaskan missions. must have eyerytbino
made easy for them the fret timeEthsx
will dislike the formality OF looking tbro,
catalogs and indices, signing The inain-
uating reference slip. and waiting in
turn at the desk. But remen,b her tbav
are forming the insidious "librarv babit"
and before long the bright young WON.
an and her mother will become ac.
custoned to the rules and learn to beIp
themselves. "0'p
IT. 10 beginning OF mutual benefit for
the librarian to join local clubs where II
g possible, and 90 to come into personal
contact with the townspeopIe. U IN
her relations with these clubs. che die.
plays proper willingness. she will in.
evitably be chosen chairman OF the com.
mittee for suggesting courses Of study
and preparing outlines, and 10! another
opportunity. She calls in the members
OF her committee and opens to them new
possibilities by showing them her tools
and how to use them. For Of course
our model librarian. or reference atteu.
dant as the case may be, is we'll eouip.
ped with bibliogrsphies. best book lists.
handbooks OF history. literature and art.
as we'll as outlines and club programs
MED IN previous years, and reading lists
clipped from periodicals.. BY bio.
graphies l mean rather the helpful notes
and essays that appear frequently in
library bulletins. than more exhaustive
and pretentious works OF that kind. At
this point the matter enters her peculiar