New-York tribune., 1901-03-24
LIBRARY SCHOOLS WORK.
TENTH YEAR OF TRAINING CLASSES AT
PRATT INSTITUTE-ATTENDE
BY GOOD RESULTS

Inc SchooI or Library Training of the Pratt
Institute, in its tenth year was started orig
inaIly a training class for the members of the
hbrary's own staff and to fit students for minor
places in other libraries The fact was recognized
however, that trained librarians were beginning 10
need trained helpers. and II set itself to supply
that need.
The first class-that of 1s91-was admitted with
out examination. and consisted of twenty-one
members. of which six already mem bers of
the stan All except one We're residents of Brook
lyn. and two heads of libraries in BROOKLYN avaied
themselves OF this opportunity for training. There
We're two courses offered-one in cataIoeuine and
dhother IN library economy including reference
work While instruction was given in the different
subjects by those the staff who did the actual
work, as is the in most of the existing ap-
prentice classes. no effort made to teach any
methods save those of the Pratt Institute library
AT once the experiment justified itself. On the
completion of the course three members Of the
class were taken the staff OF the library; three
TOOK places in other libraries; four returned Sec
ond year for the other course, and only two or
three proved unsuited to the work.
IN the following year an entrance exauinatio
was held. and literature and English composition
were added to the course. The number of appIi-
cants had so increased by 1894 that the entrance
examination had to be competitive and each year
the standard OF that examination has been raised
In 1891 dictionary cataogII:ng added the
course. and in the following year a comparative
study of methods was begun. When the present
director. Miss Mary W. Plummer assumed charge
Of the library and school in 1886. a change was
made in the plan of instruction and a school fac
ulty was organized. One person was put in irnme-
diate charge OF the school. and the duty of IN
struction was confined to fewer members of the
staff. who were 10 give larger share OF time to
the school and who possessed evident teaching
qualifications.
Literature and English composition were dropped
from the course in 1888 IL thought that it
would be wise require wider knowledge of
standard literature the part OF the entering
student testing the same by more rigid exami-
nation. and giving the time thus gained 10 subjects
bearing directly library work. Substitu-
tton was. therefore. made Of course in modern
fiction. English and Continental. in the values
and scope of which experience had shown that
the majority of the students had been suf-
fciently instructed. and time devoted
TO photography and reference work
The school took a departure in 1897 in Of
fering second year courses. which were to be not
a n extension of the first years work but an en-
trance new field. namely. specialization in
library work. The first course offered was IN the
direction OF the catalogung of incunabula and the
study of Latin photography. with the history of
printing and binding and special bibliography-in
short the culture side OF library work The schoo,
has been able. through the courtesy of the New
York Public Library and of Columbia University
to offer facilities tc students having III.
tastes and education ths5 would enable then, to
carry such work This course has been taken
by three classes in the 1s95-'97 90 and
ISOG-'01.
Another second year was offered in 1896
that in training for children's libraries The school
offers advantages for specializing In this branch
that not fully afforded elsewhere. 1t IS con-
nected with one of the pioneer 'childrens rooms
where, during five years experience has accumu-
lated in meeting and solving the problems which
have arisen in this branch of library work
and has the advantage of the cooperation of the
department of kindergarten training of Pratt In
stitute.
An excellent opportunity 10 do laboratory, n,orr
is offered for first year student who does not
wish 10 specialize in his work in the connection
Of nearly seventy thousand volumes abreast OF the
times in all professional advance. an open shelf
himself and be tested by library AUTHORITIES Who
d nod az ~ 'he ne same time ms teachers and are not
pare hlnlselr 10 become good all around assistant
In order to give students of the first year a
broader outlook over the library field a new
branch or instruction was recently included which
is called the survey of the field In the bweekly
new publications which have come to her notice
on subjects of special interest librarians pam
and the work of summarizing the more important
Of these is assigned 10 various members of the
Miss Nathalie w; Homans. secretary of the de-
the number OF students had been limited TO twenty
and that there was on an average about hun
this year raised to twenty years Graduates have
obtained places In the Astor. Lenox Brooklyn Pub
England States Many lectures library work
are delivered from time to time, and visits are
made 10 study the methods OF libraries In other
cities. The school will spend the Easter vacation
in visiting the Cambridge Public. the Harvard Uni
versity. the Brookltne Public the Providence Pub
iIic Iic the Brown University and the Hartford Pub
lie libraries. The students will take o what
they see. and will be 'quizzed'' on their return
They Will he accompanied by two instructors Miss
Homans added that while years ago there were no
trained assistants In libraries, and technical train
Ing was not considered essential. IL is now almost
impossible 10 get place in any library without
special training.
The library courses open on October L and are
divided into three terms of three months each
The tuition fee per term for the first year course
Is go and Tor the second year SIS each IN
addition to the tuition fee the cost of materials
used throughout the course amounts to about 800
or s25 year.