The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-03
LIBRARIANS
MADE TO ORDER
The School for Librarians Founded
by Mr.. Carnegie at Western
Reserve.
Increased Importance Of the Library
in Educational Work DR..
Thwing's Views.

Chicago, April 3-William e. Curtis,
in a Washington special to the Record
Herald, says: The school for librarians
which Mr.. Carnegie has recently founded
as department Of Western Reserve Uni
versity, Cleveland Ohio, will be open for
students at the beginning Of the regular
fall term in September next. The course
will cover two years, and all young men
and women who have college training
and a diploma from some recognized edu-
cational institution are eligible. The en-
dOwment, in bonds of the United States
Steel corporation, which bear per cent
interest, has been delivered to the treas
urer of the university. The dean has not
yet been named.
The new institution will be started
without any flourish of trumpets, although
it is considered the most important event
OF the library world of the present year.
Librarians and educators throughout the
country have long hoped that Mr.. Car
negia would provide means for the educa-
ton of competent persons to take charge
Of the libraries that are being founded
by his generosity. 1t has been very dis
couraging to those who are trying to eX-
| tend the usefulness of the libraries of the
country to see the lack of knowledge and
other qualifications on the part of those
who have them in charge No one knows
better than Mr. Carnegie that buildings
and books are only comparatively useful
unless they are managed with intelli-
gence. AS President Thwing of Western
Reserve university says:
"A library without an efficient libra
rian is a pile of bricks without COM
petent architect.
Carnegie Of the necessity of educating
architects to handle the bricks he has
furnished the country.
1.-THE demand for sufficient library
SERVICE" said DR.. Thwing, has gone fa1
ahead of the means of supplying it. The
state library school at Albany, N. Y,
under the efficient direction of Melvil
Dewey has done and is doing a great
work in this field. 1t has filled almost
LOO positions in forty states and nine
foreign countries during the last dozen
years. Pratt and Drexel Institutes are
also doing good. work in library science
but. those most deeply interested in the
schools already existing have strongly
felt their inability to meet the needs OF
| the present, not to speak @of the more
urgent needs of the immediate future. 1
| is admitted by all who understand the
| situation that Mr.. Carnegie's gift for the
| founding of a library school is the mos
significant he has made for years. L
| adds to the value of every book he ha:
! bought and the usefulness Of every ONT
| of the libraries he has founded and, those
which have been established by othelp
In 1901 Mr.. Carnegie gave more than 10
libraries to the people ST the United
States and scores of free libraries art
being founded: by other public spirited
men and women. All of them require com
petent management to accomplish thei
purpose and a. still further demand TO
! trained librarians has come about be
i cause Of the increased Importance which
4 the library is assuming in all educationa
| work." s,...-:..- f,.y. to- - 7 49,. s.. -.<.t-