Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-15
.LURINC The MIND TO BOOKS
Plan to Stimulate Readers Adopted at
Public Library.
PICTURE BULLETINS DO THE WORK
EnticinE Array of Illustrations Has
the Eject of Inducing n De-
sire to Read Books Treat
ing of the Topics.

I'VE find the colored pictures the most
useful in making the picture bulletins for
the children" said Miss Egbert, the chill
dren's librarian Of the city library. THE
bright colors attract their attention where
the black and white pictures do not. Our
greatest difficulty is to obtain enough Of
these colored prints pertaining to the sub
ject of the bulletin we have in hand at
any time, and this makes our work slow"
For several years the system Of picture
bulletins relating to and depicting current
events has been In use at the city library.
The idea is not new and similar bulletins
are to be found hung up in the children's
departments of most Of the libraries Of the
larger cities.
It is a we'll established fact that these
pictures are the means Of stimulating much
interest in current events among the
patrons OF the children's department. A
mat Of MANILA board. on which are
mounted pictures relating to some hap
pening Of Importance, perhaps political, or
something new In the world Of industry, or
a demonstration of the forces of nature.
with a small amount Of descriptive and
explanatory matter, is hung in a conspicu>
Gus place in the children's room. AS a
consequence interest is aroused and the
attentive librarian can supply books con-
tanning matter which will further the
readers interest in and knowledge OF the
subject.
A new development of the bulletin idea
the literary bulletin-came last summer and
has been consistently followed, as pictures
could be collected.
Expansion of the idea.
Upaaripo tba s,,ocosa ~ tba c,,rran4 ayont
pictures in mind said Miss TobItt, the
librarian, 1--WE came to the conclusion that
an interest could be created in standard
books, and the attention of the children
brought to the best kinds of literature by
showing bulletins Of pictures illustrating
the volumes, with proper explanatory mat
ter and references. l do not know that
this plan has been tried in other libraries,
but we feel that 1t has been most success
full here. In almost every case the bulletin
has caused a good demand for the book to
which it drew attention, and in some in
stances we were unable to supply books
enough. l feel that there is a grave re-
sponsibility in giving books to a child thai
these may be such as are suited to his or
her home life and condition, and believe
that the bulletins will help us in choosing.
We hope in time to have enough of these
picture bulletins so that they may be cir
culated as the books are, and taken out
by public and parochial schools as de-
sired. We have already furnished pictures
in two instances to public schools and our
Christmas bulletin was used in connection
with the Christmas lesson by one of the
Sunday schools In the city,
samples OF the Bulletins.
Perhaps the best Of the literary bulletins
have been the CULVER cards. There were
twelve 6x10-inch colored pictures illus
trating this book, which we're fastened on
four manilla-board sheets, with short ex-
tracts from the book and a note as to the
author. These pictures were hung up fol
some time and created considerable atten
ton, as q result OF which a number OF
children read the book.
Another book for which a demand wal
created was Pilgrims Progress" the bull.
letin displaying one large colored plate and
giving a sketch OF the author and an ideG
Of the character of the book. At the time
that some of the lower grades in the
schools we're studying Holland a Holland
bulletin was prepared, with a picture Of
Mary Mapes Dodge, and quotations from
and library numbers Of her books. In con.
nection with the Thanksgiving bulletin &
number Of references to Thanksgiving
books were given. The picture of a tur.
key used at that time was one OF tht
beautiful plates from the copy Of Elliot's
North American Birds" in the Byron Reed
collection. These plates. which are 1sx24
inches, have been taken from the binding
and will be used during the spring ant
summer, as the birds return TO this state
to interest the children in them.
A bulletin which is now on the walls IL
the Dickens, which calls attention both tC
the fact OF the authors birthday. on the
7th Of the month. and to his works. There