New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-09
BETTER USE OF LIBRARIES
Plan to Bring Teachers and Pupils in Closer
Touch with Them

Teachers have always enjoyed special privileges
IN the public libraries of New-York. but il is
thought tha the books might be made much more
useful them than they present. and TO
that end a plan for systematic and practical CO.
operation with the public school teachers and
school children OF the city will put into opera
ton tall by the New-York Public Library
systen-
Each public school viii be assigned to a nearby
branch OF the library, and in each branch the
school work viii be in charge OF one person, whose
business viii be 10 know personally every teacher
a. her district With the permission OF the Board
OF Education bulletin board will be placed in
each school. giving the location Of the library
est the school, urging the teachers to make use OF
It. and giving such notices and monthly lists Of
new books may be Of interest 10 the teachers or
pupils Books required by the teachers will be
sent 10 them and called for by messengers and no
limitation viii be put on the number they may take
out at one time. Teachers undertaking special
studies CT doing other definite literary work may
arrange 10 secure all the books necessary such
study, and keep them for six months, If they like
provided only that they are renewed monthly. and
that TO enc else calls for them during that time
Popular current fiction will be the only exception
70 this rule.
Endorsements will not be required for membership
cares Of teachers IN any OF the public schools and
Endorsements BY teachers OF pupils applications
viii not entail any financial responsibility.
This idea originated with E. ". GaIllard OF the
East Seventy sixth-st formerly the Webster) IL
hrary, who VIII have charge Of the work. and
who had already proved the value Of the plan
f. his library. before its consolidation with
the public library system. The plan has also
been carried in whole in part by other
branches OF the New-York Free Circulating Ii
brsrv and by the public libraries OF Buffalo, Pitts
burg Newark and other cities. II will be put into
operation next fall in FIVE branches OF the public
library. but Will be extended soon possible
10 the remaining branches
After each branch has established friendly rela-
tons with individual teachers. the work with the
children viii be taken up. This viii be based on
the OF study. and ideas will lie borrowed
from successful experiments made IN the Carnegie
Library OF Pittsburg. the Newark Public Library,
the Pratt Institute Free Library the Buffalo Pub
lie Library and the Webster Free Library now the
East Seventy-sixth-st. library.
The Buffalo plan OF large collections OF pictures
10 aid in the illustrations OF lessons will be adopted
and N least one branch there will be model
school library for the inspection OF teachers. The
P1ttsburg plan Of q story hour may be adopted
IN branches where there suitable rooms.
For the childrens circulating department book.
cases will be arranged TO correspond with the
school grades and for reference work lists will be
compiled by each branch every week such lists
be pasted the school bulletin boards. BY
such methods these the circulation OF the
WEBSTER Free Library was increased from 500 20
$4,000 volumes q year.