New-York tribune., 1904-10-03
A LIBRARIANS VIEWS.
She Tells of Mental Traits Sho5rn
by Children IN Choosing Books.

chfdren's ubrarian-that IL a new profession.
Every Carnegie library has childrens librarian
Every library oS the future. whether IL be a car
neg1e one or not, viii number chldren's Librarian
among ns officers. There is even a school-the
Pratt Institute OF Brooklyn-that teaches people TO
be children's librarians one year course
A children's library differs from an adults in
the brigh pictures its walls II the plants, care
fully labelled. its tables; in tie eNhiDis either
instructive or amusing, set n corners mere aila
tbere-exEibits Of the spinning of cotton, OF the
DEVELOPMENT of the beetle, or the progress Of
dentistry Il IS an IDEAL place, with us flowers ana
It's clea- light for a child 10 read fairy tales in
The Juvenile department Of The Boston Library
Is tfe best example OF a chldren's library in the
world I. has q bigger room. comelier room than
the Others Il has more flowers. more pictures
more exhibits more books. But all. or nearly all
OF the other cities have their children's libraries
TOO. and these. in their small way, do very well
A child goes into one of these Libraries. and. TO
Hss aynazenent and delight. the attendant al the
a.sk gives him little I've goldfish in bowl or
transparent glass.
'-rhis ash Is for you" she says. 1t is yours
% keep. The library gives Il 10 you
Yes nna'an. Thank you" says the boy.
The library wants you 10 learn something about
seh1hyology Ichthyology IS the study OF fishes II
you VII take out the volume labelled Z. 9 LIB
you VII aad n the eighth chapter the goidhsh' 5
fuu history. To1 Viii learn there that Il thTives
Ee.- N oatmeal; that il belongs 10 the carp fam
cleaned dssly lest 4 get sour; that when il gets
swollen swimming bladder half drop OF castor
OIL should Re dropped down its throat on the end
of toothpIck. The next time you have 20 write
4 composition at school write on the goldfish,
ceiling all zen have learned from the study OF this
utt1e fellow here and from the study OF volume
+. c. 1726'
This giving o. little live creatures 20 the chill
dren is one OF ne latest ideas in childrens libra
ries II has been tried IN Pittsburg IN Boston and
IN Philadelphia and Il has been successful The
children have been Induced. through this idea. 70
;ake an in fish. in birds in butterflies. ETC.
and II only such subjects they take an inter
est iri that children master.
on gone other cay every child who enters the
library brings a weed with hirn-any common sort
OF weed that he may hnd in vacant lot. The
librarian goes over all these plants. by one
She labels each az them; she puts them. with their
labels, on tanle. she sets near by. neatly type
written and mounted a board. an account OF the
life OF each of the more important OF them. The
children cannot hep being interested in these IA
nliEar weeds-cannoL help learning their names
and something Of their history
The bulletin board Is another feature Of this sort
OF library. By means of the bulletin board the
librarian artfuily the attention OF the chill
dren 10 any kind OF books that she wishes them 10
read. Suppose. for instance that she wishes them
read about Indians. She decorates the board
drawings and she tacs up beside these interesting
pictures list of Indian books IIagatha The
Deerslayer," The Lie Of Poeahontas" and 50 on