The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-12-20
THIS "HOT STUFF" TOO.
(FrOm 1st page,)


The books that were asked for
were not for the general reading
public. Few, if any, on this list
would be read by out siders. The
appeal was made for the children of
our schools, that had not had what
other children in other schools are
having. Not one book on popular
fiction was asked for. The library
board is able to buy enough of these
without asking the board of educa-
ton for aid.
Let it be further added that for
ten years the old Library associa-
ton" had loaned to the schools of
this district nearly five hundred
volumes, without one cent of tribute.
These volumes covered somewhat the
fields of literature, history, travel,
art, science, biography and historic
fiction; but these are now ante
dated, worn out, and no longer
disable.
While the committee admitted it
would be enriching the library of
this city, just now, to grant this
request, it was the pupils for whom
the committee was pleading. The
librarian felt it her duty to ask aid
for these literary hungry, yet'unfed
pupils. She had appealed several
times to the library board to enrich
the library in the fields above men
toned. The library board felt that
it was the duty of the board of
education to cooperate with them
in this matter.
1t was in this spirit that the COM
mittee appealed to the board of
education. If there is any "hot
stuff given out to the committee in
this interview the committee was
too dull to feel its warmth,
The estimable member of the
board of education, who told the
committee his version of running
library, was received with due
Difference. The committee thought
then, and still thinks, that this
gentleman spoke upon a subject with
which heis unacquainted.
A librarians duties are manifold.
Handing out books, receiving them
back, and to observe that no one
steals or mutilates these volumes,
are duties that are wholly unpro-
fessional. They are a small part of
the duties for which librarians fit
themselves and take training, and
are considered by them as wholly
unprofessional.
The much mooted sum of four
hundred twenty dollars, which is
paid to the present librarian, and
which by some is thought unwisely
expended, and which ought to go
into fund for books, is, by the
library board, thought to be wisely
and we'll expended.
We think that the library board is
quite willing to receive bids for
volunteer service which will volun-
teer to keep the library in it's present
efficient and professional condition,
and to render to the schools and the
reading public trained, expert serv-
ice, which is now demanded as an
adjunct Of any well kept library.
The cataloguing, classification and
annotating of library, no larger
than our own, so that a stranger
coming into the library and asking
for book upon a certain subject
and with a system, which instantly
tells whether it is in the library, is
one part of an experts duties to
T6dQ0fS.
To give this much needed pro-
fessional service to. the reading and
inquiring public is part of a pro-
fessional librarians service, and the
library board feels that it ought to
pay for that, for which any expert
service should be paid.
The Reveille has constantly taken
an opportunity to manifest hostility
to the management of the library
by the library board. There is no
evidence that the editor of the
Reveille has ever spent a single day
in the investigation of the expert
service required, and in the service
given, by either the preceding IL