The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-03-27
ISLAND LIBRARIES
AND EDUCATION

Editor ADVERTISER. AS l. am one OF IN
directors of the Galena Oilinois) Publi
Library and also the financial secretar!
of that institution and have taken {
course in library science and served a.
an officer of the Illinois State Library
Association, I have naturally taken {
great interest in the Honolulu Library
Association and the problems which
face it today. / have read with in
terest the library bill now under con
sideration by your Senate.
l am greatly pleased to find so eff
cient a librarian as Miss Baker il
charge of the Honolulu library As
she is a member of the Ohio Library
association and the American Library
Association, and has been in regular
attendance at the meetings of both OF
these associations, she cannot but be
we'll versed in up to date library meth
DDS. The motto of the American Lii
brary Association is the best reading
for the largest number at the least cost
| AS there are few cities in the United
| States which have better educational
facilities than Honolulu, it surprises me
that there should be any question as to
the advisa bility of establishing free
public library in your city.
| In some of the eastern states laws
! have been passed making it obligatory
for each town to maintain a public Ii
| brary as it is considered a necessity
| to supplement the work of the public
! schools. During the past ten years
rapid strides have been made in library
matters. Many schools have been es,
| tablished for the training of librarians,
to take charge of different departments
of library work. In some of these
library schools the course of study COW
ers three years Of hard work and only
college graduates are allowed to enter
Library science is one of the profess
sions where the supply does not equal
the demand Summer schools are held
in various places for the benefit of
librarians who have not had a course
of training in library science, yet wish
to learn modern library methods. The
best summer library schools are so
overcrowded it is often necessary to
enroll many months before the sessions
commence in order to be received.
Many of the states have established
Library Commissions with sa1aried Of
ficers whose sole duty it is to assist
and to keep libraries informed of new
methods and also improvements in liz
brary equipment. The State Library
Commission also owns travelling librar-
les of fifty volumes each, which are
sent to farming communities and viii
lagos and exchanged every few months.
Library architecture has also made
great strides during the past few years.
It is now possible for any town to have
a modern library building since the
noted Pittsburg philanthropist has an
nounced his intention of devoting his
millions to this purpose.
The library building of today must
have a reference room, reading room
as we'll as a stock room where the
books are shelved. 1t must have a
children's librarian, small hall where
lectures, concerts and art exhibitions
can be given, where women's societies
and young peoples clubs can hold open
meetings, also rooms where light re-
freshments can be served for clubs
wishing to hold social evenings, class
rooms where teachers can take pupils
for special study along any, line or
work, and where the "children's hour"
can be held to teach the boys and girls
how to become interested in the best
books and authors. The free public
library has long since passed the ex,
perimental stage, it is now an actual
necessity. Ignorance is one of the
worst evils with which our country has
to contend. Facts and figures prove
when a family wishes to economic the
library privileges are the first to be
x1-h oh ha no Ia f
In order to accomplish the best and
highest good library should have an
annual circulation equal to at least
three times the number of it's volumes.
This can never be accomplished when
the library is closed to the general pub
lie except on presentation of member
ship tickets.
What the Hawaiian Islands need to-
day IS large free public library and a
library training school in Honolulu,
housed in modern library building.
Public libraries in each of the towns of
all the islands and travelling Libraries
for all. 1t should never be lost sight
of in the work of establishing a public
library that it is a most important part
of the educational system. To the
great mass of the people it comes as
their first and only educational oppor-
tunity. The largest part of every
mans education is that which he gives
himself. 1t is for this individual, self
administered education that the public
library furnishes the opportunity and
the means. The schools start educa-
ton in childhood; libraries carry it on.
They also supply trained librarians for
public libraries in each of the towns of
all of the islands, and travelling lbrar-
les for all the remote plantations and
settlements.
In no other way can the boys and
girls and the young people of today be
better equipped mentally to battle with
the future problems which are sure to
come to America and especially to this
beautiful Paradise of the Pacific.
ANNA E. FELT.