New-York tribune., 1908-01-13
DE4RTH OF LIBRARIANS.
Need of Trained Workers for the
HIGHER Places, Says Dr. Billings.

HIGHER Places, Says Dr. Billings.
Dr. John s. Billings. director of the New York
Public Library is authority for the statement that
there is a dearth of trained and competent IL
brarians in this city. The need is not so much
for those who could fill the subordinate places
as for those capable of taking charge OF library
of of its departments
All over the country the demand for good IL
hrarians is increasing Libraries are springing up
in ali the small cities and in many villages, and
while at one time 1t customary to put in
charge Of the library friend poor relation of
the donor or of of the trustees whose only
qualification sometimes was a fondness for books,
It is now the rule TO I'LL the Itace with trained
librarian.
But it is especially in New York City that the
need is most in evidence. With thirty-eght free
circulating libraries already in operation and
twenty-five thirty more to be built and opened
fast possible, the demand does now and will
continue exceed the supply. That this situation
has an especial interest for is due TO the
fact that Of the four hundred persons now en-
ployed in the CircukNing libraries in New York
City only thirty-five men These men are en-
ployed mostly in the evening reading rooms.
Women are in charge of all the circulating IL
braries and have women assistants In the execu-
tive department and in the reference libraries.
the Astor and the Lenox, men predominant.
MEN DO BEST WORK HERE.
Men can do reference work as rule better than
women" Dr. Billings said. That is, the scholarly
reference work such the knotty historical
religious problems. Women all right for the
lighter subjects, such as literature or poetry and
kindred topics.
However. women are siuguarly well fitted for
library work in general Their capabiIity for TAX
ing pains their interest in detail work, their de-
light in feeling themselves of service TO others.
their tact and patience and their social instinct all
make for women's success in this field
But successful librarian, all the workers in that
field agree, is born and not made
A woman prominent in library work in this city
SAYS she likes think Of the profession call
ing" in the old-fashoned of the word-an
irresistible desire TO do the work for the joy
of IT That a great number Of Librarians look upon
il in this way evidenced by the fact that yet
united effort has been put forth TO better the
financial conditions in the profession Thus far the
compensations have been largely other than ma
terial intellectually they large; in fact,
Just what the individual cares to make them At
present the salaries as compared with those Of
teachers smaller but the tendency to demand
better training and equipment for the work is re-
suIting in g steady increase in salaries.
Preparation for library work. as for any other
profession. requires special training. Only in rare
instances now are libraries in charge of women
who love books and need the money" Real
qualifications necessary.
For admission TO training classes and subordinate
places in libraries. the equivalent Of four years
course in a high school is required For admission
to recognized library schools and TO higher places
in libraries, q college education its equivalent
as tested by entrance examinations Is necessary
The New York State Library School at Albany
requires a college degree for entrance and gives
Jwo-years' course. with the degree of Bachelor OF
Library Science.
Pratt Institute. OF Brooklyn, requires the passing
Of entrance examination. and the course is one
year with second year for work in special lines
optional
Drexel Institute, Of Philadelphia also gives
entrance examination and has one-year course
The University of Illinois, at Champaign, gives
twoyears' library after three years of regu-
lar college work in the university
Simmons College. Of Boston. gives the technical
training all through the regular four-years course.
ii does in various other technical subjects Of
interest to women. But a three-years' college
course elsewhere and year of library training
there may be substituted.
The Wisconsin Free Library Commission has
library school that is now in its second year.
Syracuse University has department of library
economy, with one-year course and second year
optional.
The Western Reserve University. Cleveland.
has library school in connection with the Ceve-
land Public Library.
The Carnegie Library. of Pittsburg. conducts
school especially for the training childrens
brarians, the only of it's kind.
The Southern Library School. at Atlanta gives q
one-year course.
CLASSES IN NEW YORK
In most Of these schools the classes are limited
in membership. In many places summer schools
Of six weeks duration have been opened for the
benefit Of those actually engaged in library work
who have missed the opportunity for a thorough
training The best of these under the direc-
ton Of state library commissions and require that
the members OF the class shall be holding saIared
places under definite appointment. Among these
are the New York State Library Summer School
at Albany: one in Asbury Park n. J.; one in
Madison. Wis. and in various other states. There
is also a summer school at Chautauqua, N Y, in
charge Of Melvl Dewey, former state librarian.
Besides these, almost every large city library
has its training class, from which the subordinate
places on IT'S own staff filled. Prominent among
these is the one connected with the New York
Public Library under the direction of Miss Eliza
beth l. Foote, in the Muhlenberg branch building,
at No eo9 West 23d street The class is limited to
thirty members but s this number does meet
the demands Of the library for assistants
special class OF those who supplement the
practical work with the instruction given at
summer school is sometimes admitted. There is
tuition. and the term is apprenticeship for
nine months, two-ffths of the time being given to
instruction.
or the 365 women employed in the circulating
branches IN the New York Public Library about
ninety graduates Of this training class since
1902, holding places in various grades determined
by examinations. which are held annually. One Of
these graduates is a librarian in charge of
branch. aud others eligible for the same grade.
The Brooklyn Public Library has a similar class.
The course is shorter. and two classes year are
admitted. Both of these classes have age limits
Of eighteen and thirty-dve years.
To a who feels called" to this work
there are almost unlimited possibilities for sue
cess. While the college course is 10 De desired
and the training Of a regular library school IS
recommended, woman With the true library
spirit hIled with enthusiasm cor the work and
with faith in her earnest purpose can enc-
ceed with tess preparation Success N this. -
ufth al other professions, rests with the indI-