Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-19
New Educational Force in N, Oak,
Max Bait, Prof. Modern Languages.

The public school and the press
have been, for more than a genera
ton, the two great forces in popular
education. Latterly third has en-
tered the field which, according to
some if its ardent advocates, is des-
tined to WELD tremendous power in
shaping the minds of the common
people The public library, although
of recent origin, is already exerting
a far-reaching influence in those COM
munlties where it has been fairly we'll
established.
Three agencies are chiefly respon-
sible for the almost unprecedented
growth of this institution: library
associations, library commissions and
the munificence of Andrew Carnegie.
In 1858 here gathered in New York
some fifty librarians for the purpose
of discussing the most expeditions
method of cataloguing books-the
fundamental subject in library sci
ence. They agreed that the adjust
able card catalogue should super
sede the cumbersom book catalogue.
That year marks the beginning of a
new era in the history of libraries.
The benefits of cooperation and or
u,
was not till 1876 that the American
Library association was formed. Its
members resolved to keep two OBJ
jects steadily in mind: the discrimi-
nate selection of books and cooper
alton among libraries. The result of
this endeavor was on the one hand
the publication of that most excel
lent book of reference for the pros
pective book buyer, the A. L. A. cat
alogue, and on the other, the system
of inter-library loans, by virtue of
which students pursuing research
work can secure books from librar-
les thousands of miles away.
Before long the necessity of train
ing those who were to take charge
of libraries became obvious to the
members of the A. l.. A. Through
their influence library schools were
now organized to train future librar-
fans, just as normal schools had been
created for the purpose of preparing
their students to become teachers.
While at first there were practically
no requirements for admission, today
two Of the leading schools in the
country demand of applicants col
legiate training. Thus it is evident
that library science has become
profession, at least in some of the
older states.
But had it not been for the NUM-
ficence of Andrew Carnegie the IL
brary movement would not have
gained such momentum in so short
a time. For the past twenty-five
years this millionaire philanthropist
has devoted much of his time, ener-
gy and money to the establishment
OF town libraries. He has given
generous sum to the A. L. A. board,
the income of which is used in fur
thering various library interests.
The third and equally important
factor in the library movement is
the library commission. The first
one having been established in Mas
sachusetts in 1890, the latest, the
twenty-eighth, in North Dakota in
1907. The primary Offices of tn ese
commissions is, to be sure, the fur
therance of public library interests,
but college libraries, too, derive in
estimable benefits from such COM
missions. What their function is
will be explained presently.
Thus far l have spoken of three
agencies that have accelerated the IL
brary movement in the country at
large. At this juncture it seems ap-
propriate to ask: How far is North
Dakota affected by them? 1t is graf
flying to report that this state has
Joined the ranks of other progressive
commonwealth, and that within its
boundaries library affairs are now
administered Systematically.
First, in regard to the North Da-
kota Library association. In Octo-
Der, 1904, the librarians of Fargo and
Moorehead gathered at the Carnegie
library and after some informal dis
cussion decided to meet at regular
intervals, selecting for the topic of
the year, magazine Files" Through
cooperation the libraries of these
two cities are now enabled to offer to
the public almost complete files of all
the leading magazines and journals
the most important source Of in
formation for the average student.
1t may be interesting to note that
the five libraries in question contain,
aside from magazine literature, some
$4,000 carefully selected volumes, cat
alogued and indexed according to the
decimal or Dewey systematic meth
cd universally approved by librari-