Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-16
LIBRARIES AND THEIR WORK.
LIBRARIES.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

No feature Of the modern library move
raent has been more criticised and no fea-
ture has proved itself Of so much prac-
teal value as the children's department
OF the public library. The need of this
was recognized in the middle west before
1t was In the east, but now every mod
ern library In the country includes a chill
dren's room, and the little folks make
out their slips like the adults and often
present them at the same desk, although
the separate room for the children is
most in demand.
Less than generation ago the exist
ence Of juvenile literature was not recog-
nlzed by the librarian. The shelves would
contain plenty Of history. travel, biog-
raphy and fiction for the grown-ups, but
the children who desired to read were
forced to buy their own books or depend
on the few which were given them at
Christmas and Easter. And because chill
drens purses are never opulent, the
books they purchased were usually Of
the dime novel class. The enormous fall
ing off in the percentage Of dime novels
read by the schoolboys Of the present Is
due largely to the development of the
children's library.
Aside from their value in creating a de-
themselves. the children's library has
been largely instrumental in reaching
adult members Of the home. A little girl
last year went into library with an IL
leg ,co, written t en- card You Won't mind
conhdentially. to the lady at the des (.
you know fathers broke his leg. and
mas TO stay In bed, so took him this
card to sign and brung it back for you to
give me some books sor him. He likes
books about how to make things. The
child was given several books on light
cabinetmalking. These supplied the man
with ideas for making several small ar
tic!es he could work at with his hands
fnement: Upon his recovery he became
one OF the regular readers at the library
and derived much practical benefit from it.
The children's library aids children in
preparing their work for school. and for
this reason the
AIDS Children successful chill
- c.h..1 vr7.a dren's librarian is
AL cSA"oA "oEA' often an ex-teach-
er. If not, she doubtless has had special
training in psychology and child study
cessful in meeting half the demands made
upon her. A high school girl who does
not know even the meaning Of the word
atom" will come to the librarian for q
book that describes the atomic theory
and boy who knows nothing of French
history will ask for arguments support
ing the question, Resolved. That Gen.
Grant did more for the United States
than Napoleon did for France" II the
librarian has the proper spirit each will
go away satisfied with the help received
and each will have acquired a supply Of
knowledge impaired In fashion agree
able to memory.
The children's Libraries supplement the
work Of the schools in many ways. In
Green Bay, Wis. the storytelling de-
partment of the children's library began
the telling of folklore stories regard
ing the early history Of Wisconsin. This
aided the local history class which had
been lately started In the public school.
and by means Of knowledge gained from
historical archives in the state library
the children's librarian was able to ere
ate interest in an important study which
had been unpopular in the beginning.
The teacher and librarian cooperate in
aiding the children to famiiiarize them
selves with
CO-ODer0tion Of the meth
Teacher and Librarian. Jus 81 "
work. In one town all seventh and
eighth grade pupils are able to compile
bibliographies upon subjects connected
with their school work. The library con-
tains photographs of Lincoln, Washing
ton, Longfellow, Whittier Eli Whitney.
Samuel B. Morse and number Of other
noted Americans which have been COM
piled by the school children and are yet
OF practical value in the library. Other
schools have made photographs of the
national holidays. Of events in American
history and similar subjects. In all
of which the school children have gained
a broader knowledge of books and their
use than could have been secured in any
other way.
1t is matter Of regret that children
Of foreign parentage are SO frequently
unacquainted with the literature of their
parents countries, and this is something
that the childrens library hopes to over
come. AS the public libraries now carry
on their shelves the classic and standard
literature Of most foreign nations, the
children are encouraged to take these
books home to their nOn-English-speak
ing parents and to learn to read them
as they read the English books at school