Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-22
CHlLD'S VIEW
OF BOOKS Is
BIG PROBLEM
Effort Made to Overcome Mis-
taken Tendency to Avoid
Reading.
NEEDS OF LIBRARY GROW
BY CHARLES E. RUSH, LIBRARIAN

NEEDS OF LIBRARY GROW
BY CHARLES E. RUSH, LIBRARIAN.
One of the big problems Of the school
today is to persuade the school children
that books are not bOres, but the most
pleasant of companions; that just because
their geometry, their history or some
other subject they are struggling with is
presented to them through a book they
need not infer that all books are the
aEowed enemies OF boys and girls-to be
avoided as much as possible.
They must find that most delightful
moments may be spent with the printed
page land that the Public Library offers
free Of charge of the highest entertain
mert, the heartiest laughs and the keen
est Ell jJyment). Through it's school Ii
braries division the Public Library sends
out hooks TO the school classrooms.
As it is purely optional with the child
whether he reads the books, he finds him
self attracted by the animal ana fairy
pictures and by the bright colored backs
of some Of the books. Before he knows
It he is learning eby his own Preside in
the evening delightful things In the life
Of an Eskimo whom he heard about in
his geography class that day. 1t is n
real feather in the cap of the very small
boy when he finds that there are actual
~ library books in words small enough
and print large enough for him to read
by himself
FINDS BOOKS
HIS FRIENDS.
Through such book collections for
classrooms the book has come to be an
admirable friend, sometimes even
mighty counselor in the art Of making
things with ones hands out of such
available things in ones pockets as
string, nails, paper and wire. When
there are no uncles or grandfathers near
to tell an Indian story books can tell
them quite as well. Books, too, answer
the many questions Of children much
more satisfactorily than the elders can.
A book in the pocket Of an Indianapolis
school child is coming to occupy quite
as important a post as his top or his
knife
The first school libraries sent out here
and there in small collections Of books
two years ago have raised a mad clamOr
from children all over the city for ami
NAL stories, stories Of fairies and Of chill
dren in other lands, adventure stories
and books on electricity and engineering
for boys. 1t has become a regular
Frankenstein that threatens to overpower
us unless it can be provided with the
books that it demands.
SITUATION TO
BE REMEDIED.
The situation Is not one to ho dnsraired
Of, but certainly one to be remedied. 1t
is the fault of neither person nor organ
izatiOn, but a sign Of progress. We are
outgrOwing our skirts. Due to both eco
nOmic and legislative conditions, it Is no.
possible at present to increase the book
budget.
1t is but reasonable that the library
should turn TO the parents and friends
of these children to help find way out
1t cannot be possible that their elders
want these children told day after day:
mo. neither Little Women nor Robin
son Crusoe is in. Now run along and
play"
Yet this is virtually what the library
assistants must say over and over. The
school libraries division must turn down
rot individual children but whole class
rooms of them, simply because there are
not books TO send them. Even when t
is possible to send collections, they are
never the amount asked for by the
teachers and are often too few to go
around. Some children have no other
point Of contact with the library and the
classroom collection opens up & new book
world to them.
CITIZENS NOT
INDIFFERENT.
Indianapolis is not Indifferent. Indi-
vidually her citizens will see to It that
good books be made as accessible to her
children as the water they drink This
interest will be expressed through en-
dOwment funds, wills and large and
small donations Of money, as well as of
books from her large minded citizens.
They viii come TO realize that the world
OF books is the rightfuI inheritance of
every growing boy and girl.
The book needs for the high school
students are quite as pressing. The IL
brary does not wish to register itself in
the minds of these young people as a
bureau for disappOintments and yet it is
fast acquiring this name. Students nat
urally should expect the public library
TO have for them the standard works of
fiction on their required reading lists, but
even such books as Scott, Dickens and
Eliot are quite at a premium, as they are
rarely to be found on the shelves. Some
of the required reading the library does
not even possess, as it has been read to
pieces and cannot be replaced.
Many have had their patience tried at
these empty shelves.
1t has been suggested that some of
the graduating classes might like to
leave as a gift and q blessing to the
classes to follow a bountiful collection
at the library OF the very books they
have experienced such difficulty In get
ting. A special book plate provided by
the library would designate the class
which left these books.
Many homes have idle sets OF these
standard authors which they would like
to offer for public use through the Ii
brsry. The library has earnest need
Of you, your money, Your books. your
good wishes and the influence you may
have for her among your acquaintance.
VIII you prove her very good friend2