The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-13
4 Book q Year

Graduate of Carnegie Library School
 I found a congenia1 companion in Miss Foster, whose "hobby"I as we'll as mine, is Books" and what a de- liEhtful hour we spent the other aft ernoon talking books, loving books, dissecting books. and just devouri az everything "book-y" we could think of
 Miss Foster comes to Birmingham. which is her first assignment pre- fessionally, enthusiastic and de- lighted with the vast field she has here for operations, unbiased, and with a broad, comprehensive, con structive outlook on library work in general
 After I graduated from the Uni vcrsity of Pittsburg and went to Wellesley, l took a course in the Car negie Library school at Pittsburg, which is my home" said Miss Foster, land when I was asked to come to Birmingham I was delighted, having heard of the wonderful possibilities that are offered here for my especial line of work.
 T hadn't really meant to follow library work as profession when I was at college, yet I don't know why, because have loved books all my life and enjoyed them, and it seems to me that character analysis would have revealed the fact that I couldn't have been anything else but a li- brarian. so here I am, ready for my first big task and very happyl
 Our plan in the public library of Birmingham Is not only to furnish the children with the highest type of books to read, but to inspire them with desire to own such books Not only to use the library as a place of recreation and entertainment, but like adults, to use it seriously, and with an idea toward improvement.
 Libraries Great Educators
 T regard the library as the great est factor in education next to the school. And speaking of schools, our greatest need in the childrens de- partment is books for collections, which means when the teacher calls for special collections for the grades. we can supply them, and it means that when the teacher asks for col lections for the whole school we can answer the call
 We have in the children's de- partment of the public library Gin cluding the branches) approximately 20,0o0 volumes, last year MT Josee- lyn adding 5000 volumes to the de- partment.
 We will again inaugurate The Story Teller's Hour in the children's department as 1t proved so popular before. regard it as quite, effec- tive, especially with those children who have so little done for them in this way.
 We want both parents and teach CTS to use the children's department of the public library to view the more expensive and beautiful col lection of books which we have and which we cannot put in circulation for obvious reasons.
 Books of Travel
 What do l like best in books?" Miss Foster repeated the question after me. Books of travel, I would say-fiNst. Fiction of the better type, and 1etters'-they are so inti- mate and so. engaging.
 "The best novel of the past de- cade.p again Miss Foster repeated my question. Let me evade by say ing that If Winter Comes is the best novel of the past year. For children nothing has been written like The Story of Mankind (Van Loon), which answers for children, to MT. Wells The Outline of His tory for adults.
 This book received the Newberry medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in 1921, and was the only contemporary book voted upon when 5000 librarians, 1000 of whom were school librarians, voted on the 25 best books for children at the American Library association meet ing.
 This being true, one asks im- mediately: Well who is Newberry, and why such distinction in receiy ing the Newberry medal? That is easy to answer; John Newberry is known to us more particularly through his portrait given to us by Dr. Johnson in The Vicar of Wake field than anywhere else, and he was the first publisher to make books especially for children. We are told that he was a red-faced, good-nat- ured little man who was always in a hurry. He was no sooner light ed declared Dr. Primrose, but he was in haste to be gone, for he was ever on business of the utmost im- portance.' Also Dr. Johnson again