The Mankato free press., 1922-01-13
ON NORMAL
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
First Draft Standard Ma
tionaI Committee
NEEDS MEASURE STICK
members Invite Criticism On
-. Being Sent Out To
Presidents
[Associated Press Dispatch.l

Emporia, Kan, January Sin car
rying out its assignment to apply "a
measuring stick" to normal school
teachers college Libraries. the com
mittee on normal school libraries.
appointed by the National Education
al association, has completed its first
draft of standards covering all es
sential requirements.
The committee finds ardent need OF
measuring stick" How large
should be the staff of Librarians in
large a library fund? How many books
are needed in the library of teach
ers' college of 1,500 students? How
much floor space. What library in
struction should be given?
Administrators, boards Of regents.
faculty committees and librarians of
normal schools and teachers colleges
are asking questions like these" the
report saws. There ought to be an
teacher training Institutions have
adequate, satisfying library service,
resulting in teachers trained to know
the true value and use OF Libraries in
education, all types of education will
be deficient and all types of libraries
will fail in their highest usefulness"
Two General Causes.
The committees report divides the
institutions into two general classes
year teachers college. It goes into
detail as to standards Of equipment,
floor space, staff personnel, number
of books under various classffications,
funds, academic status of Librarians
and staff members, etc. Some of the
findings follow:
A normal school with a two-year
course with an initial enrolment
Of 300 students) should have a H.
brary of 10000 volumes; with 1000
more for each additional enrolment
of 900. So"
The librarian should have academic
status of full professor with vote; as
sistants to rank as instructors; tstaff
should consist of librarian and Hhree
assistants; salary on pa with pro
fessor of English; staff on par with
better paid instructors In English
Four year teacher colleges with en-
rollment of 500 should have a reading
room to accommodate 100 readers
$500 square feet, and nine other
rooms; reference, periodical, child
rens' ~ library class room with 60
seats, cataioging. work rooms t2II and
Book stock: $4,000 volumes; for
each additional 500 students, $4,000.
Z AuUAdly iuuu. al ulSpOsdl Oh iOrd-
rfan, not including salaries, and build
ing maintenance, $4,000; for each ad
dtonal 500 students, 81, 600
Personnel: Librarian, ranking as
full professor-head of a department,
with votes-and staff of I'VE.
Library instruction.
Library Instruction: Librarian to
be instructor, at least twelve lessons
required Of freshmen in use of library:
three semester hours credit in chill
dren's literature required; elective
course In library organization, bibiio-
graphy and reference work.
w. H. Kerr, librarian, Kansas State
Normal school, Emporia, is chairman
OF the national committee, the other
members being William G. Bagley.
Columbia University, New York: Mary
]. Booth, State Teachers College,
Charleston, ILL.,; W. M. Davidson,
president, State Teachers college.
Moorhead, MINI; Martha. Caroline
Pritchard, Detroit Teachers college:
Mary G. Richardson, State Normal
school, Geneseo, N. Y, and Alexander
G. Roberts, president, State Normal
School, Centralia, Wash.
The committee which Is sending
its full report to normal school nrssi-
dents and librarians and other edu.
Gators. invites criticism. The com
mittee was appointed at the 1921
meeting of the National Education
Associatsnn at Des Moines. ..