Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-01-06
n. {. A. COMMITTEE.
GIVES RULES FOR.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
ADVISES USING MEASURING
STICK IN PLANNING READING
AND REFERENCE ROOMS FOR
STUDENTS IN COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES.

Emporla Kas,, Jan. EN- carrying
out It's assignment to apply "a meas.
uring stick" to normal school teach.
ers college Libraries. the committee
on normal school Libraries, appoint
ed by the National Education Asso.
citation, has completed its first draft
of standards covering all essential
requirements.
The committee finds ardent need
OF measuring stick. How large
stan of librarians in a normal school
of 100 students? How large Ii
brary fund? Hoy many books are
needed In the library of Il teachers
college of 1900 students? How much
floor space? What library instruc-
tion should be given?
Administrators, boards of regents,
faculty committees and librarians OF
normal schools and teachers colleges
are asking questions like these" the
report says There ought TO be an
authoritative answer For until the
teacher training institutions have an
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 H.
braries will fail in their highest use.
fulness."
The committees report divides the
institutions into two general classes
two year normal schools. and four
year teachers colleges. II goes into
detail as to standards Of equipment
floor space, staff personnel, number
OF books under various classifications,
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 IL
brary of 10000 volumes: with 1000
more for each additional enrolment
of 900.
The librarian should have academic
status OF full professor with vote;
assistants to rank as instructors;
staff should consist of librarian and
three ASSISTANTS; salary on par with
professor Of English; staff on par
with better paid instructors in Eng
lish.
-Four year teacher colleges with
enrolment of 500 should have a read.
ing room to accommodate 100 readers
$500 square feet, and nine other
rooms, reference, periodical chill
>drens t2), library class room with
sixty seats, cataloging, work rooms
(2l and office.
Book stock, 10000 volumes; for
each additional 500 students, 1900.
Library fund--At disposal of libra
rian, not including salaries and build
ing maintenance, $4,000. for each
additional 500 students $4,000
ersonnel-Librarian ranking as
full professor, head of department
with vote and staff of FIVE.
Library ruction--Librarian to
be instructor, at least twelve lessons
required of freshmen in use of IL
brary: three semester hours credit in
childrens literature required; cleo
tive courses in library organization
photography and reference work
w. II. 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. at
Charleston, H.; w. NJ Davidson,
president state teachers college. at
Moorhead, Mimi; Martha Caroline
Pritchard, Detroit teachers college;
Mary G. Richardson, state normal
school, Genesea, N Y; and A. c. Rob
erts, president state normal school,
Centralia, Wash.
The committee which is sending it's
full report to normal school presi.
dents and librarians and other edu-
Gators, invites criticism. The com
mittee was appointed at the 1921
meeting of the N. E. A. at Des
MOines.