Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-11-17
Library Sho'on Big Factor
As ~Sister" of d. C.. Schools
article by Dr.. Bo,Oern,an Discusses Co
operation, Branches and Other
Service to the Public.

In an article published in the No
| vember issue OF the American City,
| DR.. George F. Bowerman, librarian Of
| the Washington Public Library. dis
cusses the question of library and
| school cooperation, with considera-
ton OF branch libraries and other
| services He notes the fact that the
ST. Louis Public Library. in Its
monthly bulletin for July. 1922, gives
a summary Of reports from other
cities Of their experiences with
branch libraries in school buildings
DR.. Bowerman's article follows:
All cooperation between public
schools and public libraries Is based
on the fundamental idea that 1.-THE
public library Is supplement OF the
| public educational system'-as 1t ts
declared air to be in the act OF congre ss
District OF Columbia. To be success.
full there must be spirit of cordial
! cooperation between the two boards
and their executives. the superin-
librarian. The consensus of opinion
Is that public library interests are
less likely to be minimized II there
| Is no organic connection between the
1
TO making its own part of the local
educational work as successful as
possible. Fundamentally the school
is engaged in the work Of instruction,
In which the trained teacher imparts
education to young folks chiefly
through the medium OF text books.
The library's work consists in sup
plementing and compiementing school
brings forward the best books tother
| than text books) for the voluntary
use Of children In school and Of adults
beyond school age.
Needs Basic Education.
The library needs the school to give
the basic education to fit the In
| dividual to use the library: IL needs
| that the school should point tho I'M
questionable child to the library as
an agency through which 1t can round
out and continue Its education. the
school needs the library to furnish
live illustrative material to supple
nent and vitaliZe the text book; the
school, In order that It's work sinai!
not cease or be perverted when schooi
days are over. il interested In seeing
that it's sister, the library. takes over
the educational process and carries
Il on indefinitely.
The more complete this co-opera-
| ton and the earlier 1t can be estab-
! lisheu the better the results.
| In this article. the Washington
situation will be outlined, but the
! experience Of other cities will also
be utilized. Although there is no
| school and library boards In Wash
| ington, it not infrequently happens
! that the directorates are to some ex-
| tent interlOcking. Usually the SUI
| perintsndent OF schools Is a member
| of the library board In several
| states this Is required by law. But
in Washington there have always
been the closest working relations
| between schools anu libraries, with
| good results on both sides.
Children's rooms under the direction
of trained experts are conducted In
| the central library and branches. A
| large part OF their work Is assisting
| children with composition work.
STORYTELLING material; mounted pic.
| lures and pedagogical books furnished
| to teachers are. of course, now COM
monplaces of public library service.
| Hampers Of Books to Grade Rooss.
| Somewhat general also is the plan.
developed to high degree In Wash
!ngton, by which the Public Library
rooms. These collections usually con-
s!st of as many books as there are
pupils in the room. They are COM
posed about half OF books OF fiction
| and half Of non-fiction. but all are
4 carefully graded. The teachers usual
! ly leave the selection Of books to be
! sent to the library's supervisor of
! school work. Books are sent for lend
ing to pupils for home reading.
months and such exchanges coincide
| with changes In the courses OF study
F: Teachers are warm in their praise Of
this service and many Of them regard
fective teaching. Although this spe-
cial work for schools was originally
| established In part because the IL
I brary altogether lacked a system OF
\ ho . IL Nall kkAk
! should be continued even when tho
Lllbrary's branch system is fully de-
(veloped Through the library books
and the teacher.s interest. which this
! get excellent results: reading that is
1 Voluntary. but at the Same time d.
| rected by the teacher.
| AS q result, the children love the
varied collections OF attractive books
sent by the Public Library. Their at
| titude toward the voluntary reading
| OF such books is in marked contrast
with their usual antipathy toward the
| required perusal OF books Tor supple
mental reading.
| In some cities II has been found
| possible to bring classes to public
| library centers to learn to use library
| card catalogues and reference books.
| Sometimes stereopticon lectures are
| employed to instruct in the use OF
| books: for example. to show the dit
| ference between table of contents
I and an index. how to use a dictionary
| or a cyclopedia. how to hunt up ma
terial with the help OF magazine in
dexes.
! Public Library cooperation ex-
! tends up through the high school.
| the library sending books to supple
high school libraries. Generally
| speaking the high school libraries
| consist OF reference books and other
material wanted continuously or re-
currently They draw .rI hsay lily on nth, the
| varied collections to meet occasional
| and seasonal demands. High school
| teachers and librarians also send
pupils to tho public library and it's
| ing the use Of the bound dies Of the
Congressional Record. OF periodicals
| and other material more advanced
l than that possessed by high scho-
libraries
Bra nches, Sub Branches and Stations.
| The recognition on the part OF the
school authorities OF tho large and
constantly increasing service OF the
Public Library to the schools nnaliy
result ed in Washington not long since
In the adoption by the boards Of edu-
cation and OF library trustees OF the
long pending proposal OF the FuoIc
Library. for the sst asIts1n neho OF
buildings. On the library's part this
nronosai in part grew out OF the
siowness with which its system Of
senarate branch libraries was being
developed and In part from the be-
lief in the reasonableness OF the pro.
method of furnishing library service
branch Libraries in separate buildings.
The program for library aeyei3p
ment in the District OF Columoia IN.
/ N'NNSSS onnronria tons OF HeYAn