The Mankato free press., 1923-07-20
TRAIN FOR LIBRARY
SUGGESTIONS MADE BY
MISS SOPHIA LAMMERS
Need of Book Experts To Serve
Growing Reading
Public

The public library deals with TWO
, important factors-,books and people
the more important being the
people," said Miss Sophia hammers,
the public librarian, in a chat with a
Free Press reporter. Miss hammers
was librarian at the Nebraska State
university for eleven years before
coming to Mankato. There is no
place in the modern library for the
person who does not like people" /"
said Miss hammers. "Enthuiasm for
service is as essential as training.
are. the personality of the librarian
is even more VITAL" continued the
librarian. There is no profession
which calls for more vital" continu-
ed the librarian.
There is no profession which
calls for more idealism and self
Placement. Many people say they
would like to be a librarian, be-
reading and literary appreciation
are important and necessary, but so
also is an intelligent understanding
OF other peoples opinions and tastes.
The trained library worker has a
large field, much broader than might
be imagined. The general reader
thinks OF the public library and the
the young women who serve him
there as representatives OF the
library profession. The public library
with its many activities, its many
forms Of service, and its wide ex
tension system does form an import
n,.% rNFf ho RnId D,,4 kIa
public library, either as city or
county library does not monopolize
the field Of library work. There are
libraries primarily for educational
purposes as the university college,
and schools which includes the high,
junior high and elementary depart
ments. II trained service. can be
had in all these libraries a better
foundation for future library reading
will be laid within the past few
years, special Libraries have been or
ganiZed in factories, banking houses,
insurance headquarters, welfare or
ganizations, societies besides many
general business libraries have de-
Veloped. There is no one who ap-
preciates the value Of a library as
does a progressive business man, af-
ter he has once used it.
Demand For Librarians
This is being realized every where
and the demand for trained librar-
ians far exceeds the supply. The
library profession has never over
crowded and librarians feel that 1t
is necessary to recruit for candidates
for the library school and to urge
students with the right qualifications
to prepare for the profession.
The library Is an educational in
stitution; the greater part OF the
work Is closely linked with formal
Librarian must be an educated per-
son for her duties are not merely
those of guardianship and caretaker,
but OF research worker, cataloguer,
advisor and guide to the contents
Of the books. Nothing less than
college course is sufficient for the
librarian who wishes to rise in the
profession. Preferably good foun-
oation of history, literature and
languages should be laid. More
ever. the library is the one public
institution concerned with adult edu-
cation which is concerned with the
duty Of creating more intelligent
citizenship. 1t cannot function un-
less it's teaching staff which is its
body OF trained librarians be a
group, of educated people Again the
librarian must have the entire CO.
operation of the public and that CO.
operation has to take form in the
way. of finincial support and sympa-
thetic understanding.
There is the greatest diversity
OF work in. every library which
means positions fitted to almost
every Temperament. Public library
work is roughly divided into two
asses. One which gives service
by the selection, preparation and
care of the books and magazines. AM
the other where service consists OF
meeting the public and giving the
right book at the right time. Through
this part of the service there is the
work In the juvenile, the school. the
loan and the reference department.
terial available"