Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-18
LIBRARY POSITIONS
AREGONNG BEGGING
Personnel In Demand for
Posts Paying From $40
to $10,O 900 Annually.
BY REX COLLIER.


Jobs may be scarce in most lines Of
endeav6r, but Uncle Sam has found one
field OF service in which good positions
are going begging for lack Of appli-
cants.
This ambiguous condition in the face
Of widespread unemployment has been
found to exist in the field Of librarian
ship, according to q survey by Walter
j. Greenleaf, associate specialist IN
higher education Of the Department of
the Interior. '>te
Due to rapidly expanding library
facilities. especially in the schools Of
the Nation, the demand for trained IL
brary workers is in excess of the supply
Of qualified applicants-and the de-
mand Is on the increase.
Discussing guardianship as q career,
Mr.. Greenleaf points out q wide field
for service ccnfronts the trained IL
brary worker, with salaries ranging
from $720 for assistants in small L.
braries to $4,000 year for librarians
Of large institutions.
Attractive to Women.
The field is particularly attractive to
women, it was stated. The census of
1900 listed 4,184 librarians, OF whom
rs per cent were women. In 1910 there
were 10,722 librarians, Of whom 30 per
cent were women. In 1920 the number
of Librarians had increased to 1927,
with SO per cent Of them women.
1.-THE turnover among women IL
brarians, however, is large" Mr.. Green
leaf said MANY girls who enter IL
brary employment resign a few years
later to marry, although marriage does
not bar them from continuing in theiI
chosen occupation. The turnover
among male employees Is low. Their in
terests are often administrative, and
the positions with the highest salaries
most often fall to men, although women
have an equal opportunity for promo
ton when qualified"
The Government specialist learned
that the demand for school libraries Il
'insistent, particularly In the Southern
States" OF the $4,000 public high
schools throughout the country. thu
survey showed, only o. small percentage
maintain libraries, and new schools arl
adding librarians to their stats
Public libraries need more trained
workers." Mr.. Greenleaf reported
Graduates of library schools are
readily placed by the institutional
placement ofices. In addition, the per-
sonnet division of the American Library
Association places many graduates Of
accredited schools"
Library workers are classified as ad.
Tninistrators, circulation Librarians
reference Librarians, order Librarians
catalogues, children,s Librarians, college
librarians and school librarians, 1t wal
explained.
Work Il Specialized.
s'There are 5000 libraries in the
United States" Mr.. Greenleaf said
the largest of which Is the Library o.
Congress, with over 100000 volume.
and SOS trained personnel. Becaus,
there are so many types and systems
the duties of library workers have be.
come specialized.
"The successful library worker meets
people easily Is adaptable, helpful
knows books and sources and has thu
broad educational background which
college training develops.
'sLibrariang Usually work from SO to a
hours per week, with an average of a
hours on duty. They generally arr
given months vacation with pay eacl
year."
The highest maximum salaries in Ii.
braries Of more than 100000 volume:
vary from. 81. $40 to $4,000 . year, thu
report stated. Beginning salaries fol
graduates of library schools range from
81 500 To 1920.
There are 80 schools offering course,
in library science of one year or more
The average annual tuition is $160
The only local school listed Is &C George
Washington University.