The purpose in all this work is to endeavor to aid boys and girls to find a work in life that will command their best energies, their intelligent interest, and is adapted to their capacities, thus avoiding so far as possible the bane of young people drifting into the first thing that comes along, whether they are fitted for it or not. This work puts before them the widest possible range of choice of vocation, enlarges their horizon, and then endeavors to ground them in those fundamental moral qualities which are the basis of every successful life.
By putting the right sort of books into their hands in this way the library has a tremendous opportunity for influencing their lives at the most formative period, and at the same time developing in them a more or less serious attitude toward life and its work. The study of the lives of successful men and women and the study of the work and requirements of different vocations can not help but impress upon boys and girls the importance of preparation and conscientious effort as prime requisites for success in any line of work.
We of the library in Grand Rapids are of the opinion that the library alone in such work could do very little. As already stated we believe that the initiative should come from the school. On the other hand, we are firmly convinced that the school alone without the co-operation of the library would be very seriously handicapped. In the first place the school would be required to duplicate unnecessarily a large number of the books which are in our public libraries, and this of course would be an economic waste. In the second place the school would be denying the children one of the best opportunities to come in contact with an institution which aids them in the continuation of their education all through life after they leave school. It is of immense value to the child to get training in the use of the library in connection with the thinking he is giving to his work in after life. A better introduction of the child to the value of books and a public library, the library itself could hardly ask.
But the library's greatest opportunity in vocational guidance is in the fact that all this work is really constructive manhood and womanhood, or if you please, constructive citizenship. And this is not only the greatest work the library can do, but the greatest work any institution can do.
This subject proved a timely one and aroused considerable discussion. Many questions were asked concerning the co-operation of the public library in Grand Rapids with this department of work in the high school. Mr. Ranck announced that Mr. Davis, principal of the Central high school, expects to bring out a book in the fall which shall include outlines and the list of books which has been in such great demand and which is now out of print.
The discussion seemed to show that "vocational guidance" is a legitimate field not adequately covered by libraries. Miss Power now took the chair.
Miss Burnite made a motion to adopt the following resolution:
Whereas, the members of the American Library Association who are engaged in work with children feel the great bond of affection for all those who have rendered that service to child life which the achievement of efficient library service for children signifies;
And whereas, the Dayton public library has suffered the destruction of its children's department and thereby the children of the city are without the influence of good books at the time they need them most;
Be it resolved: that we express to the Board of Trustees, the librarian, Miss Clatworthy, the head of the children's department, Miss Ely, our deep sympathy and the hope that their work may be rehabilitated upon a greater plane of service.