The round table for college librarians was held on Friday evening, June 27th. F. C. Hicks, of Columbia university, presiding.
Miss JOSEPHINE A. RATHBONE, of the Pratt Institute school of library science gave a talk on
WHAT COLLEGE LIBRARIANS CAN DO FOR LIBRARY SCHOOLS
In a recent lecture on administrative problems of the college library given to the students of the Pratt Institute library school the lecturer pictured the ideal college library of the future, with a staff consisting of specialists, each with a knowledge of his subject equal to that of instructors or professors plus a library school training, whose recompense should be on the same scale as that for the teaching of those subjects. I remarked afterward that before that vision could come to pass the college librarians should have to act as feeders for the library schools, turning toward librarianship promising material from which the library schools could make the college library specialist of tomorrow. Hence this paper.
There has been a good deal of discussion in the Professional Training section about specialization in library schools—the desirability of having special courses to prepare librarians for technical libraries, for professional libraries, for legislative reference libraries, etc., etc., but I am convinced—and my conviction deepens with my increasing experience—that the time for specialization is before the library school course and not during it. Theoretically it does not seem possible that the same library course should be able to fit students for such different lines as children's work, municipal reference work, cataloging, branch library work, the scientific department of a university library, a botanical garden library, and the librarianship of a town library, but actually that is just what happens; recent graduates of our school are filling just such positions and each one found that her library training plus her previous education, experience and temperament enabled her to fill the special position satisfactorily.
Now what the college librarian can do for the library school and hence for the library profession, is, it seems to me, to make it known among college students that there are opportunities for the specialist in library work—to disabuse the mind of the man or woman who wants to pursue economics or sociology or some branch of science of the idea—almost a fixed idea it would seem—that a specialist in order to continue in his specialty must necessarily teach it, that teaching offers the only pied a terre, the only means of support for the student. Students of sociology and government are beginning to find their way into organized welfare work, it is true, but library work should be presented to them as a means of social service, of at least equal importance with settlement work or organized charity. That it could be so presented I am confident, and by whom if not by or through the agency of the college librarian?
Schools and colleges are devoting an increasing amount of attention to vocational guidance. Will not college librarians make a point of seeing that the possibilities and diversified opportunities of librarianship are presented to the students each year? If they do not care to do this themselves, librarians or members of library school faculties might be found in the vicinity who would be glad to do it.
Once the subject of librarianship is presented to the student and the desirability of entering upon the work through the gateway of library school training is pointed out (I assume that no time need be spent arguing this point—but if I am wrong I shall be glad to discuss the matter with any dissenters later), the college librarian can further the cause by being prepared to advise students as to their choice of a library school. The college librarian should supply himself with the circulars of the several schools and should inform himself concerning the reputation, advantages, requirements, and specialties of the different schools. We all agree that there is no one best library school (except our own), but that each of them offer special opportunities that make them adapted to the particular needs of different students. To direct the inquirer to that school that will best fit him for the particular kind of work he inclines toward would be to serve the profession, the schools, the colleges, and the individual student. Will not the college librarian take this function upon himself and enrich the profession not only with the quiet bookish student who will develop into the old-fashioned librarian for whom there is still room, but with the specialist, the executive, the vigorous and enthusiastic altruist who wants to serve the world by positive, constructive, social work?
The following paper, prepared by Mr. ROBERT S. FLETCHER, librarian of Amherst College, was read by Mr. N. L. Goodrich, of Dartmouth: