We should have, I think, in our library training, the opportunity for specializing when the students are ready for it, but I believe that whatever position one is to occupy, whatever work in the library one may be fortunate enough to do, the solid, general training of one year in a library school is none too much as an introduction and basis. So that I believe that specialization in a one year course is not desirable, even if it were practicable, which it is not for at least two reasons: The time is too short and the expense too great. Such a suggestion reminds me of something which I heard President Eliot of Harvard say once upon a time at a meeting of school superintendents, on the subject of enriching and broadening the course in grammar schools. He argued in a very strong and interesting way for greater freedom for the brighter child to pass along more rapidly by means of special instruction. It was answered in various ways by the school men, but to me the answer was very clear, namely, that what Harvard university, with one instructor for eight or nine students, could do is not practicable in grade schools with one instructor for fifty students.
So any attempt to specialize in a one year course would require an increase of cost for instruction greater than the result would be likely to justify. An important co-operation has been at various times suggested and discussed as follows: If the courses of the one year schools could be so closely approximated to the first year's work in the larger schools that students having completed the one year's course might afterwards, if able to meet the requirements, complete their work, specializing, if they chose, in the second and third years' work of the larger schools, this would seem a perfectly feasible and desirable thing.
Another co-operation which I think would be of great value might be arranged with the colleges if they would give credit for work in the library school. A large part of the work in the library school, such as book selection, the subject headings, classifications, the use of reference books, and some other subjects, have a definite and high educational value, equal I believe, we may fairly say, to that of the average value of the college curriculum. If the college would be willing to give credit for a fair share of this work, the student might by some overtime work, graduate from college and from a library school giving one year courses, in four years, or by adding another year, from college and a two year library school. This would, of course, require co-operation through the course. In one instance such a co-operation has been planned and will be put into operation, the college proposing to give a credit of six-tenths of one year for one year's work in the library school. The initiative in that case came from the college. It is true as we all know that we are trying to secure for the service a preparation in college and in library school which is out of proportion to the salaries paid. This is the inevitable condition of a new profession. Adequate recognition will not be given to a profession until it has by long service demonstrated its importance, nor will individual members receive adequate salaries until they prove their efficiency. This is as true in the library as it is in business. In business salaries are usually based on the proven value of services already rendered. No young man in a mercantile house is likely to receive a salary in 1913 larger than he has shown his ability to earn in 1912. In other words, the man or the woman who grows in business relations must keep the work ahead of the salary. Keep the work away beyond the compensation and the compensation will follow it along even though it may not overtake it.
To bring about the best results the library schools should co-operate with each other and with the colleges to bring up and maintain high standards and to insist on a good, solid, general and technical foundation, upon which specialization may be built.
The CHAIRMAN: I am not sure but that there should have been a second paper, upon the subject of "What the library schools can not do for the profession." I wonder if it has ever occurred to you that a medical school confines a student for four years before he is permitted to go at large. I wonder if you have ever put to yourselves the question, how many medical students, in their first, or second, or third, or fourth year after graduation, you have been ready to employ in vital matters in your own family. I am quite sure that were any of the young ladies here seeking to employ a lawyer in a breech of promise suit against any of the young men, they would not go to the law graduate in the first year of his experience. It seems to me, therefore, that it is not surprising at all that we do not find in the library school graduate, during the early years of his actual work, all the business ability, the diplomatic qualities and the personality, book knowledge and tact that we might expect. We cannot do everything in one year, I think we all agree. What we do wish to know, and what we welcome very definitely, I am sure, from the standpoint of the schools, is that you let us know, in any way possible, what we can do that has not been done.
The discussion will be carried on further by Mr. Edwin H. Anderson, of the New York public library.
Mr. E. H. ANDERSON: I find myself in such general agreement with Mr. Hadley's excellent paper that I fear I can do little to stir up interest by discussion.
His point that in the first library school the influence of the university library was too marked and that university demands have had too much influence on the curricula of all schools, seems to me well taken. It is only natural that it should be so; but since most of the schools are now directly connected with, or closely related to, public libraries, I think their courses of instruction are more and more losing the marks of university influence. This influence should still hold with the schools connected with universities. But these schools, it seems to me, should frankly specialize and prepare students for university library work.
Mr. Hadley very properly emphasizes the need for more men students in the schools. I am sure all the existing schools are glad to have as many good men as they can get. The difficulty seems to be to find enough men of the right sort who are sufficiently interested in library work to take a course of formal training for it. If the schools could, as Mr. Hadley suggests, coöperate with the American Library Association in presenting the claims and rewards of librarianship to young men in the universities, I think the results would justify the effort. I would suggest therefore that the A. L. A. Committee on professional training consider this suggestion and arrange to act upon it as soon as possible. There is a crying demand for more men from the schools. The only remedy for the present condition is to induce more men of the right sort to enter the schools. Mr. Hadley has suggested one method of accomplishing this. Another and more direct method is for librarians themselves to call to the attention of young men of the right sort the opportunities which the schools open to them for professional library work. I think the heads of the schools will agree with me when I say that in general their best students are those who are sent to them by librarians. Now if these same librarians would make a special point of urging upon educated young men the advantages of the school training, both the schools and the profession would profit by it. Nothing is so effective as personal suggestion and explanation; and a librarian who likes his work should have little difficulty in arousing the interest of university men of his acquaintance who are not attracted by the older professions.
Mr. Hadley seems to think that much of the instruction in the schools at present is wasted upon one "destined" for administrative work. The difficulty is to tell when a man or a woman is destined for work of this sort. The inclination for it is not always accompanied by the necessary qualifications. How are we to determine who is destined for administrative work and who for work of another sort? A student might enter a library school expecting to prepare for administrative duties and find after a term's study that he preferred, or was better fitted for, some other kind of work. Personally I can say that few of the things I studied at the library school have proved useless to me in administrative work.