VOL. 22. APRIL, 1897. THE organization in the National Educational Association of a library section marks a notable advance in the relations between schools and libraries, and a great step forward in education. A first fruit of this was the round table discussion on libraries and schools at the February meeting of the Department of Superintendence of the N. E. A. at Indianapolis, and at the general conference of the association in Milwaukee in July this section will hold its first regular annual meeting. Each year the relations between libraries and schools have become closer, until now this relationship is thus officially recognized. The teacher, from his point of view, has been reaching out into the library field by the aid of "supplementary reading" and like methods, while the librarian on his part has been seeking to extend his field of usefulness from the adults through the ranks of the children, large and small. Each profession naturally emphasizes its part of this joint work of education. | But let not the librarian magnify his office. His work is distinctively supplementary to that of the teacher while the child is at school, and in a wider sense supplementary of the school work after school years throughout life. Like the profession of the teacher, the profession of the librarian is a worthy and dignified calling, needing no exaggeration of its functions to emphasize its work. Perhaps this word of caution is not unneeded, because it is only within a few years that the real worthfulness of the library calling has been appreciated, and the emphasis of its importance can easily go a bit too far. Taken together, the profession of education, which embraces both the callings of the teacher and the librarian, does so great a work in moulding the future, especially in a democratic country like our own, that the value of its work cannot be overestimated. No. 4 CE MASS. field of knowledge has vastly broadened within the generation past, and yet it has been found that the number of facts to be learned is less rather than more. Nature interlinks her works, and her knowledges, so that a student learns now by principles rather than by details - no longer in history the names of the popes or of the revolutionary battles, or in geography a list of the cities in a given state, but the general course of events and the outline maps of the country, into which individual facts can be fitted as needed. This should be the key to the reading work of the teacher and the specific library work in the schools. The use of tools is a large part of educational equipment, and here a knowledge of books, and of bibliography, the key to books, becomes important. If a child is taught how to get at facts, this is worth ten times as much as an attempt to crowd the brain with facts, and it can be done with one-tenth the labor and in one-tenth the time, if it be done properly. A QUESTION in school relations often asked is how the teacher, or the scholar, can do any more work, in reading or otherwise, in the 24 | hours still allotted to the day in the order of the universe. The question is not to be stated quite in this way. The problem is one not of addition, but of selection. Ruskin says, "Do you know, if you read this, that you cannot read that?" and here is the whole solution. The ONE of the most valuable features, therefore, of library education in the schools should be a knowledge of library aids by the teacher and by the scholar. It is too much to expect that such more or less costly books as the "American Catalogue," Poole's "Index," Fletcher's "A. L. A. Index," Sonnenschein's "Best books," etc., should be in each school library, or that schools should be able to subscribe to the "Annual catalogue," the "Annual literary index," containing the continuation of the Poole and Fletcher lists, the monthly "Cumulative index" of Mr. Brett (which indexes monthly not 30 books, as stated in error by Mr. Peoples in the February L. J., but 75), the LIBRARY JOURNAL, the Publishers' Weekly, etc. But the teacher should know and should inform his pupils just how to use these tools as found in the library. On the other hand, such publications as the "List of books for girls and women"— really a select and annotated bibliography of the best books on all subjects—the annotated list of books on fine art and music, expanding one division of that work, the "Readers' guide" in political economy, the Sargent and Hewins lists of books for children, etc., etc., all of them moderate in price, should be in most school li braries. Moreover, the teacher directly, or by proxy of the librarian, should teach a child how to use reference books and how to browse among other books for himself, so that the "information clerk" in the library, useful as that official is, would be a "guide, philosopher, and friend," rather than a labor-saving machine. But bibliography is never to be confused with the real use of books: it is only the box of tools ready at the hand of the worker, for real work. THE tariff on ideas," as the New York Tribune puts it, i.e., those provisions in the Dingley bill imposing a duty of 25 per cent. on books hitherto imported free, has been taken throughout the country as an affront to education and intelligence; and the authorities at Washington have already received an avalanche of protests from educational institutions of all kinds, as well as from libraries. Every library and every teacher is interested in this question, and so far as state and local associations and individuals have not yet acted, each should address some kind of protest to senators and representatives against the proposed tax on knowledge. The resolutions of members of the American Library Association, printed elsewhere, state the case fairly and fully, and furnish an excellent model or suggestion for such action. Communications. REFERENCE NOTES ON CATALOG CARDS. AN appreciable saving in time, money, and duplicated effort could be made, where a large library is cataloged upon cards, if an abbreviated guide to the biography or bibliography or other source or sources followed in giving the form to the entry, were entered upon the back of the author card. This entry could direct intelligent users of the catalog, promptly and unfailingly, to the best biographical notice of the author; and it useless, wearisome, and disappointing labor of would save the cataloger a great deal of the search in places where a notice is presumably or possibly to be found, but where none will be found. Is it not evident how much more securely and quickly the cataloger can progress if he knows upon what foundation his predecessor in the current catalog built, and is able to avoid duplicating his search on the contrary, has a marked trail before him to follow? The librarian, in utilizing to its utmost work done, by having it once and for all recorded, and in eliminating blind or blundering repetition of search for a large percentage of new accessions, unknown to-morrow and dead yesterday," and will be, in a sense, "striking from the calendar, reducing his year to better reckoning. MARY IMOGEN CRANDALL. A WORD TO CATALOGERS. Ir may seem a late appeal for a change in an adopted practice, but the usual manner of cataloging pseudonyms is open to serious criticism. Such an author-name is as indivisible as the title of the fiction it introduces. Both are fictitious, and neither is known in any other order than that on the title-page. There is no Mr. Twain, Mr. Craddock, and so on. It is nonsense to print a directory transposition as a guide to names which exist in the thought in quite another order. It would be quite as reasonable to directory titles, and print in our catalogs "Copperfield, David"; "Feverel, Richard, The ordeal of," etc. but not so late as it will be five years hence. I In view of the excellent work done by the Superintendent of Documents, Mr. Crandall, since under the new law he accepted that post, there should be no doubt of his retention in the public service. Mr. Crandall was not the candidate of the library people for this post, and was not supported by the LIBRARY JOURNAL, in that his appointment at the time was regarded as a political one. But he took hold of the work with such broad-minded vigor, has organized his office with such intelligence and skill, and has altogether done so well that he has proved himself the man for the place. The position is one which should not be the football of party politics, and the country would be the better served for the next four years if Mr. Crandall's experience could be utilized by keep-has made it necessary to defer the publication ing him where he is. Librarians should be quick to make known the sentiment of the profession in this matter by sending to the new Public Printer, Frank W. Palmer, prompt letters of protest against such action as now, unfortunately, seems possible. RIDLEY PARK, PA. PUBLISHING NOTE. It is regretted that pressure of other matter of Mr. Foster's paper on "Developing a taste for good literature" until the May number of the LIBRARY JOURNAL. Other articles in a measure supplementing the topics presented in the present School number, will also appear in later issues. WORK BETWEEN LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS - A SYMPOSIUM. AT WORCESTER, MASS. BY SAMUEL SWETT GREEN, Librarian Free Public Library, Worcester. IN the year 1879 systematic efforts were made to bring about a close connection between the public library and the grammar schools of the city of Worcester. The objects of the efforts were twofold, namely: to afford aid to teachers and scholars in making studies more interesting and profitable, and to raise the standard of the reading of children. For several years previous to 1879 there had been intimate relations between the library and the high school, the normal school, and collegiate institutions. Certain obstacles have been encountered in doing school-work, but they have been overcome, and this work has grown into large proportions. To-day, during the colder months of the year, 2000 volumes belonging to the library are in use in school-rooms or homes under the supervision of teachers every day that schools are open. There is, of course, a large use of books by children additional to the school use. The general use is looked after at the library with care. There seems to be but one opinion among the teachers of Worcester regarding the usefulness of the work. Work of this kind is facilitated and rendered large when, as is the case in Worcester, it is encouraged by the superintendent of schools. The walls of a lecture-hall are covered at one time with photographs, etchings, etc., illustrative of the civil war, the time selected being that at which the pupils have just finished studying about the later portions of American history. The scenes in which Shakespeare moved, fac-similes of the earliest editions of his works, and views of London and its famous places in the time of Addison are shown at times when interest is alive in the works of these authors. As I am writing a notable exhibition is going on. Catlin's representations of customs among North American Indians, Moran's scenes in the Yellowstone Park, a set of plates in use in German schools to illustrate pictures in natural scenery, and Trouvelot's representations of heavenly objects as seen through the telescope, have been placed on the walls of a large room, and scholars (accompanied by teachers) from the different schoolbuildings come successive days after school, that is to say about 4:30 p.m., to see them. Such scholars come as wish to; none are obliged to come, but large numbers avail themselves daily of the privilege offered. The scholars gather in groups about the different sets of pictures, and the librarian and teachers talk with them about the scenes represented. The Free Public Library in Worcester was a pioneer in bringing about a close connection between a public library and schools. It was sometime after it began its work before confidence was inspired in authorities in many other Besides the work done with books sent to places to undertake similar work. After a few school-houses, there is a very large use by chil-years, however, when success in doing this kind dren for school purposes of books within the library building. Pupils are there taught how to use books in getting information, and, in large numbers, make little investigations there every day. At first books were taken by scholars to and from school houses in lined baskets provided by the school department. Now the superintendent of schools sends a wagon to every school-building once in two weeks to bring away books that are to be returned and to carry books which are wanted. of work had become very evident and its usefulness clearly and indisputably demonstrated, attention was attracted everywhere, and all over the country town and city libraries undertook work similar to that done in Worcester, and tried, each library in its own way, to make themselves useful to teachers and scholars and effect as much as possible by working through the teachers. It would be interesting to show how the work started in Worcester and to give particulars in regard to its conduct and results, but in such A large use is made in doing school-work of an article as this there is room only to make the exhibitions of pictures in the library building. | general statements which have been given, |