第39章 THE GROWING TENDENCY TO OVER-EMPHASIZE THE CHILDRE

The splendid character of library work in tenement districts stood out strongly.It is vigorous,alive,with an ever-broadening opportunity.

More vivid,however,than any other impression,stronger still,was that of the time and thought and care bestowed on the Child.

Everywhere,in city,town and suburban library,the effort to reach the Child is apparent.Special attendants are in readiness to meet him the instant he comes into reading room and station after school hours.Thoughtful women are assigned to overlook and guide his reference work.Entertainment is offered him in the form of blocks to play with,scrap-books to look at,story hours to attend.Books specially selected with regard to his supposedly individual needs are placed on the shelves.Picture bulletins are made for his use in the schools.Where he is not segregated he is allowed to monopolize tables and chairs.I find no corresponding effort made to reach the adult,to reach the young mechanic,to draw to the library the parent.I at times wonder whether librarians and custodians are even aware that exaggerated leaning toward one phase of library work must throw out of the true the work as a whole.

Nothing has astonished me more than this new development in library practice--the placing of the child in importance before the adult.The old belief that the library is primarily for adults and only incidentally for children still holds good at the central buildings of large city public library systems.In these we find the children's department only one of many departments--the child always subordinate,the adult dominant--the result of a well balanced,admirable whole,each unit in its proper place,all forces pulling together.I fail to see why the same relative balance should not be maintained throughout the entire system,from branch to station,not always in kind and measure,but approximately.

A second thought to which I cannot adjust myself--is that of the parent as a factor in school and library work.The parent believes in the public school,and he pays heavily in taxes for the education of his children by means of it.The parent believes in the establishment of public libraries and he pays heavily in taxes for their equipment.Both sums raised are sufficiently generous to enable school and library to furnish trained,capable,efficient teachers and librarians.Such being the case does not the parent show intelligence in turning over to the public care the direction of his children's education and reading?Is he not justified in so doing?Why then should he be held ignorant or selfish?Eliminate the parent as a factor in library practice.Give the children quality in books.Strike off 50per cent.,if you only will,of the titles to be found on the shelves of children's rooms.Substitute "adult"books,and you will not need to appeal to the parent to guide the child's choice.

That there is similarity of practice in library work,in North Carolina and here,you can hardly deny.Point by point,in so far as the work relates to the child,the problems are mutual.Their solution lies in the getting together of school and library authorities,and the setting aside of the modern thought that library work is primarily educative and primarily for the child.

Let the schools educate the children;and,if you can,let the adult once more dominate in library practice.You will then have a well-balanced whole,free from over-emphasis on the child's side.