In closing we will quote a criticism of an eastern librarian, as
a thought on which we all need to dwell: "From the artistic point
of view such bulletins as I have seen are commonly too scrappy,
ill arranged and given too much to detail. One or two pictures on
a large card, with a brief descriptive note, all conveying one
idea or emphasizing one point only, is the best form. In
bulletins, as in many other things, the rule to follow first of
all is simplicity."
HOW TO INTEREST MOTHERS IN CHILDREN'S READING
One of the newer developments of organized work is with mothers
who can be interested in the books their children read, although
informal, individual work has always been a part of library work
with children. This paper was read at the joint meeting of the
Michigan and Wisconsin Library Associations in July, 1914, by
Miss May G. Quigley, children's librarian of the Public Library,
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
May Genevieve Quigley was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was
graduated from the Grand Rapids High School. Soon after this, she
began work in the Grand Rapids Public Library and has been Head
of the Children's Department since it was organized in 1907.
You ask me how to interest mothers in children's reading. I began
by being invited to the different mothers' meetings held in the
schools; public, parochial and private, the churches and women's
clubs. At each institution, the mothers, coming from widely
different circles are always attentive listeners, and many
frequently remain to have a word in private, as to whether I
consider fairy tales good for their children and to get my
personal opinion about detective stories, or some other subject
important to them.
I always take with me our Monthly Bulletin, in which are printed
the new books for children. This list is talked over with the
mothers and books for children of different ages specified. If
there is time, I frequently tell the story the book tells or an
interesting incident which occurs in some one of the chapters.
After such an introduction there is apt to be a "run" on the
Children's department the next few days. Boys and girls come in
numbers to ask for the book "You told mother about yesterday."
These talks at the different schools, clubs and churches are the
means of bringing the mothers to the library. They are interested
now in wishing to see the place where the "fine English books are
kept," as one little foreign mother always says. I find that the
foreign-born mothers are intensely alive to the fact that their
children must get the English language if they are ever to
succeed, and they too, these foreign mothers, ask intelligent
questions as to the books on history and civics for their boys
and girls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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