Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fifth General Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Kaaterskill, N. Y., June 23-28, 1913
History
Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fifth General Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Kaaterskill, N. Y., June 23-28, 1913
American Library Association; Library science -- Congresses
In Chicago the testimony has come many times that since the
organization of The Drama League public interest has been so keen that
the demand for dramas has been phenomenal. Is the library content
merely to recognize this condition? By no means. The Drama Department
has had to quadruple its supply, and even then is frequently obliged to
hold the books in for reference only in order to meet the demand. But
see what this has meant to the league to have that quadruple supply of
the dramas demanded by its members. From Washington comes the testimony
that the organization of the league has increased the demand for drama
books; from Los Angeles came a large order for special dramas and
reference books needed by our members. The Massachusetts State Library
has offered to meet any demands made upon it. Librarians in various
communities are officers and directors in this new movement.
May I suggest a few ways in which the libraries can help us? In the
first place, it will be a real benefit to any community if its library
will become a member of The Drama League and keep its literature on
file. In this way the community is kept informed through the Drama
League bulletins of the best current plays by its critical analysis;
it has access also to the study courses and bibliographies on drama
prepared by the league's experts. Secondly, it would be an inestimable
help in this task of improving dramatic taste of the community if the
library would be sure to have on hand all the dramas listed in our
study and reading courses. Thirdly, if the libraries would arrange a
handy shelf of worthy drama where "he who runs may read," where the
passerby would be attracted by a drama and pick it up to read it, it
might induce a taste for better plays, a knowledge of good drama in
a previously heedless theater goer. In Evanston, Illinois, for three
years this shelf has been maintained in the library by the Drama Club.
Every few weeks a new selection of dramas is placed on this little book
rack which stands near the main call desk. It is much used and very
popular.
The library could also helpfully publish a separate list of its books
on drama and dramas, or better yet arrange them in a separate section.
Such a list is published yearly by the Evanston Library and several
other libraries have recently adopted this plan--notably the Newberry
Library, Chicago, and the Kansas City Library.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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