Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Ottawa, Canada, June 26-July 2, 1912
Science
Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Ottawa, Canada, June 26-July 2, 1912
American Library Association; Library science -- Congresses
I know of another library, this one in a small town, that has been
running for several years on a very limited income although the board
has absolute power to more than double the library levy. Recently the
librarian, a library school graduate, resigned, because, she said,
there was no future. A few weeks later a candidate for the position
met with the board to talk things over. She went armed with a p-slip
full of figures. She knew the assessed valuation of the town, and
the present and possible library income. She knew something about
the city finances and whether the town could afford an increase for
the library. She had similar figures for the adjoining townships
and was prepared to tell how township support might be secured. In
fact, she went to the board meeting prepared to discuss the financial
possibilities of the library in a business-like way, to tell what ought
to be done, how much it would cost to do it and finally, what she would
take to shoulder the proposition.
Of course, she was employed. She was employed at her own salary
and on her own conditions, and the board agreed to follow out her
recommendations.
Such a librarian is a perpetual advertisement for the library of the
very best sort. His reputation for a good business administration will
win the business men, and his knowledge of city finances will win the
respect of public officials and others interested in city government.
The library and the librarian also need a reputation for being
interested in all civic improvement societies and other organizations
that have for their business the public welfare. Agreeable professional
relations with the men and women who are members of these societies
will make friends for the library of the best and most active people of
the city. The librarian can without difficulty, secure an invitation to
address such organizations on matters pertaining to the library and if
he is the right sort, he will be allowed to present his cause when he
is asking for more money.
The librarian who does all these things ought not to have any great
difficulty in securing the money necessary to run his library properly.
It will be an added advantage, however, to keep the name of the library
before the people. We ought not to be satisfied until everybody knows
that there is such a thing as the public library and that it is
situated at a certain place. The mere fact that a man knows a thing
exists will make him approachable when the time comes to ask his
support.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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