College and Research Libraries


Review Articles 
Library Education 

Issues in Library Education. A Report of the 
Conference on Library Education, Prince-
ton University, December nth and I2th, 
1948. E d i t e d by H a r o l d L a n c o u r . C o u n -
cil of N a t i o n a l L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n s , 1949, 
74P. $2.00. 

The Task and Training of Librarians. . . . 
By E r n e s t J . Reece. N e w Y o r k , K i n g ' s 
C r o w n P r e s s , 1949, 86p. $1.75. 
I t is n o t i n a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t t h e s e t w o p u b -

lications be c o n s i d e r e d a t t h e s a m e time, f o r 
in some r e s p e c t s t h e y h a v e a good d e a l in 
c o m m o n . T h e f i r s t h a s to do exclusively w i t h 
six m a j o r q u e s t i o n s p e r t a i n i n g m o r e o r less 
closely to e d u c a t i o n f o r l i b r a r i a n s h i p , w h i l e 
t h e second is l a r g e l y d e v o t e d to a c o n s i d e r a -
tion of t h e s a m e field f r o m t h e point of v i e w 
of p e r s o n n e l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s . B o t h r e p o r t t h e 
c o n s e n s u s of i n f o r m a l and unofficial g r o u p s of 
e x p e r t s . B o t h deal, specifically, w i t h q u e s -
tions of r e c r u i t i n g , p r e p a r a t i o n f o r special li-
b r a r i a n s a n d u n d e r g r a d u a t e l i b r a r y e d u c a t i o n . 
T h i s , h o w e v e r , is a b o u t as f a r as t h e s i m i l a r i t y 
b e t w e e n t h e t w o w o r k s goes. 

T h e P r i n c e t o n C o n f e r e n c e b r o u g h t t o -
g e t h e r 36 p e r s o n s ( 1 5 f r o m l i b r a r y schools, 
eight u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s , five p u b l i c l i b r a r i -
ans, t h r e e special l i b r a r i a n s a n d five o t h e r s ) 
to d i s c u s s : ( 1 ) o r g a n i z e d i n t e r e s t in l i b r a r y 
e d u c a t i o n ; ( 2 ) r e c r u i t m e n t ; ( 3 ) a c c r e d i t a -
t i o n ; ( 4 ) specialistic t r a i n i n g ; ( 5 ) classifica-
tion a n d c e r t i f i c a t i o n ; a n d ( 6 ) p l a c e m e n t . I t 
w a s t h e belief of t h o s e s p o n s o r i n g t h e con-
f e r e n c e , i n i t i a t e d in t h e first i n s t a n c e by the 
C o u n c i l of N a t i o n a l L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n s , t h a t 
p r e v i o u s discussion a n d c o n f e r e n c e s h a d 
l a r g e l y i g n o r e d t h e s e s u b j e c t s . A d i s c l a i m e r 
to this belief m i g h t r e a d i l y be e n t e r e d . F o r 
instance, W h e e l e r c o n s i d e r e d r e c r u i t i n g a n d 
o r g a n i z e d s t i m u l a t i o n of e d u c a t i o n f o r li-
b r a r i a n s h i p in s o m e d e t a i l ; t h e B . E . L . held 
a c o n f e r e n c e in N o v e m b e r 1947 on r e c r u i t i n g 
( a s n o t e d on p. 23 of t h e p r e s e n t r e p o r t ) ; 
a n d t h e B e r k e l e y C o n f e r e n c e on E d u c a t i o n 
f o r L i b r a r i a n s h i p c o n s i d e r e d s p e c i a l i z a t i o n and 
c e r t i f i c a t i o n . B u t this is a m i n o r criticism. 

T o p r o v i d e each of t h e c o n f e r e e s w i t h a 
c o m m o n b a c k g r o u n d and s t a r t i n g point f o r 
t h e discussions, s u m m a r i e s of c u r r e n t opinion 
a n d f a c t r e g a r d i n g each of t h e s u b j e c t s w e r e 

p r e p a r e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d p r i o r t o t h e con-
f e r e n c e . T h e discussions w e r e r e c o r d e d v e r -
b a t i m a n d Issues-in Library Education con-
s t i t u t e s an e d i t e d v e r s i o n of these s u m m a r i e s 
and t h e discussions. T h e s e l a t t e r p r o v i d e an 
i n t e r e s t i n g , f r e q u e n t l y t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g and 
o f t e n v e r b a t i m r e p o r t of t h e opinion and be-
lief of an i m p o r t a n t g r o u p of l i b r a r i a n s on 
some of t h e m a j o r p r o b l e m s f a c i n g e d u c a -
tion f o r t h e p r o f e s s i o n . N o t a g r e a t d e a l w i l l 
be f o u n d h e r e w h i c h h a s n o t a l r e a d y been 
said o r implied in one w a y o r a n o t h e r in 
o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l l i t e r a t u r e — b u t , as m o s t of 
us h a v e come t o r e a l i z e , the chief v a l u e of 
c o n f e r e n c e s u s u a l l y lies n o t so m u c h in t h e 
n e w f a c t s b r o u g h t to light as in t h e o p p o r -
t u n i t y f o r a m e e t i n g of m i n d s a n d an i n t e r -
c h a n g e of opinion. A n d c e r t a i n l y t h e r e c o m -
m e n d a t i o n s u n a n i m o u s l y a d o p t e d a r e ones 
w i t h w h i c h f e w i n f o r m e d p e r s o n s a r e likely to 
d i s a g r e e a n d a r e ones of w h i c h t h e p r o f e s -
sion s h o u l d t a k e h e e d . T h e y a r e : 

" ( 1 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e r e be es-
t a b l i s h e d a j o i n t c o m m i t t e e on e d u c a t i o n f o r 
l i b r a r i a n s h i p , f o r m u t u a l e x c h a n g e of in-
f o r m a t i o n b e t w e e n l i b r a r y schools a n d v a r i -
o u s p r o f e s s i o n a l g r o u p s . ( T h i s w a s a u s e f u l 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w h i c h h a s since been p u t into 
effect t h r o u g h t h e c r e a t i o n of the J o i n t C o m -
m i t t e e on E d u c a t i o n f o r L i b r a r i a n s h i p . ) 

( 2 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e A A L S 
N e w s l e t t e r become a liaison o r g a n f o r dis-
s e m i n a t i o n of i n f o r m a t i o n on e d u c a t i o n f o r 
l i b r a r i a n s h i p to all g r o u p s a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s 
c o n c e r n e d . I t is s u g g e s t e d f u r t h e r t h a t the 
N e w s l e t t e r be e x p a n d e d in scope, be issued a t 
r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s , and its facilities be m a d e 
a v a i l a b l e to t h e p r o p o s e d j o i n t c o m m i t t e e . 
( A n o t h e r a p p a r e n t l y w o r t h w h i l e s u g g e s t i o n , 
p r o v i d e d f u n d s f o r e x p a n s i o n of t h e N e w s -
l e t t e r can be s e c u r e d a n d p r o v i d e d it can be 
m u c h m o r e w i d e l y d i s s e m i n a t e d t h a n a t p r e s -
e n t . ) 

( 3 ) T h e C o n f e r e n c e r e c o g n i z e s t h a t r e -
c r u i t m e n t is a p r o f e s s i o n - w i d e responsibility. 
I t e n d o r s e s t h e e f f o r t s of t h e J o i n t C o m -
m i t t e e on L i b r a r y W o r k as a C a r e e r t o o b t a i n 
f u n d s f o r a l o n g - r a n g e p r o g r a m of r e c r u i t i n g 
f o r l i b r a r i a n s h i p . 

( 4 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e B o a r d of 

86 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



E d u c a t i o n f o r L i b r a r i a n s h i p s e r v e as t h e offi-
cial a c c r e d i t i n g b o d y f o r l i b r a r y e d u c a t i o n a l 
i n s t i t u t i o n s of all t y p e s a n d a t all levels, a n d 
t h a t it t a k e i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e i n t e r e s t s of 
s p e c i a l i z e d l i b r a r y g r o u p s by a d d i n g s u i t a b l e 
c o n s u l t a n t s t o its m e m b e r s h i p . 

( 5 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e B o a r d of 
E d u c a t i o n f o r L i b r a r i a n s h i p a s s u m e p o s i t i v e 
l e a d e r s h i p , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g t h e p r e s e n t p e -
riod, w h e n e x t e n s i v e l i b r a r y s c h o o l c u r r i c u l a r 
r e v i s i o n s a r e t a k i n g p l a c e a n d n e w schools a r e 
b e i n g e s t a b l i s h e d , t o a d v i s e a n d g u i d e in p r o -
g r a m s of t r a i n i n g , a n d t o i n s u r e s o u n d e d u c a -
t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t . ( R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s 4 a n d 
5, w h i l e n o t in any r e s p e c t n e w ideas, a r e 
c e r t a i n l y of g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e in v i e w of t h e 
p r e s e n t v a r i e t y of a n d e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n in li-
b r a r y school c u r r i c u l a . ) 

( 6 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t if a n d w h e n 
a j o i n t c o m m i t t e e on e d u c a t i o n f o r l i b r a r i a n -
ship is a p p o i n t e d , a t h o r o u g h s u r v e y be m a d e 
by t h e c o m m i t t e e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e m o s t d e -
s i r a b l e e d u c a t i o n a l p r e p a r a t i o n f o r special li-
b r a r i a n s , t o s e r v e as a g u i d e t o l i b r a r y schools 
in d e v e l o p i n g p r o g r a m s of t r a i n i n g . 

( 7 ) I t is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e B o a r d of 
E d u c a t i o n f o r L i b r a r i a n s h i p u n d e r t a k e a 
s t u d y of t h e s e v e r a l types of u n d e r g r a d u a t e 
l i b r a r y e d u c a t i o n , in o r d e r t o d i s c o v e r t h e 
o b j e c t i v e s of t h e v a r i o u s p r o g r a m s , t o find 
w h e r e t h e y b e l o n g in t h e g e n e r a l s c h e m e of 
l i b r a r y e d u c a t i o n , a n d h o w t h e y f i t i n t o s t a t e 
c e r t i f i c a t i o n p l a n s . 

( 8 ) R e c o g n i z i n g t h e m a j o r i m p o r t a n c e of 
t h e w o r k of t h e B o a r d of E d u c a t i o n f o r L i -
b r a r i a n s h i p in t h e g e n e r a l field of p r o f e s s i o n a l 
l i b r a r y t r a i n i n g , t h e A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y A s s o -
c i a t i o n a n d t h e C o u n c i l of N a t i o n a l L i b r a r y 
A s s o c i a t o n s a r e u r g e d t o seek a d e q u a t e f i n a n -
c i a l s u p p o r t f o r t h e B o a r d ' s a c t i v i t i e s . ( T h i s 
v i r t u a l r e i t e r a t i o n of o n e of W h e e l e r ' s r e c -
o m m e n d a t i o n s m a y , w e c a n h o p e , p r o d u c e t h e 
r e s u l t s w h i c h h a v e so f a r b e e n l a c k i n g . ) 

( 9 ) I n c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e f a c t t h a t a p r o -
f e s s i o n h a s a n o b l i g a t i o n t o see p l a c e m e n t p r o -
v i d e d f o r its m e m b e r s , it is r e c o m m e n d e d 
t h a t t h e A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n aid in 
t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of an a g e n c y f o r t h e p l a c e -
m e n t of l i b r a r i a n s , t h e e x p e n s e t o be b o r n e 
by t h e i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s . " 

I n so f a r as o n e w h o w a s n o t a b l e t o be 
p r e s e n t a t t h e c o n f e r e n c e c a n j u d g e , M r . L a n -
c o u r h a s d o n e a n e x c e l l e n t piece of w o r k in 
w h a t m u s t h a v e b e e n a difficult j o b of s u m -
m a r i z i n g , r e c o n c i l i n g , a n d p u t t i n g i n t o r e a d -

a b l e a n d l o g i c a l f o r m a l a r g e a m o u n t of m a -
t e r i a l . 

O v e r t h e y e a r s w e h a v e b e e n i n d e b t e d t o 
t h e M e l v i l D e w e y P r o f e s s o r ( n o w e m e r i t u s ) 
of L i b r a r y Service, C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y , f o r 
a n u m b e r of. t h o u g h t f u l f o r w a r d - l o o k i n g 
w r i t i n g s in t h e field of e d u c a t i o n f o r l i b r a r i a n -
ship. T h i s l a t e s t s t u d y by M r . R e e c e is n o 
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t in t h e s e r e s p e c t s . I t is, t o 
q u o t e t h e t i t l e p a g e , " A r e p o r t of a field i n v e s -
t i g a t i o n c a r r i e d o u t in F e b r u a r y t o M a y 1947, 
t o assist w i t h c u r r i c u l a r p r o b l e m s t h e n p e n d -
i n g b e f o r e t h e D e a n a n d F a c u l t y a t t h e S c h o o l 
of L i b r a r y S e r v i c e , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y . " 
T h e i n q u i r y s o u g h t t o s e c u r e e x p e r t o p i n i o n 
o n t w o f u n d a m e n t a l a n d r e l a t e d q u e s t i o n s : 
( 1 ) w h a t l i b r a r i e s d o n o t do t h a t t h e y p r o b -
ably s h o u l d a n d c o u l d d o ; a n d ( 2 ) t h e r e -
spects in w h i c h p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y p e r s o n n e l 
a p p e a r t o be i n a d e q u a t e , o r , positively, t h e 
skills, k n o w l e d g e , a t t r i b u t e s a n d a t t i t u d e s 
n e e d e d by l i b r a r i a n s , if t h e f u l l e s t p o t e n t i a l i -
t i e s of l i b r a r i e s a r e t o be r e a l i z e d . 

T h e t e c h n i q u e e m p l o y e d w a s t h a t of t h e 
i n t e r v i e w . S o m e 2 0 0 p e r s o n s , chiefly e m p l o y e r s 
a n d s u p e r v i s o r s of l i b r a r i e s , w e r e c o n s u l t e d . 
T h e 83 p r i n c i p a l i n t e r v i e w e e s , listed in a n a p -
p e n d i x , m a y be classified r o u g h l y as f o l l o w s : 
p u b l i c l i b r a r i a n s , 2 7 ; u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i a n s , 1 4 ; 
special l i b r a r i a n s , 1 1 ; school l i b r a r i a n s , 7 ; c o l -
lege l i b r a r i a n s , l i b r a r y school a n d s t a t e l i b r a r y 
p e r s o n n e l , 5 e a c h ; e d u c a t i o n , 3 ; c h i l d r e n ' s li-
b r a r i a n , x ; a n d m i s c e l l a n e o u s , 5. ( M a n y of 
t h e s e b r o u g h t c o l l e a g u e s i n t o t h e d i s c u s s i o n s , 
w h i c h a c c o u n t s f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n 
t h e 83 a n d 2 0 0 f i g u r e s . ) 

T h e a n s w e r s w h i c h M r . R e e c e ' s r e s p o n d -
e n t s h a v e p r o v i d e d t o t h e f i r s t of t h e t w o 
q u e s t i o n s n o t e d above, n a m e l y , w h a t a r e t h e 
specific u n e x p l o i t e d lines a n d a r e a s of l i b r a r y 
e f f o r t possible a n d d e s i r a b l e n o w a n d f o r t h e 
n e x t q u a r t e r of a c e n t u r y , c a n be g i v e n in 
s u m m a r y w i t h o u t , it is h o p e d , d o i n g i n j u s t i c e 
e i t h e r t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r o r t o t h o s e w h o 
e x p r e s s e d opinions t o h i m . So f a r as t h e li-
b r a r i e s of e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s a r e c o n -
c e r n e d , a m a j o r l a c k a n d p o t e n t i a l i t y is h e l d 
t o be t h e p r o p e r e s t a b l i s h m e n t of t h e t e a c h i n g 
of t h e u s e of b o o k s a n d l i b r a r i e s . C l o s e l y 
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h i s c u r r i c u l a r - r e l a t e d a c t i v i t y 
a r e l i b r a r y o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r n o n c u r r i c u l a r t u -
t o r i n g t h r o u g h , a n d g u i d a n c e in c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h , b o o k s a n d r e a d i n g of all k i n d s . T h e 
p r i m a r y t h o u g h t h e r e is t h a t t h e l i b r a r i a n 
s h a l l b e c o m e m u c h m o r e of a t e a c h e r t h a n h e 

JANUARY, 1950 87 



h a s been a n d t h a t t e a c h i n g , r a t h e r t h a n m a k -
ing collections a v a i l a b l e a n d p r o v i d i n g m a -
t e r i a l , w o u l d become t h e l i b r a r i a n ' s c e n t r a l 
f u n c t i o n . 

T h e s c h o l a r l y and r e s e a r c h l i b r a r y is c a p a -
ble of g o i n g m u c h f u r t h e r t h a n it h a s so f a r 
g o n e in discovering, a s s e m b l i n g a n d i n t e r p r e t -
ing needed m a t e r i a l s , in o r g a n i z i n g d a t a , and 
in t e a m i n g " t h e s e activities w i t h t h e s t u d y 
being d o n e on a s u b j e c t by s c h o l a r s a n d spe-
c i a l i s t s " ( p . i o ) . 

P u b l i c l i b r a r i e s a r e held typically t o " h a v e 
been l i t t l e m o r e t h a n c o o p e r a t i v e e n t e r p r i s e s 
f o r p o o l i n g a n d s p r e a d i n g t h e book supply 
in a c o m m u n i t y " ( p . 13) ; they m u s t go m u c h 
f u r t h e r t h a n they h a v e so f a r g o n e in 
s t i m u l a t i n g use, in u n d e r t a k i n g n e w f o r m s of 
service, in s e r v i n g t h e whole p o p u l a t i o n , in 
s u p p l y i n g t h e m a t e r i a l s f o r e n l i g h t e n e d p u b l i c 
opinion on social a n d political issues. M u l t i -
p l i c a t i o n of b r a n c h e s and s t a t i o n s , h o u s e - t o -
h o u s e service, i n t o - t h e - h o m e delivery, 
discussion classes, t r a v e l i n g l i b r a r i a n - t e a c h e r s , 
c o u n s e l i n g a b o u t books, intensive e x p l o i t a t i o n 
of n o n b o o k m e d i a , a n d m o r e system and less 
i m p r o v i s a t i o n in l i b r a r y o p e r a t i o n a r e called 
f o r . 

H a v i n g s u g g e s t e d in b r o a d t e r m s w h a t li-
b r a r i e s m i g h t o r s h o u l d do t h a t they n o w d o 
i n a d e q u a t e l y o r n o t a t all, t h e n e x t q u e s t i o n 
is, w h a t m u s t be t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s of l i b r a r y 
p e r s o n n e l ? A r e skills, k n o w l e d g e and a t -
t r i b u t e s n o t n o w g e n e r a l l y possessed by li-
b r a r i a n s r e q u i r e d ? 

N e e d e d , a n d to a l a r g e e x t e n t n o w l a c k i n g 
a m o n g l i b r a r i a n s g e n e r a l l y , a r e p o w e r t o 

e v a l u a t e books, " t r a i n i n g t h a t couTH~~enabl<r 
g r a d u a t e s t o b r i n g a b o u t e f f e c t u a l c h a n g e s 
in c a t a l o g i n g and its associated p r o c e s s e s " 
( p . 2 0 ) ; ability to discover t h e a c t u a l w a n t s 
of i n q u i r e r s , t o l o c a t e m a t e r i a l precisely, t o 
d e t e c t , d i a g n o s e and r e m e d y r e a d i n g diffi-
culties, to o r g a n i z e a n d d i r e c t g r o u p s a n d t o 
lead discussions, t o s p e a k and w r i t e effec-
t i v e l y ; ability in a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , in p u b l i c r e -
l a t i o n s , in d e a l i n g w i t h h i g h e r a u t h o r i t y , in 
d e v e l o p i n g f r u i t f u l c o n t a c t s w i t h e l e m e n t s in 
t h e c o m m u n i t y , in c o o r d i n a t i n g t h e w o r k of 
t h e l i b r a r y w i t h t h a t of e d u c a t i o n a l , civic and 
i n d u s t r i a l g r o u p s ; p o w e r s of analysis and 
j u d g m e n t ; a c a p a c i t y f o r r e s e a r c h , a n d ability 
to v i e w o n e ' s " w o r k in t h e l a r g e a n d w i t h 
r e f e r e n c e t o its m e a n i n g and f u t u r e " ( p . 2 4 ) . 

R e q u i r e d a n d also l a r g e l y l a c k i n g a r e a 
sense of p u r p o s e a n d d i r e c t i o n ; k n o w l e d g e 

of t h e h i s t o r y , f u n c t i o n , a c h i e v e m e n t s , place 
a n d significance of l i b r a r i e s ; k n o w l e d g e of 
books, b o t h of c o n t e n t a n d as physical e n t i t i e s ; 
k n o w l e d g e a b o u t t h e b a c k g r o u n d s , i n t e r e s t s , 
h a b i t s a n d m o t i v e s of r e a d e r s ; and k n o w l -
edge of a d m i n i s t r a t i o n as a science, a n d of t h e 
c o n t r i b u t o r y s u b j e c t s of g o v e r n m e n t , t a x a t i o n 
and p e r s o n n e l m a n a g e m e n t , as w e l l as of so-
ciology, psychology, e d u c a t i o n and f o r e i g n l a n -
g u a g e . A l l this a d d s u p in t h e opinion of 
t h o s e w h o s e advice w a s s o u g h t t o an " e a r n e s t 
and w i d e s p r e a d conviction t h a t g r e a t e r k n o w l -
edge, of k i n d s t h a t h a v e so f a r been slightly 
r e p r e s e n t e d e i t h e r in l i b r a r y schools o r in t h e 
t o t a l p r e p a r a t i o n , is r e q u i r e d by t h e p e r s o n -
nel of l i b r a r i e s " ( p . 3 3 ) . 

I n a d d i t i o n t o all this it is f e l t t h a t li-
b r a r i a n s definitely need a n d a r e g e n e r a l l y 
m o r e o r less l a c k i n g in t h e w a r m h u m a n 
t o u c h , good m e n t a l e n d o w m e n t , a passion f o r 
k n o w l e d g e , j u d g m e n t , s e l f - a s s u r a n c e , a l e r t -
ness, i m a g i n a t i o n , initiative, p r o f e s s i o n a l sense 
and o b l i g a t i o n , e m o t i o n a l stability, physical 
fitness, p a t i e n c e , p e r s e v e r e n c e , e n e r g y , en-
t h u s i a s m , i n d u s t r y , c o u r t e s y and good a p p e a r -
ance. 

P r o b a b l y m o s t people w o u l d a g r e e t h a t m o s t , 
if n o t all, of t h e s e m a n y q u a l i f i c a t i o n s a r e 
d e s i r a b l e possessions f o r m o s t , if n o t all, li-
b r a r i a n s . I t seems r e a s o n a b l e h o w e v e r , to 
r a i s e s o m e q u e s t i o n s . H o w m a n y people in 
any p r o f e s s i o n does any one of us k n o w w h o 
possesses in high d e g r e e all of t h e m ? C a n 
any p r o f e s s i o n expect t o r e c r u i t any con-
s i d e r a b l e n u m b e r of p e r s o n s w h o a r e such 
c o m p l e t e p a r a g o n s ? If not, w h a t a r e t h e 
m o s t a d d e d needed q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r w h a t 
kinds of l i b r a r y w o r k ? A n d , f i n a l l y — a s M r . 
R e e c e himself n o t e s — c a n w e r e a l l y expect 
to a t t r a c t l a r g e n u m b e r s of o u t s t a n d i n g 
r e c r u i t s so l o n g as s a l a r i e s a r e r e l a t i v e l y l o w , 
p r o v i s i o n f o r l e a v e s a n d r e t i r e m e n t a r e p o o r , 
and m u c h of t h e w o r k d o n e even by p r o f e s -
sionals in m a n y l i b r a r i e s is d u l l a n d r o u t i n e 
in n a t u r e ? 

T h e b a l a n c e of t h e s t u d y is c o n c e r n e d 
p r i n c i p a l l y w i t h discussion t h a t m i g h t be 
s u m m e d u p in t h e q u e s t i o n , " W h a t c a n be 
d o n e a b o u t i t ? " T h e p r o p o s a l s and s u g g e s -
t i o n s in t h e s e pages, a l t h o u g h in t h e m a i n 
e n t i r e l y d e f e n s i b l e , w e r e s o m e t h i n g of a dis-
a p p o i n t m e n t t o t h e r e v i e w e r , chiefly b e c a u s e 
they w e r e so l a r g e l y in t e r m s of b r o a d gen-
e r a l i t i e s . I t is m a i n t a i n e d t h a t " a s c o n c e r n s 
skills, k n o w l e d g e , and even p e r s o n a l a t t r i b u t e s , 

88 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l c o n t e n t of t h e b a s i c p r e p a r a -
t i o n r e q u i r e s t o be i n c r e a s e d " ( p . 4 4 ) . L i -
b r a r i a n s h i p m u s t a n d c a n b e c o m e a t r u e 
p r o f e s s i o n a n d it w i l l do so if p r e p a r a t i o n f o r 
it is d e s i g n e d t o fit t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s w h i c h 
lie a h e a d f o r l i b r a r i e s . T h e p r o g r a m s of t h e 
l i b r a r y s c h o o l s m u s t p a y a t t e n t i o n t o i n t e l l e c -
t u a l skills, t h e y m u s t p r o v i d e s u b s t a n t i a l a n d 
e x t e n s i v e k n o w l e d g e a n d t h e y m u s t c u l t i v a t e 
t h e a t t r i b u t e s a n d a t t i t u d e s n e e d e d by li-
b r a r i a n s a s m e m b e r s of a social c a l l i n g . 
T h e s e n e w p r o g r a m s w i l l w i n f o r t h e s c h o o l s 
a c l e a r r i g h t t o a p o s i t i o n of i n s t r u c t i o n a t 
t h e g r a d u a t e level. H o w e v e r , as n o o n e p r o -
g r a m c a n p r e p a r e p e r s o n n e l f o r all types of 
w o r k , " t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y schools w o u l d 
be . . . t u r n i n g a t l a s t t o t h e single t a s k of 
p r e p a r i n g t h e a b l e s t l i b r a r i a n s p o s s i b l e " ( p . 
4 9 ) . H o w is it t o be b r o u g h t a b o u t , e s p e -
cially if t h e d u r a t i o n of t h e l i b r a r y s c h o o l 
p r o g r a m c o n t i n u e s t o be a p p r o x i m a t e l y o n e 
a c a d e m i c y e a r , as is a s s u m e d ? 

C o n s i d e r a t i o n is given t o t h e d e s i r a b i l i t y 
of e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e " t r a d i t i o n a l " l i b r a r y s c h o o l 
p r o g r a m s o m e w h e r e a t t h e u n d e r g r a d u a t e 
l e v e l b u t — a s is n o t s u r p r i s i n g — n o n e w a r g u -
m e n t s e i t h e r p r o o r con a r e a d v a n c e d . M o r e 
i m p o r t a n t , h o w t h i s p r o g r a m specifically d i f -
f e r s , a t its p r e s e n t best, f r o m w h a t is n e e d e d 
is n o t m a d e c l e a r . 

I t is s u g g e s t e d t h a t i m p r o v e d l i b r a r y s c h o o l 
p r o g r a m s w i l l be likely t o a t t r a c t m o r e a b l e 
r e c r u i t s a n d t h a t o u r m a j o r difficulty, a n u n -
d u e p r o p o r t i o n of m i d d l i n g , a v e r a g e p e r s o n s , 
w i l l be solved t h e r e b y . T h i s s e e m s d e b a t a b l e , 
a g a i n , u n l e s s c o n d i t i o n s of e m p l o y m e n t a n d 
w o r k in l i b r a r i e s a p p r o x i m a t e t h o s e of t h e 
o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n s w i t h w h i c h l i b r a r i a n s h i p 
l o g i c a l l y c o m p e t e s f o r p e r s o n n e l . 

N o n e w m e a n s a r e p r o p o s e d f o r t h e selec-
t i o n of s t u d e n t s b u t it is u r g e d t h a t t h o s e d e -
vices n o w in m o r e o r less r e g u l a r u s e — 
e x a m i n a t i o n of a c a d e m i c r e c o r d s , lists of a p -
p r o v e d colleges, i n t e r v i e w s , i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d 
o t h e r s o r t s of t e s t s , a n d c o u n s e l i n g a n d p l a n -
n i n g b e f o r e college g r a d u a t i o n — b e e x t e n d e d 
a n d i m p r o v e d . 

A final s h o r t c h a p t e r s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e r e 
m a y be a n u m b e r of c a r e e r lines m o r e o r less 
closely p a r a l l e l i n g t h a t of l i b r a r i a n s h i p — f o r 
e x a m p l e , r e f e r e n c e a n d i n f o r m a t i o n w o r k of 
n o n l i b r a r y " i n t e l l i g e n c e c e n t e r s " s u c h as t h e 
F o r e i g n P o l i c y A s s o c i a t i o n , t h e P u b l i c A d -
m i n i s t r a t i o n C l e a r i n g h o u s e , e c o n o m i c a n d 
o p i n i o n s u r v e y i n g agencies, t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l 

C h i l d L a b o r C o m m i t t e e — w h i c h t h e l i b r a r y 
s c h o o l s s h o u l d t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t in s c r u t i n i z -
i n g t h e i r p r o g r a m s . T h e t h o u g h t h e r e is t h a t 
a s i n g l e p r o g r a m of p r e p a r a t i o n m i g h t be 
d e s i g n e d f o r t h e t w o g r o u p s of p o s i t i o n s a t 
once, t h a t t h e u s e f u l n e s s of l i b r a r y s c h o o l s 
w o u l d be e x t e n d e d , t h a t p e r s o n s n o t i n t e r -
e s t e d e x c l u s i v e l y in l i b r a r i e s m i g h t be a t -
t r a c t e d t o t h e s e schools a n d t h a t t h e g r a d u -
a t e w o u l d h a v e a w i d e r r a n g e of e m p l o y m e n t 
o p p o r t u n i t y t h a n a t p r e s e n t . 

C o m m e n t s on t h i s i d e a w h i c h c o m e q u i c k l y 
t o m i n d a r e t h a t , w h i l e r e f e r e n c e a n d in-
f o r m a t i o n c e n t e r s of v a r i o u s k i n d s u n d o u b t e d -
ly h a v e s o m e t h i n g in c o m m o n w i t h l i b r a r i e s , 
t h e t r e m e n d o u s v a r i e t y of t h e f o r m e r w o u l d 
p r o b a b l y m a k e it e x c e e d i n g l y difficult t o d e -
sign a p r o g r a m w h i c h w o u l d be u s e f u l a n d 
s a t i s f a c t o r y t o m a n y a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e 
t o l i b r a r i a n s h i p . W e s e e m t o be h a v i n g suffi-
c i e n t difficulty as it is in p l a n n i n g f o r o u r 
o w n p r o f e s s i o n a l o n e . F u r t h e r , o u r l i b r a r y 
s c h o o l g r a d u a t e s t o d a y , g r a n t e d a n a p p r o p r i -
a t e s u b j e c t b a c k g r o u n d , f r e q u e n t l y do find 
e m p l o y m e n t in n o n l i b r a r y e n t e r p r i s e s s u c h as 
p u b l i s h i n g , a d u l t e d u c a t i o n , n e w s p a p e r s a n d 
t h e like, a n d m o r e n o d o u b t c o u l d if t h e y 
w i s h e d t o . F i n a l l y , f o r a t l e a s t so l o n g as t h e 
p r e s e n t s h o r t a g e of l i b r a r i a n s c o n t i n u e s , w e d o 
n o t n e e d t o seek a d d i t i o n a l e m p l o y m e n t o p -
p o r t u n i t i e s f o r l i b r a r y school g r a d u a t e s . 

A g e n e r a l c r i t i c i s m w h i c h m a y be f a i r l y 
m a d e of t h i s s t u d y is t h a t it a l m o s t n e v e r 
gives u s a q u a n t i t a t i v e e x p r e s s i o n of t h e 
o p i n i o n s a d v a n c e d . T h e w o r d s " m a n y , " 
" s o m e , " " a f e w , " " s e v e r a l " a n d t h e i r like 
a p p e a r f r e q u e n t l y , b u t s u c h w o r d s give u s 
v e r y l i t t l e i d e a c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r e p o n d e r a n c e 
of o p i n i o n e x p r e s s e d . O b v i o u s l y , a l l of t h e 
q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , s u g g e s t i o n s a n d so on r e p o r t e d 
a r e n o t h e l d t o be e q u a l l y v a l u a b l e o r in-
d i s p e n s a b l e . W h i c h o n e s a r e so h e l d by h a l f 
o r t h r e e q u a r t e r s o r all of t h e r e s p o n d e n t s ? 
W h i c h a r e believed t o be of p r i m a r y a n d 
w h i c h of s e c o n d a r y i m p o r t a n c e by a c l e a r 
m a j o r i t y of t h o s e i n t e r v i e w e d ? A s t u d y 
b a s e d on t h e i n t e r v i e w t e c h n i q u e m a y p r o p -
e r l y be e x p e c t e d t o p r o v i d e a n s w e r s t o t h e s e 
k i n d s of q u e s t i o n s , b u t s u c h a n s w e r s a r e 
l a r g e l y l a c k i n g h e r e . 

A d o u b t n o w a n d t h e n o c c u r r e d t o t h e r e -
v i e w e r as t o h o w closely f a m i l i a r s o m e of 
t h e r e s p o n d e n t s w e r e w i t h t h e current p r o -
g r a m s a n d g r a d u a t e s of t h e b e s t l i b r a r y 
schools. W i t h o u t f o r o n e m o m e n t d e n y i n g 

JANUARY, 1950 89 



t h e v a l i d i t y , f o r i n s t a n c e , of t h e s t a t e m e n t s 
on p e r s o n n e l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s n e e d e d a n d t h e i r 
all t o o f r e q u e n t l a c k , it is s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e 
t o t a l i m p l i c a t i o n m a y be a l i t t l e d a r k e r t h a n 
t h e f a c t s of 1949 w a r r a n t . A n u m b e r of e x -
a m p l e s m i g h t be cited b u t o n e w i l l suffice f o r 
i l l u s t r a t i o n . P r o f e s s i o n a l sense, o b l i g a t i o n , 
a t t i t u d e a n d g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t a r e h e l d t o be 
t o o g e n e r a l l y l a c k i n g ( p p . 3 8 - 3 9 ) — a n d n o 
d o u b t t h e y are in t o o m a n y l i b r a r i a n s . B u t , 
w h e n m e m b e r s of r e c e n t l i b r a r y s c h o o l c l a s s e s 
h o l d 100 p e r c e n t m e m b e r s h i p in t h e A . L . A . 
a n d a s t a t e l i b r a r y a s s o c i a t i o n ; w h e n n u m -
b e r s of t h e m , a t t h e i r o w n e x p e n s e , a t t e n d 
c o n f e r e n c e s a n d visit l i b r a r i e s ; w h e n , even as 
n e w c o m e r s t o t h e p r o f e s s i o n , m a n y a r e p a r -
t i c i p a t i n g a c t i v e l y in local, s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l 
c o m m i t t e e s a n d o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s , 

t h e i n d i c t m e n t r e q u i r e s c o n s i d e r a b l e q u a l i f i c a -
t i o n . T h i s r e v i e w e r d o e s n o t w i s h t o a p p e a r 
t o be in t h e p o s i t i o n of d e f e n d i n g t h e s t a t u s 
q u o o r of s a y i n g t h a t l i b r a r i a n s h i p a n d e d u c a -
t i o n f o r it s h o u l d n o t be v a s t l y i m p r o v e d . 
I t is his o b s e r v a t i o n , h o w e v e r , t h a t i m p r o v e -
m e n t a n d c h a n g e w i t h r e s p e c t t o r e c r u i t s f o r 
a n d t h o s e a d m i t t e d t o l i b r a r y schools h a v e 
r e c e n t l y b e e n t a k i n g p l a c e . F u l l a w a r e n e s s 
of t h e c h a n g e a p p e a r s n o t t o be r e f l e c t e d in 
The Task and Training of Librarians. 

N o n e t h e l e s s , as i n d i c a t e d a t t h e b e g i n n i n g 
of t h i s r e v i e w , t h e v o l u m e c a n n o t f a i l t o 
s t i m u l a t e t h e i m a g i n a t i o n a n d t h o u g h t p r o c -
esses of a n y o n e i n t e r e s t e d in t h e possibilities 
a n d f u t u r e of l i b r a r i e s a n d l i b r a r i a n s h i p . — 
J. Periam Danton, School of Librarianship, 
University of California. 

Incunabula 
Fifteenth Century Printed Books at the Uni-

versity of Illinois. C o m p i l e d by C . U . 
F a y e . U r b a n a , U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s P r e s s , 
1949. ( I l l i n o i s C o n t r i b u t i o n s t o L i b r a r a n -
ship n o . 4 ) . i 6 o p . $ 3 . 0 0 . 
T h e i n d e f a t i g a b l e b i b l i o g r a p h e r a n d s t u d e n t 

of e a r l y p r i n t i n g , C . U . F a y e , w a s w e l l c h o s e n 
f o r t h e w o r k of c o m p i l i n g t h e I l l i n o i s l i s t of 
f i f t e e n t h c e n t u r y b o o k s w h i c h n o w c o m e s to 
t a k e its p l a c e a m o n g t h e H u n t i n g t o n , N e w -
b e r r y , M o r g a n a n d o t h e r check lists of in-
c u n a b u l a . M r . F a y e h a s a r a r e c o m b i n a t i o n 
of l i n g u i s t i c f a c i l i t y , a n e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e 
in e a r l y p r i n t e d b o o k s , a n d a p a s s i o n f o r t h e 
m i n u t i a e of p a l e o t y p o g r a p h y w h i c h h a v e r e -
s u l t e d in n o t o n l y a w e l l - d o c u m e n t e d list b u t 
a l s o a t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e 
field. 

T h e I l l i n o i s list n u m b e r s s o m e 4 3 1 i t e m s 
i n c l u d i n g t h r e e d e s i g n a t e d as s i x t e e n t h c e n -
t u r y p r i n t i n g . T h e a r r a n g e m e n t is t h a t of 
R o b e r t P r o c t o r . E a c h c o u n t r y is t a k e n in 
t h e o r d e r in w h i c h p r i n t i n g w a s e s t a b l i s h e d 
w i t h i n its b o r d e r s , w i t h t h e cities of e a c h 
c o u n t r y in c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r on t h e s a m e 
p r i n c i p l e . W i t h i n e a c h city, t h e p r e s s e s of 
e a c h city a p p e a r in t h e o r d e r of t h e i r e s t a b -
l i s h m e n t , a n d t h e p u b l i c a t i o n s of each p r e s s 
a r e l i s t e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e d a t e of p u b l i c a -
t i o n , i n s o f a r a s t h i s is k n o w n . 

I m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w i n g t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n is 
a list of r e f e r e n c e s i n c l u d i n g t h e m o s t i m p o r -
t a n t w o r k s u s e f u l in t h e field of i n c u n a b u l a . 

T h e specific q u a l i t i e s of s o m e of t h e s e w o r k s 
a r e r e c o r d e d in t h e f i r s t p a g e s of t h e i n t r o -
d u c t i o n . T h i s l i s t of i n c u n a b u l a is f o l l o w e d 
by a p a r a l l e l l i s t i n g of H a i n , C o p i n g e r , R e i c h -
l i n g , a n d t h e Gesamtkatalog der Wiegen-
drucke w i t h t h e I l l i n o i s n u m b e r s . T h e in-
dices i n c l u d e a n i n d e x of p r i n t e r s , p r e s s e s , 
p u b l i s h e r s a n d p l a c e s all in one, a n d an 
a u t h o r a n d t i t l e i n d e x , w i t h a c o n c o r d a n c e t o 
t h e Second Census of S t i l l w e l l . 

I t is only j u s t t h a t I l l i n o i s , as o n e of t h e 
m o s t r a p i d l y g r o w i n g u n i v e r s i t y l i b r a r i e s of 
t h e c o u n t r y , s h o u l d p u b l i c i z e its n o w c o n -
s i d e r a b l e h o l d i n g s of i n c u n a b u l a , a n d t h e 
p r o d u c t i o n of t h i s list a d d s c o n s i d e r a b l e 
l u s t e r t o t h e s e r i e s of I l l i n o i s C o n t r i b u t i o n s 
t o L i b r a r i a n s h i p . T h i s v o l u m e c o n t a i n s m u c h 
m o r e t h a n t h e u s u a l list of e a r l y p r i n t e d 
b o o k s . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e m e t i c u l o u s d e t a i l 
of i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s u r r o u n d i n g e a c h e n t r y , M r . 
F a y e h a s i n c o r p o r a t e d in his i n t r o d u c t i o n a 
t h e m e w h i c h d e s e r v e s t h e a t t e n t i o n of all 
a m a t e u r s of e a r l y p r i n t i n g . 

I n a " N o t e on t h e C a t a l o g i n g of I n c u n a b -
u l a , " t h e c o m p i l e r first o u t l i n e s t h e d e v e l o p -
m e n t of t h e n o w a c c e p t e d a u t h o r i t i e s in t h i s 
field, a n d n o t e s in p a r t i c u l a r t h e scope of t h e 
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w o r k in e a c h b i b l i o g r a p h y . T h e 
i d e n t i f y i n g e l e m e n t s n o r m a l l y i n c l u d e p a p e r , 
t y p o g r a p h y , i l l u s t r a t i o n s , f o l i a t i o n , b i n d i n g . 
S o m e b i b l i o g r a p h i e s a r e m o r e r e l i a b l e f o r o n e 
e l e m e n t t h a n o t h e r s ; s o m e p r o v i d e g r e a t e r d e -
t a i l , u t i l i z i n g m a n y i d e n t i f y i n g e l e m e n t s in 

90 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES