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 EXTRACTS FROM MONTHLY BULLETIN OF OHIO STATE LIBRARY. 
 
 BOOK BUYING FOR A.SMALL CHILDREN’S ROOM. 
 
 CAROLINE BURNITE, DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S WORK, CLEVELAND PUBLIC 
 LIBRARY. 
 
 tst. Set aside a definite proportion ‘of the book fund for children’s 
 books, otherwise the demands of the adults for certain books will crowd 
 out the needs of the children. This proportion should be, in ordinary cir- 
 cumstances, not more than one-fourth of the total fund, and probably not 
 less than one-fifth. 
 
 2nd. Aim to have your books average sixty cents ($.60) each (actual 
 cost). This does not mean that no book costing more than $1.00 list 
 should be bought, but that care should be taken to buy inexpensive editions 
 as often as possible, in order that a few well illustrated books may be 
 bought. 
 
 3rd. A good guide for book selection and for inexpensive editions is 
 “A Child’s Library,’ by Prentice and Power, (Cleveland Normal School, 
 price $.25). 
 
 4th. Build up your children’s collection from two sides, the school 
 side and the cultural side. Keep a list of all school subjects on which you 
 have no good material and study the new Pittsburg School Catalogue 
 (price $.50) for suggestions for books along the subject desired. As an 
 aid in building up your library from the cultural side, use Miss Moore’s 
 list of “Books for a Children’s Library” (Iowa Library Commission), Miss 
 Hunt’s “The Child’s Own Library” (Brooklyn Public Library), and 
 “Christmas Books for Children” (Cleveland Public Library), 
 
 5th. For the sake of discount, buy all the children’s books for the 
 year at one time, reserving a few dollars for emergency needs. By placins 
 this order in the early spring there is ample time to get the books cata- 
 logued before the heavier work of the winter. If it is deemed better, the 
 books may be placed on the shelves a few at a time. The need in a small 
 library is apt to be too great to permit this, however. 
 
 6th. Buy no new fiction unless asked for by title, and do not buy a 
 requested title until it is listed in the A. L. A. book list, The Carnegie Li- 
 brary Bulletin or the Cleveland Library Open Shelf. 
 
 7th. Buy a few beautiful editions of books which are acknowledged 
 to be classic (such as the Wonder Book with the Crane illustrations), and 
 if the book fund is very small, keep these for room use and use cheaper 
 editions for circulation. 
 
8th. Buy the Crane, Caldecott and Greenaway picture books and 
 
 keep them for room use. Buy for circulation the inexpensive little readers 
 given in the lists mentioned. 
 
 oth. Study the catalogues of second-hand dealers who offer new 3 
 
 books at a special discount. Where titles desired can be bought this way 
 the discount is larger than a book seller’s. In buying this way the cost of 
 
 transportation must be included, which may make the actual cost more in- 
 
 stead of less than the usual price. 
 roth. Always specify editions and do not buy from publishers’ lists 
 which do not specify editions. 
 
 THE PICTURES “IN; THE CHILDRENS ROOm: 
 SOPHIE M. COLLMAN, PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CINCINNATI. 
 
 Once the monastery fostered culture, once the renaissance reflected it 
 from every wall; today the public library is pursuing the same ideal. Its 
 hope rests in the children’s room with the grandfather of the perfect man 
 to be. That the shelves of this room are stored with the choicest honey of 
 the hive is a fact so self-evident that it need not here be touched upon; but 
 aside from this, the room itself should be an influence. It should breathe 
 an atmosphere of taste and culture and, with its quietly tinted walls setting 
 off a few well-chosen pictures, lead its occupant to love the beautiful, 
 though it were only after the manner of the worthy Monsieur Jourdain, 
 who had talked prose all his life “without knowing it.” Circumstances, of 
 course, control the position and the wall space of the children’s room as 
 they do other things in this world. The only thing to do is to rise to the 
 occasion and make the difficulties serve your ends. A sunny room with the 
 right light is not always at one’s command, but a warm tint will transform 
 a gloomy wall and the right picture will work wonders. 
 
 A few large pictures are all the average room requires. Too many 
 spoil the effect, and where the question of expense becomes a factor, let it 
 rather be one good picture than three poor, cheap reproductions. In choos- 
 ing the pictures, care should be taken to avoid too popular or hackneyed 
 subjects ; leave Rosa Bonheur and Landseer, the Madonna of the Chair ané 
 the Colosseum with the Perry pictures where they can do good work, bw 
 place something less familiar upon your walls. 
 
 If the choice seems beyond the comprehension of your visitors make 
 the subjects familiar by telling their story. For instance, suppose you 
 have on your walls good photographs of the Duomo at Florence, of Dona- 
 tello’s St. George and Michelangelo’s Sibyl. These three pictures lend 
 themselves to stories that the youngest child can understand, and yet, he 
 who knows their history holds the key to the renaissance and with it, to the 
 
 mystery of art. 
 2 
 
Architectural subjects, such as Gothic cathedrals, Greek temples or 
 renaissance palaces, also offer unlimited possibilities, first for their beauty — 
 ot line and mass, and then from the literary and historical side. The fol- 
 lowing groups are suggested as illustrating these points: Canterbury 
 cathedral; King Arthur; photograph of the Innsbruck statue by 
 Vischer ; Field of the Cloth of Gold, plaster relief; St. George and the 
 Dragon, by Raphael; Temple of the Winds, Athens; Head of the Lem- 
 nian Athena; Arch of Constantine, Rome; one of the reliefs from the 
 Arch of Constantine, Il Penseroso, Michelangelo; Palazzo Vecchio, 
 view of the Cortile; Giovanni Tornabuoni, by Ghirlandajo; Dancing 
 cherubs, by Donatello, plaster relief; children playing the organ, plas- 
 ter relief, ‘by~Luca della Robbia’: “The Little Princess, by Moreelse; 
 Boy, by Pinturicchio; Daughter of Robertto Strozzi, by Titian. 
 
 At first sight a set of pictures like Sir Galahad, by Watts; The Lion 
 of Lucerne, by Thorwaldsen; Joan of Arc, by Joy; or the children of 
 the last group might attract more attention than the severer selections 
 given, but in the end the others would do more towards the develop- 
 ment of taste. The lighter subjects should only come into play where 
 a gradual awakening alone is possible. This might be brought about 
 by supplying the frames with removable backs, thus allowing the pic- 
 tures to be changed at will without going to the expense of anew 
 frame ; or, by a system of traveling pictures, which would allow the 1i- 
 braries to interchange pictures and thus glean a wider field. 
 
 Landscape robbed of its color loses its chief charm, and although a 
 sepia reproduction may be pleasing, it is better to eschew the landscape in 
 photograph. There is, however, an excellent series of colored lithographs 
 that lends itself charmingly to wall decoration. The drawing is good and 
 broad in treatment, the color refined, the composition harmonious, and the 
 price within the reach of all; an unframed picture, 100x70 centimetres, 
 Gf bought of Leubrie and Elkus, r8 East 14th Street, New York), costs 
 $2.50; if ordered from the German publishers, B. G. Teubner or R. Voigt- 
 laender, both of Leipsic, the “Kunstlerischer Wandschmuck” of the for- 
 mer and the “Steinkunst” of the latter firm, are considerably cheaper, but 
 will not be sent on approval as is done by the American agents. One or 
 two of these pictures, perhaps a wheat field and a group of sunlit swans, 
 used with a relief of Luca della Robbia’s singing boys, make a most at- 
 tractive decoration for the children’s room. 
 
 Frames in all cases should be simple and not interfere with the pic- 
 ture. A good frame is felt, not seen, Flat mouldings in subdued color- 
 ings, dark oak or dull ebony, will usually. suit both photographs and col- 
 ored pictures, 
 
 The plaster reliefs mentioned in the lists can be procured of Caproni 
 Brothers, 1914-1920 Washington Street, Boston, Mass, and vary in 
 price according to size, the larger costing about $10 or $12. They com: 
 
 3 
 
* 2" 
 
 bine well with either photographs or colored pictures and embrace a 
 good range of subjects. . 
 
 The following firms furnish good photographic reproductions: D. 
 Anderson, Via Salaria, Rome, Italian architecture, sculpture and paintings 
 in various sizes, 16x20 platino prints being 7 lire; A. W. Elson & Co., 
 146 Oliver Street, Boston, enlargements of architecture, sculpture and 
 
 painting, 27x36 to 36x46, $5 to $7.50; Franz Hanfstaengl, 114 Fifth 
 
 Avenue, New York, paintings 7x10 to 26x35, I mark 50 pfennigs up; 
 Soule Art Publishing Co., t90 Boylston Street, Boston, architecture 
 and paintings, bromide enlargements, 60 cents up. 
 
 All the art treasures of the children’s room, however, need not be on 
 the walls for, tucked away in drawers to be produced at will, for work at 
 home and in school, should be plenty of Perry and Cosmos prints and De- 
 troit Publishing Company colored photographs. Nor should there be 
 wanting studies of houses, animals and trees for the young artist to try his 
 hand at copying. 
 
 Last of all, the shelves should hold as many picture books as possible, 
 prominent among them those of Walter Crane, for he, who has so wisely 
 studied his Parthenon frieze, will prove a gentle monitor and friend along 
 the pleasant paths of art. _ 
 
 THREE ESSENTIALS IN THE EQUIPMENT OF THE 
 CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN. 
 
 ESTHER STRAUS, PUBLIC LIBRARY, OF CINCINNATI, 
 
 Special work with children is a necessary function in the manage- 
 ment of a public library, whether or not there are funds for a trained chil- 
 dren’s librarian; whether or not it is possible to have a separate room 
 for the work. Though the librarian in charge of the small library be 
 the library factotum, the combined circulating department, reference 
 librarian, children’s worker, janitor and “man about the place” or be 
 the head of a larger institution who must be depended upon to inspire, 
 instruct and direct the duties of an adequate staff, preparation and 
 study must be given to chidren’s work if the library would merit its 
 position as part of the educational system of the community. 
 
 The background of all professional work is the professional attitude 
 toward it, the attitude that distinguishes the artist who labors toward an 
 ideal from the reluctant drudge who works because necessity compels him, 
 Add to this, sympathy for the child and an interest in him and we have 
 the first essential in the equipment of the children’s librarian, viz: the per- 
 sonality suited to take up the work. 
 
 The second essential is training, which comprises systematic study 
 and experience. Systematic study can be done best under competent tutor- 
 
 4 
 
ship such as that offered by the many library schools throughout the coun- 
 try or by the apprentice classes of the larger libraries, but where these are 
 not possible much can be accomplished in independent study by following 
 a carefully outlined course of reading. It is often possible for the librarian 
 to arrange for valuable instruction.and practical work with the nearest 
 normal school; but where this is not feasible the beginner will find many 
 elementary and readable books, the initiated, more advanced literature, it 
 may be, on the shelves of her own library. In order to understand child 
 nature the course should include psychology, child study, the history of 
 education and the fundamental principles of teaching, Presupposing an 
 acquaintance with the classics, a course in English, based upon rhetoric 
 and composition, which will give the student a conception of correct 
 style and some critical standards, is suggested as an aid to the selection 
 of children’s books. A knowledge of juvenile literature is acquired by 
 a wide and thorough reading of children’s books, and library methods 
 in children’s work may be studied through reports, bulletins and print- 
 ed lists of well-known libraries, which are often to be had for the ask- 
 ing. At least one library periodical should be read: Public Libraries 
 ($1.00 per year), Library Work (Soc per year), Library Journal ($4.00 
 per year). The following lists are suggestive in planning a course of 
 study: “Reading List for Children’s Librarians,” by M. F. Williams 
 and B. M. Brown, Albany, New York State Library; “Lists of Sug- 
 gested Reading for Library Work With Children,” Iowa Summer 
 Library School, 1902, Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa Library Commission, 
 (free) ; “Report on Instruction in Library Administration in Normal 
 Schools,” Winona National Educational Association (10c). 
 
 The librarian in active service has the daily opportunity of broaden- 
 ing her training through actual experience in dealing with children, han- 
 dling children’s books and meeting other workers interested in children. 
 It has been frequently said, and with truth, that this is the day of the child. 
 The bright child, the stupid child, the indigent, the deficient, the youthful 
 criminal and the child laborer are being studied, and the conditions for 
 healthy growth and development improved, The librarian should ac- 
 quaint herself with all these movements, take an interest in meetings 
 where children’s workers gather, affiliate herself with teachers’ clubs, 
 conventions and institutes, keep in touch with the work of the Ohio 
 teachers’ reading circle and similar institutions, and by attending li- 
 brary institutes and meetings where library problems are propounded 
 and discussed, further her progress. Activity in these directions 
 augurs success to both librarian and library. 
 
 The third essential to the equipment of the children’s librarian is 
 the possession of the necessary tools for the conduct of the work. A 
 collection of books, pamphlets and clippings on children’s literature 
 and kindred subjects, on story telling, home libraries, school work, and 
 
 5 
 
methods of working with chidren in the library, library and publishers’ 
 catalogues, graded lists and bibliographies on special subjects, samples 
 of cardboard for bulletins and files of pictures, illustrations, etc., should 
 make up the tool chest, and these should be so arranged that they may 
 be readily consulted. Most of these may be procured without cost, and 
 
 the labor involved will be amply repaid by the labor saved through the . 
 
 use of the collection. 
 
 THE STORY HOUR. 
 MARY ELY, ASSISTANT CHILDREN’S LIBRARY, DAYTON, OH10. 
 
 When a public library was defined as “a collection of books for the 
 people,” with stress laid solely upon “books,” the librarian’s chief concern 
 was the number of books circulated, but now that we have extended the 
 emphasis to include the phrase “for the people,” our problem has changed 
 and assumed a twofold aspect. We are asking ourselves now, not how 
 can we circulate the greatest number of books, but how can we reach the 
 greatest number of people, and, reaching them, how can we give them the 
 books which will in each individual case bring the greatest profit and 
 pleasure. 
 
 Nowhere is the answering of these questions more important than in the 
 work with children, and one of our greatest aids in answering them is the 
 story hour. The story hour attacks our problem upon both sides; it brings 
 children to us who otherwise would probably never come, and it helps us 
 to guide their interests whithersoever we will. 
 
 There are few children, who do not instinctively love to have stories 
 told to them and a notice of a story hour at the library is really a most 
 effective advertisement of the library. Some of the children who come 
 to us most regularly are children who came first to attend our story 
 hours. 
 
 Telling children stories is the very best way to interest them in the 
 history which surrounds the stories or the literature which grows out of 
 them, because it is the most natural way. The story hour in our libraries 
 may be a recent institution, but the principle of it probably dates back to 
 the time when the first man had read something and wanted the second 
 man to read it, too. We all tell our friends parts of the stories or the most 
 interesting facts of the books we wish them to read. That the story hour 
 does create the desired interest is proved by the demands made as soon as 
 the story hour is over for books containing the stories told. And the best 
 of it is that it does not end there. A child who has been drawn away from 
 his stories of poor lads who have made marvelous fortunes, and interested 
 in Norse mythology will, in nine cases out of ten, never settle down to 
 reading nothing but fiction again. Many children are delightfully sur- 
 
 6 
 
prised to find that the books which are not “just stories” are as inter- 
 esting as those which are. 
 
 One of the greatest blessings of the story hour is the change that it 
 works in the children’s attitude toward the librarian and the library. The 
 library is no longer simply a place where they go for books, get the books 
 and leave as quickly as possible. They feel that they know the librarian 
 who tells them stories, and they like to talk over their reading with her 
 and ask her advice about what aré good books to read. When we are deal- 
 ing with children we are dealing with tastes as yet unformed, and if we 
 can succeed in imparting a taste for the best books to the children who 
 come to us, we have given them a guide which will never fail them. 
 
 But be the story hour ever so desirable, those of us who are always 
 busy feel that we have very little time for story-telling, and often even less 
 ability. Where it doesn’t seem possible to have a regular time set for the 
 story-telling, much may be done with impromptu story hours. One hi- 
 brarian told me that some of her most successful story hours had been of 
 that kind. She always had a story ready to tell, and whenever she could 
 spare a few moments she gathered the children, who chanced to be in the 
 room, around a table and told it to them. 
 
 Here in Dayton we have managed to have frequent story hours by 
 calling in our friends to help us. Many of our city teachers and the 
 mothers of some of our children have volunteered to tell stories at the li- 
 brary, and have done it very successfully. Usually they come to us for 
 suggestions as to what to tell, so that the choice of stories still lies in 
 our hands, and the interest displayed in our work by the teachers and 
 parents has increased tenfold since they have thus been allowed to 
 share in it. All of which proves that even if we haven’t time to tell the 
 stories Ourselves we need not entirely give up the story hour. 
 
 And most of us have more ability for story-telling than we think we 
 have when we are thinking how very poorly we do it. Fortunately, the 
 children are not so critical of us as we are of ourselves. 
 
 My first experience in library work was in conducting a story hour, 
 and I entered into it with fear and trembling. I had a wild impulse to 
 throw myself upon the mercy of my audience, confess to them that I didn’t 
 know how to tell stories and beg them not to say anything to anyone about 
 it. But I started on my story and soon drew courage from the fact that 
 the children seemed interested. And when I was through I heard—yes, 
 they actually were saying: “Tell it again.” Oh the joy of it! It didn’t 
 even spoil my triumph when I discovered that one little girl had fallen 
 sound asleep, and having pillowed her hot little face on her gaily trimmed 
 hat came forth at the end of the story with a painted visage that would 
 have put an Indian warrior to shame. 
 
 The story hour means so much to the children, the story-teller, the l:. 
 brarian and the library that it surely deserves a trial from all of us. And 
 
 once tried it will be continued. I speak from experience. 
 7 
 
ARRANGEMENT OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS. 
 MARIA E. COMINGS, LIBRARIAN M’CLYMONDS PUBLIC LIBRARY, MASSILLON, *) 
 
 Suitable shelving is necessary to supplement intelligent classification 
 
 if one would have an effectual arrangement of children’s books. In 
 
 most small libraries of today the Dewey system of classification, more 
 or less modified, is in use. The problem of arrangement is to bring 
 the best books of all classes to the notice of the children who need 
 them. Convenience in handling the books must be considered, as 
 must also the exigencies of the room, stack or corner devoted to chil- 
 dren’s books. 
 
 The stacks in many libraries have the six or seven shelves in the chil- 
 dren’s room which are necessary and convenient only in the adult room. 
 Four shelves give the best service. The upper shelves may be cut off by 
 a wooden flap, hinged at the top and covered with burlap to make a back- 
 ground for bulletins and pictures. But if one must choose between two 
 evils, it is always better to have high stacks in a good light, than low 
 stacks in semi-darkness. 
 
 In one tier at least, the shelves must be adjustable, so as to have deep 
 shelves for the books for tiny children, as many of these are apt to be over- 
 size. All the books of extra size in the regular collection may be kept to- 
 gether in special shelves also. If these books are kept near the books for 
 the little children, their similar size and appearance will be an easy 
 introduction for them to the children outgrowing the “baby” books. 
 
 A rack should be reserved for books in use in connection with the 
 bulletin, and if this is cunningly placed it may be used as a bait to lure wan- 
 derers to a corner otherwise ignored. But do not separate it from the bul- 
 letin, or both will fail of half their mission. 
 
 A useful device, and one helpful to children and librarian alike, is a 
 shelf devoted to “Best books for boys” and another, “Best books for girls.” 
 Only books of real merit should be tolerated in this select company, ana 
 they should be taken from all classes and changed often. 
 
 The non-fiction should run around the room on the two upper shelves, 
 and the fiction on the two lower. The strategic importance of this ar- 
 rangement is obvious. It suggests unexplored interests to the aimless 
 child, distributes the story-snatchers, and forces good books upon the at- 
 tention in a manner so ingratiating that the most hardened cannot resist 
 or resent. If the continuity of shelves is broken by projections in the wali 
 or by several windows the spaces thus isolated may: be turned to advan- 
 tage by placing there the special shelves. If, however, the parallel shely 
 ing of fiction and non-fiction is really impossible, do not make the mistake 
 of putting the non-fiction off in a corner and the fiction on the shelves near- 
 est the door. Give that advantage to the former. 
 
 8 
 
Even the simplest arrangement cannot do all it should without the 
 liberal application of labels. Labels should call attention to the better 
 authors and to definite subjects; not, for instance, “Fine Arts,’ but 
 “Music,” “Drawing,” “Games.” Such labels, and the arrangement sug- 
 gested, will do much to disperse the confusion that is apt to settle about 
 the child turned loose to browse. 
 
 REFERENCE WORK WITH CHILDREN. 
 
 BY ESTHER STRAUS, HEAD OF CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT OF THE PUBLIC 
 
 LIBRARY OF CINCINNATI. 
 
 After the obstructions have been removed and the road is well worn, 
 the traveler who knows his destination will find the sign-post sufficient di- 
 rection, but when the road is strange and impediments check progress, in 
 most cases, the journey must be personally conducted. The reference 1i- 
 brarian who uses the sign-post method in directing children along the roa«l 
 to information, if she is observant, will find that many turn back disheart- 
 ened, because, unaided, they cannot conquer the obstacles in the path be- 
 fore them. 
 
 The first obstacle to be conquered by the child is the technique of read- 
 ing, and though little reference work is done with children below 
 the grammar grades, many who come for answers to questions 
 stumble over comparatively simple words, or worse, combine let- 
 ters and sounds and call off words, mentally or vocally that con- 
 note neither thought nor ideas. The immediate need is to answer 
 the child’s question, and if the answer cannot be found in print 
 simple enough for the child’s comprehension it is better to give 
 the information verbally than to have the child groping aimlessly 
 through the pages of a book. Nor must the child be sent away with the 
 feeling of his own incompetency or believing that the librarian is “easy,” 
 but with the satisfaction of a duty performed and—a book under his arm. 
 The book need not be an answer to his query, but it will be read if it is on 
 any subject interesting to him and the contents simple. ‘We must make a 
 reader of the child. Interest in a book is the greatest incentive to reading. 
 
 Many a youthful Icarus soars too high and seeks information which 
 he is not prepared to receive. “What is the atomic theory?” is asked by 
 girl who does not know the definition of the word atom. “Resolved that 
 Washington did more for the United States than Napoleon did for France”’ 
 is debated upon by boys who have never read French history. In similar 
 instances the basic facts must be first given before references on the ques- 
 tions asked and the librarian for the time being turns teacher. Not merely 
 must the source of knowledge be revealed, but, in a measure, the know!]- 
 
 9 
 
edge itself must be imparted, keeping in mind, of course, that the primary 
 duty is to teach the use of books. The librarian, if wont to listen to the 
 idle prattle of young readers will often chance to hear herself called the 
 “library teacher,” and proud she may be if she is deserving of the title. 
 An intuitive appreciation of the capacity of the child mind, sympathy with 
 
 interest in the child’s endeavor and the willingness and ability to give as-. 
 
 sistance where it is needed are the attributes of this “library teacher ;” 
 critical disdain and cynical asperity, the symptoms of unfitness. 
 
 It must be expected that the child will find difficulty in gleaning spe- 
 cific facts from an article that generalizes; for reason and judgment are 
 faculties of the matured mind, and even the adult who becomes impatient 
 at such trials is not unknown to the librarian. If the child is made to 
 understand that it is no more necessary to read every word of an arti- 
 cle on the Civil War to find a description of the battle of Bull Ruu 
 than it is necessary to begin in the dictionary with the letter “A” and 
 thumb each intervening page to find a definition of the word “history,” 
 an intelligent reader may be developed. Sometimes the difficulty lies 
 in selecting the salient thought of a paragraph. A glance at the notes 
 taken by the student will often reveal mere transcriptions of the origt- 
 nal reference. Copying may serve to make the words of the author 
 familiar and to give practice in writing, but both time and energy are 
 wasted if the objects of the student’s notes are to be ideas and thoughts. 
 To help the child individual attention must be given him. He should 
 not be told the important points of the paragraph, but be led by ques- 
 tions to ferret them out for himself, 
 
 The uses of the table of contents, the footnotes and the index of a 
 book should be explained to groups of children, and it is often possible to 
 do this in the schoolroom, using the textbook for the purpose. These les- 
 sons should be well planned and developed and may be made enjoyable 
 and interesting to the pupil if accompanied by questions and quizzes. 
 The teacher will frequently lend assistance, but the initial work for the 
 most part comes from the librarian. The impulse to do research work 
 generally originates with the teacher, but it is the librarian’s privilege 
 to equip the student with the ability to continue his studies and to 
 make an independent reader of him by guiding him aright. He must 
 not only become accustomed to using books, but also to the use of the 
 library, so that he will know how to find the required book by means 
 of the library finding lists, catalogs, etc., and how to work without 
 confusion amidst a large collection of books. Just where the work of 
 the teacher ends and the librarian’s duty begins is hard to define. They 
 must blend and dovetail. 
 
 If the librarian is to give a large share of her time and attention to 
 euiding the young student an intimate working knowledge of the entire 
 juvenile collection must be at command. There is only a limited number 
 
 10 
 
 rs 
 ae ts 
 
of bibliographical aids to reference work with children. An “Index to 
 Short Stories,” by G. E. Salisbury and M. E. Beckwith (Chic. 1907, 
 How.) will be of use in working with teachers and children. The range 
 of subjects under which the stories are indexed is large and many of the 
 books from which the stories are chosen will be found in the average 
 children’s collection. The “List of Books For Township Libraries” 
 of the state of Wisconsin (Madison, 1902, Democrat Printing Co.) 
 has a valuable subject index to the books recommended for pur- 
 chase. “Biography for Young People,” by B. E. Hyatt (Albany, 
 1901), University of the State of New York, analyzes many col- 
 lective biographies. The public library of Cincinnati published 
 in 1906 “An Index to American History and Biography for the 
 Seventh and Eighth Grades,’ compiled by M. G. Blair, and many 
 other valuable bibliographies are contained in the A. L. A. bulletin 
 and in the publications of such libraries as the Cleveland Public and the 
 Carnegie Library of Pittsburg. With few such exceptions the librarian 
 must depend upon her knowledge of the child’s book to provide answers 
 to the inquiries of the child. 
 
 The bulk of reference work with children comes after school hours 
 and it is no uncommon occurrence for the members of an entire class to 
 come for the same subject. In such an event it is necessary to gather all 
 the suitable material to supply the demand. The foresighted librarian wit! 
 prepare for the rush by following the teacher’s course of study or by getting 
 advance notification from the teacher, so that the first comers will not 
 empty the shelves of all good references and leave nothing for the strag- 
 glers. 
 
 A few books may be selected for permanent reference use, and in se- 
 lecting the following list such books as the New International Cyclo- 
 paedia, Scientific American reference book and dictionaries, etc., of the 
 adult collection, to which the older children should be referred are omitted. 
 The list is especially designed for reference work with the grammar grades, 
 and includes in the main books that should be found in every library. 
 
 General Works. 
 
 Champlin, J. D. comp. Young folks’ cyclopaedia of common things. 
 Ed.-3. enl, Holt. 
 
 Champlin, J. D. comp. Young folks’ cyclopaedia of literature and art. 
 Holt. 
 
 Champlin, J. D. comp. Young folks’ cyclopaedia of natural history. 
 Holt. 
 
 Champlin, J. D.comp. Young folks’ cyclopaedia of persons and places. 
 Holt. 
 
 Champlin, J. D. comp. and Bostwick, A. E. comp. Young folks’ cyclo: 
 paedia of games and sports. Ed. 2. rev. Holt. 
 
 ya 
 
The volumes of these cyclopaedias are convenient in size, the lan- 
 guage is simple, the information clear and concise and the illustrations 
 plentiful. There are frequent cross-references from one article to 
 others on allied subjects.. They are stepping stones to the larger cy- 
 clopaedias. 
 
 Goss, Harriet and Baker, G. A. Index to St. Nicholas. Cleveland. 
 
 Cumulative Index Co. 
 
 Indexes the first twenty-seven volumes. The alphabetical arrange: 
 ment of entries is convenient and the groups classified under subjects 
 are helpful. Especially are the entries under Poetry, Amateur Theatri- 
 cals, Amusements and Animals, useful. 
 
 Mythology. 
 
 Bulfinch, Thomas. The age of fable., ed., by J. L. Scott. Rev. ed., Mc- 
 
 Kay. ; 
 
 Roman, Greek and northern mythology. For use with the older 
 children. 
 
 Ellis, E. S. 1,000 mythological characters. Hinds. 
 
 The entries in this hand book are alphabetically arranged and the 
 descriptions of the mythological characters are brief and simple. 
 Guerber, H. A. Myths of northern lands. A. B. C. 
 
 Guerber, H. A: Myths of Greece and Rome. A. B. C. 
 
 “Narrated with special reference to literature and art.” 
 
 Nature Study. 
 
 Keeler, Mrs. H. L. Our native trees and how to identify them. Scrib- 
 ner. 
 An excellently illustrated book containing full descriptions of 
 trees. 
 Parsons, Mrs. I’. 1. (S.) D. How to know the wild flowers. Scribner. 
 A guide to the identification of flowers with clear descriptions and 
 good illustrations. 
 Wood, Theodore. Natural history for young people. Nister. 
 Text is clear and illustrations in black and white, and color are 
 profuse. Well indexed. 
 
 Geography and Travel. 
 
 Herbertson, A. J., ed. Descriptive geographies from original sources. 
 Black. (Macmillan.) 
 Comprehensive books which the older children will find useful. 
 McMurray, C. A. Type studies from the geography of the United 
 States, first series. Macmillan. 
 
 12 
 
 — _ 
 
Good descriptions of Hudson River, Ohio Valley, Pike’s Peak, etc.. 
 cod fisheries, cotton and cotton plantations, gold mines, etc. 
 Rocheleau, W. I’. Great American industries. 3 v. Flanagan. 
 
 Contents : fees 
 V. 1. Coal, petroleum, iron, marble, slate, ete. - 
 V. 2. Products of the soil. 
 V. 3. Manufactures. 
 Scott Stamp and Coin Co. Scott’s standard postage stamp catalogue, 
 Ed. 61. Scott's Stamp and Coin Co. 
 This should be shelved near the geographies. 
 Starr, I'rederick. Strange peoples. Heath. 
 Gives good accounts of Eskimos, Mexicans, Finns, Lapps, Turks, 
 Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, etc. Suited to grades 5-7. 
 Tarr, R.S., and McMurry, F) M. Tarr and McMurry geographies, 
 three book series. Macmillan. 
 A good general geography. 
 
 History. 
 
 Several good text books such as Eggleston’s First Book in Ameri- 
 can History (A. B. C.) for the younger children, and for the older 
 children Fiske’s History of the United States for schools (Houghton) 
 or McMaster’s school history of the United States (A. B. C.) are nec- 
 essary. 
 
 Gordy, W. F. American leaders and heroes. Scribner. 
 
 Contains biographical sketches of some of the most important 
 characters in American history. 
 
 Gordy, W. F. Stories of American explorers. Scribner. 
 
 An historical reader giving vivid pictures of the lives of explorers. 
 Suited to grades 5-. 
 
 Holden, E. S. Our country’s flag and the flags of foreign countries. 
 
 Appleton. 
 
 Answers questions on signalling, national colors, etc., and gives 
 the history of the American flag. 
 
 Government, Club Work, Etc. 
 
 Brookings, W. D., and Ringwalt, R: C., ed. Briefs for debate. Long- 
 man’s. 
 The. introduction is especially valuable as a manual on debating. 
 Only the simplest debates should be chosen for the child. 
 Dole, C. F. American citizen. Heath. 
 
 13 
 
Treats of citizenship, government, economic duties, social rights — 
 and duties and international duties, in an elementary way, 
 Hoxie, C. D. How the people rule. Silver. 
 A good book of civics for young people. 
 Robert, J. T. Robert’s primer of parliamentary law for schools, coi- 
 leges, clubs, fraternities, etc. Doubleday. 
 
 A useful and simple manual for the young club member. 
 
 Willard, C.D. City government for young people. Macmillan. a 
 
 Designed as a text book for high schools, but also of value as a a 
 
 reference book for the grammar grades. . 3 
 Literature. 
 
 ant, W. C., ed. New library of poetry and song. Baker. 
 One of the best single volume collections of poetry with good in- 
 dexes by author, title and first lines. 
 
 Norton, C. E., ed. Heart of Oak books. Rev. ed., 7 v. Heath. 
 
 A series of school readers containing masterpieces of English lit- 
 
 erature. Because of thé lack of an index it is necessary to study the 
 
 contents thoroughly. a 
 
 Scudder, H. E., comp. The children’s book. Houghton. 
 
 An Bre ccnt one volume collection of the most famous stories in 
 child literature. 
 
 Wiggin, Mrs. K. D., and Smith, N. A., ed. Golden Numbers. McClure. 
 
 A classified collection of poems. The interleaves and introduction 
 add to the value of the book. 
 
 To meet the demand for material for the special days, the follow- 
 ing books are suggested: 
 
 Baldwin, James, ed. Harper’s school speaker. 3 v. Harper. 
 
 Contents : 
 V.1. Arbor day—Memorial day. 
 V.2. Graded selections. 
 V. 3. Miscellaneous, 
 Deems, E. M., ed. Holy days and holidays. Funk. 
 A very useful collection of prose and verse. 
 
 Ohio. State commissioner of common schools, Arbor day sugges- 
 tions and material for observance of the day by the Ohio 
 schools. 
 
 An annual publication. 
 St. Nicholas. Our holidays, their meaning and spirit; retold from the 
 St: Nicholas. Century. 
 Simple and containing both fact and fiction. 
 Schauffler, R. H., ed.. Christmas. Moffat. : 
 Schauffler, R. H., ed. Thanksgiving. Moffat. ae 
 
 14 
 
Give the origin and significance of the holidays. Contain selec- 
 tions in prose and verse. 
 Stevenson, B. E., and Stevenson, Mrs. E. S. (B.). Days and deeds; a 
 book of verse for children’s reading and speaking. Baker. 
 Stevenson, B. E., and Stevenson, Mrs. E. S. (B.). Days and deeds; 
 prose for children’s reading and speaking. Baker. 
 Two companion volumes containing selections for almost every 
 day of importance to the child. 
 Wisconsin. Dep’t of public instruction. Arbor day and bird day an- 
 nual for Wisconsin schools. 
 A pamphlet similar to the above mentioned Ohio publication. 
 
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