"Unnecessary"was not in when we began.It was absolute,but we found we could give more liberty.Whenever this pledge was violated,which was not often even at first,no explanation was accepted,a word had been broken:"A bad thing,"we said,"for a young person in a public library.Don't sign what you cannot keep."One must be even and not allow one day what one lets pass the next and that is not an easy thing to do.Do not start to evolve an orderly library out of a disorderly one and expect to escape all criticism.Be ready to explain fully to the parent whose child has been disciplined.
I have wondered sometimes if the disorderly library did not have more than one cause.If you wish orderly conduct you must also have an orderly library,a place for everything and everything in its place.We have not a perfect library yet in Eau Claire and we hope we may obtain some suggestions from other libraries to help on that glad time.
Miss Harriet A.Wood,Cedar Rapids,Iowa.
The difficulty can be largely overcome by giving the active boys something to do.We let them put up books and even slip the books,if they are careful,put in labels,etc.We have a Boy's Club recently organized.Now the girls are clamoring for one.Atrustee has charge of it.I believe that the librarian should make more of an effort to know the boys and girls personally.
During the past two months,we have been working along this line with good results.The boys are simply full of spirit;they are not bad.We never ought to expect to eliminate noise entirely,unless we drive out the children.Our library is open without partitions between the children's room and the other rooms.Boys that have been troublesome in the past,come in now that they are older,and read like gentlemen.Many of the boys,we find upon inquiry,are orphans.some without fathers,some without mothers.The probation officer of the Juvenile court works with us.One of her boys is an ardent helper in the children's room.
We have found it much better to speak to a boy quietly when he is not with his companions.He is more likely to respond.We try to make the boys and girls feel that we are interested in them.If they come to us to use the library as a meeting and perhaps a loafing place,we should be glad.If we have not the time and strength to seize this opportunity for social betterment,we should enlist tactful men and women in the city who can help with the problem.
Miss Mary A.Smith,La Crosse,Wis.
At the branch,the discipline is the great difficulty.The branch took the place of a badly managed boy's club so we really did not have a fair start.The discipline in the room is still a problem not entirely solved.A large number of the most restless boys had no respect for authority and had the impression that the library,being a free and public institution,was a place where they could act as they pleased.Through the kindness of Mr.Austin and Mr.
Hiller,who have given their time to read aloud to the boys two evenings a week and have personally interested the boys in the books at the library,this impression has changed and in its place has come an attempt on the part of some of the boys at a system of self government.Next fall we hope to establish clubs among the boys,giving them the use of the room back of the reading room and any assistance they may need,but leaving the organization in their hands.
The reading aloud has been most successful and has had a constant attendance of about 50boys.With the children lies our chief hope of developing the reading habit and love of good books.
Through the children also we look for the increase in adult readers.This grows slowly at the branch for the reason that older people do not yet come to read the magazines kept on file in the room.
Mr.Henry J.Carr,Scranton,Pa.
To send unruly children out of the building and forbid them to come again until prepared to behave properly is our strongest "card,"and it proves effective,too.No definite period is assigned.
Administration of all discipline promptly,pleasantly,but no less firmly and without relaxation,on the least sign of its need,we find to do much towards obviating the necessity.
Miss Maude Van Buren,Mankato,Minn.
I make occasional visits to all the schools,and the first talk of the year usually includes a word on conduct,but I am careful to have the young people feel that I know their shortcomings in this matter are only those of thoughtlessness,never of mischief nor meanness;that the only reason for requiring perfect quiet in a public library is a consideration of other's rights.It is all a matter of the librarian's attitude.
Miss Grace D.Rose,Davenport,Iowa.
When the children's room was in the basement in a room much too small for the numbers which came,there was a great deal of noise and confusion.Since the removal to the large,beautiful room on the second floor,the order has been much improved.The children seem impressed by the dignity and quiet of the room,and even upon days when they come in large numbers,there is no confusion and very little of the former playing.
At present,we have several children who are allowed to draw books but must transact their business as quickly as possible,and cannot exchange them under two weeks.
Miss Ethel F.McCullough,Superior,Wis.
The question of library discipline is not so much a question of troublesome and disorderly patrons,as it is a question of library administration.Given a quiet,attentive staff,a building arranged for complete supervision,noiseless floors and furniture intelligently placed--given these five essentials,a well ordered library must be the inevitable result.With any one of these lacking,the problem of discipline becomes a complicated one.
Mrs.Grace K.Hairland,Marshalltown,Iowa.
