THE COURIER
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noedodto mipply deficiencies. Horn I
illicit Htuttl Mrs. Stoutonborougirs
thundur by speaking of tho benefit it in
to tho library to have its weakness ox
punod lit) thy iilwayH aro by tho research
that tho clubs make along Hpocial linoB.
Whon not a moiubor of tho club, tho
librarian may writo at about tho tiino of
itH first yoarly meeting, iiRkiii for tho
course of study to bo ptirHiiod by tho
varioiiB dopartinontfi, in ordor that hIio
limy outloipa'o thoir needs in hor book
orders. Strangely enough wo II nd that
thin request 1h not alwuyH graciously
received; but whon ignored, iih it may
ho, turn to tho president for holp. A
pirHonal ploa from hor mayboullluauiotiH
in porHiiauing tho heads of departments
that tlioy aro helping themselves while
aiding tho library.
It hiiH boon possible for us, because of
a vory ploiiHiintly arrimgod reference
loom, tofiot iiHido, for tho oxclusivo ubo
of cluhn, hoiiio Hiuall alcoves, whuro aro
placed a fow carofully selected volumes
withdrawn from circulation. Thto real
ly gives tho bookB a widor ubo than if
oach club woman took 0110 homo on hor
card. Tho volumes aro chunked from
tinio to timo to suit tho requirmontB of
tho course of Htudy. Mounted pinto
graphs (in ono instance a vory intoroBt
ing collection) ownod and used by tho
clubs in thoir work havo lioon hung in
tho alcovop, making tho rooniH both at
tractive and UBoful. .
In a library Hiich an ours, whoro gon
oral access to tho book hIioIvoh 'ih not al
lowed, it iH well to iBHiio a card granting
that privilege to loaders of clubs, and to
high Bchool toachvrs and professional
people who may tind it an advance to
go direct to tho stacks. Wo hIbo issue
extra book-borrower's cards to club
loaders and to Fchnol teachers, with tlio
Btipulation that thoy bo uhhiI only for
tho holdor'H special lino of work.
ThingB which iiidhiih tho Betting aside
uffloino rule, or tho grantinif of hoiiio
especial privilege aro not all we may do
for tho club woman in the library.
What I wish to add to this require
ulnioBt more tnan tho courage of my
convictions; it is of tho more personal
denlingB of tho librarian or reference
attendant with tho women. It hiiR
boon t-aid by a member of the craft that
"tho ninintal dexterity of a lawyer, the
manners of a diplomat, and the patience
of a Hiiint are qualities which tho libra
rian must cultivate if ho would cleverly
comprehend the inquiries put to him."
And certainly it ih iih easy to belhvo of
women an of VoltairoV'mon," that thoy
"employ speech only to conceal their
thoughts;'' for dillidont, iih well as con
ceited, Rookorn after knowledge waste
hours by not divuluing tho exact object
of their search. Wo all revolt at tho
thought of Haunting criniEon placards,
roading, "If you don't tind what you
want ask for it. Wo aro hero to help you."
Hut how aro wo to insist that patrons of
the library be specific in their requests?
"Library talks" given by thn prsideni
of the club would i-oem the simplest way
of roaohing tho women; or tho librarian
herself might speak at some gt'iK-nd us
sombly of the club, giving a practical
illustration of library methods. The uro
of curd catalogs, Conn's, the Cumula
tive and annual li'orary indite- and
oven tho ubo of the tntli s in hooks and
works of several volumes must het-hnwn
all without any Ruporcilioueiiopfi; for the
club movement is co.upauitive y new in
tho west and women who have been for
years out of school may be pauloned if
they waste timo over a table of contents
or even turn laboriously page i fter page
in thoir scat ch, instead of using the in
dex which belongs to every woll arrang
ed work. For our object is to give tho
best holp to the c'.ub members in tind
ing thoir material leadily, not by moroly
opening each book at tho desired page,
but by developing tho powor of using
intelligently the means put at their
Borvico.
If I havo Hhown a dangerous tendency
to follow tho example of Tennyson's
brook, you will pardon mo, 1 know.
Tlu subject is one capable of much dis
cussion; but disjussi n in tho form of a
monologue comes tinally to interest only
ono porson, so I will no longer "chatter
ovor stony ways."
Mits. Smii.ky.
"WHAT CAN THE WOMAN'S ('LUH
DO FOR THE PUBLIC
LIBRARY?"
"The Woman's Club movement but
ono it is truo among tho educational
force i" th world, had its beginning in
ho thought of association for mutual
HsUtnmja and sfllf-dovolopmont, and
hon us a natural growth from that
camo tlio thought of association to holp
otherH."
Today it stands for higher education,
sympathy ami usefulness. It has Haid
to women everywhere "Thero is work
for you which can not bo done except by
Association, both for yourselves and
others. Work together it matters little
under what form or name; and thou
with mutual aims and symrathics
stimulated to noble ends do those
things which duty dictates and your
opportunity allows.'' and gradually tho
members of this organization aro learn
ing that there are other lessons in life
for them to read beBides tho storioH in
tho little old " Horn Book ''; tho work of
Woman's Clubs iB iudissnluhly connect
ed with education and co ordination of
forces and concentration of plans tn'ist
bo tho watchword, r buccoss is attained.
Tho Bo-eallod " progressive woman " it
seems to mo, asks for no more than a
full opportunity to develop all her
reserve powers in helping on the world.
A few days since in a neighboring state
I heard a bright woman say "Women
aro often held up to ridicule becaiiBO
they aro so icady to condemn, so im
patient of delay, so anxious to convert
everybody right now, and hIio said that
she was reminded of what Henry Ward
Boecher onco said when foiiio now and
worthy object to benefit humanity was
brought to his notice "Tho chubo is
just, tho object is all right, now brii.g
on your fanatic to carry it out." and
hIk had some times thought that tho
women of to lay must bo called tho
"fanatics" to holp in some of this work
that is to bo done to bonolit humanity.
Professor Loin broBo says "Tho duty of
woman in the social evolution is to direct
charity and public education." Is not
this a responsibility worthy of tho high
est poworB of woman lioud and second
only to motherhood?
We read that it was coneideiod an
epoch in many of the older states whon
neighborhood and village libraries began
to ho common. TIiib whb more than a
hundred years ago and Noah Porter
tell us that tho establishment of a vil
lage library was considered as natural
and almost as necessary as tho Betting
up of a grist mill or town pump.
Today in at loat ono state--Now
Hampshire every town is now required
by law to establish and maintain a freo
public library. Until recent jenrs wo
have had but few libraries in 'tho west
outside of tho well equipped libraries of
tha larger towng and cities. Now how
over, libraries are rapidly coming into
existence in tho smaller towns and vil
lages. Many of them directly through
the instrumentality of tho WomutiBcluh,
for tins organization and tho public
library should lie ami in moit cases aro
invaluable allies and work together for
the good of tho community. Tho real
value of Borne of these small libraries
inaj not bo appreciated in this genera
tion. "When John Harvard bequeathed
half of his estate and his librarv .to tho
struggling seminary in tho wilderness,
no ono foresaw tho Harvard university
of today.''
In Iowa tho library spirit is partic
ularly active among Woman's clubs. Of
one hundred and eighty clubs bolougiog
to tho Stato federation nearly ono half
aro doing soinothing for libraries. And
what is true or Iowa is truo of other
states. In ovory littlo villiago and ham
let where a womans club has existed for
a time, we are protty sure to tind tho
circulating library and freo reading
room. Libraiy boards teBtify that tho
circulation of books and tl o coneulation
of refeionce books have greatly increas
ed since the organization of tbo Wom
an's club.
Let us glanco for a momont at tho
woru that tho women in Kontucky uro
doing in this library movemont.
"For the lineal year of '97-'0S tho stato
was divided into live club districts. Tho
first district had soven librarv stations
ho second four the third three, tho
fourth four and tho fifth threo. Tho
plan of work for tho committee was to
collect books suitable for tho mountain
districts and to send tho same securely
packed in strong wooden boxes, averag.
ng lift)-live volumes to a box, m.nk of
heavy seasoned boards, securely fastened
with screws and locks and on arrival
aroused s libraries. Six months a o
lowed for use of books. So.no del v
as occasioned at lirst by tho suspicion
of the mountainoors who feared a money
consideration for tho ubo of books. Thoy
were slow o believe that the libra?y
was free. The boxes travel over tho
mountains by wagon or down tho river
in push boats ia April or October!"
huiely no one could road this rennrt
Hen. out by the chairman of library wPorl
in Kentucky without feeling these won
on have rendered back to society some
thing of what thoy havo received. Tho
following extract from ono of tho libra,
ans tolls the story of a good work In
these out-of-way places, in tho mount
ain districts. "It was tersly stated by
ono of our minora whin tho littlo library
room whb opened, 'Now wo can havo
hoiiio bettor way of getting a littlo ro
creation than going to Jollico and got
ting drunk.' Our seats aro empty
powder kegs; tho tables mado from old
doors fastened on top of barrels; but
oven with thoso homely surroundmgB
good work is being dono and aside from
the intellectual advantages thero is a
moral ono iib well." After roading thia
report and similar ones, ono would
hardly ask tho question of what bonlit
is woman's clubs? and in Kentucky
this organization of women is an educa
tional factor whoso piwer is folt from
east to west in this old commonwealth.
Turning from tho sunny southland
lot us seo what too women aro doing in
tho pinories of Wisconsin.
In her report beforo tho annual niopt
ing in 1897. Mis Stearns said: "Tho
Wisooiifcin Freo Library commission de
pends upon tho woman's clubs moro
than upon any and all other agencies
combined to aid in it work of establish
ing freo libraries in Wisconsin. Sinco
tho State Federation was organized, no
less than eighteen freo public libraries
havo been established, within our
borders; and tho organization of six of
these may bo directly attributed to tho
interest aroused by womans clubs. Four
of tho libraries in tho stato are being
maintained by iheso bodios."
Mr. F. A. ilutchins (whoso name is
familiar to evory librarian) of tiio Wis
cousin Freo Library association say?:
"In most of tho states of tho Union
woman's clubs aro doing moio than the
librarians in tho establishment and
Bpreud of travelling libraries."
If thero was timo 1 might speak of tho
good work of club women in other states
along this lino of library interests, in
New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan. Minnosotu,
Kansas and Missouri, but I wish to call
your attention to tho work in your own
state. You are all familiar with tho
workings of tho circulating library sup
ported by tho Nebraska Foderation of
Womon'B clubs, that havo Bant books to
tho homes of women living in isolated
communities. Women who rarely catch
a glimpse of tho higher level or what
seems to them life's rugged road; it has
sont reference books to inembois of
country clubs who do not havo ace'eBj
to public libraries, enabling them to
pursue certain lines of study in their
dubs which would bo imptssiblo with
out these books and at tho same timo
thoy havo created a desiro in tho minds
of oilier members of tho family to pos
sess "good books."
Who shall Bay that Hub club move
nioiit is not missionary in spirit and
while proclaims no creod, it is willing
yes eager, to help thoso who are less
fortunnto than themselves.
What can the woman's club do for
the public library in our small towns?
I know of no better answer to Hub ques
tion than tho practical workings of tho
Monday club in Wayne, Nebr. Ton
years ago a littlo band of women, twelve
in numbor organized a womans club
lhero wub no public library in tho town
and but fow privato libraries. Tho club
dues aro ono dollar for initiation fees
and ton cents for monthly dues. Tho
fines aro twonty-tive cents ror unexcusod
absences and five cootB for tardiness,
iheso dues and fines together with a
small amount made by giving ono or two
entertainments each year represents
their income. But all tho money thoy
make has been used to purchase books
for thoir public library. Today thov
have between seven and eight hundred
volumes. These books are used I by
lho foe offivo cents per wok is charged
for uso of books and they may bo retain
edtwowotkB. All tho money made in
his i way goes to tho purchase of new
books and replacing old ones. A mem
ber of this enterprising club wrote mo a
ew weeks B.nce-"Wo aim to buy only
the best books and 1 am sure wo havo
done a liltle towards cultivating tho
public taste for good reading L$lt
p Hcmg many good books at tho disposal
of those who could not havo road thorn
in any o her way." Ono moro illn tr '
ion. Tho Syracuse Woman's Club A
row yours ago a citizen of that littlo
town by personal oflort and solicitati n
Bocurod some books and old magazinos
placed them in 'ths town building md
gave i one evening each week to their cir
l!Sn .fe?" 'LV9 ooa mSn was
. ii i V- "u"iy oince, wh ch com
polled him to loavo Syracuse aul the li .
tie library was left without a "guid , ,
Btar." The Woman's Club, a now or. n
zation looking about to we 5h2 U
could do, towards bettering conn nity
life, discovered that tho library i J an
open door. ' B ,ln
A committeo waitod upon tho town
council and thoy promise,? to proviK
room and a librarian ono night in 0 o
week. In Iosh than ono year those worn,
en havo put 1G0 good books into tint
littlo library. Uoob thip seem liko a
small number to this Association? It
represents moro than wo can express.
Next )oar whon you como to your libri
ry meoting, 1 trut thoro will bo alibrar.
inn at Syracuso and that bIio will share
these good things with you.
If thero was timo I might toll you of
other clubs interested in helping public
libraries in thoir reBpectivo towns. At
ColumbuB, CJoring, and Nebraska Cit,
are women who aro shining examples of
that old Baying "Awakened souls cannot
atTnrd to bo selfish.''
i'horo is ono phaso in your work in
which I am especially intorosted. It is
tlio corner for tho boys and girls. Our
club women may assist in Bonding Bpec
ial collections of tho best children's
books and I am sure you would bo glad
to araango the corner so as to make the
books ava'l bio and attractivo us woll.
A vory practical method of showing an
interest in tho villago librnry is that
adopted by a book club not a thousand
miles from hero. Each member of tho
club buys each your a volume of the best
current fiction. Thoso books aro passed
about among tho members of tho club
until tho closo of tho year whon they aro
given to tho Public Library.
The members or tho Woman's Club in
Nebraska, aro not slow to appreciate tho
lesson of tho hour coordination and I
believe tlio timo will come -indeed it is
not far away, when each club will set
aside a certain sum of monoy to help tho
Public Library in its respective town
and together with this association, wo
may send light into tho dark and forgot
ten places through "tho medium of pen
and ink friends whoso charm is their
unchangeablono-fs.
Hku.k M. Stoutkniiokouuh
ii. ii3orviivir'rs
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