AN ACCOUNT OF THE CHILDREN'S WORKIN THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
The interesting experiment of conducting a Library League is described by Miss Linda A.Eastman in the following account of the children's work in the Cleveland Public Library.A sketch of Miss Eastman appears on page 159.
Work with the children assumed its first real importance in the Cleveland Public Library when the library began,about 10years ago,to issue books to the teachers for reissue to their pupils.
This brought the books to the hands of thousands of children who had never drawn them before,although at no time has the library been able to furnish all of the books asked for by the teachers.
The next step came with the establishment of our branches,where it was soon noticed that a most important part of the work done was that with the children,and that very few of these children had ever used the main library.
Early in 1897a notable change was made at the main library in bringing all of the juvenile books together in what was known as the juvenile alcove,but which heretofore had contained the juvenile fiction only,the classed books having been shelved with the other books on the same subject.This change meant much planning and shifting in our cramped quarters,and writing of dummies and changing of records for every book;but it proved to be well worth all the work,for the children seldom went beyond this alcove,and those who had been reading fiction only,began to vary it with history,travel,science,until about half of the books issued from the department are now from the other classes.
During the Christmas holidays,1896,we advertised "Children's week,"and the numbers and evident enjoyment of the children who then accepted the invitation to visit the library or its branches,led to similar plans for the spring vacation.At this time we were able to put into circulation about a thousand bright new books,and the desire to impress upon the children the necessity for their proper care resulted in starting the Library League,the general plan of which is so familiar that I need not go fully into the details concerning it.[2]
[2]For accounts of the Library League,see Library Journal October and November,1897.
Without question,the labor spent upon the Library League has been more than repaid in the greater care which the children take of their library books.Dirt is at a discount;it is noticed that many more children than formerly now stop to choose the cleanest copy of a book,and many are the books reported daily by the little people as being soiled or torn.A boy,not long ago,brought a book up to the information-desk,reported a loose leaf,then very seriously,by way of explanation,opened his overcoat and displayed his league badge;another replied in all good faith to a query about a damaged book,"Why,I belong to the Library League"--proof quite sufficient,he thought,to clear him of any doubt.Most of the children stop at the wrapping-counter before leaving the library,to tie up their books in the wrapping paper which is provided,and which saves many a book from a mud-bath on its way to or from the library.
But aside from the better care of the books,the Library League has done much as an advertising medium among the children;the league now numbers 14,354,and many of its members had never used the library until they joined the league.Something has been accomplished through it,too,in directing the reading of the children,as it gives opportunities,in many ways,for making suggestions which they are glad to accept.At the South Side branch a club-room has been finished off in the basement,and two clubs formed among the members of the league:one,a Travel Club,is making a tour of England this winter;the other is a Biography Club,which is studying great Americans;the children who compose these two clubs are largely of foreign parentage,almost without exception from uncultured homes,and the work our earnest branch librarian is beginning with them cannot fail in its effect on these young lives.A boy's club-room is to be fitted up at the new West Side branch,in addition to the children's room,which is already proving inadequate.
