At the beginning of the year the committee began the consideration of an outline, prepared by the chairman, of possible points considered in the proposed examination of library schools. This outline was submitted to the members of the committee individually and valuable suggestions obtained and was afterwards discussed by such members of the committee as were present at the January meetings in Chicago.
This outline which is appended to the present report is not to be considered as necessarily final, for the committee invites criticisms and suggestions from other members of the profession. What the committee desires if library schools are to be examined, is that the schools should be examined from the point of view of the needs of the profession, not simply from the point of view of the interests of the library schools. The real vital questions lying at the foundation of the examination of library schools are these: Does this method of obtaining recruits for the profession give the best results which can be secured by such a method? Do the library school trained workers prove in actual experience that their training has been of the right sort? These questions cannot be answered from an examination of the records of any one or even any half dozen library school graduates, but only from the examination of many such records.
As was before said, criticisms on the outline are invited from members of the profession and from any of the library schools, as the desire of the committee is to make an absolutely thorough, and impartial study of the whole library school problem.
At the January meeting in Chicago the members of the committee were rejoiced to learn that the executive board had re-appropriated the appropriation for 1912 with a like amount for the work of 1913.
With these financial limitations in mind the committee considered the question of an examiner, and one having been agreed upon, made the proposition with great confidence, only after considerable delay to have it declined. Further search through the field discovered another person who seemed equally suitable and she was approached only to decline.
The real difficulty evidently lies in the fact that we are asking the examiner to undertake a large piece of professional work and practically offering only expenses and the cost of a substitute for the regular work during such times as it is necessary to leave it. Naturally enough, it is not easy to find anyone willing to take this additional burden.
The committee now have in consideration other names and hope, if reappointed, to be able to announce an examiner before the beginning of the next library school year to such schools as indicate their readiness to receive an examination.
For the Committee.
AZARIAH S. ROOT, Chairman.
Appendix
Scheme of Efficiency Tests for a Library School
(Note.—In its general outline this scheme is indebted to the admirable Test of College Efficiency prepared by Dean Charles N. Cole of Oberlin College.)
I. THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION
A. Government and control of the school:
1. Trustees:
(a) How chosen. Fitness to direct library training;
(b) Tenure of office;
(c) Meetings, how often;
(d) Ad interim power vested where;
(e) Determination of policy: does it lie with trustees, president, director or faculty.
B. Equipment of the school:
1. Connection with other educational work:
(a) With college or university;
(b) With other institutions;
2. Connection with a library:
(a) Of what type;
(b) What constituency and to what extent used;
(c) How far equipped with modern library methods;
(d) Actual practice work in library by students;
3. Bibliographical apparatus:
(a) General reference books;
(b) Trade Bibliographies;
(c) Special Bibliographies;
(d) Library economy;
(e) Samples of library blanks and supplies;
4. Housing:
(a) Recitation rooms;
(b) Study or work rooms;
(c) Rest and social rooms;
(d) Library facilities.
C. Administration of the school:
1. Officers:
(a) How many;
(b) How obtained;
(c) Qualifications;
(d) Tenure of office;
(e) Estimate of work;
(f) Compensation;
(g) Vacation;
2. Faculty:
(a) Do new teachers have a voice in determination of educational questions;
(b) Faculty meetings, how often;
(c) Committees, how many; what duties.
D. Instruction in the school:
1. Faculty:
(a) How obtained;
(b) Qualifications;
(c) Tenure of office;
(d) Estimate and adjustment of work;
(e) Requirements of teachers;
(f) Number of hours of instruction given by each teacher in a school year;
(g) Compensation;
(h) Vacation;
(i) What supervision of teachers' work;
2. Students:
(a) How admitted, examination, certificates, etc.;
(b) How far does actual practice differ from catalog statements;
(c) Requirements for admission;
(d) Requirements for admission of students to advanced standing (in two year courses);
3. Supervision of student work:
(a) Regulation of amount of work;
(b) Guidance in choice of studies;
(c) Requirements for passing grade;
(d) What is done about conditions and failures;
(e) What methods for enforcing the regularity of work;
(f) What provision for the individual help of weak students;
(g) Graduation;
(h) Records, how kept, etc.;
4. Curriculum:
(a) Arrangement and order of studies;
(b) Length of time devoted to each subject;
(c) System of required studies;
(d) System of electives;
(e) What training for special fields of library work, e. g., children's librarians, legislative reference librarians, etc.
5. Class Room Work:
(a) Size of classes;
(b) What part of the course is class room work;
(c) Method of conducting class room work;
6. Practice Work:
(a) What part of course is practice work;
(b) How revised and supervised;
(c) What is the purpose in practice work;
(d) Is this purpose realized;
7. Informal Instruction:
(a) Lectures, etc.;
(b) Opportunities to see work of libraries;
(c) Actual experience in libraries other than that connected with the school.
E. Student Life and Work:
1. Number of students:
2. Work of students:
(a) What seem to be the scholastic ideals of the students;
(b) To what extent do the students seem to have professional enthusiasm;
(c) What studies do they elect when there is an option;
(d) Outside activities of students;
(e) Social life and cultural development of students;
(f) Environment particularly with reference to breadth of culture;
(g) Room and board; are students housed under sanitary and elevating conditions;
(h) Health;
(i) Social conditions and standing of students;
(j) Previous educational advantages;
(k) Literary, musical and artistic opportunities during library school course;
(l) Opportunities to form personal relationships with members of the faculty.
II. THE TESTING OF SCHOOL WORK IN PRACTICAL ACTIVITY
1. What has been the professional success of the graduates:
(a) To what extent have they taken prominent places in the library world;
(b) Omitting as far as possible personal qualities, is there any general characteristic stamping the students of the school;
(c) Do the interests of the graduates seem to be broadly professional, or narrowly confined to a particular type of work which they have entered;
2. What has been the general intellectual standing of the graduates:
(a) Have they shown themselves equal to cope with their opportunities;
(b) Have they shown a range of interest which has enabled them to connect their work with that of philanthropic, charitable, sociological;
(c) Have they taken influential places in the towns in which they work.
