Career Among Books

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28268, 4 May 1957, Page 3

Career Among Books

{Reviewed by B.T.]

HOW I BECAME A LIBRARIAN by Eileen Colwell (Nelson), is an engaging and modestly written autobiography by one of England’s foremost children’s librarians. As a chilcjl, Miss Colwell was fortunate in her home where books were an essential part of life. She writes about her

earty reading, her favourite books e and poems and the kind of life i- that the family of a Methodist s minister led. Her decision to . become a librarian led to study i at the School for Librarianship at London University. As a qualified librarian, she t obtained her first post in Lanf cashire. Liberation from an s uncongenial situation came in her i next appointment to Hendon, a r suburb of London, as a “temporary part-time assistant to I organise a service for children, using schools as centres.” And t from this uncertain temporary I beginning, Hendon has become the centre of a large network of library services for children. Besides branch libraries and two book van services, there are 44 school libraries all administered ’ in an integrated system from the ” central children’s library. Over the last 25 years, Miss Colwell 1 s • work, at Hendon has become ■ famous and her library is visited by librarians and students from k all parts of the world. Perhaps the most valuable section of Miss Colwell’s book for -young New Zealand readers is her information about the work 1 that goes on in her library and for that matter, in any good children’s library. As she points out, a modern childi en’s library is in fact a lending library, ; reference library and news room all in one. Besides a large collection of books for recreational reading, there must be a substantial reference section of 1 encyclopaedias, atlases, biographies, books on engineering, communication and exploration j and many more to answer questions such as “Where’s there a book about how to build a model power boat three feet long?” Books and pictures are available t to teachers as well as children to 0 help them with theii lessons and projects. Booklists on various n topics and for various ages are S prepared for reference. Displays t of book jackets from new books and posters and friezes, usually done by the library staff, are on h show in the library. In addition, 1 Miss Colwell arranges lectures J for older boys and girls on travel ° and animals, science and explora- 7 tion and these are usually illus- ii trated by slides .or film-strips, d She runs many clubs such as P stamp, zoo, drajpa, puppets, ti music, art and a horary club in n which books and boobies are dis- e cussed. She has book quiz ses- o sions and a penfriends’ club, a One of Miss Colwell’s main ft interests lies in story-telling and b story hour is a special attraction it in her library. j r A children’s librarian has many t< calls on her time from outside h organisations. They include a lectures to all groups interested in the education and welfare of w children, lln New Zealand, talks y are requested from Writers’ and v , Parent-Teacher associations, and h Kindergarten, Play-centre and h Plunket Mothers’ clubs.] She ”, will be asked to act on educa- • tional committees concerned with L children’s reading. She will also n have talks to give to school groups p who come to the library, talks for radio and the reviewing of books for periodicals and the press. She will be asked to £■ write articles and to give her j? judgment on manuscripts. Book weeks in which a special effort s is made to interest children, ?. parents and teachers in children's 11 books were introduced at Hendon ° as long ago as 1928. P The general requirements for qualification in libraiy work out- “ lined by Miss Colwell also hold for New Zealand, but there are differences in detail. In New “ Zealand there is a training scheme 11 for library assistants in which Y, they are required to study and u answer questions on books and library procedures set by qualified C J tutors. After a peiiod of two n years, the successful candidate u . qualifies for the General Training cs Certificate. The more desirable O 1 course opening up to positions of ™ real responsibility is for the . aspiring young librarian to take 31 a University degree, either in a ! arts or science and :o proceed to gl the post-graduate course in ?

librarianship at the Library School which was established in Wellington in 1946. For those interested in children’s work, a degree in English and Education including Child Psychology is probably the best course. Lectures on children s books are included in the Library School year. While ever/ librarian is called upon to give judgments on literature, the responsibility of the Children’s librarian is a specialised one in that she is intimately involved in the task of education. For this she must be well qualified to be a literary critic. Writing for children ultimately demands the same exacting standards as for adults; to be classed as good literature and as an educator and spender of public money, the children’s librarian is responsible for sifting the good from the vast flood of mediocre books and providing within that framework, a wide choice of reading matter for children in the limited time at their disposal. Miss Colwell, in conclusion, out- 1 lines the various avenues of specialised work in libraries, ; apart from children’s work. It ; should be mentioned that New Zealand salaries are more attrac- ' tive than the Englisn equivalents. 1 Throughout, Miss Colwell takes the reader into hei confidence. ' She does not gloss over her difficulties so that one may at once - feel sympahty in her trials and 1 pleasure in her triumphs. Her : story is inspired with that sense >f dedication that has brought her 1 :o the top of her p T ofession. 1 i =================================== 1