LIBRARIAN ABROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 3

LIBRARIAN ABROAD

WORK IN UNITED STATES An Australian .librarian, Miss Evelyn Wood, who recently visited England, Europe and the United States to study library organisation, was'amazed at the extent of the service that is given to tbe general public through the libraries of the United States, states an Australian writer. Every citizen there has free access to an enormous collection of valuable books, and the system includes also the loan of pictures, music and so oil. Most of the modern libraries bave very fine music collections, with a sound-proof room attached, where gramophone records and instrumental music can be tried out. There are also special sections for the blind, stocked not only with books in braille, but with marvellous speaking records, to which tbe blind can sit and listen nt their leisure. M iss Wood was interested to find in the United States that practically all the library work was clone by women, even in some of the most important administrative posts. The Los Angeles library system, for instance, which is enormous, is controlled by Miss Alathea Warrenj and Professor Margaret Mann, of the University of Michigan, is regarded as one of tho States' leading catalogue experts.