Library Education LIBRARY EDUCATION CHONOLOGY 1829 Schrettinger Germany

Library Education

LIBRARY EDUCATION CHONOLOGY 1829 Schrettinger (Germany) proposes that there must be schools to train librarians 1876 ALA established 1887 Dewey establishes School of Library Economy at Columbia 1890 Pratt Institute begins library training 1891 Drexel Institute begins library training 1892 M. S. R. James recommends pre-employment training 1897 Armour Institute begins library training 1900 A. G. S. Josephson advocates two-year (vs one -year) training programs for library work

Carroll (1975) suggests five periods in the development of library education: (1) before Dewey, (2) from Dewey to Williamson, (3) from approximately 1919 to 1939, (4) from approximately 1940 to 1960, and (5) from 1960 to the present. Reed (1975) starts with the same two first divisions but then divides by a series of more closely timed events. Richardson and Robbins (1993) simply divided their chronology into decades, starting with the 1870 s. Bramley (1969) used a narrative style without major divisions as have a number of other authors. Robbins (1993) suggests three periods: (1) the Albany period from 1889 to 1926, (2) the sixthyear master's period from 1927 to 1960, and (3)

Early Library Training ANNUAL REPORT for 1869, Mr. Justin Winsor, superintendent of Boston Public Library, spoke about the current status of library education: we have no schools of bibliotical or bibliothecal training who graduates can guide the formation of, and assume management within, the fast increasing libraries of our country.

• According to Mr. Windsor's own statement nineteen years later, libraries were increasing rapidly; yet the demand for persons with special library training to fill positions in these libraries was not great enough to justify the establishment of schools for the preparations for librarians.

I. Early Library Training Agencies • School of Library Economy at Columbia College. -the first school librarians, open in 1887, proposed by Melvil Dewey -when it was transferred in New York State Library at Albany in 1989, becoming the New York State Library School, Dewey continued as its head.

• The curriculum which he developed was based on the routine and typical day-by-day activities of a library and thus was essentially technical and clerical in content.

• 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The programs designed to prepare them took several forms: Library schools which offered one- and twoyear programs: Colleges which gave summer courses only, Libraries which provided apprentice and inservice training: Colleges and normal schools which offered courses in bibliography or library economy: Institutions of various kinds which offered courses by correspondents.

• In criticizing the emphasis which was then being placed on the clerical and routine aspects of library work to the neglect of general education, Mr. Williamson pointed out that “no amount of training in the library technique can make a successful librarian of a person who lacks a good general education”

• He explained the two types of training are required: Ø Thorough preparation for professional service, represented by full college course providing a broad education an at least 1 year of graduate study in a library school properly organized to give professional preparation. Ø Training for clerical and routine work by a completion 4 year high school followed by a course of instruction design to provide and understanding of the mechanic and routine operations in the library.

II. Development of the Standards • In 1926 following the recommendations of the Williamson study, The Board of Education for Librarianship formulated minimum standards for advanced graduate library schools, junior and senior undergraduate library schools, summer courses, library apprentice and training classes, and the curriculum in school library work.

• The first list accredited library schools, of which only 6 where organized within a college of university. • In 1932, the standards for training and apprentice classes and for summer schools which were not a part of the regular curriculum of accredited schools were discontinued and new qualitative standards, “ Minimum Requirements for Library Schools” adopted by the ALA in 1933, recognized three classes of library schools:

• Type 1: first year graduate and advance graduate work- the master’s degree program; • Type 2: which those offered only the first year of graduate work- the second bachelor’s degree • Type 3: those which gave a full year of library science without degree requirements for admission » Since 1939 all accredited library schools have been a part of degree granting institutions. » When a new standards are prepared in 1951 by the Board of Education for Librarianship with the assistance of the ALA Library Education Division and the association of the American Library Schools, they provided qualitative basis for evaluating the basic professional program of education for Librarianship consisting of 5 years of study beyond the secondary school and leading to masters degree.

III. Influences in the development if Library Education • In addition to the influences of early library leaders the Williamson report and other studies, and the standards established from time to time by the Board of Education for Librarianship and its in successor, the ALA Committee on Accreditation, contribution to the development of library education have been made-and are being made continually by the Library Education Division of the ALA, the Library Services Branch of the office of Education, state departments of education, state library commission, and a new Federal Legislation.

IV. Present status of Library Education • Preparation for librarianship requires a mastery of the body of knowledge and techniques utilized in library operation and service its constitute called library science. • The structure of library education includes • Undergraduate programs • Graduate programs • Library Education is concerned in varying degrees with whole range of human knowledge but there is a certain body of knowledge which all professional librarians are assumed to possess.

V. Problems Ist major problem • Severe shortage of competent, experience library school faculty • Shortage which results in the employment of a large number of part-time faculty members and in the inability to provide the needed new kinds of training and specialization for the responsibilities of contemporary librarianship.

2 nd major problem • Inadequate financial support

Needs • A greater emphasis on the increasing importance of the library to the educational, social, economic, and/ or utilitarian needs of the society and the preparation of librarians to serve these needs in the most efficient way possible and with the most effective tools and procedures.

• A greater awareness of the changing patterns in librarianship and library use such as the system concept of library service and education • Provision not only of broad general education and education for specific kinds of librarianship • A clear definition of the boundaries of professionals and clerical works • An assessment of the effects of training programs for professionals • More opportunities for the continuing education of the librarians in a new areas • Research into the problems and need of the professionals and the development of a new teaching materials • Identification and recruitment of potential library teachers and provision of both the incentive and opportunity to teach • Budget which will provide the salaries • Higher standards of performance • National inventory of the personal needs of the libraries

VI. Development and trends are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The American Library Association Commission on a National Plan Library Education. Research and curriculum revision and expansion. The organization of new programs. Programs of continuing education. Training of nonprofessional staff Scholarships, fellowships, assistantships. Federal legislation. The office for library Education. Aided by a grant of $75000 from the H. W. Wilson Foundation, the ALA established on September 1, 1966 the office for library Education, to study the problems of library education, to aid in developing and carrying out programs of library education, and to identify and stimulate needed research in this related fields.