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  • rholley 1 May 2010 at 21:47
    Does anyone know what date the first Uni course for librarians was in Sydney?

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WOMEN LIBRARIANS  

"I am just the person you want," will say   any number of dear middle-aged ladies im- mediately after anything has appeared in print concerning library work as an occu-

pation for,women. "I love books." Their love for books probably means that they have read everything by Marie Corelli. In any case, a love of books avails nothing when li- brarians' positions are to be sought. A good all-round education 'is essential, and also a knowledge of two languages besides English. Practically it is necessary that intending li- brarians should hold a University degree, and understand French. A knowledge of German is desirable also, or any other   living language, -while Latin is distinctly use- ful. There are no library schools in Sydney, as there are in America, Germany, and other parts of the world. In America women take a two years' course at a school before en toring a library. Many important positions in the libraries of America are held by wo- men. Here all the training is received in the libraries after appointment.

As intellectual attainments are demanded in a librarian, the pay (£75, increasing by Increments to £150) does not seem sufficiently high to tempt women from the paths of high school teaching and the learned professions. Yet the number of would be librarians is surprisingly large. Tho occupation is one that appeals to women for many reasons. Moreover, after a salary of £150 is reached, it chiefly rests with the individual what her prospects shall be. Tho average woman is not capable of administering a department properly, say the authorities. It is not likely that many women will become the heads of libraries; they are handicapped by various limitations; limitations perhaps of physical strength, perhaps of temperament. Still, there are only these limitations to prevent them from aspiring to the highest positions in the State, and no doubt one or two women will eventually hold such positions. "Nine out of every ten women are unfitted to be at the head of a library," remarked Mr. An- derson, the Government Librarian, "but sometimes a tenth-is discovered, and she is beyond price."

There are only 11l women at present employ- ed in the Government libraries. In various country libraries; such as are at Yass, Mud- gee, and Wagga women are employed. Coun- try libraries are always circulating in kind. There should be a municipal circulating li- brary in the metropolis, according to Mr. An- derson, instead of a lending branch at the Free Public Library. If the free lending li- brary were under municipal control there would be, instead of tho 30,000 volumes at pre- sent included, 300,000 or 500,000 volumes, that Is, one book for each person in tho city. In the free libraries of Birmingham, Manches- ter, Liverpool, and such places, there are a quarter of a million books, which circulate every year (sometimes several copies of one book). It is, of course, a matter of taxation. The rich property owners who pay the cost of the public lending libraries do not take ad vantage of the institutions, so they really pay for the poor man's reading. Work at the lending branch of the Free Public Library in Sydney does not make so much demand on the Intellectual as on the physical powers of the women assistants. It is chiefly mechani- cal. Beginners feel the strain of standing for so many hours, and of carrying so many books. They get accustomed to it after a time, and then find the work fairly pleasant. Occasionally an assistant shows capacity in Indexing or cataloguing or something of that sort. Then she may rise to a higher grade.

The Idea some people have that librarians read books most of the day Is quite errone- ous. To read books in office hours would have a disastrous effect on their career. To be able to direct the public what to read and where to read it is necessary. In her leisure time, the more a librarian reads and the greater appreciation of literature she can show the better. Assistants are often of use in advising their chief what new books to get. Mr. Anderson, has rccently held a class for intending librarians. It lasted six months, and was full of interest to both teacher and taught. The teacher came to the conclusion that libraries open up a splendid career for women, but only for women properly quali- fied and adapted to work in them.

So many inquiries are constantly received by the Berlin "Frauenbewegung" as to the training required by a woman to become a librarian that these particulars have boen re- cently published -Every year, from March to Christmas, at the Prussian House 0* Repre- sentatives, a course of Instruction is held, un- der the direction of the chief librarian. The Coieinmeut sanctions the undertaking, but disclaims any responsibility in the matter of appointments. The chief librarian takes great interest in the instruction under his direction, as he has had great success with his women students Some of them are al readv employed in the library of the House, and are working satisfactorily. The Govern- ment requires to be furnished with occasional reports and syllabuses. Only those students arc received who baie passed tho first-class of a highei girls' school, or havo atten- ta a girls' gymnasium A knowledge of Latin is not obligatory, as this Is taught in the course. Tho special subjcct3 tnkcMuro: -Library teaching Instruction, technique, method, and blbllneraphy; Latin, Greek (ele- mentary), genoia. "cientlflc knoivledge, steno- graphy, typewriting, handwriting, and "library Mnctice" In all dopaitments there Is a wiit tcn and a verbal culmination undor Govern- ment inspection. A period of practical train- ing is not always required before an appoint- ment, as opportunities for practical work aro KHen in tho library of tho House and in one »f tho Berlin public libraries.

Girls thus trained havo a good chance of obtaining appointments, but with tho increas- ing numbers applying tho chances will dl , ÎÎ11,3 i.v Tho posts lo ho obtained aro In

yubl o' brarios. in technical high schools, and «' ,Hibl|oginphlcal bureauv TJho salai« per month vailcs from 75 to MO marks. It is to be hoped that some such training will be accorded to Sydney girls in the near future, and that duly Qualified women will take up the higher branches of library work, which

hitherto they have not done.

Digitisation generously supported by
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation
Digitisation generously supported by

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