NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL PREPARED BY FRANK K. WALTER, VICE DIRECTOR Despite the European war and the unsettled financial conditions prevailing at the beginning of the school year, which resulted in the withdrawal of several promising candidates, 49 students eligible to regular standing (22 seniors and 27 juniors) were enrolled. In addition 5 staff members from three divisions of The University of the State of New York, I assistant from the State Health Department (by special request of the department), 17 summer session students and 34 high school teachers (in attendance at the. special library institute) were enrolled, making a total of 106 directly reached by the school in its various courses. More than half of the regular students had had library experience previous to entering the school. Such experience makes it possible for both students and faculty to accomplish more during the school year, through lessened emphasis on minor details of routine in which the entirely inexperienced must be trained. The growing number of experienced students is also an excellent indorsement of the practical character of the instruction offered by the school. No faculty changes have occurred during the year. It is interesting, however, to note that in a general summary of the past five years, included in the regular separate report of the school, attention is called to the fact that only two of the present staff of lecturers and instructors are giving substantially the same instructional work as five years ago. The faculty have continued to cooperate with other educational activities of the State as far as time and opportunity have permitted. Faculty representatives have been continuously on committees of the library section of the New York State Teachers Association since 1911. Members of the faculty have also participated in a number of library institutes during the year and at the annual meeting of the New York Library Association. Degrees. During the year the degree of bachelor of library science was conferred on the following 17 students for the successful completion of the full two-year course: Edna Elizabeth Bayer, Paul R. Byrne, Helen Mildred Claflin, Mary Elizabeth Cobb, Emily Kerr Colwell, Donald Bean Gilchrist, Thirza Eunice Grant, May Greene, Sarah Hallsted, Mildred Helen Lawson, James Adelbert McMillen, Margaret Cross Norton, Mary Campbell Sher- Institute for high school librarians. The most novel experiment of the year was a library institute for high school librarians of the State and high school teachers designated to act as librarians. This was held July 6-16 under the joint direction of the School Libraries Division and the New York State Library School. In view of the short duration of the course the entire time was devoted to the discussion of reference work with schools. A course of ten lessons, with illustrative problems, was devoted to the selection and use of reference material suitable for high school use. Daily lectures of a rather more general character, but directly related to the selection of suitable books in various subjects, were given by members of the Education Department staff and others. Thirtyfour teachers from nearly every section of the State were present. Among the direct results were the demonstration of the interest of the high school teachers in their school libraries, and the duty and opportunity of the Library School in supplying the instruction necessary for the successful organization and use of the high school libraries of the State. Association of American Library Schools. The growing general recognition of the professional status of librarianship has been followed by increasing demands for adequate professional training for librarians. Among the library schools themselves there is a noticeable lack of standardization or agreement as to terminology used in describing the different courses offered, though in most important points the schools substantially agree. To ensure more fully the maintenance of a proper standard among library schools, the Association of American Library Schools was founded at a meeting held at the New York State Library School, June 29-30, 1915. The director of the school, Mr J. I. Wyer, Jr, was elected president of the association. Bookplate collection. The bookplate collection of the New York State Library School now numbers 3392 plates. Of these, 628 are mounted and arranged under the name of the designer or engraver and 2174 in another file under owner; 52 are unidentified. The remaining 538 form part of the collection salvaged from the fire which destroyed the State Library, March 29, 1911. These last are still unmounted and probably include a number of dupli cates. The largest addition was a collection of about 750 plates, including 150 duplicates, given in 1914 by Miss Mary L. Sutliff, class of 1893. This gift also included several volumes of American bookplate periodicals and a number of books and pamphlets. Numerous gifts have been received from other alumni of the school, notably Isabel E. Lord '97, Joanna G. Strange '08 and Henry N. Sanborn 13. Walter S. Biscoe, of the faculty, contributed 532 bookplates, 4 volumes and 13 pamphlets. A considerable addition to the Albany plates was made by Charles Selkirk, who gave about twenty-five of his own designs. No attempt has been made to catalog the entire bookplate collection, but brief entries on cards have been made for the more interesting plates, under a variety of headings: for example, by country; by style, as Jacobean, Chippendale; by special kinds, as Armorial, Name labels, Portraits, Water-craft; by some distinctive feature, as Bears, Bees, Birds; or by special classes of owners, as Actors, Authors, Library School alumni, etc. The Library's collection of bookplate literature now contains 110 volumes, including a set of the Journal of the Ex Libris Society of London. A card index of the illustrations of bookplates contained in these volumes is in course of preparation and by kindness of Mr Biscoe has been deposited in the Library. Already 47 volumes have been indexed and the cards arranged in three groups: by owner (2600 cards), by designer, engraver etc. (1750 cards), and by mottoes and legends (1200 cards). This index will prove a valuable aid in the study and identification of bookplates. Except in rare cases, bookplates in volumes on the regular shelves of the Library are not detached, but references to these plates are made on sheets filed with the mounted bookplates. These are, however, not included in estimating the number of bookplates in the collection. While the collection is general, including both American and foreign plates, the Library School is particularly desirous of building up the American side, including early American plates and those by well-known designers and engravers. As a New York institution, special emphasis is laid on New York bookplates and gifts of such plates are sought from owners, designers and engravers. PUBLIC LIBRARIES EDUCATIONAL EXTENSION DIVISION PREPARED BY WILLIAM R. WATSON, CHIEF OF THE DIVISION LIBRARY PROGRESS The past year witnessed a gratifying increase in the number of reports received but there is still much dilatoriness in filling out and submitting these reports and in too many cases the information is given with insufficient care and fulness, thus requiring much correspondence which should be unnecessary. These faults are frequently due to a lack of proper cooperation between librarian and trustees, a condition which is also too evident in many lists submitted to account for state grants. A full statistical summary of the reports of libraries for 1905 was published ten years ago. A comparison of the figures contained in the present report with those in that summary reveals a remarkable growth in library extension in this State as shown by the following table. School libraries are not included. Diligent effort has been made to secure a more uniform and literal compliance with the rules of the University governing the registration of libraries. Failure to comply has been due in very large measure to inadvertence and a lack of understanding of just what was required. The reports for the past year called for certain information in regard to the terms of office of trustees and the method of their appointment which had not previously been requested. Through this additional information it was discovered that in many instances libraries were not complying with the provisions of their charters prescribing the method of appointment of trustees or the length of their terms of office. In some cases the noncompliance had extended over a long period of years, but in every case where such a condition was found to exist attention was called to the matter with a request to comply with the charter provisions or to apply to the Regents for an amendment of charter if a change from the original provisions seemed desirable. A number of libraries were registered years ago which never measured up to the present standards. Many of these institutions have been reorganized and are now rendering useful service but there are a few still below standard, and where it is impossible to improve conditions it has generally been considered wise to rescind the registration and transfer to some other University institution the books in which the State has an interest. There are still a number of circulating libraries in the State that are not registered, but every year one or more of these decide to comply with the requirements of the University, in order to enjoy the benefits resulting from registration. SUMMARY OF ANNUAL REPORTS Reports for the year 1914-15 were submitted by 625 libraries, classified according to their relation to the University as follows: State Library .... I Libraries incorporated by the Regents.... 332 Libraries admitted or registered but not incorporated by the Regents.. Libraries of other University institutions such as colleges and professional schools .... 199 Libraries not connected with the University.. 22 71 Total 625 This total includes 114 branch libraries, which are counted throughout this report as separate institutions. These libraries are registered but not chartered, which accounts for the large number of institutions recorded as admitted or registered but not incorporated by the Regents. |