Developing a College Library Staff

Abstract

TH I S DISCUSSION of developing college library staff for both the functional and the subject organization of the library is limited to the college library, because its work differs from that of university in being concerned chiefly with undergraduates and with one educational unit. staff as here considered includes the librarian and professional assistants, but not the student or clerical staff. Functional organization of the library includes the plan of operation and service, such as work in acquisitions, cataloging, lending, and reference. Subject organization covers background and knowledge in subject fields of the professionally trained staff. Developing the library staff begins with the librarian, for the library will seldom be better than its librarian. I do not agree unqualifiedly with the president of Brown University when he says, The least important qualification of the librarian is his training. very nature of his position and the function of the college library make the training of the librarian important. He should be scholar and have the attitude of first-rate teacher, but he must go even further—he must know the functional organization of material and the administration of personnel. 1 Wriston, Henry M. College and University Libraries. In Danton, Emily M., ed. Library of Tomorrow. A.L.A., 1939. p. 147. Assuming good general education, the librarian should be trained in technique (not necessarily routine) and this training should be followed by discipline in service, in order to know applied technique. functional processes of wellorganized library are inseparably interwoven, and each process in its relation to all others needs clear understanding on the part of the administrative head. In short, nothing else entirely takes the place of training and experience. For this reason, it seems to me, the college librarian should not be one who steps from library school, undergraduate or graduate, into this administrative position. trained person who knows first hand the toils and problems of acquisition, circulation, reference, and even cataloging work, is better able to organize the library; better able to develop normal or superior staff; and better able to meet with assurance and decision the administrative problems to be discussed with the administrative head of the college. Such librarian inspires the confidence of the staff and commands its respect, without which the service of the library suffers. librarian needs a command of library procedures on which to build professional performance. There seems to be tendency nowadays to waive much of this in filling certain positions. More men, for instance, are being appointed to executive positions—an undesirable policy unless the man is ap-