Materials for Teaching Library History in the U.S.A.

Abstract

TO DESCRIBE the materials for library history, without restriction, is one thing. To describe them for use in the United States library schools of 1972 is a somewhat different task. First, contemporary society presents us with very few library school students well grounded in history-at-large: teaching library therefore requires steady attention to general history, in class. There will be no effort here to consider the vast array of materials serviceable for that purpose; just occasional indulgence in reference to some favorites. Second, the most important language in library history is German, but only a handful of United States library school students or librarians read it. Emphasis must accordingly be placed upon materials in English, whether they are the most significant or not. Compendia of library history, in English, and longer than the halfdozen well-known encyclopedia articles number at the moment only two. Alfred Hessel's A History of Libraries (tr. by Reuben Peiss; New Brunswick, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1950-1955) rests on broad command of monographic literature and has undoubtedly been helpful to many generations of library school students despite its being little more than a booklet ( 198 pages of near-print) . A step forward was registered in that respect when Elmer D. Johnson contributed his 418-page History of Libraries in the Western World (Scarecrow, 1955; 2d. ed., 1970). Unfortunately, this work is a comprehensive library history only to