OCR Text |
Show SPECIAL WORK MTU SCHOOLS ST TIE LUHlf A very creditable showing has been made in tho city schools during tho past three months in tho circulation circu-lation of books to the children in the sixth and eighth grades. Enough books were purchased by tho Carnegie Carne-gie Free Library early in the school year to provide a book to a child throughout two grades In the city schools. These books were sent in boxes to each sixth and eighth grade room to be circulated directly to the children by the teacher. Tho many advantages of such a system are obvious. Tho books provided pro-vided are all suited to tho children of the grade, including Interesting books on science, useful arts, history, travel, biography, as well as wholesome whole-some and interesting stories. The fnct that these books are under the charge of a teacher who Is In personal per-sonal touch with the children, knowing know-ing their needs, results in getting tho right book to the boy or girl who needs It. Also, many boys and girls who aro not In the habit of coming to the library for books are encouraged encour-aged to begin to read good literature. In November aud Decomber 820 books were thus sent to the schools, and already the teachers have reported report-ed a circulation of over 3600 books to tho children, testifying that the children chil-dren are greatly appreciating tho advantages ad-vantages of carefully selected reading. read-ing. It is hoped that another year this same service may be extended to nioro grades, until all the school children chil-dren have this opportunity. In the endeavor to familiarize eighth grade children with the library, and with tho use of books as tools, all tho children in these grades, numbering num-bering over 450, havo been brought to tho library in groups of from twelve to fifteen during the morning hours of tho past month. These groupp 'have all been instructed by members of the library staff in tho use of the card catalog, and in finding find-ing the books on the shelves, according accord-ing to their classification. They were next taken tb the reference department, de-partment, whero they were given instruction in-struction in the use of ncyclopodiaB and other reference books, and taught how to use tho periodical indexes, finding tho exact references in the bound magazines on the shelves. The knowledge thus acquired will bo Invaluable to school children, whether they go on to high school or leave the schools next year. It will enable thorn to use books intelligently and without loss of time. Tho library will bo open as usual on Saturday. It haa been considered inadvisable in-advisable to close the library on both Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays, birth-days, since the two dates come so cloBe together. The library will be closed on February 22. |