Page 132 - Training for librarianship; library work as a career

TRAINING FOR LIBRARIANSHIP ;

dren to read. Some companies have libraries
in connection with rest rooms for employees
the library thus plays a useful part in restor-
ing the tired worker to a point where her
work may be resumed. The U. S. Depart-
ment of Labor, in a recent study of welfare
work in 431 industrial estabhshments, found
libraries provided by the company in 99 cases,
while in 56 others, the companies, while not
furnishing books, maintained a branch of the
pubhc library and supplied the necessary
librarians. In 85 of these 155 business hbra-
ries, reading rooms supplied with magazines,
newspapers, or both, were found.
Little has yet been done in the way of mak-
ing the business library actually serve the
worker in the factory while he is at work. In
a few cases a beginning has been made. Thus
in one business library information that will
help the man at the machine to increase his
efficiency is placed in the factory so as to be
easily accessible to those for whom it is in-
tended. Curiosity and the desire for self-
improvement are relied upon to make the
worker read the magazine article or section of
118