Page 166 - Training for librarianship; library work as a career

TRAINING FOR LIBRARIANSHIP

The technical library is not merely a re-
pository. Well classified and cataloged as
may be its books and pamphlets, complete as
may be its collection of facts, excellent in-
deed as may be the library technic displayed,
it falls short of its ultimate purpose if it does
not consciously and aggressively reach out
for the information necessary in the work of
the estabhshment with which it is connected
and bring it promptly and in proper form
to the attention of those who may profit by it.
The librarian in the technical library must
have then a thorough knowledge of the me-
chanics of librarianship. Order and accu-
racy in the technical hbrary as in any other,
are basic to satisfactory work; without the
ability to organize scientifically the material
which may come into the library, the libra-
rian is at sea and the information is as value-
less as if it did not exist. Knowledge of
library technic is in itself, however, not sufii-
cient; the librarian must have the capacity
of applying it to the special material and
problems at hand. A certain amount of in-
genuity is frequently required; the librarian
150