Page 192 - Training for librarianship; library work as a career

TRAINING FOR LIBRARIANSHIP ;

which obtains in the large city does not exist
consequently, with the paucity of educational
agencies the need of a good library rendering
as efficient service as possible is all the
more pressing.
The same applies in even greater degree to
rural communities. While the number of
books accessible to persons through libraries
has increased greatly, the fact is that many
millions of persons hving outside the cities
have no access to libraries. Of the 2964< coun-
ties in the United States, 794, or 27 per cent.,
have one or more libraries of not less than
5000 volumes. The other 2170, or 73 per
cent., do not possess hbraries properly
equipped to give an adequate service. Of the
forty-eight states in the Union, thirty serve
less than half of their population; six states
through their public hbraries reach less than
one-tenth of their residents, and one less than
2 per cent. These figures indicate at once
both the splendid opportunity for further
library development, and how much work
still remains to be done by the state hbraryi
commissions and similar library agencies.
Recognition of the library's part as an
174