EVALUATION AND REVISION OF THE LIBRARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM By EDWARD A. WIGHT Peabody Contributions to Library Education Number 1 PEABODY PRESS Nashville 4 1945 Tennessee PEABODY CONTRIBUTIONS TO LIBRARY EDUCATION No. 1. Evaluation and Revision of the Library School Curriculum Edward A. Wight No. 2. Manual of Techniques in Library Organ ization In press Ruby Ethel Cundiff No. 3. Handbook of Card Forms for Cataloging in press Robert R. Douglass Copyright 1945 by Peabody Press Manufactured by John S, Swift Company, Incorporated, New York, N f Y, TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page PREFACE V I INTRODUCTION , . . , 1 Points of View 1 II CURRICULUM CONTENT 3 The Core 3 Third-Quarter Elective Courses 13 III ATTAINMENT OF OBJECTIVES 21 Procedure . 21 The Core 22 Third-Quarter Elective Courses 27 IV INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS 32 Lecture, Reading, Discussion, and Problems. . . f 32 Courses, Practice, and Experience . 33 Suggestions by Graduates 34 V REVISIONS IN THE CURRICULUM , 37 The Core. , 37 Third-Quarter Elective Courses 44 Practice Work . , , , . . . 50 Other Recommenaed Revisions ........... 55 Second-Year Course -,..,.,. 57 APPENDIX - TABLES 61 ill LIST OF, TABLES Page TABLE I EVALUATION OF OBJECTIVES IN ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION . , . , , . 22 TABLE II EVALUATION OF OBJECTIVES IN PRINCIPLES OP LIBRARIANBHIP ..,,,,. 23 TABLE in EVALUATION BY GRADUATES OF OBJECTIVES IN BOOK SELECTION , , , , , , , 24 TABLE IV EVAJIJATION BY GRADUATES OF OBJECTIVES IN REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 25 TABLE V FREqVEJCY WITH WHICH GRADUATES REPORT MAKING SOME TOES OF CATALOG ENTRIES IN VARIOUS TYPES OF LIBRARIES , , 26 TABLE VI EVALUATION BY GRADUATES OF OBJECTIVES OF GQUR0E3 FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS. . , 28 TABLE VII EVAUJATION BY GRADUATES OF OBJECTIVES OF COURSES FOR COLLEGE LIBRARIANS 29 TABLE VIII EVALUATION BY GRADATES OF OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE IN LIBRARY FRONTIERS, , , 30 PREFACE This study was Initiated In the fall of 1941, when the writer came to George Peabody College for Teachers as Professor of Library Education under a grant from the General Education Board. The survey of the Library School curriculum was set up under the Division of Surveys and Field Studies, with Miss Mary U. Rothrock, Library Specialist of the Tennessee Valley Authority, as consultant. The survey committee consisted of Miss Rothrock, Mr. Shores, Director of the Library School, Mr. Brewton, Director, and Mr. Harap, Assistant Director of the Division of Surveys and Field Studies, and the writer. Three meetings of the survey committee were held, when various aspects of the study were discussed and planned. In September of 1942, when some data had been gathered and analysis begun, Mr. Shores Joined the armed forces and the writer become Acting Dir ector of the Library School, with a full-time teaching load. Active work on the study was discontinued, although curriculum revision by the faculty continued. This report has been hurriedly prepared, in a brief Interval between a change in employment. It is by no means a complete report of the study as originally planned. It Is primarily a record of some of the changes that have taken place in the Library School curriculum, with some of the supporting data, and some opinions of the writer with respect to the nature and direction of other desirable changes. The writer is particularly indebted to members of the Survey Committee, to the staff of the Library School, to the many graduates who supplied in formation, and to the General Education Board. For the opinions expressed and the form and content of the report the writer alone accepts responsi bility. September 1, 1944 Edward A. Wight Library School George Peabody College for Teachers CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION During the fall and winter of 1941-42 the faculty of the Library School held several meetings at the home of the Director...