A History of Libraries in Schools

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A History of Libraries in Schools

• Jennifer J. Crispin
• Doctoral Student, University of Missouri

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• How did libraries end up in schools?
• Who are some key people in school library
  history?
• What are some key events in school library
  history?
• What were the roles and expectations for
  administrators, teachers, teacher-librarians, and
  public librarians?
• What does our history say about the future?

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Libraries in Schools

• In the first half of the 19th Century, several
  education pioneers attempted to promote libraries
  in schools

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• Governor De Witt Clinton of New York
• Governor William Marcy of New York
• Horace Mann of Massachusetts

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• In the beginning of the 19th Century, these men
  and other education pioneers traveled to Europe
  to learn more about educational methods in
  practice there.

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Johann Pestalozzi
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Pestalozzi

• Johann Pestalozzi (1746-1827) was a Swiss
  educational reformer who forwarded a
  child-centered educational method relying on
  direct experience and activity.

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Wilhelm von Humboldt
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Von Humboldt

• Promoted the idea of bildung, or self-formation
• Took Pestalozzis ideas to Prussia
• Served as Head of the Section for Religion and
  Education in the Ministry of the Interior
  (February 1809 to June 1810)

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Three Key States

• Politicians and educators in three key states
  promoted the idea of libraries in schools
• New York
• Massachusetts
• Michigan

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New York

• 1827 Governor De Witt Clinton proposed the idea
  of a small library of books in schools
• 1835 State legislature passes law allowing
  voters to levy taxes for school libraries
• Few districts take advantage of new law

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United States Deposit Fund

• 1838 Incoming Governor William Marcy recommends
  state use part of U.S. Deposit Fund for school
  district libraries
• 55,000 would be set aside for three years
• Districts would raise matching money

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Libraries Grow

• By 1841 422,000 volumes in funded school
  libraries
• By 1853 More than 1.6 million volumes

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Then Decline

• Volumes disappear
• Money goes to other purposes
• By 1875, districts report only 831,000 volumes
• Superintendent recommends 1838 law be repealed

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Massachusetts

• 1837 Horace Mann becomes Secretary of State
  Board of Education, the first board of education
  in the states
• School district library bill passes the same year
• Districts can raise 30 to start school library
• Then spend 10 to maintain library

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Progress?

• By 1839, only 50 of the 3,000 school districts in
  Massachusetts had libraries
• A total of 10,000 volumes
• (At the same time, only 15 town libraries total)

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Manns Lectures

• 1840- On District-School Libraries
• Discussing with teachers his ideas for school
  libraries
• Purpose of going to school was learning to read
• Library was for poor as well as rich
• Schools function was to improve reading taste

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Funding

• 1841- Resolution provides 15 per school for
  libraries
• By 1849, there are more than 91,000 volumes in
  Massachusetts public school libraries
• BUT
• In 1850, the school library funding law is
  abolished

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Public Libraries

• in favor of a law establishing public
  libraries.
• Public libraries became so popular that they
  eclipsed school libraries
• But Manns efforts in establishing school
  libraries helped create a library culture in
  Massachusetts

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Michigan

• 1837- Michigan School Law allowed districts to
  raise taxes of no more than 10 a year to
  establish school libraries
• Those districts could use money collected from
  breaches of peace laws and exemptions from
  military service for libraries

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• By 1840, state law directed that all of this
  money should go to libraries
• 1843, it became duty of State Superintendent of
  Schools to publish a list of books suitable for
  school libraries (Cecil and Heaps, 1940)
• 1859, towns can begin dividing money between
  school and public libraries

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1876

• By 1876, nineteen states had passed laws for the
  development of school libraries, but the movement
  was fizzling out
• (Missouri passed an act in 1853 allowing voters
  to raise taxes for school libraries. Only 14
  counties were known to have participated.)

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1876

• Considered beginning of modern library movement
• American Library Association is founded at
  Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (October 6)