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The National Youth Administration and Libraries
Assistant in Adult Education THE NYA. What is it? What isn't it? A few facts and viewpoints that have come to A.L.A. Headquarters in recent weeks may give partial answer to such questions, help us to interpret more clearly the possible bearing of the new youth program on libraries, and release ideas of local schemes of cooperating with the NYA. First, the NYA is not another great federal lap into which all responsibility can be dumped by local individuals. It does not propose to be the autocrat of a crusade to salvage youth. It is rather to be thought of as a "catalytic" agent (to use the expression of the assistant director of the NYA), a coordinating machinery to encourage local initiative to do something for young people, to utilize and coordinate existing facilities and agencies, to assist with funds those projects of local agencies which promise to yield most benefit to unemployed, out-of-school youth. The President is reported as being very anxious that no government controlled, hand-me-down program develop. He hopes for a co-participating policy which will involve the genuine interest and effort of the whole people to such an extent that local concern for its youth will carry on and thrive whether there be federal assistance or not. Accordingly, the director of the NYA has been calling together in his office small groups of executives of national organizations concerned with various phases of the NYA program--vocational training, rural youth, recreation and leisure time, etc.--that he may have their advice and suggestions in mapping his program, that he may know what is already afoot, what resources in both equipment and personnel exist, and so forth. The A.L.A. was asked to represent libraries in one of these conferences. Some of the comments brought out may help librarians to visualize more clearly the objectives and policies not only of NYA officials but also of leaders of other organizations and professions concerned with the problems of the youth of today. REGIMENTATION TO BE AVOIDEDAs Director Aubrey Williams expresses it, no revival of old turnverein type of youth organization is wanted, no mass programs, nothing tending to regimentation. Nor does the administration look kindly on projects which tend to enhance the prominence or advantage of any individual or agency. The test question shall be: How much are the main needs of youth being served? Hence, to avoid charges of favoritism, it has become necessary to require that the sponsors of projects be public bodies. In some localities the public body (public school, public recreation department, library, etc.) can delegate actual work on the project to some semi-public or private agency. As with the emergency relief program, much autonomy is allowed state and local administrators and, in consequence, the liberality of the regulations varies widely from state to state. Another limitation is that young people who are given jobs under NYA must be from relief families. However, the officials are very anxious that this is not taken to mean that only relief people may benefit from the various activities. Quite the contrary. One objective is to provide education and recreation for all youth so that there will be no emphasis on unemployed status to bother the more sensitive. WPA funds and adult workers paid from WPA funds are being depended on to a large extent to provide many programs which are primarily for the benefit of young people. NEW POINTS OF VIEW NEEDEDThere is apparent a feeling of uncertainty as to just how to shape programs that youth will accept. We are generally suspicious that our old type of offering will not rouse any great enthusiasm among youth of today. Librarians in this dilemma will be interested in some of the testimony of leaders in recreation agencies given at the Washington conferences with Director Williams. A national official of boys' clubs emphasized the reluctance of great numbers of young people to come to the established club houses run by adult leaders. A Y.M.C.A. official emphasized that they had given up the old notion of gathering all into one central building to get what was being offered. The new policy is to work with groups where they gather naturally and of their own accord, to supply advisers rather than leaders, letting the groups keep as much initiative as possible and develop their own leadership. Hence, it was recommended to NYA officials that they emphasize training offers, working up leaders for youth programs by training the more promising from the ranks of youth itself, on the principle that youth can be led by itself much more readily than by its elders, especially professional recreational and educational leaders. This suggestion is in accord with one embodied in a "Tentative Statement on the Place of Libraries in the National Youth Program," submitted by A.L.A. Headquarters to the assistant director of the NYA, July 20, 1935, which reads in part: WHAT PART CAN THE LIBRARY PLAY?"No large number of young people will avail themselves of this opportunity (for informal self-study in cultural, vocational, or recreational fields) which has long existed unless special efforts are made to acquaint the group with such services and in a sense carry the services to the group in their accustomed habits. It is doubtful if they will come to the libraries in appreciable numbers as the result of publicity efforts framed in generalities. What is needed is an opportunistic, extra-mural kind of service that brings to youth reading matter directly pertinent to its momentary interests and activities--in connection with their activities in recreational centers, guidance clinics, vocational retraining classes, apprentice groups, study and discussion clubs, employment bureaus, etc." The statement continued by suggesting trained liaison library workers attached to NYA who could direct a corps of young deputies in carrying a variety of library services to youth groups themselves. Also arrangements for introducing young people's groups (vocational classes, recreational groups, etc.) to the library and its services. The matter of apprentice training in libraries has aroused discussion ever since it was specifically mentioned in the White House statement about the NYA. After conference with a number of people, the A.L.A. statement, referred to above, had this to say on the matter: LIBRARY INTERNSHIP SUGGESTED"Employment of Youth as Library apprentices. Apprentice training is not feasible in the professional grades of library service. Such work requires at least one year in a professional library school, usually following college graduation. Internship in libraries, for library school graduates under twenty-five who have never been employed would, however, be highly desirable. "Apprentice training could be provided for subprofessional and clerical workers. The opportunity exists because libraries are so under-staffed that many professionally trained librarians are required to spend much of their time doing routine and clerical work. "a. Subprofessional training classes might well serve as a means of attracting to library work a few first-class college graduates who would plan later to go to library school. Men are especially needed. Some who have not yet finished their college work but who plan to complete it might also be admitted to this group. They would perform routine duties in circulation, reference, catalog, order, and other departments.... "b. Clerical training classes could be made available to alert high school graduates for typing, sending out notices, mimeographing, book mending, page and messenger services. "Limitations of time would prevent some, perhaps most libraries, from assuming responsibility for instructing large groups, unless some special provision could be made for such instruction. We believe, however, that many libraries could absorb small, select groups and thereby improve both temporarily and permanently their service to the public." The above paragraphs merely hint at some of the challenge which the sudden appearance of a great national youth program throws in front of the door of the library. Obviously, we cannot simply adapt old routines. To make real contributions we seem to be bidden to work out solutions along largely novel lines. Such a challenge needs the most careful thought of all in the profession. A.L.A. Headquarters will welcome the opportunity to act as a clearing house for information regarding local or state library action.
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