A Study On The Thought Of American Librarian Helen E.Haines’ Library Science

The rapid development of American librarianship in the late 19 th century and the early20 th century is inseparable from the rich research on Librarianship by many American Librarians.Helen E.Haines,as a female librarian with high status at that time,made great achievements in the selection of library books and the education of library science.Based on Haines’s works,this paper summarizes her main academic thoughts and achievements in different fields,and tries to systematically sort out her academic thoughts on the book collection selection and library education of library science.In addition,this paper traces Haines’ s life experience,era background and the academic events that have an important impact on her thoughts,and tries to investigate Haines under the historical conditions at that time,grasp her academic thought from the macro level,and make the research object closer to the historical times her lives in.Finally,combined with other scholars’ research and evaluation of Haines and her academic thought,this paper discusses the academic characteristics of Haines’ s library science thoughts,so as to better position and evaluate Haines.Through combing Haines in each period of academic writing,this study found that Haines’ s academic research field is not limited to one aspect,she has in-depth research on collection of books to choose,this study from two aspects:the overall and the part of the collection of books to choose schools of thought,and she proposed to meet the needs of readers of choosing books value theory;she points out that book selection should depend on librarians’ knowledge of books and enthusiasm for books,and should not rely too much on mathematical statistical methods.She also proposed that the selection of books should take the range and proportion of the collection as a whole,and make reasonable use of book funds,so as to guide the librarians to better complete the selection of books.She attaches great importance to the value of novels and believes that novels have a great influence on readers and should be included in the library collection.In the aspect of library science education,Haines proposed that the content of education should include professional work and non-professional work.Teachers should have professional spirit of library and experience in library work;However,the admission criteria for library science graduate students should not be limited by the bachelor’s degree.She put forward opinions on librarian quality from two aspects of knowledge quality and thought quality,that librarians need to master professional knowledge and extended knowledge,and should not be prejudiced against books and readers.In a word,Haines’ s library science research on library science has unique views and characteristics of the times,which has exerted an important influence on the development of Library science and the American Librarianship at that time.