Formative Beginnings
1895-1905

Summer School for Library Training

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Library and Information Studies had its beginnings in a series of summer sessions that ran from 1895 to 1905. They were part of early library developments in the state, such as traveling libraries that were sent in wooden boxes to rural areas. Pioneers in library development recognized that it would be hampered unless more library training was made available.

Frank A. Hutchins

Outstanding library leader. Founding chairman of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission; Secretary (operational head), 1897 to 1904. Instrumental in establishing the summer session program and in choosing its first director.

Lutie E. Stearns

Tireless organizer and promoter of public libraries throughout Wisconsin. Head of the Traveling Library Department of the Free Library Commission. Active in the affairs of the summer session program and of the year-round school.

Katherine L. Sharp

Director of the library school at Armour Institute in Chicago. Served as the director of the first two summer sessions. Her careful planning and execution led to the continuation of the program.

Cornelia Marvin

A former student of Katherine Sharp, she directed the summer program from 1897 to 1905. From 1899, she worked full-time for the Commission, responsible for both the summer program and library training institutes throughout the state. She was influential in the establishment of the year-round school.

James H. Stout

State Senator, lumberman, and philanthropist. Introduced key legislation for library development and library training. Chaired the Free Library Commission in its early years. Personally financed early traveling libraries, as well as the first two summer sessions.

Teachers

Teachers for the summer sessions included outstanding librarians of the day. Among them were Mary Wright Plummer (right), head of the library school at Pratt Institute, Mary E. Ahern (click here to view), editor of Public Libraries, and Margaret Mann (click here to view), prominent cataloging teacher and author.

Curriculum

Subjects taught in the summer sessions included book buying and accessioning, serials and pamphlets, public documents, shelf-listing, cataloging, classification, reference methods and materials, reading for the young, lending systems, library legislation, professional associations, and library development and extension.

Classrooms

Summer session classes were held in University buildings and in the new State Historical Library.

Schedule

Students were in class or practice work all day throughout the week for six weeks. Lectures were alternated with practice sessions. Among the skills that were practiced was library handwriting.

State Capitol Building

Home of the Free Library Commission. This building burned in 1904, with serious loss to the Commission.

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