Libraries in the News – New Yorker/Kid Lit

The July 21, 2008 issue of the New Yorker has a great article article by Jill Lapore entitled The Lion and the Mouse.  The headline reads “The battle that reshaped children’s literature”, and it’s about Anne Carroll Moore, the first children’s library, and her relationship with E.B. White and his book Stuart Little. 

Moore had an amazing impact on children’s library service and children’s literature.  She was devoted to serving children at a time when you had to be at least sixteen to even get into a public library, much less be able to touch and read books.  Check out the pledge she had children read before signing their names in a big black ledger to check out books:

“When I write my name in this book I promise to take good care of  the books I use in the Library and at home, and to obey the rules of the Library.”

Couldn’t we make that part of the library card registration process?  No?  (Carol J.)