Anne Carroll Moore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anne Carroll Moore
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| Born | July 12, 1871 Limerick, Maine, US
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| Died | January 20, 1961 (aged 89) New York City, US
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| Other names | ACM, Annie Carroll Moore |
| Known for | Pioneer children's librarian and book critic |
Anne Carroll Moore (born July 12, 1871 – died January 20, 1961) was an American teacher, writer, and a big supporter of children's libraries. She helped create the idea of special library services just for kids.
She was first named Annie, but later changed it to Anne. This was to avoid confusion with another writer named Annie E. Moore, who also wrote about children's libraries. From 1906 to 1941, Anne Carroll Moore led all children's library services for the New York Public Library. She also wrote a book called Nicholas: A Manhattan Christmas Story. This book was a runner-up for the famous Newbery Medal in 1925.
Contents
Early Life and Education (1871–1894)
Anne Carroll Moore was born in Limerick, Maine. She had seven older brothers and was the only daughter who survived. She described her childhood as very happy. She even wrote about it in her book My Roads to Childhood.
Anne started school at the Limerick Academy in Maine. Then she went to a two-year college called The Bradford Academy in Massachusetts. She was very close to her father. She hoped to become a lawyer, just like him. This was a big dream for a woman at that time.
Sadly, both her parents and a sister-in-law passed away. This made her dream of becoming a lawyer very difficult. She spent several years helping her brother Harry raise his two children. Her brother suggested she think about becoming a librarian. This was a new job area at the time.
So, Anne applied to a library school in Albany, New York. She didn't have all the school requirements. But she didn't give up! She then applied to the Pratt Institute Library in Brooklyn. She was accepted into their one-year program in 1895. She studied under Mary Wright Plummer, who was also a very important person in libraries.
Starting Her Career (1895–1913)
In 1896, Anne graduated from Pratt. She was offered a job to create a special children's room at the same institute. Before this, children were often not welcome in libraries. They were sometimes not allowed in until they were at least 14 years old.
Anne wanted to make a welcoming place for kids. She visited kindergartens and different neighborhoods. She even asked children on the street what they liked. She created a space with child-sized furniture and open shelves. There were cozy reading spots, story times, and puppet shows. She also made sure there were good books for young people. Most importantly, she hired librarians who loved working with children.
When the children's room opened, a long line of children waited outside to get in! In 1900, she helped start the Club of Children’s Librarians. She was its first leader. This club later became the Children’s Services Division of the American Library Association (ALA).
Anne worked at the Pratt library for ten years. In 1906, she moved to the New York Public Library. She became the Superintendent of the Department of Work with Children. This meant she was in charge of all children's programs at the library's branches. She also oversaw the Central Children's Room, which opened in 1911.
Anne also created a special training program for librarians who worked with children. It was a six-month program with hands-on training and discussions. She organized hundreds of story times. She also made a list of 2500 important children's books. She worked hard to get permission to let children borrow books. Kids had to sign a book promising to take good care of the books.
She also wanted to include everyone. She celebrated the different backgrounds of immigrant children in the city. She did this through story times, poetry, and books. She believed her job was to help children from other countries feel proud of their heritage. By 1913, children's books made up one-third of all books borrowed from the New York Public Library.
The Four Respects
Anne Carroll Moore created a set of rules she called "The Four Respects." These were her ideas for how children's libraries should work:
- Respect for children. She believed children should be treated as individuals. Their ideas and feelings should be taken seriously.
- Respect for children's books. Anne felt that books for children must be well-written and true. They should not mix facts with made-up stories.
- Respect for fellow workers. She wanted the children's library to be seen as an important and equal part of the whole library.
- Respect for the professional standing of children's librarians. Anne believed that working with children in libraries was a special and important job. It should be recognized as a professional skill.
Librarian, Reviewer, and Writer (1918–1941)
In 1918, Anne gave talks to publishers and booksellers in New York. She told them how important it was to have good quality books for children. Back then, children's books often just taught lessons about right and wrong. Anne felt they should be more than that. She wanted kids to have access to truly well-written stories.
In 1921, Anne traveled to England and France for the ALA. She gave talks and visited libraries. During this trip, she met famous authors like Walter de la Mare, L. Leslie Brooke, and Beatrix Potter. She helped introduce their wonderful books to American readers.
Anne also wrote her own children's books. Her most famous one was Nicholas: A Manhattan Christmas Story. The main character was based on a puppet she used during her story times. This book was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1925. She also wrote about her own childhood in My Roads to Childhood.
During this time, Anne started reviewing children's books regularly. She wrote for The Bookman for six years. She became a very important children's book reviewer. From 1924 to 1930, she reviewed books for the New York Herald Tribune. Her column, The Children's Bookshop, became a regular feature. By 1936, her reviews also appeared in The Horn Book Magazine.
Anne had very strong opinions about books. If she approved of a book, it often became very popular. If she didn't like a book, it was often not bought by libraries. She even had a special stamp that said: Not Recommended for Purchase by Expert. She was not afraid to use it!
For example, she really disliked Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, which came out in 1947. Because of her strong opinion, this now-famous book was not available in the New York Public Library for many years.
Anne was required to retire in 1941 when she turned 70. She continued to be active, writing and teaching for many years. She passed away on January 20, 1961.
Mentors and Friends
Anne Carroll Moore said that two women greatly influenced her. They were Mary Wright Plummer, the library director at Pratt, and Caroline Hewins. Both were pioneers in creating special library services for children.
Throughout her career, Anne worked with many talented librarians, storytellers, and writers. She also guided many important children's authors. These included Margaret McElderry, Eleanor Estes, Claire Huchet Bishop, Marcia Brown, and Ruth Hill Viguers.
Several librarians wrote books based on their story times at the New York Public Library. These included Mary Gould Davis, Anna Cogswell Tyler, and Pura Belpré. Anne hired Pura Belpré, who was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City, in 1929. Anne believed in hiring people who could connect with the communities they served. In 1937, Anne hired Augusta Baker, a young African-American librarian. Augusta Baker later became the head of children’s services at the New York Public Library in 1961.
Children's Book Week
Anne Carroll Moore helped start Children's Book Week in 1918. She worked with Franklin K. Mathieus, who was the chief librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, and Frederic G. Melcher, an editor for Publishers Weekly. Children's Book Week is still celebrated today. It encourages kids to read and love books.
Awards and Recognition
Anne Carroll Moore received many awards for her work. In 1932, she got a special Diploma of Honour from the Pratt Institute. In 1940, she was given the Doctor of Letters degree twice from the University of Maine. In 1955, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the Pratt Institute. In 1960, the year before she died, she was given the Regina Medal. This award was for her amazing work in children's library services.
Many people consider Anne Carroll Moore one of the most important leaders in libraries during the 20th century. She was called the "Grande Dame of Children's Services." She was a true pioneer in children's literature, librarianship, and publishing.
