Education for Librarianship in Catalonia, 1915-1939: the Escola Bibliotecaries

This historical study analyzes the creation and development of the Escola de Bibliotecaries (Catalonia, Spain). The following aspects are examined: factors leading to the creation of the School and influencing its development; requirements and programs established; reasons for creating a school exclusively for women and the effects this had on its evolution; influences the School had on the development of the profession.

An introductory first chapter sets the context for the School's creation. The three central chapters are arranged chronologically for the period 1915-1939 and cover the phases of the School's evolution. Each chapter is structured according to the School's three basic components: faculty and students, programs of study followed in each period, and the professional literature that was available to professors and students in the School's own library.

References are made throughout the study to the history of Catalonia and Spain in order to identify the external factors that influenced the development of the School. References to North American education for librarianship during this period are also made, serving as a basis for the evaluation of the programs of study at the Escola de Bibliotecaries.