1930 The Department of Education awards its first 9 library degrees to women prepared to work in school libraries and children’s departments in public and county libraries. Admission requirements include owning a typewriter, which may be rented in San José for $3. There are no student dormitories, but room and board may be obtained in private houses for $35. A list of approved houses is provided by the Dean of Women.
1931 Applicants to the library program must have completed 2 years of college, have 30 units in 2 modern foreign languages, and typewriting ability. The school does not provide placement services as the majority of students already have permanent positions.
1932 Three library classes taught in San Francisco.
1933 Library classes offered in Sacramento.
1935 California State Teachers Colleges are renamed California State Colleges.
1936 The library program offers 5 classes in summer session: technical processes for school libraries; the library in the elementary school; lettering; selection and use of books in schools; children’s literature. These courses are taught by one full-time and one part-time faculty.
1938 San José State College adds a 2-year technical or “junior” course for library clerks. The college bulletin describes the “essential qualifications” for this new program as having above average intelligence, an interest in academic fields, pleasant manners, friendly attitude, accuracy, neatness, and a liking for steady, detailed, inside work.
1939 The library school has 7 full-time students enrolled, all women. As of July 1, seventy women have received their library degrees or certificates from San José State College.
See poem by graduate Esther Lipsey