Fargo, Lucile F. Marian-Martha. illustrations by Dorothea Warren (New York: Dodd, Mead, 1936) 257 p.

Two school girls learn about libraries and begin their own library careers in this novel for young people. Marian Pearce is pretty, likes lettering and binding; tasks in which she works alone. Martha Webster is plain looking, but outgoing. She is an excellent organizer. They both work in their high school library with the enthusiastic, helpful librarian, Miss Hand, and the less enjoyable Miss Brook. They think about choosing a career:

Sometimes, of course, Marian and Martha thought about being librarians. Whenever some other vocational bubble burst, Marian thrilled to the idea of a life devoted to books. "You know, Martha, I just love to read," she would say, "and Mother thinks being a librarian is such a genteel occupation because you don't have to be commercial and you can be lovely and charming like those girls at the Public Library loan desk who always know the latest novels because they have so much time to read."

"But Marian," objected Martha, "you know yourself how much work there is to do in a library because you've helped to do it. Just look at Miss Hand! She never gets any time to read until she goes home. And think of all she has to know! She must have studied years and years." (p. 69-70).

After high school they get summer jobs at the local public library. The librarian is Mr. Fisher. Martha helps with the newsletter and spends time in various parts of the library. Marian works in Cataloging, which does not work out because she finds that she makes too many minor errors. It is here that the girls learn of the requirements to become librarians and the fact that librarians are "the most poorly paid professional workers in the United States" (p. 144).

Both girls attend the same college and then library school. Martha helps at an ALA convention and gets to meet Mr. Ruddiger, ALA President, and Miss Englebrecht, President elect.

After library school Marian, who has specialized in rare books, gets a job as director of a special collection in her college library. Martha goes to the Crenville County Library, where she is hired by Jackson Byrd to help build a new library system in an impoverished southern county.