Papers and Proceedings of the Twenty-Third General Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Waukesha, Wisconsin, July 4-10, 1901
Science
Papers and Proceedings of the Twenty-Third General Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Waukesha, Wisconsin, July 4-10, 1901
American Library Association; Library science -- Congresses
While the city should provide means and a proper official to conduct the
institution it should take much more care in the selection of the board
of trustees than is usually the case. They should be representative men,
who not only should be able to assist the librarian in the formation of
an educational institution, but also be able to devote a considerable
amount of time to matters relating to its policy. If the librarian is
not a systematic business man, one of the board or a committee should be
delegated to attend to the financial affairs, as it is absolutely
necessary that the accounts shall be at all times in as good condition
as in the most punctilious business house.
I would also suggest that a certain modesty be observed in the carrying
out of such work by a municipality. It is hard to think of anything that
could be said for this proposition when the magnificent buildings of
Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh are taken into consideration; but I would
respectfully submit that the feeling of unrest among the great army of
industrial workers throughout the civilized world is growing. With the
tremendous progress in science and industry these people are claiming
that they can see no gain in the position of the common people. This
discontent has manifested itself lately in the opposition of the labor
organizations of certain towns to the munificent proposition made by one
of the most conscientious men who has ever been numbered among the
multimillionaires of the world. While it is not always wise to consider
too seriously the socialistic murmurings of a few negative people, I
submit that it is our duty to consider the effect produced upon the
poorest and most scantily clad patron of our libraries.
It is necessary that the library should be housed in a fireproof
building as soon as possible, and the owners of valuable books will
always choose such an institution for such gifts as they may make. I
believe that the Boston Library has received donations equal to half the
cost of the building since it has been housed in Copley square.
Finally, the city should insist that the library be an educational
institution and not receive its appropriation for recreation mainly. The
extraordinary demand for light fiction in public libraries has led to a
very unsatisfactory condition of affairs, and it is not uncommon to find
300 copies of a new novel necessary to at all meet the demand. There is
every indication that the public library will be furnished with a happy
release from this call upon their resources by the institution of the
Book Lovers' Library which has now extended its branches to all the
important cities. If this system can be extended on good business
principles, the happiness of public libraries would be complete
notwithstanding the slight falling off in circulation that might follow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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