E-text prepared by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Christine D., and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Classics of American Librarianship Edited by ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK, Ph. D. THE LIBRARY AND SOCIETY Reprints of Papers and Addresses With Notes by ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK, Ph. D. New York The H. W. Wilson Company London: Grafton & Company 1920 Published, January, 1921 PREFACE It may be desirable to repeat here the warning that the word "classics" in the title of this series is to be understood as meaning early and standard expressions of ideas that have later developed into prominence. The papers and addresses in this volume have been chosen especially with this in view, and as they emphasize social relations an effort has been made to include expressions from men of eminence whose names would not probably occur to the student of library economy as having expressed an opinion about the work of libraries or as having influenced it in any permanent way. I desire to acknowledge the kindly assistance rendered in the selection and grouping of the articles by Mrs. Gertrude Gilbert Drury, chief instructor in the St. Louis Library School. It has been most valuable. The original suggestion of this volume, and of the character of its contents, I owe to Dr. James I. Wyer, Jr., Director of the New York State Library. ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK CONTENTS PREFACE 5 THE LIBRARY AND SOCIETY 13 GENERAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS 15 The Historical Evolution of the Free Public Library in America and Its True Function in the Community; Dedication Address at Sage Library. (_Library Journal_, 1884, p. 40) 17 MOSES COIT TYLER. The Library as a Field for Philanthropy. (Extract from "The Best Fields for Philanthropy," _North American Review_, December, 1889.) 33 ANDREW CARNEGIE. The Idea of a Popular Library. ("Life, Letters, and Journals," Vol. 2, 1851.) 49 GEORGE TICKNOR. The Function of a Town Library. ("Protection of Majorities,") 1875 55 JOSIAH P. QUINCY. The Free Public Library. (Extract from "Men and Women," 1888.) 63 THOMAS W. HIGGINSON. Two Fundamentals. (_Library Journal_, 1896, p. 446.) 67 MARY SALOME CUTLER. What a Library Should Be, and What It Can Do. (_Public Libraries_, 1899, p. 269.) 75 MELVIL DEWEY