The Library and Society: Reprints of Papers and Addresses
History
The Library and Society: Reprints of Papers and Addresses
Libraries and society; Library science -- Social aspects
Mr. Everett's conservatism doubted the wisdom of these principles for
the foundation of a library: but they are essentially those which have
proved sound in the free library system of England and New England, of
Australia and the Northwestern cities. In the light of fifty years'
experience, indeed, Everett's skepticism reads like Governor Berkeley's
report on education in Virginia, in which he thanked God that there were
no free schools in Virginia and hoped that there would be none for a
hundred years. The communities in which libraries, approaching George
Ticknor's ideal, have been longest established, would do without paved
streets or electric lights sooner than without these libraries, and they
support them by taxation as cheerfully as the public schools. Indeed,
the free library in not a few communities is reckoned an invaluable and
indispensable adjunct of the public school, the very crown of the system
of popular education. Such librarians as Green of Worcester,
Massachusetts, and Whitney of Watertown, and Hosmer of Minneapolis, keep
in touch with the work of the schools, and apprize the various classes
of pupils of new books especially valuable for their work. More than
this, they have regard to the needs of the various clubs, trades, and
professions, and keep their members aware of valuable books in their
special departments. But perhaps the most helpful service of all is
rendered by capable librarians in the constant advice given to
inexperienced readers, and the frequent bulletins sent out to stimulate
the interest and instruct the intelligence of the community. It is of
special interest to note that the demand for good reading has been
greatly increased wherever the public library has been administered in
this way. Indeed, booksellers and proprietary libraries have come to
favor the opening of the free library as largely increasing the demand
for their books.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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