Show PUBLIC TASTE IN literature 7 THE z st louis public library contained on july 1 1891 about volumes volum fB the circulation for the year eadi g with the date mentioned showed a home issue of volumes volume and a library reading room issue of making a total issue of nearly volumes of the home issue nearly 53 per cent of the volumes were and only 57 per cent philosophy the total number of philosophical lo works taken home fot for use was and con consulted suld in the library these figures prove that st louis Is not a city of philosophers in theology it to Is not much better only I 1 per cent of the books boke taken home were theological and of these consulted in the th library about 2 per cent were of th the same class history runs up to about 7 per cent and juvenile literature about 25 per cent the statistics pertaining to the st louis public library will apply mostly to the average library in all amerlean american cities fiction is the chief mental food of the present time even of the books consulted in the library 18 per cent were fiction while only 14 per cent were deas magazines and books of reference and yet with all this voracity for fiction st louis has not produced a novelist except mr mcculoch McCu Hoch lobb of the democrat his letters about utah can perhaps be clawd classed as fiction i |