| Show THE PUBLIC LIBRARY the interest taken in the establishment of a large public library in this sity is commendable the library to is recognized as an institution supplementary to the school both are necessary for the education of the people and the further advance of civilization in the school the gates of knowledge are opened and a view is given of part of the unlimited hems fields beyond though the library a access cess is obtained by those whose desire to is to walk and gather the flowers that m bv the roadside or uncover the intellectual wealth that Is hidden beneath the surface in an the establish ne rf a punic library several facts are now kept in view the selection of books is made with special reference to the needs of the people much in the same way as the selection of text books for schools and since the purpose is not merely t to afford amusement and aid whiling ng away the hours but to assist the searcher for useful knowledge on many topics and it if possible to elevate and guide the reading taste of the public this part of the work is of the greatest importance it often needs expert advice and always sound matured judgment hardly less important Is ia the work of arranging a library so that the public may know at a glance what it contains during the last years however classification and cataloguing catalo guing have been both simp simplified lIfted and perfect ed d the chief requirement of a public library Is that it be of easy access to the people on this point a contributor to the independent some time ago said 1 I believe that the practice of requiring unquestionable guarantees from readers and of excluding them from the shelves which prevails in many of our libraries is an inheritance from an earlier time which we may well outgrow the careful and expensive guardianship which to is advisable in the care oz oi a coil collection atlon of valuable manuscripts or first editions or other curios to is in the case of a public library as a whole formalities which hamper and rules I 1 which restrict are foreign to the genius of a free institution the open library appeals to all that is best in those who use it it says in effect we trust these books to you they are yours to use but we expect brogi you in using them honesty and courtesy and consideration for the rights of others the time is par pa r when the library was merely a depository for the treasures of literature access 11 1 to only a few privileged persons when books were chained to the walls so 0 o as not to reach too large a circle U is in modern times the fountain from which the many may draw offering its pure clear stream freely to all it has a great mission in the free country where knowledge and intelligence are indispensable pen sable to useful citizenship |
