| Show V APPROACH AND READ Sometime ago there was talk of forming form-ing public library in the city and using as the basis for it the Masonic library The plan proposed was to have an incorporation incor-poration for the purpose and open subscription sub-scription books so that all who were interested in-terested in the matter might subscribe in such amounts as each chose Nothing seems to have been done to carry out the scheme and it has not been dropped we hope for it was and is too important a thing to the general and reading public pub-lic to be allowed to rest The proposition to use the Masonic Library as a nucleus was made on the ground that that institution has some thousands of miscellaneous volumes consisting con-sisting of f nvcl biography history his-tory scient works of reference etc indepencea of the special works from which the library derives its name It has been very pr pc ly asked why the Masonic Libnoyaua ot another as a nucleus The answer simple and the only one it is because ti > rn > is no other to be had th or r fAil Library being a public one gut uer the control of thcxTerritory cannot V Had while tfco Masonic Library can f1JC Further the Masonic Library contains hooks which must be in any library and does away with the necessity of making a selection for a start and this selection for a start is a greater labor than it may at first blush seem Also where will be found any one who has the time and talent necessary to do this preliminary work which has already been well done by Mr Diehl The Masonic Library has now assumed a size and character beyond what was intended in-tended by those who founded it Its character was special and it has become general it was for the use of the Masonic fraternity and the public has almost crowded the fraternity out and for these reasons we understand the GrandLodge is willing to dispose of the miscellaneous part of the library the part in which the general publip is most interested Are there any advantages in purchasing this library Yes What are theyf They are these The books are already here and would not have to be sent for The public is already familiar with the library and and its character char-acter and worth and these things would be a voucher for its future usefulness and worth as it grew That such a library as the one contemplated contem-plated is needed is admitted by all And why cannot we have it There are hundreds hun-dreds and hundreds of works that may not be called for once a year and are still most essential and particularly to specialists speci-alists in all libraries Certainly there ought to be complete lists of all standard works in the various walks of literature by American and English authors To illustrate this some years ago we had a desire to read Clarissa Harlowe unabridged unab-ridged the whole eight volumes but Richardsons works were not to be found and the booksellers said they did not know of such a novelist To get the work it was necessary to send to New York bibliophiles A public library is a necessity and a luxury and being so rare a combination i of such extremes let us by all means have one the cry is general and the public pub-lic is willing to pay for a first class public library |
