hilosophic error
lies in believing that the work must all be done to-day. Nature herself
should teach us that the best work cannot be done in a hurry.

We may not hope in this generation to understand well the working of
that complex, mysterious thing which we call human society, but we may
at least so relate ourselves and our libraries to it that we may live,
move, and grow together.

"Not unrelated, ununified,
But to each thought and thing allied,
Is perfect Nature's every part
Rooted in the mighty Heart."

WHAT A LIBRARY SHOULD BE AND WHAT IT CAN DO

No one has done more to inspire library workers with the
feeling that what they are doing is worth while than Dr.
Melvil Dewey, pioneer in this country of the modern library
and of the socialized library spirit. A sketch of Dr. Dewey
will be found in Vol. I. of this series. The following is
from the stenographer's report of a brief talk at the
Atlanta Conference of the American Library Association, as
printed in _Public Libraries_ (Chicago, June, 1899).

Atlanta has been known long in this country as a southern city that
believes supremely that education pays, and as the revelation has come
late in this century of what the library is or should be, and what the
library can do, on this line I will say a few words to you tonight.

We have had an illustration in the recent war with Spain that education
pays, in what it means to have the man behind the guns trained. We have
an illustration in Mr. Carnegie's work, whose name has been mentioned
here in his competition with the rest of the world, illustrating another
peculiar American feature that American education pays in dollars and
cents; but it is a more recent conception of the part the library has in
a system of public education. It took a thousand years to develop our
educational system from the university down; first the university as the
beginning of all education, and then we must have the colleges to
prepare for the universities, the academies and common schools to
prepare for the colleges, and it is only in our own generation that we
have come to understand that we must begin with the kindergarten and end
in our libraries.

I am really pleased tonight that the Young men's association has done
this generous work, and that Atlanta is going to pay the money from the
taxes. It would be no advantage to this city if your schools were
provided for you withou