alarming tracts have been published, giving
painful criticisms upon the contents of certain libraries, the nature of
special volumes found upon their shelves, and the amount of circulation
of works of fiction of not the most elevating, or even wholesome,
character. To all this we answer that these criticisms, whether well
founded or not, have not been without their influence in calling
attention to the most intelligent of our institutions. Their officers
are cultured gentlemen and ladies, clearly apprehending the relation of
the library to the intellectual and moral development of the community
and its true office in administering to the improvement, as well as
enjoyment, of its patrons. It is more and more becoming an educating
rather than a simply entertaining institution. It is every day becoming
more widely recognized that it is not intended to be a competitor with
the circulating library, but rather an antagonist, winning the patrons
of the latter to the reading and study of a higher order of literature.
While the majority of library managers do not take the extreme view that
has been strongly advocated by some quite intelligent library trustees,
that the public funds should not be used for the purchase of fiction,
which may be considered an intellectual luxury, but only for improving
and educating literature, they do seek to carefully sift the lighter
issues of the press, securing the best and the purest of this character.
They also study at the same time, through their accomplished officers
and assistants, in the use of the local press, through the cooperation
of the teachers of the schools and the leaders of public opinion, with
the aid of parents, to awaken especially in the minds of the young
people a taste for regular and substantial courses of reading in the
various departments of science, history, and _belles-lettres_. The
success that has attended these efforts is full of encouragement. Our
superintendents and librarians do not simply remain at their desks, or
stand behind their tables to respond to the call for books, but make
themselves felt in the community, aiding in the investigations of
students, assisting in the search for authorities, facts, and
illustrations, suggesting plans for interesting the youthful readers in
scientific or literary studies, and calling attention to the rich
accumulations upon the library shelves. The annual reports of these
institutions are constantly showing improvement in t