New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-16
DO I'VE NEED TWO PUBLIC LIBRARIES'

DO We NEED TWO PUBLIC LfBRARIESF
The Young Mems Christian Association OF
this city is endeayoring to raise forty thou
sand dollars, in addition TO ten thousand
which it purposes contributing out of its own
funds, toward the purchase OF the library OF
the late Mr.. Barton. It's object is TO add these
sixteen thousand volumes and more to the
something less than four thousand of which
its present library is composed, to throw the
whole open to the public without charge both
day and evening" and thus institute free and
popular library such as, it must be admitted,
New York has long needed. Experts nave
pronounced the Barton an exceedingly valuable
one, and the price asked for it en- bloc not UNI
reasonable. 1t contains, ii is true, large
number of works that would rarely he con-
suited except by scholars and specialists, but
not many that would cumber the shelves OF
the great metropolitan library OF the future
The Association, too, if il gets them, will have
occupied only half its space for books, while
its facilities for delivery and Tor reading are
equal to the probable demand upon them.
1t seems, therefore, at first blush, as II this
were perfectly meIitOriOus enterprise, In re-
gard to which liberal men should only hest
tate as to how much they,cOuld afford to give
or to weigh the temptations TO earn with $500
life-membership in the Association, and with
81 900 perpetual and hereditary honorary
membership. If the case stood simply thus
upon its own merits, we should be the last to
throw any obstacle in the way of it; but we
cannot help thinking that the Directors OF the
Association have overlooked the attitude in
which they will have placed themselves II
their undertaking succeeds. 1t is now little
more than year since Mr.. james Lcnox sur
prised and delighted the community with the
announcement that he had in mind to give to
the city his costly and, in some respects, I'M
eoualed private library, together with building
that should be worthy of it and OF the great
public library that was to grow out OF 1t.
Those who do not reflect on the immense
amount of preparation that must precede the
visible beginning of foundation like this
have doubtless forgotten in the twelve months
past both Mr. Lenox and his promises; but
the intelligent gentlemen who control the
Young Mems Christian Association can hardly
be excused for similar forgetfulness, or, II
their memories are good, for impotence OF
delay. OF one thing we cannot suspect them
of an intention to fOrestall Mr., Lenox, or to
set up public library to rival his. Never
theless, they cannot succeed in their present
purpose without seeming to occupy one or
other of these positions.
We feel sure that it will be enough to re-
call to the Directors the munifcent end6w-
ment which has never been revoked, and on
which the city may surely count, to cause them
to acknowledge that it is only proper to give
4. Il
to wait TRANQUILITY till these are ready, or at
least till it is clear that they have fallen
through. We advise them exactly as we
should advise any set of gentlemen who dis
heartened by the apparent apathy in the in
ception of our Art Museum, should circulate
subscription papers to buy ON their own
responsibility, some stray nucleus of a
musoum-a cabinet of gems, OF Jarves GAL
lery. This, everybody would allow, would be
very unbecoming treatment of the public
spirited Committee, who are none the less
active because, as yet, they have neither a
| building for their museum nor articles To
| furnish it with. Ii is. however, in our judg-
ment, precisely what the gentlemen concerned
contemplate in regard TO Mr.. Lenox, with this
difference, that the library already exists and
it's destination has been publicly proclaimed,
while the owner has both the will and the
means to redeem his pledge TO the city.
Our conclusion unquestionably is that il the
Barton Library is to be bought for the pub
lies sake the public is interested in seeing il
joined to Mr. Lenox's instead of being estab-
lished as (at Grs0 nearly equal rival. In
many particulars these admirable collections
have corresponding fullnoss and value. but