Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-10-19
MODEL PUBLIC LIBRARY.
How the Boston Public Library is Man
aged Something for Wilmington to
Think About.

The following Is from the Boston Globe.
Probably the most liberal public library In
the world is the Bo- ton public library. 1t
invites every citizen, whether he be a
scholar or u porter, TO its ample shelves
and II says to the instruc ed and unin-
structec alike " We will supply whatever
you want" The trustees makenn prt ten
slons to decide what the people shall read.
Such faslidious scholars as George Ticknor
aud Edward Everett came cary u the
conclusion that il was ridiculous to make
their own tastes the standard of popular
taste and they likewise early adopted the
system of inviting student and hod car
rler alike TO state their respective wants,
promising to meet all reasonable demands.
If an Italian scholar heard of a new edi-
ton Of Dante, which shed a little addl-
lional light on the darkest passages Of the
Divine Comedy, the book was imported
for him and for the like of him If boy
In our public schools thought the supply
of "Oliyer Optics" deficient; If a novel
reader considered that there were not
sufficient number of the stories of Mrs
Southworth or Mrs. stephens on the
shelves TO satisfy The public need-all
either had to do was to record his COM
plant, and the defect was remedied.
OuA HuuNAN a. AAAEulhAAuk ar
wei as reference library, the classics of
all literatures can be ''takcn out as freely
as the himslest of modern ilciions and az
the City Council has always three of its
members in the Board OF Trustees to watch
after the popular interests, there is no dan
ger that the money of the city will be spent
exclusively for any particular class of
readers, The eomprehensiyeness of the
plan is shown in the fertility of It's results.
The Boston public library has only one
competitor, which still keeps little ahead
the Congressional library ut Washington
but as the case Is one of single city con-
tending with a nation, we need not he
much mortified that there are a few more
thousand books in Washington than in
Boston. This modification Is very much
essened If We compare our alcoves devo-
ted to English. French, Italian and Span
ish literature with the corresponding al.
coyes in the library ut the capitol. For
the purpose of the general scholar there
il no library in the two continents Of Amer
lea, north or south, which can compare
with the Boston public library. Estab-
lished only IN 1852, its average rate of in
crease has been about ten thousand vol
umes a year.
1t Is the most popular library In the
country Out, stlange 10 shys IL ms sue
ccedod, In spite of its readiness TO feed fat
the popular desire for novels aud novelties,
to amass the most solid works that have
ever before, in the United States, been as
sembled In one building. Whatever may
be said in dispraise of the municipal gov
ernment OF Boston, it certainly has never
iilltered In support of the library II has es-
tablished. Appropriations for lis needs 20
through the City Council without muir
mur of dissent. Every member feels that
his personal character is concerned when
he is called upon to vote in n matter which
involves the question Of the progress Of
intelligence and in which there is no poe
sibility Of Jobs"