, 1874-03-21
FREE LIBRARIES,
Their History, Organization,
Use, and Influence.
Address by Mr.. Z. Eastman at the III.
anguration Of tho Free Public
Library Of tho Town Of
Elgin, III.

Library or tho Town Of
Elgin, III.
On Thuralay evening, the 10th inst, the Troo
Public Library Of tho Town OF EDgIn, ILL.,, was
tnauguratod In lilo Library Hall. Thia hall o.
cupios tho Whole Of the third story Of the Homo
Bank building, and Ia largo, comnodiouB, and
wclf-lighted room. il has boon elegantly Atted
mp by tho Board Of Directors, md contains
about 900 volumes, aud tho nucleus Of Mu-
scum aud Art Grllery. The walls were adorned
by largo collection Of paintings, mostly by FL
gin artists, which will remain for short poriod,
until probably other picthroa will tako thoir
placo. The Board OF Directors, elected last
year by the town, consists OF j. @. Dosworth,
Y. Eastman, q, g. Lovol, james ". Hpillard, ).
". Ranstoad, and ". II. Hintz.' q. Eastman
was, On tflo organization OF tho Board, elooted
its prosidont.
On the opening OF tho Library Mr.. Eastman
gavo tho following
INAUGURAL ADDRESS:
Ladfcs and Gentlemen:
Tho Doard OF Directors Of tho FREQ Public
Library Of tho Town Of Elgin hayo called tho
cltizens Of tho town together, now Represented
by the ladies and Eontlomon present. to have
YOU placed in harmony md sympathy with thom
in tho management aud In tho future prosperity
md auccess Of this institution.
Please first to notice
WHAT IT Is.
1t seems only to DO a collection OF books on
sholvoB, and sories Of newspapers on dosla,
for reading, with Bon,c show OF pictures upon
tho walls for adornn1ont. There Is nothing
worry magnificent in tho external ahow Of q
Public Library, though worry charming sight to
those who love literature. Tho picture shows
Oh its faco what 1t is,-yct tho good picture
will bear study, like tho human counton-
anco; but the book, like the hunan hoart,
to be known must be studied within. What you
sec is not all. This is Frco Public library
Frce Reading Room Ill institution adopted by
vote of tho town, supportedby d aolf-impoBed tax
of thoinhabitants. and therefore, publicinstitu-
ton. 1t is not moroly q City Library,-it Is
Town Library; tho farmer in the most dis
tant corner has the aamo privilege hero as tho
city merchant or lawyer. This fitting-up (oxcept
the articles depoaitcd), mud this collection Of
hooka arc town-property. Every poor man,
every child, has personal interoHt hero. Tlore
is no moro monopoly than there is III tho streota
and bridges OF tho town. It is FREQ, to road
here or take nso1s boos to your homes me- from
nni tho bridges that cross your river.
Those - books .and bridges are subject
to be governed by proper r,l1os and lnws. under
tho poople iii their town meetings soIoct to ,ayo
charge Of tho atroota Or havo control Of tho H.
brary, to maintain 1t as tho Inv prcscribcs.
Thcro is this difference morally: Tho atrcots arc
matoriNl,-.are for trnvol,-te pathway Of ami
is educational, it IL the
PATHWAY OF THE MIND, ..
and m avenue In which tho ilttellect may travel
to the grand pinnacle Of human knowledge, once
repreaontet by splendid temple.
This institution Inns, . more perfect parallel in
the free-school Bystotn. That is supported by
taxation, and ia managed BY Board Of School
Directors. This Library, I aaid, was supported
oi Directors elected BY the votes of oitizens nt
r. town-rnoeting. Tho Froo-school aystcm, in it's
carly days, Ind to pass through tho ordeal Of
criticism, fault, lt,auding, and tax-grnuablers,
until it is Mt last admitted to DO tho chof
soon abandon ycnr public atroots us to leave tho
schools without tho nurture Of tho public tax !;
aud as soon tear Up your bridges as to domolisl
the district eclool-houao. It will probably DO 40
with this ,library~system o. q, # waa with
mark for tho tsx-gr,lmblcrs, and those who
can eco no progress In human society that does
not go through tho pocket, that docs 30 up
tufnut5H tIle uChTt a1lu IlCuQ VI luA3 IL IL tUR
business Of tho best mon in this town (antl tho
women to ho1p)-the mon who carry tho bent
ordained p1raoB, who have tho best hearts, and
The most enturprisng minds-to 300 that this
Llirary is carried to auccoas.
This Library IL founded upon public net of
the Legislature Of tho state, authorizing 'oities
md towns to organize md maintain FREQ pub
lo libraries md roading-roomH," approved
Nlarcn Z, 1879; and 1t authorizes tax
by vote Of tho town, and tho election
Of the Library fund, and to maintain that
Library, keep it going. The organization like
tho nchool-Bystem, Is perpetual. Onloss the ta-
wisdom Of this town, which alone can undo tho
good dono. should 80 otherwise determino, thia
Library may lust ns long ~ your schools shalt
Inst; and that, think, will be a long timo. My
friends, want you to
This ia but m infant town vet. There arc
men on this platform that have stood BY the sitlo
Of monuments, have PASSED through the portals
Of temples, have eyon worahiped in churches
with which. to compare tho length OF oxistonce.
tto li(o Of Elgin IL but that Of an infant a. day
old. Now, thIs thing ia sire: Mere.niu be no end
to Elgn 'intil there he The end Of all Mnga. There
will alwavs be childron hero to learn to road md
older children to gather storos Of knowledge
from Public Library. Our laws hayo opened
channel for streams Of culture Tint will flow on
night TINT TINT they arc planting acorns for 1.-Two
oaks, or rather cones for ce1ars, which will pro-
dnca trees to flourish for I'LL timo like the Trees
OF God OIL hit. Lebanon.
This law Of illinois, authorizing tho oreani-
cation Of this Library. introduced q now ora, al
1t woro, in Legislation. In Homo Of the Eastern
States n think Now Hnmpshise) they have
similar law. and some Libraries organized under
IT.; but, even there, they have not such All act
as to pacc, as ours does, tho plan OF common
OF largar growth. In Boston they keep up tho
Public Libraries by taxation. and they havo