New-York tribune., 1877-07-09
mruR pFOpLES UyJgERSITY.D

The librarian. as he was is accurately de-
fined by the title still given to HIM IN the
British Museum-the Keeper of Printed Books.
The librarian, ms he is, under the W0nderiul
development of the modern pnblic-lbrary Sys-
TEN. has different office: it Is his particular
care that his books shall not be kept, but worn
ont as soon as possible by continuous use.
This function of lib anes-the useful cIrcula-
ton of books amOng the people-has so come
to the front that Their importance as mere col
lcctIons of books mas been almost eclpsed.
"Tbe People's University" is the favorte
title of the great public library in Boston.
The publication of the Government Library
Report and the conference of Librarians at Phla-
delpbia last year have given a remarkable I'M
petus to library development. a conference OF
English and Continental librarians will open in
London October 2, and early III September
will he held, probably in this city, the
ANIMAL meeting of the American Library
Association, which grew out of the Phladel-
phia conference 1t is proposed at this meet
ing, to take steps toward the preparation OF
model public library-act, Tor adoption III those
States which have not yet instituted public
library system. There are now publlc-llbrary
acts on the statute-bOoks of eleven States; but
our own has made no steps in this direction ex-
cent to remit taxation on free library buildings.
None of the great libraries of this ciy-the sub
scription libraries, headed by the Mercantile, or
the merely reference Libraries, headed by the
Astor. from which it is said Mr.. Astor alone
might borrow over-night--fulfl the needs of the
people, and we must look to further private NUM-
tcence or to legislative action to put us on par
with other cities. by atfording books to those
who have neither money to hire them nor
the time to spend in the working hours OF the
Astor.
With this view of the library as public ed
ucator, the Librarians constant anxiety Is to
make his books reach as far as possible. lie
urges his readers to ask questions, and to
answer these he prepares i'll especial the best
catalogue he knows how to make. 1t is III this
field that the greatest progress has recently
been made. 4 library without IL good cata-
logua is like IA closed door with the door-kn0b
off. The question to the librarian: " Shall |
"spend one or two or ten doliarsOn IN additional
book, or shall | spend ten or twenty or thirty
"ccnts in making the books already on the
"shelves twice as useful Z" answers itself ;
and many libraries are made poor by
books, as many colleges are pun ny
buildings. The Brooklyn Mercantile Library,
while keeping up with the times in the supply
of new books. wisely sets apart considerable
portion of its income for the completion of Mr..
Noyess remarkable catalogue, which is a syS-
tematic index, not only to the large collection
of books, but to the articles IN the periodicals
ON its shelves; and much of the usefulness of
the Boston Public Library comes from the eX-
penditures on its admirable annotated class
list, and hand-books for readers, which are do
Ing missionary work in culture. Indeed, between
the Public Library work and that OF Mr. Cutter
in the Athcn9um, Boston has become so appre-
cative of cataloguing work that the unlounded
rumor of lIaryard's discontinuance of It's cata-
logue agitated the Hub to such degree rs to
cause tidal wave in the Frog Pond.
The meeting of the Library Conference in
this city, will do much to call attention to the
great work which these Peoples Universities y
are doing for the people, and it may give a
useful hint to those citizens OF New-Gork who
desire to leave behind them the most enduring
of monuments.