New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-17
THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.
AN oUTsPoKEN CRITICISM OF ITS DETECTS AND EN-
PIANATIoS OF ITS REQUIREMENTS.
Tribnnf.

AN OJTsPoKEN CRITICISM OF ITS DETECTS AND EN-
PLANTATION OF ITS REQUIREMENTS
TO the Edftor Of The tribune.
SIR: Perhaps the dispute which has arisen respect
ing the management of the Mercantile Library isnot
TO he regretted Whoever acquainted with The col
lection knows, if he knows anything about suCh
matters, that il is not what IT should he. In rue
first place il has been made without any method, IA
very miscellaneous without being NJ all mn upon
any topic, and contains vast quantity Oh iupDisn
OF no particular value TO the student. and OF no
special interest to the curious. do not, ol
course mean to ray that there are not many Naiu-
able works upon tho shelves; for whcr so many are
Gathered together how can it be othcrw isr But
the precious and the worthless are there equally by
accident aud. III the nature OF thinVr Inc atcr pre-
dominates If there has been any attempt 10 make
the Library complete i'll any department of lclrnui
or of literary production, it has not succeeded. l
am not prepared to say what proportion WORKS
nf fiction MANY Of them of the most worthless char
actcr bear to books OF high and standard order
but it is evident that the rule has been to Keep the
Library supplied with contemporary hght reading
without much reference to lis merit In short the
chief business of the managers OF tho Mercantile
I ihrarv seems TO have been 10 supply boys and
women with novels. There are other books, 1t ~
true for those who 10 not relish Snch delcaceS uf
literature, but n great many OF them gro" dnsty
upou the shelves, and among them all there is no
certainty of finding the one or two which the inquirer
NAV desire. If the Society wishes 10 bcnevolcrty
maintain miscellaneous circulating library, II has
done something toward accomplishing ITS purpose ;
if the accumulation of library III the best sense oil
the word has been It's object there has been rather
failure than success An examination "f the caia-
log,Ic of the Library will enable any one {" deter
mine the accuracy of this statement and To the
catalogue l refer II he wishes further evidence
of the purposr to which the Library j. put he has
only to watch the delivery OF books upon any
Saturday afternoon. lie will find women and girls
demanding and receiving roinanccs i3T SUNDAY
rcading; but il is not often that he VIII hear any
work of positive merit or established reputation
called for -, 2
money should be contributed and expended for the
sake of maintaining such library as this do
not mean to say that some good b"1AS are ho'
loaned. do not mean to- to say that 'f rrIa ir
ture good, bad and Indifferent; but what / 10
! mean TO say is that an institution for supp lying
| mainly works of fiction to It's members ana sub
scribers has no good claim upon the lbcraty OF the
| community. and good reason for being an inst-
tuition at all. The tendency of all libraries OF a
popular character, ! am sorry TO say has been 10
degenerate into repositories Of novels. Perhaps IT
is not the fault of it's managers # the Mercantile
| Library furnishes no exception to the rule.
Other faults have been found with the manage
ment Of the Library 1t is claimed that the dchy-
cry of books is defective; that they are not well
looked after; that not few are lost; and That the
| magazines and newspapers IN the readng-Toom are
| frequently mutilatcd. These, however, are minor
| evils which may be easily remedicd. | do not
pr0pOse TO disCuSs them. nor Ia say anything OF the
further assertion that the funds of the Clinton Hall
| Association have been injudciously employed IN
real estate purchases. My present lnsiness IL with
| the Library. There is no doubt that II needs n
thorough and intelligent oyerhaullng. scientific
Encouragement, the repair of books IN dilapidated
| condition the purchase of many volumes required
10 complete different departments, and that il should
feel in every part the hand of an enthusiastic and
accomplished librarian, and the services Of q COM
petent corps OF assistants Thus cared for IL is
pallc of doing great deal of good Theoretically it
Is inst what is wanted-an establishment for fur
nishing young men with the opportunity OF reading
| valuable books which they cannot Afford To pur
chase Practically. there is an opportunity for I'M
| proyemont The Mercantile Library can bc made
ono of the chief ornaments OF the CITY OF Newly Ork
Al prcscnt il is not "a collection OF which We have
any particular reason 10 he proud. BIDlIOPiuLE.
Ncc- York May l5 1881.