Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-08-27
CITY BOOKS.
The Literature Which Makes Up
the Public Library.
A Hour Among the Dusty Tones and Well
Ihumbed Volumes at the New Library
The Work Of Cataloging and Ar
ranging the Books.
keLANcE ALONG THE MANY SHELVES.

II half the attention were paid the mem
tai pabulum of community that is indi-
vidually bestowed upon its physical diet
what a race of philosophers we should be-
come! But how few people are there who
recognize or even give thought to the re-
suit of a well regulated mental diet. No
more apparent are the effects, upon the
physical constitution, OF a certain class OF
food, than upon the mental powers of GER
tain literature. We plainly note the form
er in the dreamy vegetarian Hindoo and
the fierce meat-e eating Indian wide ]. Fenni-
more Cooper, but no more evident are the
differ emit effects of the hasty and exciting
skimming over of novels and the calm, re-
Elective perusai Of an essay. The omniyer-
GUS Wheelingite has found the physical
golden mean, at least, and will ne find the
mental medium?
As much to trace, by its books, the
course of Wheeling taste in literature, as to
ascertain its condition and progress, REG
lister envoy paid an official visit yesterday
morning TO the Public Library, and sur
prised Librarian Pendleton in the midst of
bis work of catalOging and classifying the
books. The history of the old library asso-
citation and the process by which its
shelves of volumes were turned over to the
city, are both sufficiently we'll known to
obyiate the necessity Of retelling them
here, II is known that after rusting and
rotting for some months in the basement Of
the Capital, the odd 5000 volumes were
turned over to the Board of Education and
became the nucleus around which 1t is pro-
posed to build up a public library. The
work OF preparing these books for the pub
lie use is by no means light one, and the
librarian and assistant are now busily en-
gagged to that end.
To say a majority of the books are in
dilapidated state is to about properly give
the situation A hasty and general calcu-
lation would place the total volumes at
about $500 OF which / 1000 are in unfit con.
dition. OF these some 500 will be rebound
and the remainder sold for rubbish. 1t i'm
parts no information, but 1t is interesting
10 note, that nearly, il not entirely, all OF
the dilapidated books are works OF fiction
and q large majority are light novels; and
the lighter and more trashy the novel, the
worse the condition of the book. 1t is very
evident that nineteen OF every twenty OF
the patrons of the old library association
read novels alone. Such authors as Emma
Southworth, Mary Jane Holmes, Augusta
Jane Evans-Wilson and Marion Harlan
were in general demand; so much so that
the shelves contained several editions OF the
most popular works. Books like Lena
Rivers" Cruel as the Grave" Why Did
He Die" st Elmo" "Infelice" and others
Of that ilk, are each represented by several
volumes and are all in battered condition.
At least 400 novels are in such shape as to
he utterly useless. About 500 are now be-
ing rebound and the remainder are in con.
dition for use.
There were sufficient readers OF the
standard novels to wear out most OF Dick
ems works, and many OF Bulwcr's and
SCOTS, but such books as Hawthorne's
works have been almost untouched. and
are as good as new. Some of "Ouidas' fas-
cinating and highly immoral works show
the result OF oYer-thumblng, ana Will never
be out of demand.
To sum UP the novels, there are about
three thousand in all and when the build.
ing has been completed about two thou
sand will be shelvej for use. In addition
to these the Seaside, Lakeside and Franklin
Square libraries will be purchased and
bound, and it is safe to say the works of
fiction will then run in the neighb0rhood
OF four thousand.
After leaving the novels, the remainder
of the books are as good as new. Wheel
ing'S demand for the information furnished
by historical works has not been great, and
the very fair supply Of such books are in
an admirable state. POetiCal works, essays,
reviews and the bound magazines are in
fair condition, and lot Of census reports,
Centennial records patent office and agri-
cultural reports, all fine, entertaining
reading to the average thirStcr for knowl-
edge. are good aS new.
The result of just such glance as this
is very apparent, as far rs the indication OF
Wheeling taste Is concerned. OF course
the indication only applies 10 former pat
rons of the library. Memory will tell every
one that these patrons were largely made
up OF young girls, and some older ones, who
simply whiIed away their hours OF idleness
at the library and sought out the lightest
of light literature. This is not fair aver
age for Wheeling, as will be seen when the
new library is thrown open tothe public
There is one class of brooks that is en-
tircly wanting, viz: Progressive works,
which would come under the head OF scicn-
tito. Such case is needed and will doubt.
less be supplied at an early date. The
works of such men as Spencer, Tyndall,
Darwin, Agazzi, Mill, Proctor, Figuer and
Huxley, are in growing demand and must
be met by the supply.
Ii will be about three weeks before the
library is ready for the public The work
on the rooms is not yet completed and
many arrangements must yet be perfected.
The details OF the manner of conducting il
cannot yet be given, and will be made the
subject of special future article. The
committee has not decided upon its entire
purchases, further than in the line of peri
Odicals, but its conclusions will also be
given again.
The financial outlook for the library is
good The tax levy is three cents on the
slD valuation, which will bring revenue
of about 81, 800 per annum. When the sal
cries, rent and various inc dental expenses
are deducted, there will be net revenue of
from $500 to 5000 for books This is
deemed amply sufficient to supply new
books of desirable character and in such
q quantity to meet the demand.
The library rooms have already been fully
described. II is sufficient, for this article,
to say they are large, roOmy and we'll ar
ranged and will be pleasant places in which
to put in either warm summer or cold
winters dav.