New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-23
TIE FREE CIRCULATING LIBRARY

TIE FREE CIhCCLdIINb LIDhhhI'
The work Of placing good books within the
reach OF all persons living in New York has
the strongest claims for support from public
spirited citizens 1t is cause for wonder that
a benefcent undertaking of this kind, the de-
mand for which is very great in this city,
should have been 80 long neglected. 1t was
not until about three years ago that some phil
anthropic per sons took the first steps to supply
this want. Since that time the Free Library
Association has been struggling hard to meet
the demands upon it, How well 1t Has sue
ceeded with the limited means at its disposal, is
told elsewhere in this issue of THE TRIBUNE.
1t has not, We regret to say, met with that lib
eral response from the public which it 80 well
deserves. This can be explained only upon
the supposition that the claims of this institu-
ton have been overlooked by the generous
people of the metropolis.
New-York is one of the few large cities that
is inadrquately supplied with free circulating
libraries. Provision has been made Tor the
rich and educated, but the working people and
the Door who are the most in need OF the elevat-
ing influences Of wi Olesome reading, have been
almost entirely neglected. With the exception
of the Free Reading Room established by Peter
Cooper, there was no place IN New York where
moor people could 20, even to read book, until
the Free Circulating Library in B0nd-st. was
opened. The Aston Library is accessible for
few hours only in the middle OF the day, and ls,
therefore, of very little value to working men
and working women. The rich Lenox Library
is rs yet of no advantage to the public. The
Historical Library is surrounded with so many
safeguards that an ordinary person finds it q
difficult matter to get even a glance at its
treasures. The Mercantile Library is inacces-
sible to the poor who cannot pay 50, and so are
all the other circulating libraries except that of
the Free Library Association. THIS is the only
one in the-cty that will permit all persons who
can be properly identified to take its books to
their homes without charge.
The usefulness of such an Institution is
shown in the fact that its four OK five thousand
available volumes were each issued on an
average over fourteen times last year. The
majority of its thousands OF readers are young
persuns-that very class In the community which
it is most desirable to furnish with sound intel
lectual food. The percentage of books Of fiction
called for was only SO, as compared with an
average percentage Of rs in similar libraries in
other cities. This Is good indication of the
intelligence of the patrons Of this library, and
their honesty is shown in the fact that only
eleven books were lost out of the $4,000
volumes issued to readers. This is q better
comparative showing than that made by any
circulating library So far as known In this
country or Europe.
Th, multiplication Of cheap books ia having
"a curious effect upon some OF the libraries. A
few years ago tho Mercantile Library had
$4,000 subscribers, while IL has now only about
one-third that number. Evidently a great
many persons prefer to buy these cheap works