Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-11
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
PITTsBURG. SATURDAY, JAN. IL, 1890
ONCE MORE. THE LIBRARY.

The eousiderate temper already shown by
the Allegheny City Property Committee in
abandoning its first proposal to take whole
charge of the Carnegie Library leads to the
belief that, notwithstanding its first SEEM
ingly obstinate stand, the committee is
really disposed to provide the best plan Of
management according to its lights. This
being so it is well to have all the light pos
sible and the best light at that. The COM
munieation, therefore, from DR.. M. B. Rid
die, of the Allegheny Theological Seminary,
in our columns this morning, is of special
interest, because it is well known that there
are few if any more competent authorities
on the uses Of great library than the
writer.
DR.. Riddle strikes the keynote of this
question when he points out that the funo-
ton of a great library in these days is. to
serve as popular university; that libraries
to serve the highest and best purposes care
no longer mere collections of books but or
ganized selections for their specific purposes,
where everyone can find competent author
ity to answer the questions arising in prac
teal and intellectual ife." In short, in
place of being huge repository for the
miscellaneous products Of the press, without
intelligent and skilled Determinations as
to what is valuable, instructive and author
itative, the determination of the latter
qualification is of the first importance.
We think II this is the correct position
and upon the slightest reflection there can
be no doubt of 1.-THE Councils of Allie
gheny must sd NIT that the management
should be absolutely ''non-partissn, compe-
tent aud stable" as DR.. Riddle urges. 1t
is only picked and special governing body
which can possibly produce such results.
While the resolution adopted in Councils
Thursday night, giving the Board of Con-
troll representation in the management, and
leaving the nominations of Councilmen to
come from the general bedy, is an improve
meut on the plan Of leaving the library
wholly to the City Property Committee, it
still does not go far enough. The most
learned men of the city should also be re-
presented in this governing body, and not in
minority either.
There has been great deal of discussion
over the Carnegie Library, but none too
much. 1t can be made an institution not
merely of local, but of national renown and
usefulness; or on the other hand it may be-
come but huge omnium gatherum for all
sorts of books, of the making of which in
our days there is even less end than there
was in the time of Solomon. Whatever
their first opinions, the Councilmen of the
sister city need not feel the slightest morti-
fcation in revising them according to the
advice of the most experienced. There
need be no quarrel between Boetia and At
tea in this matter. 1t will in the future be a
cause of for greater pride to the Councilmen
to point to a splendidly successful library
which they organized. by wise provisions,
than to repOse on the merely ephemeral and
doubtful triumph of carrying through any
undigested programme which happened at
first sight to recommend itself.
Allegheny has a good chance to make
itS library as worthily notable as the mag
nifcent home Mr.. Carnegie has provided for
it. Everybody hopes it will make the best
OF the opportunity.