The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-14
The Library q. u Laboratory.

What the old proyerb says Of fire-that it
s "a good servant but bad MASTER
might with truth be applied 10 books. IL
was the great defect of the old-fashiOned
educ. ton that books were allowed to get
the mastery over the pupil. But now that
the immediate study of things has gained
the ascendency the modern mode OF
teaching many subjects, care must be taken
not to run into the opposite extreme and
disregard books altogether. How much ala
well-managed collection OF books can
give to the student in any field is clearly
pointed out by Mr.. George lies in an article
on "The Library in Education" pub
lished in The Week of Toronto. He
saws that, although deposed from
the supreme station they once held,
they now occupy place but lit
tie lower, and place brOadened by the
scope of ideas new in education. Every
important observation, experiment. expert
ence in any Of the unnumbered nelds OF
science, or OF teaching, soon gets itself
printed in book. Thus printed, 1t is in no
sense substitute for individual us OF eyes,
hands, and brain, but gives all these lnfor-
m alton. guidance, suggestion, OF worth In
calculable. While in the study OF
architecture, geology, or engineering, the
library is Of increasing worth as an aid TO
work and practice, there are fields Of re-
search where it becomes the workshop IL
self. Research in law, history, philosophy,
economics, literature generally, can
only be pursued where books are
gathered together and rightly ordered"
The phrase rightly ordered" is an allu-
sion to the immense increase OF
value that librarians are now giving TO the
collections In their charge through I'M
proved organization. Formerly the libra
rian deemed his duty done if he faithfully
guarded the books in his care from loss or
injury, and the less they were used the less
approximations he had for their safety. The
librarian that is now coming to the front is
a being Of a different kind. He Is trained
for his profession, and he has much broad
er conception of the work that belongs to
him. 1.-The new idea is" says Mr.. lies,
''that he shall so yitalize his library, that
to make his books attractive and useful
shall be his chieiest care. To that end he
must know how 10 order them and indicate
their contents, 90 that the whole capital en-
trusted TO him shall be instantly available
for any inquirsrs purpose. He must
he able TO give seekers guidance.
have the tact and sympathy to stimulate
research, the kindly enthusiasm which pro-
notes study by inviting it to helpful step
ping-stones." A library under such man.
agement rises to the plane Of efficiency Oc-
cupied by the laboratory. A modern labo-
ratory designed for students in one of the
sciences, with its convenient desks, draw
ers, and lockers, its rows Of bottles contain
ing reagents, its apparatus especially
devised for the work to be done, its arrange
ments for water gas, aud steam, its apart
ments set of TO secure special conditions Of
light, air, or temperature, and its collec-
tiOns Systematically arranged for the COM
If il afi fas
place TO work in. To say that the modern
library is approaching this character is the
highest praise that we can give it.-Popular
Science Monthly.