New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-08

born to be teachers deighting TO bug the reht book
to the right person at the right time There rs no
very large and not very well endowed are Sei5 L "a
light to all the community Here come nnd the edtoi
the physicians and tie lawyers, the inventors and inc
professors the tired end ck seeking reiTesh Md n9nS e
sent anu SunTv swsy Each is sure that he has
found the best for his purposes that the horS oon
In these days when the cry for university extension i6e
Popuia IL may be well to colsusr by arrange
ments which viii Increase their efficiency s9RPo oSt
It'd 70 BE- that a e Se rerce o the
free from ali other duties and Is ready to give counsel
about books to all who question him. Let II DC
part Of his business to study the wants OF those who
frequent that library Let him have at MS ep ST 'e
Ss sned to sSe habits that he can readily lind what
he wants In library even when for the nrst on ~
Kindly disposition, patient with the unnfOrmed ready
catch The meaning of inqurers who have only I'M I'M
spympathes be broad his ateIiect versatile know
edge comprehensive. such a man could DO as muca N
newspaper as the head OF school, the pastor Of
church-perhaps might say as much as al three
Such persons are often found in public institutions
They ought to be recognized as necessary members Oh
library STAFF the usheEs of good books; lns %V
In these remarks l had chiefly In mind the popular
library. In learned Libraries like those OF colleges
they are attractive to learned men, the principal
Librarian or superintendent should be man Oh wao
knowledge II II Is not necessary for him 10 LloW dS
many languages as MezEofanti, he should at least
command Greek and Latin, French and German: III, ne
should love science vel literature. lie should
survey with an eagles eye the vast fields Of human
activity and discern with prophetic instinct what BOOKS
tunites do merchants 10 purchase that which
rarely comes into the market lie should be skull iHai
they will be most helpful and suggestive to the In
OF ahe c w be ei tie be
II he cultivates his own special branch OF STUDY io
inVs as AND he viii be- the better investigator
If he is also teacher Erudton should be the chai
wish 1t the established custom TO seek out such
men and place them In charge Of our libraries. some
are familiar to all the scholars Of the land But we
need more such NEIL The profession OF librarian
should be encouraged TO enter it, should be trained to
discharge Its duties, and should be rewarded promoted
The American Library Association is an important
agency for suggesting, UNFOLDING and difusiDg wise
views upon library mansgement It's purposes ana
A library is not merely magazine or storehousc: 1t
which tends to self preservation growth and reprOduc
ton. 1t IL never the same, not because its elements
cause they grow like the cells of honeycomb. Con
slant eadastmen Of the books that are IN demand and
called the librarl an's paradox. The problem was
solved by Panizz on great scale when the ;,, new
OK the British Museum were arranged, by Uhler
lesser scale when the Peabody Institute was en-
larged 1t must be met by every librarian who tries
TO Keep In proximity tie important books Of any sub
ject while he sees Inviting accessons constantly seek
ing. places ,.....,.o. .,oo,s.
Is
upon the player. Net everybody who can blow the
fife beat the drum can elicit an organs harmony
" sv s9 C e yh6 S can bd the
who understands the mysterious mechanism OF KEYS
and stops and pedals has the power OF melodious eN
preston. But when master ste at the key board
celestial haTmones are heard: history, philosophy,
| science, poetry, all the muses. hover near go
In these days of rapid acquisitions, quick demand for
not be at once produced, libraries are in danger
of losing one Of their most precious qualtes-qulet sg
places of epOse where the student may have access to
the shelves, and, without revealing 10 any other human
mind the operations of his own. may take down, at
! books he pleases Carlyle refused snch priv,
Mark at the hr ms aTe m Win Re like
experience OF Casaubon-schoarly friend of Henry ~
petualiy t6wared in his natural curiosity to explore
the treasures of the royal library in Paris BY the moroSe
temper Of the cnstOdiantOO ignorant 70 the library
himself too Jealous 10 allow Others to use it, Ot
Gosseln, who thus thwarted Casauboq IT Is recorded
that in the imbeclty Of extreme old age he stlII
clutched his treasures with desperate grip .,,o,,
the trustees OF every large collection should have the
discretion to admit to the shelves those who are
qualified In their morals as wen as in their under.
standings 10 enjoy snch privileges. The easy access
of the public TO twenty or thirty thousand volumes
like those which surround the walls Of the central n,i
it is likewise important that men like Casaubon; men
like Carlyle, men like M9caulay, should be welcome l
| TO the very penetralia Wherever they go they VIII
Repose In library will become one of the lost
Illusions of the scholar If librarians, with over
readiness TO answer the inquiries Of the asker Of
twenty questions" not even more alert 10 recog
nize and encourage the modest unobt:u>lye lover Of
good books. The leisure reader Is "a worthy as the
hurried caller. lie IS more likely 70 produce the
fruits Of quiet reflection and accurate scholarship
II II be said that Lowell is Of the last great
writer's who have given distinction to Boston during
the middle of this century, 1t may be worth while u
| inquire whether the gentle, Inspiring peaceful in
| Auences of literary OuietiSm, under which he and
Emerson, Longfcow, Tcknor, Hawthorn, Motley and
Prescott and their kinSmen Of the pen grew mp are
known TO this generation, and whether in our cultiva
ton Of other fine arts not forgetting the noble
art of leisure.
| The speechmakng ended with short but impressive
| addresses by General WOOdfOrd representing the
! trustees and Professor Tyler. representing the
| faculty. The ceremonies ended with music and the
| benedictOn.
The new building, whose architect is W. II. Miller
| OF this city, is OF the handsOmesi structures
| I'm the city. and OF the most complete and per
| feet library buildings IN the world. The cdifce +
! 40 feet long and so feet wide. The general out
lines resemble cross. the book stacks occupying the
| southern and western arms, the reading rooms the
eastern while the northern contains accomm?da-
tons for the Offices of administration, the White
Library, and various seminary rooms IT Is built Of
gray stone Is frepr9of lighted by electricity and
| heated by steam. The general readingroo is 1876
feet long, and will seat 232 readers Almost 100000
| hooks can he stored away the great building