Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-08
A FREE PUBAIc LIBRARY.
Nj. Spoford Says Washington Needs One
and Might Easily Get One.


and Might Easily Get One.
BOOKS At THE CAPITOL THAT NIGHT BE TRANS
FERRED TO A FREE LIBRARy-sueoEsrroxs
ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF A FREE Library
WORDS OF ESooURAaExESr ron THE PROJECT.
Mr.. Spohord, librarian Of Congress, is much
interested in the proposition made in The STAR
for the establishment of free public library at
Washington.
There lie no city, /" he said to STAR reporter,
where it would be eAser TO establish such
library and none which needs one more. The
Importance Of having library upon which the
citizens can draw and which will extend and
broaden the reading Of the community cannot
be overestimated. II il astonishing and is q
great pity that a city like Washington should
Be without public circulating library. What
= needed Is an extensive and well-appointed
circulating library. The National Library is
not available for the purposes Of a circulating
library. 1t Is not practicable TO have the books
free 10 be taken out by anybody. and from its
purpose and character il Is unrestricted and
too general in its store of literature for a cir
cuiating library. What is needed is a library
composed Of only the very best books of every
branch OF literature. On all the scientific sub
lects and the like the book should contain the
very latest that Is known on the subject treated.
The latest and best information on all subjects
should be made available to the public through
the library. Every branch of literature should
be represented by the best examples only
and the chief feature would not be
notion. L hope. Proper space should be
gwen to the best works of fiction but they
should not be made the feature. Instructive
works-scientifc, biographical. historical.
books OF travel-all such books as contain the
best thoughts of the best thinkers and writers
should be given the first consideration in a
library for an intelligent community like this
vi course, poetry and fiction should have its
proper place. The library should be extensive
enough, running through a wide range of sub
lects, TO provide the public with the best of any
branch Of literature they NAV require. Such a
horary would be of incalculable value and
with the proper public spirit its establishment
would not be difficult. The international copy
night law Is going to make the best books avail
able to our people and is going to lessen their
cost. 1t Will bring forward better class of
books to take the place of the cheap sensational
yeiiow-backed novel, which is now in the hands
OF our young readers, and too many old ones
also, tor that matter. The better works, saw.
Will be made easier of access for the establish
ment OF such library. SO that il will not cost
such an extraordinary sum of money to estab-
iish IT, am not prepared to express an opin-
ION as TO the availability of the department
libraries to be merged into public library,
but II that could be done ii would help the pro-
ject along.
BOOKS FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.
III Congress would authorize the transfer
some thousands of books might be furnished
from this the National Library. There are a
great many duplicates that might be spared
without detriment to this library which would
go to enrich a public library il il were estab-
lished. The necessity of keeping at the Capitol
duplicates o all the books of reference and the
rarlra 49, 4. n
apt to be sought after the bulk of the books are
transferred TO the new National Library build
ing VIII lessen the number of books that could
be spared for circulating library, but there
would still be great many.
IT Is not to be expected that Congress would
aid by the appropriation of money in the estab-
lishment of a library at Washington. such as
suggested, but ii might divert a good many
books. which would be available to this pur-
pose. IL the proper public spirit could be
aroused among men who could afford TO assist
In such praiseworthy undertaking there is q
great deal that might be made available in
building up the library. There is no greater
monument that man can erect for himself as
public benefactor than that which would be
built on an enduring foundation by the gift of
a library or the nucleus of a library to Wash
ington. 1 am astonished that some rich man.
a number OF such. have not already thought to
do this. This is a thing that man should do
In his lifetime rather than by bequest-
THE GOOD LIBRARY WOULD DO.
Il hope to see library established a. IL
should be. The good that it would do cannot
be ever estimated. 1t would better the moral
status and the general condition of the CON-
munity. 1t would raise the whole community
to higher plane of intelligence. The char
acter Of our reading is largely determined by
the class OF books that is available to u.s. The
cheap sensational novels which are now read
90 and Oh
mind, and to which may he charged much OF
the strife, trouble, domestic unhappiness and
wlckedness we see, could be crowded out and
made distasteful to great mass of readers if
by the establishment of a free circulating
library, better class of books could be made
easy OF access. The more this is thought of
the more one must be impressed with the i'm
portance of such a library. / have very little
time at my own disposal, but would gladly
serve with a commission to prepare and revise
the catalogue and aid all in my power in the e.
adjustment of public library here