Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-26
rnnE rnnLlc LtsRAKIEs.
a Comparison of Their Circulation and
Inllueucs with That of Subscription
ii,rap,ns


V,,u,,.,,,,., tpfti, 'pLut af Suh.cri ntinn
,','
.,,....-.,,
lN"'l'Niui''"'e"'l
a comparison n trce pNpllc libraries
WIN subscription libraries SHOWS that tle
former are n almost every instance, more
sNatctlauchIiS anu eluNleilllF !ahaasea' as
from thc nature 81 thelr nrEhhlHaunn theE
are IlRely TO pc Inc subscription library
must, ~ order 70 MAINTAIN Itself MAKE
pub.lc, Who are larry weil'to-an ana tldNe
eohsiueraple leisure us readers coi'le 70 u
TOT me most part TOT semi ihtcsIrV'ua,
fesreatloh; ana consequently GehiaI9
many DOCKS 81 q popular ana ephenltF1l
character Any library ought 10 cohlA.ha
sprihEhng q BOOKS Of snch 4 eharatseF'
ana onght 10 Keep abreast oil the Times N
purchasing lnIicloNs. selection q sNsA
books as theE make theif appearances lT'u ~,
me press rec puplc libraries 90 tlls, ~.
at the same tme they spend more money
| lof inc pest DOCKS u tbe productive aill
mechanic arts, and Tor sclehtihc WORKS, HS
lor instance, books q interest W tht nfGH1.
| tect, me DrldEo engineer the eneniiNI' or
electrician thus the Tree puohc hhFary
provides recreation, but its primary OBJECT
= % pfoNlic Information ana liistfut,l39 ll,
ana mus to pc people university "l'th
NAV ne used DS az classes a!ike'
DOWN 10 recent times the library was TOT
tue scholar only, Without negiectlhs the
| wants OF me student ciasS' IL mas now VI
tereu Wiucr lloIus' anu assumed WIuer anu
more varied functions There Is almost
Nc llmlt |" Us usefulness lAst q y Is III
possible 20 predict the nature OF the SUD
| leuS anu the names ana numbers 81 we
DOCKS that any gwen community may
! WISH 70 consult lrec library ottc
established, creates It's own reading puh!le
anu eGucates y. A. a consequence the
character OF the circllauon oil tree
| lDrarS improves as inc library bttuli''
Older and has exertct an influence in the
community for longer tline.
lhefe Is no more Striking fact IN inc
| history Of pubhc libraries thun TINS con,
slant increase OF substantial reading anu
constant decrease A. the percentage 81
iichoh circulated; lhe percentage OF nc
lloll ~ the PrAtt Library ~ Baltimore mas
become smaller from year TO year since
that institution llfst opened It's doors. ~
Cleveland during HE past y years the per
CehtaHe OF lictl9n circulated mas lalieh lf0lu
q, 10 oo III leffe llhVle lhus, llrN
library, from - 70 w ~ Indianapolis
rom % To- ~. similar changes lhnnSh
less marked, are shown by ire more re
Gently established libraries OF Paterson
newark ana jersey City, N,I. lhese lacl'
seem to be a decided evidence OF the YallI
ahle Influences Of tree public libraries 1t
developing taste Tor reading.
Further free libraries are of inca'cnlG
BILE advantage in connection with schools
both pubic and private. Library en-
ployes furnish lists of reference books q
special subjects At ne request OF pun
or teachers. Most libraries issue "speoih
privilege cards to teachers in public o
private schools, On these cards from lou
70 - books, bearing on some special sub
] lcet OF school work may he drawn by tn
teacher, Many Libraries, place cot!ection