The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-05-14
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
An Interesting Paper in the
Arena by Miss Tessie Kelso.
Some Economical Features'of Public
Libraries.
Several Causes yThioi. Serve to RstaT i;
Their Advancement Practical
Thoughts by Talented
Librarian.

That the advancement Of the public
library system has not kept pace with
other educational movements in the
last 20 years, is due to several causes.
The character OF the institution refuses to
adapt itself to machine politics, and the
consequence has been q universal belit-
Ting policy, and determined opposi-
ton to the granting of funds for the
support of public libraries, since expen-
ditures could not be made to serve po-
litical ends; and the apportionment Of
funds being optional, the city council or
governing board has taken care that the
smallest possibls amount is allowed.
In addition to this, the system has been
weighed down by the professional and
traditional impedimenta; there has
ganization mechanical devices are too
often cumbersome and expensive, due
to need of comparative investigation.
The work of the library association has
accomplished much improvement, but
has not developed library principles or
original experiments, having confined
lbb WQIh III a lAIk0 loheuTb w iuobuUuB
of cataloguing and indexing, on the
hypothesis that the public must be kept
from direct access to the books. Library
architecture has been discussed and has
been developed with the same object in
view. Administrative questions have
had very little serious and systematic
consideration, despite the fact that, as
libraries grow IN size, the expenditures
for books steadily decrease and admins
trative expenses increase, until in the
case of the larger libraries the book ex-
penditures are but one-fourth of the
total resources. The extravaganza re-
sulting from experimental duplication
in finances and methods could be vastly
lessened by greater comparative consid-
Grafton.
In addition to these drawbacks, there
has not been full appreciation of the
highest function Of she public library Of
today, which lies in it's power to add to
the fast-diminishing store Of human
pleasure, to be means OF overcoming
the intemperance Of work. Librarians
have assisted the Misunderstanding by
constantly deprecating the reading of
fiction or any literature that might be
yead for amusement, the aim being to
report decrease In the percentage of
Eight reading" from year to year, and
this insistence against fiction has fur.
nished weapon to be used against the
support Of public libraries.
The objective aim has been to supply
the needs of the student, the one person
who, by the virtue OF his title, ia least to
be considered; since to the student books
are his working materials, and he seldom
depends on the resources OF a public
library. The endeavor to fix the standard
of usefulness by means Of this minority
has created strife in which the real
capacity of the library remains almost
undey eloped. With the constantly in
creaHing financial resources, individual
ex perimentation. and growing indie
pendence OF tradition, the time is COM
ing for the enlargement OF some of its
social and economical possibilities.
The philosophers and thinkers long
since recognized and called attention to
the fact that, in the struggle for profit
and position, the finer consciousness and
value of individual life were lowered,
and the elements of happiness, pleasure
and amusement were diminished; and
every institution capable of adding to
such fund should be fostered and en-
couraged to Its full capacity.
A new social danger has developed in
the last 20 years in the crowding of life
in few centers, the abandonment oil
farms and farm life, and the ensuing
congestion in cities. The cause is ad.
mittedly in the lack of relaxation, the
want Of, opportunity for intellectual inn
provement, and of such amusement as
rural life might afford. Efforts towards q
cure have resulted in the annual ex-
penditure of millions for charities, both
public and private. Hospitals, jails,
reformatories, have been increased in
the cities, but there has been astonish-
ingly little done to countersct the cause
at it's inception. England has in slight
measure undertaken the work, and the
peoples palaces" are the result of the
effort; but the American public does
not take kindly to charity thus applied,
and it is worth considering what insti-
tutions may be developed, under our
system of taxation, to increase the ra-
tional proportion between work and re-
Taxation.
The most logical center of such possi-
bilities is public library. The dignity
and power Of books in the concrete is a
lever to move the mass. The toughest
"hoodlum" will lower his voice and take
off his hat on entering a real public
library, for it represents to his under
standing that by some process he is
owner here of valuable tangible Prop
erty and has a full share in its priyi-
leges in common with the highest or
richest. To be able to establish the
realization of responsibility reduces the
problem immeasurably, and no church
or other institution has the power. Yet
at this very point the tmost serious OPP
position to the library system has been
developed, on the score that a library
offered loafng place for ali the idlers
in city /; but If the library did no more
than become the recognized loafing-
center of city it's existence on that
basis would be warranted.
Our present state of society does not
provide work for all men and women,
and without work there are no homes /;
still the activity of being does not cease,
and there must be space found for the
body somewhere, and whole commune
ty is physically eater when the loafer, be
he chronic or otherwise, is sitting with
book before him in an atmosphere and
surroundings OF wholesomeness. When
the extent of this usefulness is better
realized. every employment Office and
corner loafing place will contain an invi-
tation to the library; loaf at the library
if need be.
It is to be regretted that almost uni
versally this very opportunity for de-
veloping usefulness and influence has
been discouraged, and all sorts of obsta-