Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-17
Our Possessions in Books.


with the completion OF the State Ii
brary building next year the State
Library viii be put upon better footing
than ever before. Hitherto IL has been an
appendage of the office OF the Secretary
Of the Commonwealth; hereafter. unless
public expectation Is violently disap-
pointed, IT will be made a separate Office.
As long as the library remains in the
Capitol Il is comparatively easy for the
Secretary 10 give II much OF his atten-
ton. but when the books and papers are
transferred 10 another building IL would
be perpIexing for the Secretary to give his
personal supervision 10 both offices. In
deed, 81 would be impossible for any one
man 10 nj the two offices with justice
to the State and satisfaction 10 the
public: It was possible m the past
when the library was small. and the
number Of callers not large but It would
not be so with our changed conditions,
which have required the State TO erect in
the Capitol Square library-building. To
realize to the fullest extent the value OF
its books and buildings the State will
have 10 create the Office Of state
Librarian" and require him to devote
his whole time TO tho library.
This we believe was the design OF the
General Assembly when II ordered the
new library bulding 10 be erected. and is
also in accordance with the recommended
tons Of the present Secretary, of some Of
his predecessors, and Of several lcgisla-
tive committees, We believe.
The Dispatch for months past has adyo-
Gated the creation OF this Office. The
librarian should he elected TO go into
Office not later than July 1. 1891, for though
the building viii not be ready for occu-
pancy then the librarian should then
begin 10 arrange his plans for removing
the books. putting up shelves, and getting
out, later on. new catalogue. 1t IS i'm
possible for the State to select rs IL
lrariau any man who Knows 1t ALL"
However experienced tho librarian Sc
lected may be II Will be possible still for
him 10 learn something more, and there
fore il would be well for him to spend
month or more In the great Libraries OF
this country before entering upon his
duties here.
II We assume that the General As
sembly Will surely create this Office then
the next question viii be whether the
selection of the man should be left to
the Governor or the Library Committee,
or the two houses OF the General AS
sembly. Whatever mode may be adopted
we earnestly trust that qualifications for
the proper discharge Of the duties Of the
office Will be made the chief test.
The state Library is not now, and never
will be. circulating library" but the
general public are at liberty TO call there
between the hours OF 9 and and examine
any Of the books-any Of the books which
don't happen TO be out In the hands of
the officers Of the government, who, alone
are privileged to withdraw them.
The hours for the admission OF the
general public should be extended when
the library is established in its new
horne 1t is not practicable now for
several reasons. but then 1t ought not to
be considered any hardship for the IL
brarian or some OF his assistants-it will
be indispensable that he should have as
sstants-to be required TO remain from 8
4. VI. TO =. NJ. at least.
When the average man comes to Rich
mond from another part Of the state with
tho special purpose Of getting access 10
authorities which he desires to consult he
Is not content to pay hotel-bills for whole
days while his working hours are re-
stricted to the hours between 8 and 3
o'clock.
When II comes to establishing rules for
the government OF the library we sup
pose the two houses will leave them TO
the Library Committee, hence we may
observe that the Library Committee is
going TO be a much more important com
mlttee hereafter than 1t has ever been in
the past.